Connected vehicle traffic safety system and a method of warning drivers of a wrong-way travel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9911334-B2
Application number	US-201615208006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2016
Priority date	Jul 12, 2016
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A connected vehicle traffic safety system comprises a traffic signal controller and a roadside unit (RSU) located at a one-way traffic lane for avoiding crashes with vehicles of wrong-way drivers by issuing warnings for wrong-way violations. The traffic signal controller is configured to operate a traffic signal. The traffic signal is facing a wrong-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a RED signal phase. The one-way traffic lane is configured as a signalized intersection with a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED. The roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for the RED signal phase. A first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle having an Onboard Unit (OBU) that is configured to calculate a RED light violation based on at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data, and speed data provided from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the SPaT indication of the RED signal phase to detect the first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle as a wrong-way vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connected vehicle traffic safety system, comprising:
a traffic signal controller configured to operate first and second traffic signals S 1 , S 2 or configured to act as if a traffic signal was present as a “virtual” traffic signal, wherein the first traffic signal S 1 is facing a right-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a GREEN signal phase and the second traffic signal S 2 is facing a wrong-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a RED signal phase; and
a roadside unit (RSU) configured to be located at a highway exit ramp being a one-way traffic lane, the roadside unit (RSU) comprising at least a processor and a wireless transceiver, wherein the roadside unit (RSU) configured to transmit wireless signals and receive corresponding responses from a corresponding wireless device of a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle having an Onboard Unit (OBU),
wherein the roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for both the GREEN signal phase and the RED signal phase, the SPaT indication of the RED signal phase continually indicates a maximum countdown time to the GREEN signal phase and the SPaT indication of the GREEN signal phase continually indicates a maximum countdown time to the RED signal phase,
wherein the one-way traffic lane is configured as a signalized intersection with two approaches, wherein the two approaches include a right-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in GREEN and a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED, and
wherein the Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle travelling in a wrong direction is configured to calculate a RED light violation based on at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data, and speed data provided from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the SPaT indication of the RED signal phase.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle provides a RED light warning based on the RED light violation to a driver of the first OBU-equipped vehicle in a form of chattering a braking system or a driver's seat to indicate the first OBU-equipped vehicle as a wrong-way vehicle that is to be handled as a red light violator.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the roadside unit (RSU) is configured to send the at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data, and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle to the traffic signal controller so that if the driver of the first OBU-equipped vehicle ignores the RED light warning, at least one of a barrier is dropped across the highway exit ramp and a wrong way sign is illuminated adjacent the second traffic signal S 2 by the traffic signal controller.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein an Onboard Unit (OBU) of a second OBU-equipped vehicle traveling in a correct direction on the highway exit ramp is configured to determine a NO violation based on at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data, and speed data from the second OBU-equipped vehicle and the SPaT indication of the GREEN signal phase.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein an Onboard Unit (OBU) of a second OBU-equipped vehicle traveling in a correct direction on the highway exit ramp to receive the RED light warning with a violator vehicle location and a violator vehicle arrival time of the first OBU-equipped vehicle.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein an Onboard Unit (OBU) of a third OBU-equipped vehicle traveling before the highway exit ramp to receive the RED light warning with a violator vehicle location and a violator vehicle arrival time of the first OBU-equipped vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit a Message Access Profile (MAP) message indicating a roadway lane placement for both RED and GREEN approaches.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) location corrections to all OBU-equipped vehicles for accurate vehicle location within lanes.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle is configured to at least one of:
transmit vehicle location, heading and speed data to nearby OBU-equipped vehicles ten times per second;
receive vehicle location, heading and speed data from nearby OBU-equipped vehicles;
receive lane locations from the roadside unit (RSU);
receive a traffic signal countdown from the roadside unit (RSU);
receive an associated signal phase to a lane information from the roadside unit (RSU) to know which traffic signal to obey; and
receive a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) location from the roadside unit (RSU) to correct a Global Positioning System (GPS) device the Onboard Unit (OBU) having less accuracy.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one-way traffic lane is configured as a signalized intersection with two approaches.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the two approaches include a right-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in GREEN and a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED.

12. A method to avoid crashes with wrong-way drivers driving a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle having an Onboard Unit (OBU) in a wrong way on a highway exit ramp being a one-way traffic lane, the method comprising:
configuring a traffic signal controller for the one-way traffic lane as a signalized intersection with two approaches, wherein the two approaches include a right-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in GREEN and a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED;
transmitting a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for the RED signal phase, wherein the SPaT indication of the RED signal phase continually indicates a maximum countdown time to the GREEN signal phase;
detecting the first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle as a wrong-way vehicle; and
handling the first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle as a red light violator using a connected vehicle traffic safety system comprising the traffic signal controller and a roadside unit (RSU).

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
operating first and second traffic signals S 1 , S 2 by the traffic signal controller, wherein the first traffic signal S 1 is facing a right-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a GREEN signal phase and the second traffic signal S 2 is facing a wrong-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a RED signal phase.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting the Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for the GREEN signal phase by the RSU located at the highway exit ramp, wherein the SPaT indication of the GREEN phase continually indicates a maximum countdown time to the RED signal phase.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
calculating a RED light violation by the Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle traveling in a wrong direction based on at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data, and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the SPaT indication of the RED signal phase.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
providing a RED light warning to a driver of the first OBU-equipped vehicle in a form of chattering a braking system or a driver's seat to indicate the first OBU-equipped vehicle as a wrong-way vehicle that is to be handled as a red light violator.

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Assignees

• Siemens Industry Inc

Inventors

• Townsend Walter Rankin

Classifications

• G08G1/096783

  where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element · CPC title

• G08G1/096

  provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase · CPC title

• G08G1/056

  with provision for distinguishing direction of travel · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• G08G1/0112 Primary

  from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD] · CPC title