Automatic Toll Booth Interaction with Self-Driving Vehicles

• US 20170046883A1
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Published: 02/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Michael S., Kozloski, James R., Kundu, Ashish, Malkin, Peter K., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,721,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product enables automatic toll booth interaction with self-driving vehicles (SDVs). An SDV interrogation transceiver at a toll booth interrogates a driving mode module on an SDV. The SDV is capable of being operated in autonomous mode by an on-board SDV control processor. The driving mode module selectively controls the SDV to be operated in the autonomous mode or in manual mode, in which a human driver of the SDV manually operates the SDV. The SDV interrogation transceiver receives a driving mode descriptor of the SDV, which identifies whether the SDV currently is operating in the autonomous mode or in the manual mode while traveling on a toll road. An adjusted toll charge for the SDV to travel on the toll road is then transmitted based on the driving mode descriptor.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatic toll booth interaction with self-driving vehicles (SDVs), the computer-implemented method comprising:

interrogating, by a self-driving vehicle (SDV) interrogation transceiver at a toll booth, a driving mode module on an SDV, wherein the SDV is capable of being operated in autonomous mode by an on-board SDV control processor, wherein the driving mode module selectively controls the SDV to be operated in the autonomous mode or in manual mode, and wherein the SDV is controlled by a human driver of the SDV if in the manual mode;

receiving, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, a driving mode descriptor of the SDV, wherein the driving mode descriptor identifies whether the SDV currently is operating in the autonomous mode or in the manual mode while traveling on a toll road; and

transmitting, by one or more processors, an adjusted toll charge for the SDV to travel on the toll road based on the driving mode descriptor.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the adjusted toll charge is for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

detecting, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, that the SDV is in the autonomous mode while passing the toll booth and is being charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV has been charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, transmitting a signal to the on-board SDV control processor that blocks an attempt to operate the SDV in the manual mode while on the toll road.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by an SDV interrogation transceiver on the toll road, that the SDV is in the autonomous mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV is in the autonomous mode, transmitting a signal to on-board SDV control processor to autonomously drive the SDV to a lane on the toll road that is reserved for SDV vehicles operating in the autonomous mode.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by an SDV interrogation transceiver on the toll road, that the SDV is in the manual mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV is in the manual mode, transmitting a signal to the on-board SDV control processor to put the SDV into the autonomous mode and to autonomously drive the SDV to a lane that is reserved for SDV vehicles operating in the manual mode, wherein the SDV is permitted to revert to manual mode upon reaching the lane that is reserved for SDV vehicles operating in the manual mode.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the SDV interrogation transceiver at the toll booth, that the SDV is in the manual mode while approaching the toll booth;

in response to detecting that the SDV is in the manual mode while approaching the toll booth, transmitting a first signal to the on-board SDV control processor to autonomously drive the SDV through the toll booth; and

in response to determining, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, that the SDV has passed through the toll booth, transmitting a second signal to the on-board SDV control processor to revert the SDV to the manual mode.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by an SDV interrogation transceiver on the toll road, that the SDV is operating in the manual mode while traveling on an autonomous mode lane that is reserved for SDVs that are operating in the autonomous mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV is operating in the manual mode while traveling on the autonomous mode lane that is reserved for SDVs that are operating in the autonomous mode, transmitting a signal to the on-board SDV control processor to put the SDV into the autonomous mode.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by one or more processors, traffic pattern data for multiple SDVs traveling on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine characteristics of a first traffic flow of the multiple SDVs, wherein the multiple SDVs in the first traffic flow are operating in the autonomous mode on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine characteristics of a second traffic flow of the multiple SDVs, wherein the multiple SDVs in the second traffic flow are operating in the manual mode on the toll road; and

in response to determining that the first traffic flow is more efficient than the second traffic flow, reducing, by one or more processors, the toll charge for the SDV in response to determining that the SDV is operating in the autonomous mode.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by one or more processors, traffic pattern data for multiple SDVs traveling on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine characteristics of a first traffic flow of the multiple SDVs, wherein the multiple SDVs in the first traffic flow are operating in the autonomous mode on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine characteristics of a second traffic flow of the multiple SDVs, wherein the multiple SDVs in the second traffic flow are operating in the manual mode on the toll road; and

in response to determining that the second traffic flow is more efficient than the first traffic flow, reducing, by one or more processors, the toll charge for the SDV in response to determining that the SDV is operating in the manual mode.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by one or more processors, driver profile information about a driver of the SDV;

assigning, by one or more processors, the driver of the SDV to a cohort of drivers traveling on the toll road in multiple SDVs, wherein the driver of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of drivers;

