Congestion estimation device

• US 9,171,463 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), University of Tokyo
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), University of Tokyo
• Inventors: Koshizen, Takamasa, Nishinari, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Calvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEEKS, MARTIN A
• Application Number:
  US13/807,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 701/120
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

Disclosed is a congestion estimation device including a speed detection unit configured to detect a speed of a host vehicle and then outputting a speed detection result, an inter-vehicle distance detection unit configured to detect an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and other vehicle and then outputting an inter-vehicle distance detection result, a correlation calculation unit configured to calculate a correlation based on the speed detection result and the inter-vehicle distance detection result and then outputting a correlation calculation result, and a display unit configured to display the correlation calculation result or information relating to the correlation calculation result.

Claims

1. A congestion estimation device, comprising:

a speed detection unit comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of a host vehicle and outputting a speed detection result;

an inter-vehicle distance detection unit comprising a radar device for detecting an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle and outputting an inter-vehicle distance detection result;

a simple regression line calculation unit comprising processors for calculating a simple regression line based on the speed detection result and the inter-vehicle distance detection result and outputting a calculation result;

a standard deviation calculation unit comprising processors for calculating a standard deviation of slope of the simple regression line and outputting a standard deviation calculation result; and

a congestion estimation unit comprising processors for;

estimating an occurrence of traffic congestion based on the standard deviation calculation result, and determining that there is a high possibility of traffic congestion occurring when a time variation of the standard deviation of the slope of the simple regression line has a tendency of decreasing.

2. The congestion estimation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least one of the standard deviation calculation result and the determination result of the congestion estimation.

3. A congestion estimation device, comprising:

a speed detection unit comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of a host vehicle and outputting a speed detection result;

an inter-vehicle distance detection unit comprising a radar device for detecting an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle and outputting an inter-vehicle distance detection result;

a simple regression line calculation unit comprising processors for calculating a simple regression line based on the speed detection result and the inter-vehicle distance detection result and outputting a calculation result;

an average value calculation unit comprising processors for calculating an average value of slope of the simple regression line and outputting an average value calculation result; and

a congestion estimation unit comprising processors for;

estimating an occurrence of traffic congestion based on the average value calculation result, and determining that there is a high possibility of traffic congestion occurring when a time variation of the average value of the slope of the simple regression line has a tendency of increasing.

4. The congestion estimation device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least one of the average value calculation result and the determination result of the congestion estimation.

5. A congestion estimation device, comprising:

a speed detection unit comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of a host vehicle and outputting a speed detection result;

an inter-vehicle distance detection unit comprising a radar device for detecting an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle and outputting an inter-vehicle distance detection result;

a correlation calculation unit comprising processors for calculating a correlation based on the speed detection result and the inter-vehicle distance detection result and outputting a calculation result; and

a congestion estimation unit comprising processors for;

estimating an occurrence of traffic congestion based on the calculation result of the correlation, and determining that there is a high possibility of traffic congestion occurring when a transition from a first state where an inter-vehicle distance minimum value is large and the correlation is small to a second state where the inter-vehicle distance minimum value is small and the correlation is large occurs.

6. The congestion estimation device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display at least one of the calculation result of the correlation and the determination result of the congestion estimation.