Traffic management system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a traffic management system and method. A traffic management system is disclosed. The system may include a transceiver configured to receive an input from a sensor kit located near a first location; and a processor configured to obtain the input from the transceiver. The processor may also be configured to determine a vehicle count and / or a vehicle queue length in a queue of vehicles near the first location based on the input. The processor may also determine that a predefined condition may be satisfied based on the vehicle count and / or the vehicle queue length. The processor may, in response to determining that the predefined condition is satisfied, determine a presence of a vehicle behind an associated point in the queue of vehicles based on the input, and, in response to determining that the vehicle is present, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to move to a second location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a traffic management system and method for preventing traffic accumulation near a relevant location. Background Art

[0002] As is known, during peak hours, traffic accumulates near relevant locations. Such locations can include, for example, popular restaurants, drive-thru areas at popular food chains, sports fields / venues during game times, etc. For example, there are instances where long queues of vehicles form at the drive-thru areas of popular food chains in the morning and evening. In some instances, the long queues of vehicles extend onto the main highways or roads adjacent to the food chain, resulting in traffic congestion and inconvenience to commuters.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need for a system that prevents traffic accumulation near such relevant locations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure describes a traffic management system and method that prevents traffic accumulation near relevant locations (e.g., near popular restaurants, drive-thru areas of popular food chains, stadiums on game days, etc.). The system can be communicatively coupled to sensors, cameras, etc. (e.g., a "sensor suite") associated with a plurality of vehicles near the relevant location and / or the infrastructure associated with the relevant location. When traffic accumulation near the relevant location is anticipated (or when an operator "activates" the system), the system can determine the vehicle count and / or the vehicle queue length of the vehicles in the vehicle queue near the relevant location. In response to determining the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length, the system can compare the vehicle count with an allowable vehicle count (e.g., a threshold) and compare the vehicle queue length with an allowable vehicle queue length (e.g., a threshold). When the vehicle count may be greater than the allowable vehicle count and / or the vehicle queue length may be greater than the allowable vehicle queue length, the system can determine that traffic may accumulate near the relevant location and thus a remedial action may be required.

[0005] In some aspects, as part of a remedial measure, the system can identify one or more vehicles (e.g., a first vehicle) behind a relevant point that may exist in a vehicle queue. The relevant point can be a point where the vehicle count in the vehicle queue increases above an allowable vehicle count, or a point where the vehicle queue length in the vehicle queue increases above an allowable vehicle queue length. In response to determining the existence of the first vehicle behind the relevant point in the vehicle queue, the system can transmit an instruction to the first vehicle to move away from the vehicle queue (or not join the vehicle queue) and move to an empty space (e.g., an empty parking space) in the geographical area including the relevant point. For example, the system can direct the first vehicle to move to a parking lot that may be located 500 meters away from the relevant location. In response to receiving the instruction from the system, the first vehicle can move to the parking space.

[0006] The system can also be configured to obtain a service order from the first vehicle when the first vehicle may be located at the vehicle queue, moving towards the parking space, or located at the parking space. As an example, if the relevant location is a food chain store, the service order can be a food order associated with one or more food items that the first vehicle user may be interested in obtaining from the food chain store. In response to obtaining the food order from the first vehicle, the system can determine an approximate waiting time for the first vehicle to obtain the food order based on the vehicle count in the vehicle queue, the vehicle queue length, the type of food items ordered by the first vehicle, the estimated food preparation duration required by the food chain store, etc. The system can determine and recommend the optimal time for the first vehicle to join (or return to) the vehicle queue based on the determined waiting time. In some aspects, the optimal time can additionally be based on the estimated travel duration required for the first vehicle to travel from the real-time vehicle position (e.g., the parking space) to the vehicle queue.

[0007] The system can additionally be configured to identify one or more other food chain stores for the first vehicle if the above waiting time is greater than a predefined threshold. The system can also be configured to achieve the optimal vehicle alignment of one or more vehicles (e.g., a second vehicle) at the parking space (or in the vehicle queue) such that the vehicle for which the order may be ready first can park in front of the queue or in front of other vehicles in the parking space. For example, if the food order associated with the second vehicle can be ready first, the second vehicle can park in front of the first vehicle in the vehicle queue or the parking space. Additionally, the system can be configured to transmit an alert notification indicating the existence of the vehicle queue to one or more vehicles traveling near the relevant location such that if the vehicle does not intend to join the vehicle queue, the vehicle can adjust its corresponding lane.

[0008] The present disclosure discloses a traffic management system and method for preventing traffic accumulation near a relevant location. The system guides vehicles to available nearby spaces so that traffic does not accumulate, thereby significantly enhancing the convenience of commuters traveling near the relevant location. When the relevant location may be able to serve vehicles, the system also determines the optimal time for a vehicle to return from the corresponding available space to the relevant location (e.g., return to a vehicle queue at the relevant location). The system can also transmit an alert notification indicating the presence of a vehicle queue to vehicles that may be traveling near the relevant location, so that if a vehicle does not intend to join the vehicle queue, the vehicle can change its lane in a timely manner (and thus prevent traffic accumulation).

[0009] These and other advantages of the present disclosure are provided in detail herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals may indicate like or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout the present disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably.

