Drone-based traffic control and V2X enhancements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12033518-B2
Application number	US-202117375959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2021
Priority date	Dec 28, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for vehicles, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). A method for traffic control can include detecting a traffic condition; determining whether to adjust a virtual traffic sign responsive to detecting the traffic condition; and adjusting the virtual traffic sign based on the traffic condition. Adjusting the virtual traffic sign can include encoding a message for transmission to a base station within a range of the virtual traffic sign, the message including at least one of a virtual traffic sign type and a virtual traffic sign value. Other methods, systems, and apparatuses are described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for traffic control, the method comprising:
detecting, by at least one hardware processor, a traffic condition associated with vehicular traffic;
determining, by the at least one hardware processor, to adjust a virtual traffic sign responsive to detecting the traffic condition, the virtual traffic sign having one of a plurality of states associated with regulating the vehicular traffic;
encoding, by the at least one hardware processor, a message for transmission to a base station within a range of the virtual traffic sign, based on the detected traffic condition and the determining to adjust the virtual traffic sign, the message including a plurality of virtual traffic sign values corresponding to at least one virtual traffic sign type of the virtual traffic sign and traffic actions to take in response to the virtual traffic sign;
adjusting, by the at least one hardware processor, a state of the plurality of states of the virtual traffic sign based on the detected traffic condition and a probabilistic distribution of the plurality of virtual traffic sign values, the probabilistic distribution being indicated by independent sets of numbers in which each set of numbers is associated with a different state to determine which of the states applies to a particular vehicle; and
causing, by the at least one hardware processor, an adoption of at least one traffic action by a vehicle based on the state of the virtual traffic sign and a vehicle type associated with the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message includes at least one of a virtual traffic sign type and a virtual traffic sign value associated with the virtual traffic sign, the virtual traffic sign type selected from a group of virtual traffic sign types that include a stop sign and a traffic light.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message further includes one or both of:
a percent likelihood that a virtual traffic sign value will apply to a vehicle being controlled according to the method; and
a location of the virtual traffic sign.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the location is a three-dimensional (3D) location, and wherein the traffic condition includes a road hazard condition or a traffic jam condition.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the base station comprises a roadside unit (RSU) or a vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual traffic sign has a first indicator specifying that the virtual traffic sign relates to 2D flow management within a first corridor, a second indicator specifying that traffic management is for UAVs changing to a second corridor having a lower elevation than the first corridor, and a third indicator specifying that the traffic management is for UAVs changing to a third corridor having a higher elevation than the first corridor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein causing adoption of the at least one traffic action comprises selecting, by the at least one hardware processor, a random number for the vehicle and determining an applicable state of the virtual traffic sign that corresponds to the random number through determining which of the sets of numbers the random number falls into.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one set of numbers is supplied by the particular vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle is assigned a priority based on the vehicle type,
the vehicle type is selected from a group of vehicle types that include an emergency vehicle, a police vehicle, a public surveillance vehicle, a private surveillance vehicle, a freight vehicle, a telecommunications vehicle, an infrastructure monitoring vehicle, a private leisure vehicle, and other vehicles, and
the probabilistic distribution of the plurality of virtual traffic sign values is based on the priority.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle is assigned an autonomy level,
the autonomy level is selected from a group of autonomy levels that include no automatic features and a remote pilot has full control of the vehicle, automation control for one or more control functions, automation control for two or more control functions, the remote pilot does not constantly monitor an environment of the vehicle, the vehicle is able to automatically perform vehicle functions under a predetermined set of conditions but the remote pilot is able to take control of the vehicle at any point, and the vehicle is able to automatically perform vehicle functions under all conditions but the remote pilot is able to take control of the vehicle at any point, and
the probabilistic distribution of the plurality of virtual traffic sign values is based on the autonomy level.

11. An apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a network interface device configured to communicate over a wireless communication network;
at least one sensor to sense parameters of operation of the vehicle; and
processing circuitry coupled to the network interface device and to the at least one sensor, the processing circuitry configured to:
detect a traffic condition associated with vehicular traffic using the at least one sensor;
determine to adjust a virtual traffic sign responsive to detecting the traffic condition, the virtual traffic sign having one of a plurality of states associated with regulating the vehicular traffic;
encode a message for transmission using the network interface device to a base station within a range of the virtual traffic sign, based on the detected traffic condition and the determining to adjust the virtual traffic sign, the message including a plurality of virtual traffic sign values corresponding to at least one virtual traffic sign type of the virtual traffic sign and traffic actions to take in response to the virtual traffic sign;
adjust a state of the plurality of states of the virtual traffic sign based on the detected traffic condition and a probabilistic distribution of the plurality of virtual traffic sign values, the probabilistic distribution being indicated by independent sets of numbers in which each set of numbers is associated with a different state to determine which of the states applies to a particular vehicle; and
cause an adoption of at least one traffic action by another vehicle based on the state of the virtual traffic sign and a vehicle type associated with the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the message includes at least one of a virtual traffic sign type and a virtual traffic sign value associated with the virtual traffic sign, the virtual traffic sign type selected from a group of virtual traffic sign types that include a stop sign and a traffic light.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the message further includes one or both of:
a percent likelihood that a virtual traffic sign value will apply to the vehicle; and
a location of the virtual traffic sign.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the location is a three-dimensional (3D) location, and wherein the traffic condition includes a road hazard condition or a traffic jam condition.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the base station comprises a roadside unit (RSU) or a vehicle.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a vehicle, the instructions to configure the vehicle for operating in a 5G New Radio (NR) system and to cause the vehicle to perform operations comprising:
detecting a traffic condition associated with vehicular traffic using at least one sensor;
determining to adjust a virtual traffic sign responsive to detecting the traffic condition, the

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Parron Jerome
• Mueck Markus Dominik

Classifications

• G08G5/80

  Anti-collision systems · CPC title

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/30

  Flight plan management · CPC title

• G08G5/25

  Transmission of traffic-related information between aircraft · CPC title