Routing to reduce congestion

• US 8,630,789 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traffic Routing Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Richard David Speiser
• Inventors: Speiser, Richard David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US13/607,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 25, 701117-123, 180167-179
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/76 for traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

This disclosure describes embodiments that include systems and methods for integrating various efficient and beneficial transportation and network technologies into an energy-efficient, time-efficient, highly-scalable, semi-public transportation system. Specifically, the disclosed embodiments include methods and systems provide a distributed transportation computing system for routing clean-powered, semi-independent system vehicles within adapted existing metropolitan freeway systems. The embodiments reduce traffic congestion by synchronizing the movements of system vehicles within system roadways. System vehicles may be designed to incorporate clean-power, energy-efficiency, and both on- and off-system operational control. As system vehicles allow for both system and independent use, individuals desiring independence may be incentivized to participate in this semi-public, mass-transportation system. High scalability is possible because modifications to existing freeway infrastructures require minimal retrofitting and simplified expansion in comparison with the construction of presently available mass-transportation systems, such as light rail and subway systems.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing traffic flow thereby reducing traffic congestion within a system roadway comprising a plurality of roadways, comprising:

receiving a re-route plan request from a first vehicle under automated control traveling on a current system roadway, the re-route plan request indicating a new destination;

guiding the first vehicle off the current system roadway to a holding area associated with an entry point;

maintaining automated control over the first vehicle in the holding area;

determining a plurality of actual time slots for a first roadway adjacent to the entry point based on a vehicle size and a set speed limit, wherein the plurality of actual time slots has a flow along the first roadway based on the set speed limit;

based on the flow of the plurality of actual time slots, determining that a first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots is projected to pass the entry point at a particular time;

generating by one or more processing units one or more re-route plans based on the entry point and one or more exit points associated with the new destination;

identifying a top priority re-route plan of the one or more re-route plans, wherein the top priority re-route plan comprises at least the first roadway and a second roadway;

identifying a plurality of re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan;

identifying a plurality of available re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan, wherein each available re-route time slot is projected to be available from the entry point to at least one of the one or more exit points along the top priority re-route plan, wherein identifying the plurality of available re-route time slots comprises;

identifying a merge point between the first roadway and the second roadway;

projecting that at least one re-route time slot will be occupied by a second vehicle on the second roadway at the merge point, wherein the projecting is based at least in part on route plan information for the second vehicle; and

excluding the at least one re-route time slot from the plurality of available re-route time slots;

identifying a first feasible re-route time slot (FFRRTS) that is calculated to have a lowest projected travel time from among the plurality of available re-route time slots, wherein the FFRRTS corresponds to the first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots; and

launching the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein three or more re-route plans are generated in response to the re-route plan request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the top priority re-route plan of the one or more re-route plans further comprises:

calculating a projected travel time for each of the one or more re-route plans, wherein the projected travel time is an estimated time from the entry point to the new destination;

identifying one of the one or more re-route plans having a lowest projected travel time; and

designating the identified one of the one or more re-route plans as the top priority re-route plan.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

designating a remainder of the one or more re-route plans not having the lowest projected travel time as alternative re-route plans; and

determining that the projected travel time of at least one of the alternative re-route plans is within 25 percent of the top priority re-route plan, wherein the at least one alternative re-route plan is a feasible alternative re-route plan.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of available re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan further comprises:

identifying a plurality of actual time slots corresponding to the plurality of re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan;

determining that one or more of the plurality of actual time slots is occupied by another vehicle;

eliminating each of the plurality of re-route time slots corresponding to an occupied actual time slot; and

determining that remaining re-route time slots of the plurality of re-route time slots are the plurality of available re-route time slots.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first feasible re-route time slot (FFRRTS) from among the plurality of available re-route time slots further comprises:

determining that at least one available re-route time slot of the plurality of available re-route time slots is available from the entry point to an exit point associated with the new destination along the top priority re-route plan;

determining a travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot from the entry point to the new destination; and

determining that the at least one available re-route time slot having the lowest travel time to the new destination is the FFRRTS.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot further comprises:

evaluating one or more parameters comprising;

current weather conditions, current traffic conditions, and projected traffic load; and

determining the travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot based at least in part on evaluating the one or more parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein launching the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time is performed based at least in part on receiving location data from an on-board global positioning system (GPS) associated with the first vehicle.

