Real-time transportation network topology control-combined traffic flow control and dynamic route guidance system using in-vehicle navigator with bidirectional communication and parking guidance and reservation system using the same

• US 9,734,710 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation (Korea University)
• Original Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation (Korea University)
• Inventors: Kang, Chung Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US14/612,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20150219463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• 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 21/3691 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 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096855 where the output is provided in a suitable form to the driver details on I/O arrangements for onboard navigation computers G01C21/36
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles

Abstract

Provided are a real-time traffic flow control and dynamic route guidance system, a parking guidance system using the same, and a method thereof capable of guiding a vehicle distribution and a transportation flow by collecting positional information, destination information, a vehicle moving speed, and the like from each vehicle in real time at one or a plurality of central centers by using an in-vehicle navigator with bidirectional communication and a GPS to dynamically calculate and provide an optimal route of an individual vehicle so as to make a flow of the entire transportation network smooth and perform a control for a transportation network structure through various kinds of traffic control devices installed on roads.

Claims

1. A destination-aware vehicle guidance system using an in-vehicle navigator with bidirectional communication, the system comprising:

a driver device receiving destination information and receiving and displaying route for an inputted destination information;

a central unit receiving and collecting positional information, speed information, and destination information of the vehicle from the driver device, providing the route information reflecting real-time traffic information to which the collected information is reflected to the driver device, and performing a traffic flow optimization algorithm including variation of the transportation network topology through one or more of selective variation of a road progress direction and a change in reversible lanes by using the collected information to generate transportation network topology control information;

a transportation network topology control system controlling at least one of traffic signals, road directional signals, and the number of bidirectional reversible lanes according to the transportation network topology control information received from the central unit; and

a real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system receiving parking information from each parking lot in the real time to store the parking information in a database, receiving parking reservation for the destination from the driver device, and providing the parking information for at least one parking lot close to the destination in the parking information stored in the database to the driver device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a destination-aware vehicle locator device registering parking manager information to the real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system and receiving parking reservation application by the real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system to approve the parking reservation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver device is an in-vehicle navigation device installed in the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver device is a smart phone in which an application displaying the route information and processing a function related with the parking reservation is installed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the parking information provided to the driver device includes one or more selected from parking lot identification information, information on the number of parking vehicles, a distance from the destination, and parking change information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system researches at least one of parking lot information by considering an estimated arrival time of the inputted destination for the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system provides calculation information for the parking charge to the parking management system of the reserved parking lot.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein, when the inputted destination information is a specific company, the destination-aware vehicle locator device provides current location of the vehicle, estimated arrival time of the vehicle, based on the received parking reservation application.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the real-time destination-aware vehicle guidance system notifies the destination-aware vehicle locator device of the inputted destination of an estimated arrival time of the vehicle.