Automated traffic synchronization

• US 9,147,348 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Emam, Ossama, Fairweather, Peter G., Kanevsky, Dimitri, Rish, Irina
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/617,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 340903-921, 701/93, 701/96, 701/97, 701/98, 701/117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09 Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096708 where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/06 for control when on the ground

Abstract

Vehicle performance capability information and spatial relationship information within a vehicular environment is obtained for each of a group of vehicles. Traffic light signaling information is obtained. At least one synchronized control action is determined for each of the group of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining vehicle performance capability information for each of a plurality of vehicles, spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within a vehicular environment, and traffic light signaling information; and

determining at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating the determined at least one synchronized control action to each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that at least one of the plurality of vehicles is capable of automated external control and where determining the at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information comprises determining one of an automated acceleration control and an automated deceleration control for the at least one of the plurality of vehicles that is capable of the automated external control.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that an adverse weather condition comprising one of a foggy condition, a storm condition, and a frozen precipitation condition exists; and

compensating the determined at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles based upon the determined adverse weather condition comprising one of increasing traveling distances between at least two of the plurality of vehicles, and decreasing vehicle speed of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

5. The method of claim 1, where determining the at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information comprises determining one of a coordinated speed increase and a coordinated speed decrease for each of the plurality of vehicles to minimize accordion-like traffic flow patterns.

6. The method of claim 1, where obtaining the vehicle performance capability information for each of the plurality of vehicles comprises obtaining at least two of acceleration capabilities, deceleration capabilities, weight, wheel base, and turning radius of each of the plurality of vehicles.

7. The method of claim 1, where obtaining the spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment comprises:

capturing image information for the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment;

processing the captured image information; and

determining vehicle location information within the vehicular environment based upon the processed image information.

8. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor programmed to;

obtain from the memory vehicle performance capability information for each of a plurality of vehicles, spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within a vehicular environment, and traffic light signaling information; and

determine at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a communication module and where the processor is further programmed to:

communicate the determined at least one synchronized control action to each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles using the communication module.

10. The system of claim 8, where the processor is further programmed to determine that at least one of the plurality of vehicles is capable of automated external control and where, in being programmed to determine the at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information, the processor is programmed to determine one of an automated acceleration control and an automated deceleration control for the at least one of the plurality of vehicles that is capable of the automated external control.

11. The system of claim 8, where the processor is further programmed to:

determine that an adverse weather condition comprising one of a foggy condition, a storm condition, and a frozen precipitation condition exists; and

compensate the determined at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles based upon the determined adverse weather condition comprising one of increasing traveling distances between at least two of the plurality of vehicles, and decreasing vehicle speed of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

12. The system of claim 8, where, in being programmed to obtain from the memory the vehicle performance capability information for each of the plurality of vehicles, the processor is programmed to obtain at least two of acceleration capabilities, deceleration capabilities, weight, wheel base, and turning radius of each of the plurality of vehicles.

13. The system of claim 8, where, in being programmed to obtain from the memory the spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment, the processor is programmed to:

capture image information for the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment;

process the captured image information; and

determine vehicle location information within the vehicular environment based upon the processed image information.

14. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, where the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to;

obtain vehicle performance capability information for each of a plurality of vehicles, spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within a vehicular environment, and traffic light signaling information; and

determine at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:

communicate the determined at least one synchronized control action to each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to determine that at least one of the plurality of vehicles is capable of automated external control and where, in causing the computer to determine the at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to determine one of an automated acceleration control and an automated deceleration control for the at least one of the plurality of vehicles that is capable of the automated external control.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:

determine that an adverse weather condition comprising one of a foggy condition, a storm condition, and a frozen precipitation condition exists; and

compensate the determined at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles based upon the determined adverse weather condition comprising one of increasing traveling distances between at least two of the plurality of vehicles, and decreasing vehicle speed of at least one of the plurality of vehicles.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to determine the at least one synchronized control action for each of the plurality of vehicles by utilizing the vehicle performance capability information in conjunction with the spatial relationship information and the traffic light signaling information, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to determine one of a coordinated speed increase and a coordinated speed decrease for each of the plurality of vehicles to minimize accordion-like traffic flow patterns.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to obtain the vehicle performance capability information for each of the plurality of vehicles, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to obtain at least two of acceleration capabilities, deceleration capabilities, weight, wheel base, and turning radius of each of the plurality of vehicles.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to obtain the spatial relationship information of the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

capture image information for the plurality of vehicles within the vehicular environment;

process the captured image information; and

determine vehicle location information within the vehicular environment based upon the processed image information.