[0011] Figure 1 An example environment is depicted in which the techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0012] Figure 2 A block diagram of a traffic management system in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0013] Figure 3 An example snapshot of a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) displaying a first notification in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0014] Figure 4 A snapshot of an example parking space in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0015] Figure 5 An example snapshot of a vehicle human-machine interface (HMI) displaying a second notification in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted.

[0016] Figure 6 A flowchart of an example traffic management method in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and the example embodiments are not intended to be limiting.

[0018] Figure 1Illustrates an example environment 100 in which the techniques and architectures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein can be implemented. The environment 100 may include a geographical area 102 that includes a plurality of locations, such as associated location 104, parking spaces 106, etc. The associated location 104 can be any popular place in the geographical area 102 that multiple users can access during different time periods of the day, week, month, etc. For example, the associated location 104 can be a popular restaurant, a popular food chain, a sports field, or a concert venue / stadium, etc. For the description in this disclosure, the associated location 104 is considered to be a popular food chain configured to prepare and deliver food items to multiple users, but this disclosure is not limited to this aspect. Additionally, hereinafter, the associated location 104 is referred to as the first location 104.

[0019] The parking space 106 can be any space in the geographical area 102, and the control can be located within a predefined distance from the first location 104 (e.g., within 100 meters to 750 meters of the first location 104) and can have an empty or unoccupied space where one or more vehicles can be parked. Although Figure 1 a single parking space 106 is depicted, the geographical area 102 can include more than one such parking space without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Hereinafter, the parking space 106 is referred to as the second location 106 in this disclosure.

[0020] The environment 100 may also include a plurality of vehicles 108a, 108b, 108c, 108n (collectively referred to as vehicles 108) that can be located near the first location 104. Each vehicle 108 can take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as a sedan, a work vehicle, a crossover vehicle, a truck, a van, a minivan, a taxi, a bus, etc. Additionally, the vehicles 108 can be manually driven vehicles, and / or can be configured to operate in a fully autonomous (e.g., driverless) mode or a partially autonomous mode, and can include any powertrain, such as a gasoline engine, one or more electric actuators, a hybrid system, etc.

[0021] In some aspects, the vehicles 108 can be associated with a plurality of users who can be customers of the food chain / first location 104 and may be waiting for their respective food orders. In Figure 1 the exemplary aspect depicted, the vehicles 108 form a vehicle queue 110 at the drive-thru area associated with the first location 104. When the vehicle of the user / occupant present in the vehicle 108 may approach the vehicle queue 110 or when the vehicle may be at the designated food ordering position in the vehicle queue 110, they can place their respective orders. When the user's respective order is ready, they can pick up their orders one by one at the food pickup point 112 of the first location 104. As Figure 1As shown, vehicle 108a can be located at the position farthest from the first position 104 or approach the vehicle queue 110 from the end of the queue, and vehicle 108n can be located at the food pickup point 112.

[0022] The environment 100 may also include a traffic management system 114 (or system 114), which may be communicatively coupled to the vehicle 108 (e.g., sensors, cameras, vehicle computing systems, etc. associated with the vehicle 108) and the first position 104 or the infrastructure associated with the first position 104 (e.g., sensors, cameras, computing systems associated with or located near the first position 104). The system 114 may also be communicatively coupled to sensors, cameras, etc. associated with the second position 106. In some aspects, the system 114 may be hosted on a server (not shown). In other aspects, the system 114 may be hosted on one or more computing systems associated with the first position 104.

[0023] The system 114 may be configured to prevent traffic accumulation near the first position 104. Specifically, the system 114 may be configured to manage traffic / vehicle movement near the first position 104 such that the vehicle queue 110 does not become so long that it begins to affect regular traffic or vehicle movement on one or more roads located adjacent to or near the first position 104 (e.g., vehicles not associated with first position consumers). The system 114 may manage the traffic near the first position 104 by managing the vehicle queue length and ensuring that the vehicle count in the vehicle queue 110 does not increase beyond a predefined threshold, as described below.

[0024] In some aspects, the system 114 may be configured to be based on the system 114 from sensors, cameras, etc. associated with the vehicle 108 and the first position 104 (collectively referred to as the sensor suite, in Figure 2Determine the vehicle queue length and / or the vehicle count in the vehicle queue 110 based on the input obtained as shown in the sensor suite 204). In an exemplary aspect, the system 114 may be configured to obtain input from the sensor suite within a predefined duration (e.g., within a predefined start time and a predefined end time) and / or when an operator associated with the first location 104 "starts" the system 114 or enables the system 114 to obtain input from the sensor suite. As an example, the system 114 may be configured to obtain input from the sensor suite between 8 am and 10 am and between 4 pm and 8 pm each day when higher traffic volumes may be expected at the first location 104. In other aspects, the system 114 may be configured to obtain input from the sensor suite continuously throughout the day. In additional aspects, the system 114 may be configured to obtain input from the sensor suite when a vehicle queue may be accumulating. In some aspects, to determine whether a vehicle queue may be forming or accumulating, the system 114 may use route navigation to find high-density vehicle clusters in any single location around the entrance to the first location 104 (e.g., an event or a restaurant), i.e., rail transit interference.

[0025] In response to determining the vehicle queue length and / or the vehicle count in the vehicle queue 110 based on the obtained input, the system 114 may compare the determined vehicle queue length with the allowable vehicle queue length and / or the determined vehicle count with the allowable vehicle count. The system 114 may also identify a relevant point 116 in the vehicle queue 110 based on the allowable vehicle queue length and / or the allowable vehicle count. In an exemplary aspect, the relevant point 116 may be the point in the vehicle queue 110 where the vehicle queue length exceeds the allowable vehicle queue length, or the point in the vehicle queue 110 where the vehicle count exceeds the allowable vehicle count.

