Methods and software for managing vehicle priority in a self-organizing traffic control system

• US 9,536,427 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Original Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
• Inventors: Tonguz, Ozan, Viriyasitavat, Wantanee
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US14/214,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,025 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

Methods and software for managing vehicle priority proximate to a potential travel-priority conflict zone, such as a roadway intersection, where travel conflicts, such as crossing traffic, can arise. Coordination involves forming an ad-hoc network in a region containing the conflict zone using, for example, vehicle-to-vehicle communications and developing a dynamic traffic control plan based on information about vehicles approaching the conflict zone. Instructions based on the dynamic traffic control plan are communicated to devices aboard vehicles in the ad-hoc network, which display one or more virtual traffic signals to the operators of the vehicles and/or control the vehicles (for example, in autonomous vehicles) in accordance with the dynamic traffic control plan, which may account for a priority level associated with one or more of the vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of managing vehicle priority proximate to a potential travel-priority conflict zone, the method being executed in a dynamic traffic control system and comprising:

communicating with a first component of the dynamic traffic control system located on-board a vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone so as to establish a dynamic traffic control plan for avoiding a travel-priority conflict in the potential travel-priority conflict zone;

coordinating with the first component of the dynamic traffic control system via said communicating to elect a dynamic traffic controller as a temporary coordinator vehicle responsible for temporarily coordinating the dynamic traffic control plan;

receiving a priority-request message from a priority vehicle;

determining a travel direction of the priority vehicle;

comparing the travel direction of the priority vehicle to a travel direction of a non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone;

transmitting a priority-granted message to the priority vehicle when the travel direction of the priority vehicle and the travel direction of the non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone differ; and

providing traffic control instructions to an operator of the priority vehicle via a visual or audio indication produced in the priority vehicle as a function of the priority-granted message.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said receiving a priority-request message includes receiving a priority-request message from an emergency vehicle.

4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising receiving a priority-clear message from the priority vehicle.

5. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of said communicating is performed via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

6. A method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising revoking priority for the priority vehicle if no transmissions are received from the priority vehicle for a predetermined period of time.

2. A method of managing vehicle priority proximate to a potential travel-priority conflict zone, the method being executed in a dynamic traffic control system and comprising:

communicating with a first component of the dynamic traffic control system located on-board a vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone so as to establish a dynamic traffic control plan for avoiding a travel-priority conflict in the potential travel-priority conflict zone;

coordinating with the first component of the dynamic traffic control system via said communicating to elect a first dynamic traffic controller as a first temporary coordinator vehicle responsible for temporarily coordinating the dynamic traffic control plan;

receiving a priority-request message from a priority vehicle;

determining a travel direction of the priority vehicle;

comparing the travel direction of the priority vehicle to a travel direction of a non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone; and

when the travel direction of the priority vehicle and the travel direction of the non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone are the same, coordinating with the first component of the dynamic traffic control system via said communicating to hand over responsibility for coordinating the dynamic traffic control plan to a new temporary coordinator vehicle by electing a second dynamic traffic controller as a second temporary coordinator vehicle responsible for temporarily coordinating the dynamic traffic control plan.