Mixed driving area traffic control method and system

Abstract

The invention provides a mixed-driving area traffic control method and system, and belongs to the technical field of engineering transportation equipment scheduling. The method comprises the following steps: setting an unmanned driving route, a manned driving route and a mixed driving area; obtaining the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed driving area in real time; a corresponding instruction is formed according to the relation between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed driving area and the safe distance; and forming a corresponding state in the signal display module according to the formed instruction so as to guide the operation of the manned vehicle. According to the mixed driving area traffic control method and system, safe and orderly driving of the unmanned vehicle and the manned vehicle in the mixed driving area can be achieved, collision accidents are avoided, the traffic jam phenomenon is prevented, and meanwhile the operation efficiency can be improved.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to utility model patent application No. 202423213371.6, filed on December 25, 2024 with the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of engineering transportation equipment scheduling technology, and more specifically, to a traffic control method and system for mixed-traffic areas. Background Technology

[0004] Traffic control in mixed-traffic areas is crucial in open-pit mines. The areas where materials are loaded are constantly changing, and vehicle allocation and task composition are closely related to mixed-traffic roads. Multi-task operations, multi-team operations, combined manned and unmanned operations, and vehicles navigating multiple roads between loading and unloading areas all present mixed-traffic intersections such as crossroads and Y-shaped junctions. The complex traffic conditions at these intersections can lead to collisions and ultimately, safety accidents. Therefore, the orderly management of vehicles at mixed-traffic intersections is urgently needed.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this disclosure is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a traffic control method and system for mixed-traffic areas. This enables vehicles to travel in an orderly manner at mixed-traffic intersections, avoids traffic congestion, and improves work efficiency.

[0007] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas is provided, comprising: The system sets autonomous driving routes, manned driving routes, and mixed traffic areas; it acquires the distance between autonomous vehicles and mixed traffic areas in real time; it generates corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between autonomous vehicles and mixed traffic areas and the safe distance; and it displays the corresponding status in the signal display module based on the generated instructions to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

[0008] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the signal display module includes a first signal light, which is set on a manned driving route and located at the boundary of a mixed traffic area.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first traffic light has a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state. The first state is used to guide manned vehicles to pass, the second state is used to guide manned vehicles to decelerate, the third state is used to guide manned vehicles to stop and wait, and the fourth state is used to guide manned vehicles to prepare to start. The aforementioned generation of corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance includes: If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is greater than the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the first state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is equal to the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the second state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving closer to the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the third state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving away from the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the fourth state.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas further includes: The system acquires real-time road surface images captured by cameras, which are positioned to simultaneously capture images of manned vehicles on the driving route and the display status of a pre-set second traffic light. The display status of the second traffic light is synchronized with that of the first traffic light. The system monitors the driving status of manned vehicles and the display status of the first traffic light based on the road surface images.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the first traffic light has a display state for guiding manned vehicles to slow down and / or stop and wait, and the mixed-traffic area traffic control method further includes: When it is detected that a manned vehicle fails to slow down and / or stop as indicated by the first traffic light, a control command is issued to the unmanned vehicle to instruct it to wait outside the mixed traffic area until the manned vehicle passes.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas further includes: Acquire historical driving route data for both autonomous vehicles on autonomous routes and manned vehicles on manned routes during historical periods when manned vehicles safely pass through mixed traffic areas without slowing down; determine the historical distance between autonomous vehicles and mixed traffic areas when manned vehicles reach the boundary of the mixed traffic area based on the historical driving data; and set a safe distance based on the historical distance.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, during the period when the first traffic light is in a first state, if an unmanned vehicle approaches a mixed traffic area, the mixed traffic area traffic control method further includes: Based on the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area, the driving speed of the autonomous vehicle, and the driving distance in the mixed traffic area, the minimum safe speed for manned vehicles within a preset distance outside the mixed traffic area is determined in real time; a minimum speed limit is set based on the minimum safe speed and displayed in the signal display module.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, when the display state of the first traffic light switches from a first state to a second state or a third state, the traffic control method for mixed traffic areas further includes: If there are manned vehicles traveling along the same path towards the mixed traffic area on the autonomous driving route, the distance between the following manned vehicle and the preceding manned vehicle is determined; when the distance is less than the preset safe braking distance, a first warning message and / or a second warning message are issued to the following manned vehicle. The first warning message is used to remind the driver to pay attention to the braking of the vehicle in front, and the second warning message is used to remind the driver to wait for the following vehicle to slow down before slowing down and / or stopping.