[0026] In response to comparing the vehicle queue length with the allowable vehicle queue length and / or the vehicle count with the allowable vehicle count, the system 114 may determine that the vehicle queue length may be greater than the allowable vehicle queue length and / or the vehicle count may be greater than the allowable vehicle count. In other words, in response to the above comparison, the system 114 may determine that one or more vehicles (e.g., vehicle 108a) may be behind or outside (or near) the relevant point 116 in the vehicle queue 110, as Figure 1 shown. In response to determining that there is a vehicle 108a behind the relevant point 116, the system 114 may direct the vehicle 108a to leave the vehicle queue 110 or not to join the vehicle queue 110. Specifically, in this case, the system 114 may direct the vehicle 108a (or transmit a first instruction to it) to move from the vehicle queue 110 to the second location 106.

[0027] In some aspects, system 114 can transmit a first instruction to vehicle 108a or to a user device (not shown) of a user associated with vehicle 108a by using vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. In response to receiving the first instruction from system 114, the user can drive vehicle 108a from vehicle queue 110 to second location 106, or vehicle 108a itself can move from vehicle queue 110 to second location 106 (e.g., when vehicle 108a is an autonomous vehicle). Because second location 106 can have an available parking space (as described above), vehicle 108a can be conveniently parked at second location 106 and wait for its turn to return to vehicle queue 110. In this way, system 114 ensures that vehicles behind relevant point 116 move to different parking or "available" locations in geographic area 102, and vehicle queue 110 does not extend beyond its allowable length or include fewer vehicles than the allowable vehicle count. By ensuring that vehicle queue 110 remains within the allowable vehicle queue length, system 114 ensures that other commuters driving near first location 104 are not affected, and normal traffic can move in geographic area 102 without any traffic congestion.

[0028] System 114 can also be configured to obtain a service order (e.g., a food order) from vehicle 108a or from a user device associated with the user of vehicle 108 when vehicle 108a may be located at vehicle queue 110, moving towards second location 106, or located at second location 106. System 114 can also transmit the service order to first location 104 and receive an estimated duration required for first location 104 to prepare the service order / food and provide the food to vehicle 108a (specifically, to the user associated with vehicle 108a).

[0029] In response to receiving the estimated duration required for first location 104 to provide food to vehicle 108a, system 114 can determine an estimated vehicle travel duration for vehicle 108a to travel from second location 106 to vehicle queue 110. In some aspects, system 114 can determine the estimated vehicle travel duration based on inputs received from sensors associated with vehicle 108a (e.g., average vehicle speed) and / or from sensors / cameras associated with first location 104 and second location 106 (or from an external server, shown as Figure 2 server 202 in) (e.g., traffic condition information in geographic area 102).

[0030] Based on the estimated vehicle travel duration required for vehicle 108a to travel from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110 and / or the estimated duration required to provide food to vehicle 108a from the first position 104, the system 114 can also determine the optimal time for vehicle 108a to return to the vehicle queue 110 (e.g., from the second position 106) or to start a vehicle trip from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110. The system 114 can determine the optimal time such that when vehicle 108a returns and joins the vehicle queue 110, vehicle 108a can enter at a point in the vehicle queue 110 that may be in front of or at the relevant point 116. In this way, when vehicle 108a returns and joins the vehicle queue 110, vehicle 108a may not be located outside or behind the relevant point 116 (and thus not cause any traffic congestion).

[0031] The system 114 can direct vehicle 108a (or transmit a second instruction thereto) to move from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110 at the optimal time. In response to receiving the second instruction, vehicle 108a can move toward the vehicle queue 110 and join the vehicle queue.

[0032] Although the above description describes aspects in which the system 114 directs vehicle 108a to move toward the second position 106 when vehicle 108a may be located outside or behind the relevant point 116, in some aspects, the system 114 can simply request vehicle 108a to return to the vehicle queue 110 at the determined optimal time and may not direct vehicle 108a to move to the second position 106. In this case, vehicle 108a can move within the geographical area 102 (e.g., circle around the first position 104) and can return to the vehicle queue 110 on its own at the optimal time.

[0033] In addition, the system 114 can also be configured to ensure that one or more vehicles (including vehicle 108a) that may be located at the second location 106 (e.g., when vehicle 108a moves to the second location 106) are aligned or parked in the queue at the second location 106 based on their respective expected delivery order from the first location 104. For example, if another vehicle already exists at the second location 106 when vehicle 108a arrives at the second location 106, the system 114 can determine the expected delivery order associated with vehicle 108a and the other vehicle from the first location 104. Thereafter, the system 114 can transmit a vehicle alignment notification to vehicle 108a and the other vehicle, thereby guiding the vehicles to align based on their expected delivery order. For example, if the food order associated with the other vehicle is ready first, the other vehicle can be guided to park in front of vehicle 108a in the queue at the second location 106 (or vice versa). Such vehicle alignment at the second location 106 ensures smooth traffic movement from the second location 106 to the vehicle queue 110, and the food orders of the vehicles that leave the second location 106 earlier are prepared earlier.

