Traffic control device and traffic control system

• US 9,228,848 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwata, Yasunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US14/386,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20150066350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• 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 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09685 where the complete route is computed only once and not updated

Abstract

A traffic control device and a traffic control system are provided, and the traffic control device includes a route calculating unit configured to detect candidates of a route to a destination, and decide a guidance route from the detected route candidates, an infrastructure communicating unit configured to acquire signal cycle information related to a cycle at which a display of a traffic signal at a traffic signal location on the route calculated by the route calculating unit is switched, and a fuel consumption simulating unit configured to perform fuel consumption simulation including fuel economy improvement assistance executed at a time of passing the traffic signal location with respect to the route candidates based on the signal cycle information acquired by the infrastructure communicating unit, and the route calculating unit decides the guidance route based on the fuel consumption simulation calculated corresponding to the route candidates by the fuel consumption simulating unit.

Claims

1. A traffic control device comprising:

a route calculating unit configured to detect candidates of a route to a destination, and decide a guidance route from the detected route candidates;

an infrastructure communicating unit configured to acquire signal cycle information related to a cycle at which a display of a traffic signal at a traffic signal location on the route calculated by the route calculating unit is switched; and

a fuel consumption simulating unit configured to perform fuel consumption simulation including fuel economy improvement assistance executed at a time of passing the traffic signal location with respect to the route candidates based on the signal cycle information acquired by the infrastructure communicating unit, wherein

the route calculating unit decides the guidance route based on the fuel consumption simulation calculated corresponding to the route candidates by the fuel consumption simulating unit.

2. The traffic control device according to claim 1, wherein

the fuel economy improvement assistance includes an assistance of notifying a driver of an accelerator-off timing when the traffic signal displays passing prohibition at a time of arrival at the traffic signal location.

3. The traffic control device according to claim 1, wherein

the fuel economy improvement assistance includes an assistance of notifying a driver of a speed range capable of passing through the traffic signal location while the traffic signal is in a passage allowance display state.

4. The traffic control device according to claim 2, wherein

the fuel economy improvement assistance includes an assistance of notifying a driver of a speed range capable of passing through the traffic signal location while the traffic signal is in a passage allowance display state.

5. The traffic control device according to claim 1, wherein

the route calculating unit decides a route having a smallest fuel consumption amount as the guidance route based on the fuel consumption simulation.

6. The traffic control device according to claim 2, wherein

the route calculating unit decides a route having a smallest fuel consumption amount as the guidance route based on the fuel consumption simulation.

7. The traffic control device according to claim 3, wherein

the route calculating unit decides a route having a smallest fuel consumption amount as the guidance route based on the fuel consumption simulation.

8. A traffic control system comprising:

the traffic control device according to claim 1; and

a vehicle configured to perform communication with the traffic control device, transmit destination information and current position information to the traffic control device, acquire the guidance route transmitted from the traffic control device, and assist driving of the driver based on the acquired guidance route.

9. A traffic control system comprising:

the traffic control device according to claim 2; and

a vehicle configured to perform communication with the traffic control device, transmit destination information and current position information to the traffic control device, acquire the guidance route transmitted from the traffic control device, and assist driving of the driver based on the acquired guidance route.

10. A traffic control system comprising:

the traffic control device according to claim 3; and

a vehicle configured to perform communication with the traffic control device, transmit destination information and current position information to the traffic control device, acquire the guidance route transmitted from the traffic control device, and assist driving of the driver based on the acquired guidance route.

11. A traffic control system comprising:

the traffic control device according to claim 5; and

a vehicle configured to perform communication with the traffic control device, transmit destination information and current position information to the traffic control device, acquire the guidance route transmitted from the traffic control device, and assist driving of the driver based on the acquired guidance route.