[0015] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the driverless vehicle and the manned vehicle are engineering vehicles operating in an open-pit mine area, and the traffic control method for mixed traffic areas further includes: The number of times each driverless and manned vehicle passes through is counted; the number of trips for the shift is determined based on the number of trips, and the output is calculated based on the number of trips and the time.

[0016] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a traffic control system for mixed-traffic areas is provided, comprising: The system includes manned and unmanned traffic routes. Manned routes are for manned vehicles, while unmanned routes are for unmanned vehicles. The intersection of manned and unmanned routes is a mixed-traffic area. The traffic control module acquires the distance between unmanned vehicles and the mixed-traffic area in real time, generates corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance and the safe distance, and sends the instructions to the signal display module. The signal display module generates corresponding statuses based on the instructions to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this disclosure are: The traffic control method and system for mixed-traffic areas disclosed herein define the driving routes for manned and unmanned vehicles, ensuring that manned vehicles travel on manned routes and unmanned vehicles on unmanned routes. The intersection of these routes is designated as a mixed-traffic area to facilitate traffic management. During traffic control, corresponding instructions are generated based on the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed-traffic area and a safe distance. These instructions are then displayed in a signal module to guide the operation of manned vehicles. This method guides the operation of manned vehicles by using the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed-traffic area and a safe distance, thereby controlling the safe and orderly passage of both manned and unmanned vehicles within the mixed-traffic area. This avoids potential conflicts between manned and unmanned vehicles, enabling mixed operations and improving operational efficiency.

[0018] Of course, implementing any product or method of this application does not necessarily require achieving all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first operation of an unmanned vehicle and a manned vehicle in one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a second operation of an unmanned vehicle and a manned vehicle in one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a third type of operation of an unmanned vehicle and a manned vehicle in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Autonomous driving route; 2-Manned driving route; 3-Mixed traffic area; 4-Autonomous vehicle; 5-Manned vehicle; 6-First traffic light; 7-Second traffic light; 8-Camera; L0-Safe distance; L1-First distance; L2-Second distance. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore detailed descriptions of them will be omitted. Furthermore, the drawings are merely illustrative of this disclosure and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0023] This disclosure provides a traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas. Figure 1 A flowchart of the method is provided. Figures 2-4 Schematic diagrams illustrating several different vehicle operating states in application scenarios of this method are provided. See also Figure 1 The traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas includes the following steps S101-S104: Step S101: Set the autonomous driving route, the manned driving route, and the mixed traffic area.

[0024] Specifically, in this embodiment of the disclosure, routes need to be agreed upon, that is, autonomous driving routes and manned driving routes need to be set. See [link to documentation]. Figures 2-4 As shown in the diagram, manned route 2 is for manned vehicles 5 to pass through, and unmanned route 1 is for unmanned vehicles 4 to pass through. The interaction area between unmanned route 1 and manned route 2 is the mixed traffic area 3.

[0025] Step S102: Obtain the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area in real time.

[0026] It should be noted that the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area refers to the distance between the front of the autonomous vehicle and the boundary of the mixed traffic area.

[0027] In practical applications, the location information of autonomous vehicles can be obtained in real time, and the distance between the autonomous vehicles and the mixed traffic area can be determined based on the location information of the autonomous vehicles.

[0028] Step S103: Generate corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance.