[0034] In some aspects, the system 114 can also request another vehicle to obtain the service order associated with vehicle 108a from the first location 104 (or vice versa) and return to the second location 106, thereby eliminating the need for vehicle 108a to travel to the first location 104 to obtain the service order. This can also help prevent the accumulation of vehicle queues near the first location 104.

[0035] In additional aspects, when the system 114 determines that the estimated duration required for the first location 104 to provide food to vehicle 108a may be greater than a predefined duration threshold, or when the first location 104 may not be able to prepare the food ordered by vehicle 108a, the system 114 can be configured to identify another food store (or another service provider) in the geographical area 102 (or other geographical area) for vehicle 108a. For example, when the waiting period for obtaining food at the first location 104 may be too long for vehicle 108a, the system 114 can identify another food store (not shown) in the geographical area 102 for vehicle 108a. In response to identifying another food store, the system 114 can transmit an instruction (e.g., a third instruction) to vehicle 108a to move to the other food store. The system 114 can also identify the real-time vehicle position (e.g., based on the input obtained from the sensor suite), and can transmit navigation instructions to vehicle 108a to effect vehicle movement from the real-time vehicle position to the position associated with the other food store.

[0036] In additional aspects, system 114 can be configured to determine the presence of vehicle 118 near or on a road near vehicle platoon 110 based on input obtained from the sensor suite. In some aspects, it may or may not be expected / estimated that vehicle 118 will join vehicle platoon 110. In response to determining the presence of vehicle 118, system 114 can transmit an alert notification to vehicle 118. The alert notification can indicate to vehicle 118 that vehicle platoon 110 may be present near vehicle 118 or on a road on which vehicle 118 may be traveling. If vehicle 118 does not plan to join vehicle platoon 110, vehicle 118 can change lanes and thus minimize the probability of traffic buildup near vehicle platoon 110.

[0037] Further system details are described below in conjunction with Figure 2 Description.

[0038] Vehicle 108 and system 114 implement and / or perform operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. Additionally, any actions taken by a user associated with vehicle 108 based on notifications provided by vehicle 108 and / or system 114 should comply with all rules specific to the location (e.g., federal, state, country, city, etc.) and operation of vehicle 108. Notifications provided by vehicle 108 and / or system 114 should be considered recommendations and followed only in accordance with any rules specific to the location and operation of vehicle 108.

[0039] Figure 2 A block diagram of a platoon management system 114 (or system 114) in accordance with the present disclosure is depicted. In the description Figure 2 of which, reference will be made to Figures 3 to 5 .

[0040] System 114 may be communicatively coupled via one or more networks 206 (or network 206) to vehicle 108 associated with first location 104, one or more servers 202 (or server 202), sensor suite 204, and a computing system (not shown). Server 202 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that provides digital data services to vehicle 108 and / or system 114. In additional aspects, server 202 may be configured to store information associated with geographic region 102 and transmit the information to system 114 for storage purposes. Information associated with geographic region 102 may include, for example, geographic locations associated with first location 104 and second location 106, digital maps associated with geographic region 102, and the like. In further aspects, server 202 may be associated with a navigation service provider and may be configured to determine real-time traffic information in geographic region 102 and navigation instructions between any two locations in geographic region 102 (e.g., between a source location and a destination location) and transmit them to system 114. In some aspects, when system 114 transmits a request to obtain information to server 202, server 202 may transmit information associated with geographic region 102, real-time traffic information, and navigation instructions to system 114.

[0041] As described above in connection with Figure 1 what has been described, sensor suite 204 may include sensors, cameras, and the like associated with vehicle 108, first location 104, and / or infrastructure near first location 104. Sensor suite 204 may also include sensors, cameras, and the like associated with second location 106. In some aspects, system 114 may be communicatively coupled to sensor suite 204 via V2V communication, V2I communication, and / or via network 206.

[0042] Network 206 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in various embodiments of the present disclosure may communicate. Network 206 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations operating using any one or more known communication protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and fifth generation (5G), to name just a few examples.

[0043] System 114 may include a plurality of units, the plurality of units including but not limited to transceiver 208, processor 210, and memory 212. Transceiver 208 may be configured to transmit information / data to and receive the information / data from external systems and devices via network 206. For example, transceiver 208 may be configured to receive input from sensor suite 204 and transmit information / notifications to vehicle 108, a computing system associated with first location 104, etc.

[0044] Processor 210 may be arranged to communicate with one or more memory devices (e.g., memory 212 and / or Figure 2 one or more external databases not shown herein), the one or more memory devices being arranged to communicate with corresponding computing systems. Processor 210 may utilize memory 212 to store programs in the form of code and / or store data for performing aspects in accordance with the present disclosure. Memory 212 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing program code enabling processor 210 to perform operations in accordance with the present disclosure. Memory 212 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0045] In some aspects, memory 212 may include a plurality of databases, the plurality of databases including but not limited to queue information database 214 and geographic area database 216. Queue information database 214 may be configured to store information associated with an allowable vehicle queue length and an allowable vehicle count associated with vehicle queue 110, as described above in connection with Figure 1 what has been described. Queue information database 214 may obtain information from an operator associated with first location 104. Geographic area database 216 may store information associated with geographic area 102 that system 114 may obtain from server 202.