9. A system for synchronizing traffic flow thereby reducing traffic congestion within a system roadway comprising a plurality of roadways, comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processing unit and containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, perform a method, comprising;

receiving a re-route plan request from a first vehicle under automated control traveling on a current system roadway, the re-route plan request indicating a new destination;

determining a plurality of actual time slots for a first roadway that merges with the current system roadway at a merge point based on a vehicle size and a set speed limit, wherein the plurality of actual time slots has a flow along the first roadway based on the set speed limit;

based on the flow of the plurality of actual time slots, determining that a first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots is projected to pass the merge point at a particular time;

generating one or more re-route plans based on the merge point and one or more exit points associated with the new destination;

identifying a top priority re-route plan of the one or more re-route plans, wherein the top priority re-route plan comprises at least the current system roadway and the first roadway;

identifying a plurality of re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan;

identifying a plurality of available re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan, wherein each available re-route time slot is projected to be available from the merge point to at least one of the one or more exit points along the top priority re-route plan, wherein identifying the plurality of available re-route time slots comprises;

projecting that at least one re-route time slot will be occupied by a second vehicle on the first roadway at the merge point, wherein the projecting is based at least in part on route plan information for the second vehicle; and

excluding the at least one re-route time slot from the plurality of available re-route time slots;

identifying a first feasible re-route time slot (FFRRTS) that is calculated to have a lowest projected travel time from among the plurality of available re-route time slots, wherein the FFRRTS corresponds to the first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots; and

merging the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein three or more re-route plans are generated in response to the re-route plan request.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the top priority re-route plan of the one or more re-route plans further comprises:

calculating a projected travel time for each of the one or more re-route plans, wherein the projected travel time is an estimated time from the merge point to the new destination;

identifying one of the one or more re-route plans having a lowest projected travel time; and

designating the identified one of the one or more re-route plans as the top priority re-route plan.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

designating a remainder of the one or more re-route plans not having the lowest projected travel time as alternative re-route plans; and

determining that the projected travel time of at least one of the alternative re-route plans is within 25 percent of the top priority re-route plan, wherein the at least one alternative re-route plan is a feasible alternative re-route plan.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the plurality of available re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan further comprises:

identifying a plurality of actual time slots corresponding to the plurality of re-route time slots along the top priority re-route plan;

determining that one or more of the plurality of actual time slots is occupied by another vehicle;

eliminating each of the plurality of re-route time slots corresponding to an occupied actual time slot; and

determining that remaining re-route time slots of the plurality of re-route time slots are the plurality of available re-route time slots.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein identifying the first feasible re-route time slot (FFRRTS) from among the plurality of available re-route time slots further comprises:

determining that at least one available re-route time slot of the plurality of available re-route time slots is available from the merge point to an exit point associated with the new destination along the top priority re-route plan;

determining a travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot from the entry point to the new destination; and

determining that the at least one available re-route time slot having the lowest travel time to the destination is the FFRRTS.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining the travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot further comprises:

evaluating one or more parameters comprising;

current weather conditions, current traffic conditions, and projected traffic load; and

determining the travel time associated with the at least one available re-route time slot based at least in part on evaluating the one or more parameters.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein merging the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time is performed based at least in part on receiving location data from an on-board global positioning system (GPS) associated with the first vehicle.

17. A computer storage medium, having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for synchronizing traffic flow thereby reducing traffic congestion within a system roadway comprising a plurality of roadways, performing a method comprising:

receiving a selected route plan from a first vehicle under manual control, the selected route plan indicating an entry point, at least a first roadway and a second roadway, and a destination;

determining a plurality of actual time slots for the first roadway adjacent to the entry point based on a vehicle size and a set speed limit, wherein the plurality of actual time slots has a flow along the first roadway based on the set speed limit;

based on the flow of the plurality of actual time slots, determining that a first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots is projected to pass the entry point at a particular time;

identifying a plurality of route time slots along the selected route plan;

identifying a plurality of available route time slots along the selected route plan, wherein each available route time slot is projected to be available from the entry point to at least one of one or more exit points associated with the destination along the selected route plan, wherein identifying the plurality of available route time slots comprises;

identifying a merge point between the first roadway and the second roadway;

projecting that at least one route time slot will be occupied by a second vehicle on the second roadway at the merge point, wherein the projecting is based at least in part on route plan information for the second vehicle; and

excluding the at least one route time slot from the plurality of available route time slots;

identifying a first feasible route time slot (FFRTS) that is calculated to have a lowest projected travel time from among the plurality of available route time slots, wherein the FFRTS corresponds to the first actual time slot of the plurality of actual time slots;

taking automated control of the first vehicle; and

launching the first vehicle into the first actual time slot on the first roadway at the particular time.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying the plurality of available route time slots along the selected route plan further comprises:

identifying a plurality of actual time slots corresponding to the plurality of route time slots along the selected route plan;

determining that one or more of the plurality of actual time slots is occupied by another vehicle;

eliminating each of the plurality of route time slots corresponding to an occupied actual time slot; and

determining that remaining route time slots of the plurality of route time slots are the plurality of available route time slots.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying the first feasible route time slot (FFRTS) from among the plurality of available route time slots further comprises:

determining that at least one available route time slot of the plurality of available route time slots is available from the entry point to an exit point associated with the destination along the selected route plan;

determining a travel time associated with the at least one available route time slot from the entry point to the exit point associated with the destination; and

determining that the at least one available route time slot having the lowest travel time to the exit point associated with the destination is the FFRTS.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein determining the travel time associated with the at least one available route time slot further comprises:

evaluating one or more parameters comprising;

current weather conditions, current traffic conditions, and projected traffic load; and

determining the travel time associated with the at least one available route time slot based at least in part on evaluating the one or more parameters.