[0029] Step S104: Based on the generated instructions, the corresponding state is generated in the signal display module to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

[0030] See Figure 2As illustrated in this embodiment, when the distance between the driverless vehicle 4 traveling towards the mixed traffic area 3 and the mixed traffic area 3 is greater than the safe distance L0, it can be considered that both the driverless vehicle 4 and the manned vehicle 5 about to enter the mixed traffic area 3 can safely pass through the mixed traffic area 3; when the distance between the driverless vehicle 4 traveling towards the mixed traffic area 3 and the mixed traffic area 3 is less than the safe distance L0, it is considered that the driverless vehicle 4 and the manned vehicle 5 about to enter the mixed traffic area 3 may have a collision accident after entering the mixed traffic area 3.

[0031] Since the relationship between the distance between autonomous vehicles and the mixed-traffic area and the safe distance reflects the driving safety of both autonomous and manned vehicles within the mixed-traffic area, this embodiment of the disclosure can control the display state of the signal display module based on this relationship. The display state of the signal display module guides the operation of manned vehicles, thereby achieving scheduling of the mixed-traffic area to ensure that both autonomous and manned vehicles can safely and orderly pass through it. Specifically, the scheduling principle of this embodiment of the disclosure is: autonomous vehicles have priority in occupying the mixed-traffic area, and manned vehicles yield to autonomous vehicles.

[0032] The size of the safety distance can be set according to actual needs. In one example, the safety distance can be set to 30 meters.

[0033] The traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas provided in this disclosure defines the driving routes for manned and unmanned vehicles, ensuring that manned vehicles travel on manned routes and unmanned vehicles travel on unmanned routes. The intersection of these routes is designated as a mixed-traffic area to facilitate scheduling within this area. During traffic control, corresponding instructions are generated based on the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed-traffic area and a safe distance. These instructions are then displayed in a signal module to guide the operation of manned vehicles. This method guides the operation of manned vehicles by using the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed-traffic area and a safe distance, thereby controlling the safe and orderly passage of both manned and unmanned vehicles within the mixed-traffic area. This avoids potential conflicts between manned and unmanned vehicles, enabling mixed operations and improving operational efficiency.

[0034] In some embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figures 2-4 As illustrated, the signal display module includes a first signal light 6, which is used to display a status corresponding to the instruction formed in step S103 to the manned vehicle 5.

[0035] Specifically, the first traffic light 6 is installed on the manned route 2, located at the boundary of the mixed traffic area 3. This allows drivers of manned vehicles 5 traveling from the manned route 2 towards the mixed traffic area 3 to observe the status displayed by the first traffic light 6 and perform different actions based on its status, ensuring the orderly passage of manned vehicles 5 and unmanned vehicles 4 within the mixed traffic area.

[0036] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the first traffic light may have four display states: a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state. The first state is used to guide driven vehicles to pass; the second state is used to guide driven vehicles to slow down; the third state is used to guide driven vehicles to stop and wait; and the fourth state is used to guide driven vehicles to prepare to start.

[0037] In step S103, specifically, based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, an instruction can be sent to the first traffic light to instruct it to display a specific display state, so that the first traffic light can respond to the instruction and display the display state indicated by the instruction.

[0038] In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the first traffic light is observed to be in the first state, the driver of the manned vehicle can safely pass through the mixed traffic area according to the guidance; when the first traffic light is observed to be in the second state, the driver of the manned vehicle needs to decelerate before the mixed traffic area; when the first traffic light is observed to be in the third state, the driver of the manned vehicle needs to decelerate and brake before the mixed traffic area; when the first traffic light is observed to be in the fourth state, the driver of the manned vehicle can start the vehicle (provided that the manned vehicle is in a parked and braked state before the mixed traffic area).

[0039] In one example, the first state of the first traffic light can be green, the second state of the first traffic light can be flashing green, the third state of the first traffic light can be red, and the fourth state of the first traffic light can be flashing red.

[0040] In some embodiments of this disclosure, corresponding instructions can be generated based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, in the following manner: If the distance between the driverless vehicle and the mixed traffic area is greater than the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the first state, so as to guide the manned vehicle to pass.

[0041] If the distance between the driverless vehicle and the mixed traffic area is equal to the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the second state, so as to guide the manned vehicle to slow down.