[0046] In operation, transceiver 208 may receive input (e.g., images captured by a camera, sensor input, etc.) from sensor suite 204 via V2V communication, V2I communication, and / or network 206. As described above in connection with Figure 1As described, transceiver 208 can receive input (or "sensor input") from sensor suite 204 at a preset start time or when an operator associated with the first location 104 "starts" system 114. In other respects, transceiver 208 can receive sensor input at all times throughout the day. In yet another aspect, transceiver 208 can receive sensor input when a vehicle queue may be accumulating. In some aspects, to determine whether a vehicle queue may be forming or accumulating, system 114 can use route navigation to find a high-density vehicle cluster in any single location around the entrance to the first location 104 (e.g., an event or a restaurant), i.e., rail transit interference.

[0047] In response to transceiver 208 receiving sensor input, processor 210 can obtain the sensor input from transceiver 208. Then, processor 210 can determine the vehicle count in vehicle queue 110 and / or the vehicle queue length associated with vehicle queue 110 based on the sensor input. In response to determining the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length, processor 210 can obtain information associated with the allowable vehicle queue length and the allowable vehicle count associated with vehicle queue 110 from queue information database 214. Then, processor 210 can compare the vehicle count with the allowable vehicle count and compare the vehicle queue length with the allowable vehicle queue length.

[0048] When the vehicle count may be greater than the allowable vehicle count and / or the vehicle queue length may be greater than the allowable vehicle queue length, processor 210 can determine that a predefined condition may be met. In response to determining that the predefined condition can be met, processor 210 can identify / determine the presence of one or more vehicles (e.g., vehicle 108a) that may be behind or outside of the relevant point 116 that may be located in vehicle queue 110 based on the sensor input. The concept of the relevant point 116 has been described above in connection with Figure 1 In some aspects, processor 210 can identify the relevant point 116 in vehicle queue 110 based on the sensor input and the information associated with the allowable vehicle queue length and the allowable vehicle count obtained from queue information database 214.

[0049] In response to determining that vehicle 108a may be behind the relevant point 116 or may be approaching the relevant point 116, processor 210 can transmit a first instruction via transceiver 208 to vehicle 108a or a user device (not shown) associated with the user of vehicle 108a, requesting vehicle 108a to move to the second location 106, as described above in connection with Figure 1 As an example, processor 210 can transmit instruction 302, stating to vehicle 108a "Please move to an empty parking space. We will notify you when it's your turn to join the queue", which can be displayed on vehicle human machine interface 304, as Figure 3As shown in. The vehicle user can view the instruction 302 and then can move from the vehicle queue 110 to the second position 106 accordingly. In some aspects, the processor 210 can also be configured to obtain the real-time vehicle position based on sensor inputs and can transmit a first navigation instruction to the vehicle 108a to effect the vehicle movement from the real-time vehicle position to the second position 106. The processor 210 can obtain the first navigation instruction from the server 202, and the navigation instruction can include waypoint instructions that can facilitate the vehicle user to drive the vehicle 108a from the vehicle queue 110 to the second position 106 conveniently. In an alternative aspect, if the vehicle 108a is an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle 108a can automatically move towards the second position 106 in response to receiving the first instruction from the processor 210. In an exemplary aspect, discounts for stores, institutions, etc. near the second position 106 can be provided to the vehicle user to incentivize the vehicle user to move to the second position 106.

[0050] As described above in connection with Figure 1 The processor 210 can be configured to obtain a service order or a food order from the vehicle 108a or a user device associated with the vehicle user when the vehicle 108a may be at the vehicle queue 110, moving towards the second position 106, or at the second position 106. The processor 210 can also transmit the food order to the first position 104 and obtain an estimated duration required for the first position 104 to provide food to the vehicle 108a based on the food order and the order count already placed at the first position 104 before receiving the food order from the processor 210. In some aspects, the processor 210 and / or the first position 104 can also determine the estimated duration based on the vehicle queue length and the vehicle count in the vehicle queue 110.

[0051] The processor 210 can determine the optimal time for the vehicle 108a to join the vehicle queue 110 based on the above estimated duration. The processor 210 can also transmit the optimal time to the vehicle 108a and request the vehicle 108a to return to the vehicle queue 110 at the optimal time. If the vehicle 108a is at (or near) the vehicle queue 110 when the processor 210 transmits the optimal time to the vehicle 108a, the vehicle 108a can circle around the first position 104 and return to the vehicle queue 110 on its own at the optimal time.

[0052] On the other hand, when the vehicle 108a is at the second position 106 (or moving towards the second position 106), when the processor 210 receives a food order from the vehicle 108a, the processor 210 can determine the optimal time based on the above-estimated duration and the estimated vehicle travel duration that the vehicle 108a may need to travel from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110. In some aspects, the processor 210 can determine the estimated vehicle travel duration based on sensor inputs (e.g., the average vehicle travel speed obtained from vehicle sensors) and real-time traffic condition information obtained from the server 202.

[0053] In additional aspects, when determining the optimal time, the processor 210 can add a preset buffer duration (e.g., 3 minutes to 8 minutes) to the above duration, so that if the vehicle 108a enters the vehicle queue 110 too early or too late, the processor 210 can request the vehicle 108a to come back later or be discarded from the vehicle queue 110.

