Organized intelligent merging

• US 9,886,857 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Linder, Eric, Ryu, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOFI, YAZAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/855,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20170076607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method is provided for organized intelligent merge notifications. The method includes identifying a merge aperture using a processor. Merging vehicle parameters for a merging vehicle approaching the merge aperture are received over a network. Simulations of traffic moving through the merge aperture is performed by the processor based on the received merging vehicle parameters. The simulations are optimized by the processor to determine a merge distance for the merging vehicle. A merge notification is generated by the processor for the merging vehicle based on the merge distance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, using a processor, a merge aperture;

receiving, over a network, merging vehicle parameters for a merging vehicle approaching the merge aperture;

performing, using the processor, a plurality of simulations of traffic moving through the merge aperture based on the received merging vehicle parameters, the plurality of simulations yielding an average speed and a travel time for vehicles traveling through the merge aperture based on varying simulated driving patterns of the vehicles;

optimizing, using the processor, a merge distance for the merging vehicle based on the plurality of simulations; and

generating, using the processor, a merge notification for the merging vehicle based on the merge distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the merging vehicle parameters comprises:

receiving an initial vehicle speed of the merging vehicle and a merging rate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, over the network, environmental parameters for the merge aperture.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the simulations of traffic moving through the merge aperture are also based on the environmental parameters.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the environmental parameters include road conditions and speeds of other vehicles approaching the merge aperture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulations are optimized by iteratively modifying the simulations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the simulations are optimized using a particle swarm optimization.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the merge distance minimizes a travel time of the merging vehicle through the aperture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the merge distance maximizes an average speed of the merging vehicle through the aperture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the merge distance minimizes a travel time for all vehicles traveling through the aperture.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the merge distance maximizes the average speed of all vehicles traveling through the aperture.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the merge notification includes a notification distance from the merge aperture based on the merge distance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification distance is based on a merging rate of an autonomous driving system of the merging vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification distance is based on a merging rate of the merging vehicle and an estimated reaction time of a driver operating the merging vehicle to the merge notification.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the merge notification to the merging vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the merge notification is transmitted to a navigation system in the merging vehicle.

17. An apparatus for organized intelligent merge notifications, the apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform;

identifying an upcoming merge aperture;

calculating a merging vehicle parameter for a vehicle approaching the merge aperture;

receiving, over a network, environmental parameters for the merge aperture;

performing simulations of traffic moving through the merge aperture based on the merging vehicle parameter and the received environmental parameters;

optimizing the simulations to determine a merge distance for the merging vehicle; and

generating a merge notification for the merging vehicle based on the merge distance.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the merging vehicle parameter comprises the initial vehicle speed of the merging vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the environmental parameters comprise road conditions of the merge aperture and speeds of other vehicles approaching the merge aperture.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the simulations are optimized using a particle swarm optimization.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the merge distance minimizes the travel time of the merging vehicle through the merge aperture and maximizes the average speed of the merging vehicle through the merge aperture.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein optimizing the simulations comprises minimizing the travel time for all vehicles traveling through the aperture and maximizing the average speed of all vehicles traveling through the aperture.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

identify a merge aperture;

calculate merging vehicle parameters for a vehicle approaching the merge aperture;

calculate environmental parameters for the merge aperture;

simulate traffic moving through the merge aperture based on the merging vehicle parameters and the received environmental parameters;

optimize the simulation to determine a merge distance for the merging vehicle, wherein the merge distance minimizes travel time of the merging vehicle through the aperture; and

initiate merging of the merging vehicle based on the merge distance.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein initiating merging comprises:

activating the merging vehicle'"'"'s turn signal.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein initiating merging comprises:

modulating the speed of the merging vehicle.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein initiating merging further comprises:

steering the merging vehicle into a different lane of traffic.