Communications: electrical – Traffic control indicator – Plural intersections under common central station control
Utility Patent
1998-09-24
2001-01-02
Pope, Daryl (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Traffic control indicator
Plural intersections under common central station control
C340S435000, C340S436000, C340S903000, C340S905000, C701S301000
Utility Patent
active
06169495
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle traffic control system for controlling traffic of a plurality of vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Vehicle Information and Communications System (VICS) is presently implemented in Japan and is a system for transmitting information regarding road congestion and traffic restrictions to vehicles on roads through roadside beacons and FM multiplexed data broadcasts. One advantage of this system as seen from road traffic control is that the operator of each vehicle can be prompted through radio communications to detour congested roads and to use less congested roads so that traffic congestion can be alleviated to a certain extent. As seen from the operator of each vehicle, an advantage is that when there are a plurality of courses from present position to destination, relatively empty roads can be selected, the result being the destination can be reached quickly and comfortably. However, since VICS entrusts the determination of the course of each vehicle to the intentions of the operator of each vehicle, there are individual limits to the advantages of alleviating congestion and of increasing the speed and comfort of vehicle operation.
The manner in which vehicles are allowed to smoothly cross intersections is one problem that develops when enhancing the advantages of alleviating congestion and of increasing the speed and comfort of vehicle operation. As a technique concerning this point, a traffic control method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 62-125407. This traffic control method applies to systems comprising a plurality of driver-less vehicles to be controlled and a control station for controlling these driver-less vehicles. When a plurality of driver-less vehicles approach an identical intersection at or around the same time in this system, the control station grants permission to one of the driver-less vehicles to enter the intersection and causes the other driver-less vehicles to wait, and after the driver-less vehicle that has obtained permission has crossed the intersection, one of the other driver-less vehicles that is waiting is granted permission to enter the intersection. In this manner, a plurality of driver-less vehicles approaching an identical intersection at or around the same time are allowed to cross the intersection in turn so as to prevent the driver-less vehicles from colliding or contacting each other at the intersection. This traffic control method can also be combined with VICS.
However, for the following reasons, a system obtained by combining the traffic control method disclosed in the above-mentioned publication with VICS is not suitable for applications in which a large number of vehicles are to be controlled.
Firstly, the traffic control method concerned with in the above-mentioned publication applies to systems in which a relatively small number of vehicles travel, such as in a factory. Since the number of vehicles approaching an identical intersection at or around the same time is relatively small in this type of system, there is no substantial delay in reaching destinations even if entry permission and wait control are performed at the intersection. In contrast, in an environment where a large number of vehicles frequently are located on roads such as in ordinary road traffic, the number of vehicles approaching an identical intersection at or around the same time may be high. In the system concerning the above-mentioned combination, namely, a system in which one vehicle crosses an intersection at a time when a plurality of vehicles approach that intersection at or around the same time, the waiting time at the intersection for most of the vehicles becomes long when there are many vehicles approaching the intersection, and results in delays in reaching destinations.
Secondly, the traffic control method concerned with in the above-mentioned publication controls driver-less vehicles so that passengers do not become impatient since there are no passengers. In contrast, in an environment where vehicles carrying passengers travel, such as in ordinary road traffic, there are likely to be passengers who become impatient when vehicles are forced to wait at intersections. In the system concerning the above-mentioned combination, particularly when many vehicles approach an identical intersection at or around the same time, passengers are liable to become impatient as the waiting time at the intersection lengthens. Furthermore, when traveling a course having many intersections, a vehicle may have to wait at many (or often at all) the intersections so that the passengers are liable to become impatient.
Thirdly, on ordinary roads, there are usually many intersections along a course from present position to destination. Furthermore, in the case of a gasoline-powered vehicle, it is known that repetitive stopping and starting, and acceleration and deceleration, and in turn the frequent fluctuations in engine revolutions result in poor energy efficiency for the vehicle and increased gas emissions from the vehicle. In the system concerning the above-mentioned combination, it is possible for the energy efficiency of each vehicle to deteriorate and for the gas emissions from each vehicle to increase since the vehicles may have to wait at many intersections along the courses.
Fourthly, in the system concerning the above-mentioned combination, the entry into intersections is controlled, while other non-intersection locations are not subject to control, and relevant information, such as extent of congestion, is only provided to the operator of the vehicle. Therefore, there is possibility for congestion to occur at non-intersection locations, such as along roads connecting intersections to each other. Although the operator of the vehicle can be informed as to which roads are congested and which roads are not, the operator is not informed of which roads to travel to reach the destination in the fastest time. Thus, the system concerning the above-mentioned combination does not sufficiently assist the vehicle passenger in terms of quickly reaching the destination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve these problems and has an object to eliminate waiting at intersections, repetitive stopping and starting, and in turn eliminate the delays in reaching destinations and the deterioration of energy efficiency and gas emissions by controlling (includes indirect control by informing passengers) the course of each vehicle so that conflicts among courses of vehicles can be avoided at intersections, and by controlling the start time of each vehicle. The present invention further has an object to enable the amount of traffic to increase while maintaining good energy efficiency and to enable the start time of each vehicle to be shortened by eliminating conflicts at intersections and introducing control suited to the amount of traffic and the start times.
The first aspect of the present invention is a vehicle traffic control system covering a predetermined area, while the second aspect of the invention is a vehicle traffic control method implemented in the area. The area has a plurality of roads and/or tracks that intersect at various locations, and a plurality of vehicles in general travel along the roads and/or tracks. In the present invention, course sets, each of which is a combination of one vehicle's possible course and other vehicles' possible courses which may be taken in the future in the above-mentioned area, are generated. Next, the generated course sets are determined as possible course patterns. In the first aspect of the present invention, a possible course determination apparatus performs the above-mentioned course set generating process and possible course pattern determination process.
In the present invention, among the possible course patterns, possible course patterns with less conflict are selected. The ‘conflict’ mentioned here can be defined as a phenomenon where one vehicle's course cr
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro LLP
Pope Daryl
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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