[0054] In response to determining the optimal time as described above, the processor 210 can transmit a second instruction to move from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110 at the optimal time to the vehicle 108a via the transceiver 208. In some aspects, the second instruction can include second navigation instructions (including segment-by-segment instructions, distances, etc.), and the second navigation instructions can enable the vehicle to move from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110. The vehicle user can see / hear the second instruction and can accordingly move the vehicle 108a from the second position 106 to the vehicle queue 110 at the optimal time. If the vehicle 108a is an autonomous vehicle, the vehicle 108a can automatically move to the vehicle queue 110 at the optimal time in response to receiving the second instruction.

[0055] In alternative aspects, if the vehicle user desires to join the vehicle queue 110 earlier, the vehicle user can also transmit a request to enter the vehicle queue 110 earlier to the processor 210 (via the vehicle 108a or the user device). In this case, based on the real-time vehicle queue length and / or the vehicle count in the vehicle queue 110, the processor 210 may or may not allow the vehicle 108a to join the vehicle queue 110 earlier. For example, if the estimated waiting duration at the vehicle queue 110 is equal to (or slightly greater than) the duration required for the vehicle 108a to reach the vehicle queue 110 from the real-time position of the vehicle, the processor 210 can allow the vehicle 108a to join the vehicle queue 110 in advance.

[0056] When vehicle 108a arrives at (or is near) vehicle queue 110, processor 210 may assign a unique identifier to vehicle 108a (e.g., based on the vehicle's identification number, license plate number, or a unique identifier for the vehicle's food order) and cause it to enter or park at vehicle queue 110 in chronological order, such that no vehicle can cut in line in vehicle queue 110. In some aspects, processor 210 may assign a unique identifier to each vehicle in vehicle queue 110 in chronological order, and the unique identifier may be associated with the vehicle's identification number. If any vehicle cuts in line / queues up, as determined by the vehicle's unique identifier, processor 210 may direct the vehicle to leave vehicle queue 110, not accept the vehicle's food order, and / or direct first location 104 not to deliver the food order to the vehicle.

[0057] In addition to implementing vehicle movement to and from second location 106 and vehicle queue 110 as described above, processor 210 may also provide further assistance to vehicle 108. For example, in some aspects, when vehicle 108a may be moving towards second location 106 or is at second location 106, processor 210 may determine that one or more additional vehicles may already be present at second location 106 based on sensor inputs obtained from sensors, cameras, etc. located at or near second location 106. For example, processor 210 may determine that vehicles 402, 404, 406 may be present in second location 106, as Figure 4 shown. In response to determining that vehicles 402, 404, 406 may be present in second location 106, processor 210 may obtain the food delivery order associated with vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a from first location 104. Processor 210 may also transmit a vehicle alignment notice to vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a based on the food delivery order. The vehicle alignment notice may include instructions for queuing the vehicles based on their respective delivery orders for vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a. For example, if the food order for vehicle 108a will be ready last, vehicle 108a may park last in the queue at second location 106. Similarly, if the food order for vehicle 402 will be ready first, vehicle 402 may park closest to exit 408 associated with second location 106. By aligning vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a in the above manner, vehicle movement from second location 106 to vehicle queue 110 and food delivery at first location 104 may follow a smooth chronological order, and thus prevent any opportunity for traffic accumulation near first location 104.

[0058] In some aspects, the processor 210 may also transmit, from vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a to any one of the vehicles, a request to obtain food deliveries from other vehicles at the first location 104 and return to the second location 106, thereby eliminating the need for other vehicles to travel to the first location 104 to obtain their respective food deliveries. This may also help prevent the accumulation of vehicle queues near the first location 104.

[0059] One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a similar process of aligning vehicles at the second location 106 may be implemented when the first location 104 may be associated with a stadium or a concert venue. In such a case, the vehicle alignment order in the second location 106 may be based on the seating areas assigned to the users associated with vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a in the venue.

[0060] As another example, if the first location 104 is unable to serve the vehicle 108a, the processor 210 may be configured to identify other food chains in the geographical area 102 (or other geographical area) of the vehicle 108a. In such a case, if the processor 210 determines that the estimated duration required for the first location 104 to provide food to the vehicle 108a is greater than a predefined duration (e.g., the waiting time is too long), or if the first location 104 is unable to prepare the food order requested by the vehicle 108a, the processor 210 may identify another service provider (e.g., located at the third location) that may have a shorter waiting time and recommend that the vehicle 108a move to the third location. In an exemplary aspect, in such a case, the processor 210 may transmit a third instruction 502 (to be displayed on the HMI 304) to the vehicle 108a to move to the third location 504, as Figure 5 shown. In response to receiving the third instruction 502, the HMI 304 may display the third instruction 502. The third instruction 502 may include location icons associated with the first location 104 and the third location 504, the distance between the first location 104 and the third location 504, third navigation instructions to move to the third location 504, an example title stating "It is recommended that you move to this restaurant.", etc. In some aspects, a discount may be provided to the user associated with the vehicle 108a at the food store at the third location 504 to incentivize the user to move to the third location 504.

[0061] In some aspects, the processor 210 may determine the waiting time associated with the third location 504 based on inputs obtained from V2I and V2V communications, by using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track the cellular activities associated with multiple users at the third location 504, the activity status or count of users present at the third location 504 determined based on inputs received from the server 202, etc.