retrieving, by one or more processors, traffic pattern data for the multiple SDVs occupied by the cohort of drivers traveling on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine a first traffic flow of the multiple SDVs occupied by members of the cohort of drivers, wherein the multiple SDVs in the first traffic flow are operating in the autonomous mode on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine a second traffic flow of the multiple SDVs occupied by members of the cohort of drivers, wherein the multiple SDVs in the second traffic flow are operating in the manual mode on the toll road; and

in response to determining that the first traffic flow is more efficient than the second traffic flow, reducing, by one or more processors, the toll charge for the SDV in response to determining that the SDV is operating in the autonomous mode.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by one or more processors, driver profile information about a driver of the SDV;

assigning, by one or more processors, the driver of the SDV to a cohort of drivers traveling on the toll road in multiple SDVs, wherein the driver of the SDV shares more than a predetermined quantity of traits with members of the cohort of drivers;

retrieving, by one or more processors, traffic pattern data for the multiple SDVs occupied by the cohort of drivers traveling on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine a first traffic flow of the multiple SDVs occupied by members of the cohort of drivers, wherein the multiple SDVs in the first traffic flow are operating in the autonomous mode on the toll road;

examining, by one or more processors, the traffic pattern data to determine a second traffic flow of the multiple SDVs occupied by members of the cohort of drivers, wherein the multiple SDVs in the second traffic flow are operating in the manual mode on the toll road; and

in response to determining that the second traffic flow is more efficient than the first traffic flow, reducing, by one or more processors, the toll charge for the SDV in response to determining that the SDV is operating in the manual mode.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

further adjusting, by one or more processors, the toll charge based on a size and weight of the SDV combined with the driving mode descriptor.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on a display, the adjusted toll charge for the SDV.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the display is on the toll booth.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the display is in the SDV.

15. A computer program product for automatic toll booth interaction with self-driving vehicles (SDVs), the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

interrogating, by a self-driving vehicle (SDV) interrogation transceiver at a toll booth, a driving mode module on an SDV, wherein the SDV is capable of being operated in autonomous mode by an on-board SDV control processor, wherein the driving mode module selectively controls the SDV to be operated in the autonomous mode or in manual mode, and wherein the SDV is controlled by a human driver of the SDV if in the manual mode;

receiving, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, a driving mode descriptor of the SDV, wherein the driving mode descriptor identifies whether the SDV currently is operating in the autonomous mode or in the manual mode while traveling on a toll road; and

transmitting, by one or more processors, an adjusted toll charge for the SDV to travel on the toll road based on the driving mode descriptor.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the adjusted toll charge is for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, and wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, that the SDV is in the autonomous mode while passing the toll booth and is being charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV has been charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, transmitting a signal to the on-board SDV control processor that blocks an attempt to operate the SDV in the manual mode while on the toll road.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, by an SDV interrogation transceiver on the toll road, that the SDV is in the autonomous mode; and

in response to detecting that the SDV is in the autonomous mode, transmitting a signal to on-board SDV control processor to autonomously drive the SDV to a lane on the toll road that is reserved for SDV vehicles operating in the autonomous mode.

20. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to detect that the SDV is in the autonomous mode; and

fifth program instructions to, in response to detecting that the SDV is in the autonomous mode, transmit a signal to on-board SDV control processor to autonomously drive the SDV to a lane on the toll road that is reserved for SDV vehicles operating in the autonomous mode; and

wherein

the fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

18. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to interrogate, by a self-driving vehicle (SDV) interrogation transceiver at a toll booth, a driving mode module on an SDV, wherein the SDV is capable of being operated in autonomous mode by an on-board SDV control processor, wherein the driving mode module selectively controls the SDV to be operated in the autonomous mode or in manual mode, and wherein the SDV is controlled by a human driver of the SDV if in the manual mode;

second program instructions to receive a driving mode descriptor of the SDV, wherein the driving mode descriptor identifies whether the SDV currently is operating in the autonomous mode or in the manual mode while traveling on a toll road; and

third program instructions to transmit an adjusted toll charge for the SDV to travel on the toll road based on the driving mode descriptor; and

wherein

the first, second, and third program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the adjusted toll charge is for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, and wherein the computer system further comprises:

fourth program instructions to detect, by the SDV interrogation transceiver, that the SDV is in the autonomous mode while passing the toll booth and is being charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode; and

fifth program instructions to, in response to detecting that the SDV has been charged the adjusted toll charge for SDVs operating in the autonomous mode, transmit a signal to the on-board SDV control processor that blocks an attempt to operate the SDV in the manual mode while on the toll road; and

wherein

the fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage medium for execution by one or more processors via the computer readable memory.