[0062] In an exemplary aspect, the processor 210 may determine a third location 504 such that the sum of an estimated duration (i.e., wait time) for another service provider to provide food to the vehicle 108a at the third location 504 and an estimated travel duration for the vehicle 108a to travel from the vehicle queue 110 to the third location 504 is less than the estimated duration for the first location 104 to provide food to the vehicle 108a. In other words, when the sum of the estimated travel duration and the reduced wait time at the third location 504 is significantly less than the estimated duration for the first location 104 to provide food to the vehicle 108a (i.e., when the vehicle 108a saves a significant amount of time), the processor 210 may determine and recommend the third location 504 to the vehicle 108a.

[0063] In an additional aspect, the processor 210 may determine the third location 504 based on an expected travel route associated with the vehicle 108a and / or based on an activity level at the third location 504. When the vehicle 108a may be approaching the vehicle queue 110, the processor 210 may determine and recommend the third location 504 to the vehicle 108a (such that if the vehicle queue 110 is long, the vehicle 108a can still drive out in time).

[0064] In a further aspect, in response to transmitting the third instruction 502 to the vehicle 108a, the processor 210 may obtain a user confirmation from the vehicle 108a or a user device associated with the vehicle user. The user confirmation may indicate to the processor 210 that the vehicle 108a (specifically, the vehicle user) agrees to move to the third location 504. In some aspects, when the processor 210 obtains the user confirmation from the vehicle user, the processor 210 may transmit a third navigation instruction to the vehicle 108a to effect the vehicle movement from the vehicle queue 110 (or real-time vehicle location) to the third location 504.

[0065] The processor 210 may also be configured to determine the presence of the vehicle 118 near or on a road near the vehicle queue 110 based on sensor input, as described above in connection with Figure 1 Response to determining the presence of the vehicle 118, the processor 210 may transmit an alert notification to the vehicle 118 via the transceiver 208. The alert notification may indicate to the vehicle 118 that a vehicle queue 110 may be present near the vehicle 118 or on a road on which the vehicle 118 may be traveling. If the vehicle 118 does not plan to join the vehicle queue 110, the vehicle 118 may change lanes and thus minimize the probability of traffic buildup near the vehicle queue 110.

[0066] System 114 may also implement alternative or additional methods to prevent traffic accumulation near the first location 104. For example, system 114 may enable one or more delivery vehicles to deliver food orders from the first location 104 to vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a located at the second location 106 (or any other location, such as an ice cream store), such that it may not be necessary for vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a to enter the vehicle queue 110. Additionally, a discount or incentive may be provided to one or more of the vehicles 108 that may be present at the vehicle queue 110 to transport food orders from the first location 104 to vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a located at the second location 106. The food orders may be delivered in sealed packages to prevent bacterial accumulation. Additionally, one or more of the vehicles 402, 404, 406, and 108a may be required to pick up food orders for other vehicles at the second location 106 (or any other location, such as an electric vehicle (EV) charging station), thereby eliminating the need for other vehicles to join the vehicle queue 110. Additionally, one or more vehicles may be requested to travel around or bypass the first location 104 and join the vehicle queue 110 only when the waiting time is less.

[0067] Figure 6 Depicts a flowchart of an exemplary traffic management method 600 in accordance with the present disclosure. Reference may continue to be made to the previous figures for the description Figure 6 . The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Additionally, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than those shown or described herein and may include those steps in a different order than the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0068] Method 600 begins at step 602. At step 604, method 600 may include obtaining sensor input from the sensor suite 204 by the processor 210. At step 606, method 600 may include determining, by the processor 210, the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length in the vehicle queue 110 based on the sensor input.

[0069] At step 608, method 600 may include determining, by the processor 210, that a predefined condition may be satisfied based on the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length. As described above, the predefined condition may be satisfied when the vehicle count may be greater than the allowable vehicle count and / or the vehicle queue length may be greater than the allowable vehicle queue length. At step 610, method 600 may include determining, by the processor 210, the presence of the vehicle 108a behind the relevant point 116 in the vehicle queue 110 based on the sensor input in response to determining that the predefined condition may be satisfied.

[0070] At step 612, method 600 may include transmitting, by processor 210, a first instruction to move to the second location 106 in response to determining the presence of vehicle 108a.

[0071] At step 614, method 600 may stop.

[0072] In the foregoing disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the foregoing disclosure, and which illustrate specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. References in this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "example embodiment," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments.

[0073] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Throughout the specification and claims, certain terms are used to refer to particular system components. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function.

[0074] It should also be understood that, as used herein, the term "example" is in essence intended to be non-exclusive and non-restrictive. More specifically, as used herein, the term "example" indicates one of a number of examples and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is given to the particular example described.

[0075] A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readable medium) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be capable of being executed by one or more computing devices such as those listed above and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0076] Regarding the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring in accordance with a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the description of the processes herein is provided for purposes of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0077] Accordingly, it should be understood that the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent upon reading the foregoing description. The scope should not be determined with reference to the foregoing description, but rather should be determined with reference to the appended claims and the entire scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and expected that the technology discussed herein will evolve in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In summary, it should be understood that this application is capable of modification and change.

[0078] Unless expressly stated to the contrary herein, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art as described herein. Specifically, unless the claims recite a clear limitation to the contrary, the use of the singular articles such as "a", "the", and "said" should be construed as reciting one or more of the indicated elements. Conditional language, such as, but not limited to, "can", "could", "might", or "may", unless specifically stated otherwise or otherwise understood within the context in which it is used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments can include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments necessarily require each feature, element, and / or step.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to transmit a request to a second vehicle to obtain a service order of the first vehicle from a first location and return to a second location.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to assign a unique identifier to each vehicle in the vehicle queue in chronological order, wherein the unique identifier is associated with a vehicle identification number.

[0081] According to an embodiment, the processor is further configured to: determine the presence of a third vehicle near the vehicle queue, wherein it is estimated that the third vehicle has not joined the vehicle queue; and transmit an alert notification to the third vehicle in response to determining the presence of the third vehicle, wherein the alert notification indicates the presence of the vehicle queue at the first location to the third vehicle.

[0082] According to the present invention, a traffic management method includes: obtaining, by a processor, an input from a sensor suite located near a first location; determining, by the processor, at least one of a vehicle count and a vehicle queue length in a vehicle queue near the first location based on the input; determining, by the processor, that a predefined condition is satisfied based on at least one of the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length; in response to determining that the predefined condition is satisfied, determining, by the processor, the presence of a vehicle behind a relevant point in the vehicle queue based on the input; and in response to determining the presence of the vehicle, transmitting, by the processor, an instruction to the vehicle to move to a second location.

[0083] According to the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain an input from a sensor suite located near a first location; determine at least one of a vehicle count and a vehicle queue length in a vehicle queue near the first location based on the input; determine that a predefined condition is satisfied based on at least one of the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length; in response to determining that the predefined condition is satisfied, determine the presence of a vehicle behind a relevant point in the vehicle queue based on the input; and in response to determining the presence of the vehicle, transmit an instruction to the vehicle to move to a second location.

Claims

1. A traffic management system, comprising: a transceiver configured to receive an input from a sensor suite located near a first location; and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the input from the transceiver; determine at least one of a vehicle count or a vehicle queue length in a vehicle queue near the first location based on the input; determine that a predefined condition is met based on at least one of the vehicle count and the vehicle queue length; in response to determining that the predefined condition is met, determine the presence of a first vehicle behind a relevant point in the vehicle queue based on the input; and in response to determining the presence of the first vehicle, transmit a first instruction to the first vehicle to move to a second location.

2. The traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor suite includes at least one of: sensors associated with a plurality of vehicles located near the first location, or sensors associated with infrastructure located near the first location.

3. The traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive the input from the sensor suite via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication.

4. The traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the processor obtains the input from the transceiver at a preset start time.

5. The traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the predefined condition is met when the vehicle count is greater than a first threshold vehicle count or the vehicle queue length is greater than a second threshold vehicle queue length.

6. The traffic management system according to claim 5, further comprising a memory configured to store information associated with the first threshold vehicle queue length and the second threshold vehicle count.

7. The traffic management system according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain the information from the memory; and identify the relevant point in the vehicle queue based on the information obtained from the memory and the input obtained from the transceiver, wherein the relevant point includes a point in the vehicle queue where the vehicle queue length exceeds the threshold vehicle queue length, or a point in the vehicle queue where the vehicle count exceeds the threshold vehicle count.

8. The traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: when the first vehicle moves to the second location in response to receiving the first instruction from the processor, determine an optimal time for the first vehicle to return to the vehicle queue; and transmit a second instruction to the first vehicle to move from the second location to the vehicle queue at the optimal time.

9. The traffic management system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a real-time first vehicle position based on the input obtained from the transceiver, wherein the first instruction includes a first navigation instruction to effect a first vehicle movement from the real-time first vehicle position to the second position, and wherein the second instruction includes a second navigation instruction to effect a first vehicle movement from the second position to the vehicle queue.

10. The traffic management system according to claim 8, wherein the first position is associated with a first service provider, and wherein the processor determines the optimal time based on at least one of an estimated duration required for the first service provider to provide a service to the first vehicle and an estimated first vehicle travel duration from the second position to the vehicle queue.

11. The traffic management system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: when the first vehicle is located at the second position or in the vehicle queue, obtain a service order from the first vehicle or a user device associated with the first vehicle user; and transmit the service order to the first service provider.

12. The traffic management system according to claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the estimated duration required for the first service provider to provide the service to the first vehicle is greater than a predefined duration threshold, or that the first service provider is unable to provide the service order; in response to the determination that the estimated duration required for the first service provider to provide the service to the first vehicle is greater than the predefined duration threshold or that the first service provider is unable to provide the service order, identify a second service provider located at a third position; and in response to identifying the second service provider at the third position, transmit a third instruction to the first vehicle to move to the third position.

13. The traffic management system according to claim 12, wherein the processor identifies the second service provider such that the sum of an estimated duration required for the second service provider to provide the service to the first vehicle and an estimated travel duration for the first vehicle to travel from the vehicle queue to the third position is less than the estimated duration required for the first service provider to provide the service to the first vehicle.

14. The traffic management system according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to: obtain a user confirmation from the first vehicle or the user device in response to transmitting the third instruction; and in response to obtaining the user confirmation, transmit a third navigation instruction to the first vehicle to effect a first vehicle movement from the vehicle queue to the third position.

15. The traffic management system according to claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine the presence of a second vehicle at the second position when the first vehicle moves to the second position; and Transmitting a vehicle alignment notification to the first vehicle and the second vehicle in response to determining the presence of the second vehicle at the second location, wherein the vehicle alignment notification includes an instruction to queue the first vehicle and the second vehicle at the second location based on a service delivery order associated with the first vehicle and the second vehicle from the first service provider.

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