[0042] If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is driving close to the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the third state, so as to guide the manned vehicle to stop and wait.

[0043] Figure 3 An example is provided where the first distance L1 between the autonomous vehicle 4 and the mixed traffic area 3 is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving toward the mixed traffic area 3, so the first traffic light should be displayed in the third state.

[0044] Specifically, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving towards the mixed traffic area, it means that the autonomous vehicle is preparing to enter the mixed traffic area. Therefore, it is necessary to instruct the human-driven vehicle to slow down and stop at the boundary of the mixed traffic area.

[0045] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, a switching command can be issued to the first traffic light only when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area changes from greater than the safe distance to equal to the safe distance (meaning that the autonomous vehicle is moving towards the mixed traffic area and the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area will subsequently be less than the safe distance). The first traffic light is instructed to switch from the first state to the second state, and after displaying the second state for a preset duration (which can be set according to actual needs, such as 3 seconds to 5 seconds), it switches to the third state and remains in the third state after the switch (that is, the first traffic light will remain in the third state while the autonomous vehicle is driving through the mixed traffic area), without the need for continuous command control of the first traffic light.

[0046] If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is driving away from the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the fourth state, so as to guide the manned vehicle to prepare to start.

[0047] Figure 4 An example is provided where the second distance L2 between the autonomous vehicle 4 and the mixed traffic area 3 is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is traveling away from the mixed traffic area 3, so the first traffic light should be displayed in the fourth state.

[0048] Specifically, when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving away from the mixed-traffic area, it means that the autonomous vehicle will subsequently move further and further away from the mixed-traffic area. Therefore, even though the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is less than the safe distance, it can still guide the manned vehicle to start its engine. In this way, it is possible to achieve effective coordination between manned and autonomous vehicles in the mixed-traffic area, which helps to improve operational efficiency.

[0049] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, a switching command can be issued to the first traffic light only when the autonomous vehicle has just left the mixed traffic area (the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving away from the mixed traffic area), instructing the first traffic light to switch from the third state to the fourth state, without the need for continuous command control of the first traffic light.

[0050] In one example, if no driverless vehicles are passing through the driverless route, the first traffic light can remain in the first state.

[0051] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the four display states of the first traffic light can be in a switching state, for example, a switching state from the first state (green light) to the second state (flashing green) to the third state (red light), and a switching state from the third state (red light) to the fourth state (flashing red) and back to the first state (green light). Exemplarily, in these embodiments, corresponding instructions can be generated based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, in the following manner: When the autonomous vehicle moves toward the mixed traffic area and the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area changes from greater than the safe distance to equal to the safe distance, a first switching command is generated; the first switching command is used to instruct the first traffic light to switch to the second state, and after displaying the second state for a preset duration, switch to and maintain the third state.

[0052] When the autonomous vehicle drives out of the mixed traffic area from within the mixed traffic area, a second switching command is generated; the second switching command is used to instruct the first signal light to switch to the fourth state, and after displaying the fourth state for a preset duration, switch to and maintain the first state.

[0053] Based on the above design, during the entire process from when the autonomous vehicle moves away from the mixed traffic area (the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is greater than the safe distance) to when it enters the mixed traffic area, the first traffic light will first switch from the first state to the second state (switching when the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is equal to the safe distance), and then switch to and maintain the third state after displaying the second state for a preset duration; after the autonomous vehicle further drives out of the mixed traffic area, the first traffic light will first switch from the original third state to the fourth state, and then switch to and maintain the first state after displaying the fourth state for a preset duration.

[0054] In some embodiments of this disclosure, a camera may be added to the application scenarios of this disclosure to monitor the driving status of manned vehicles and the display status of the first traffic light.

[0055] In practical applications, due to interference from the first traffic light, it is difficult for the camera to directly monitor its display status. Therefore, a second traffic light can be added to the scene, and its display status can be synchronized with that of the first traffic light. This allows the camera to monitor the display status of the second traffic light in real time, thus knowing the display status of the first traffic light and achieving the function of monitoring its display status.

[0056] Specifically, the camera can be positioned to simultaneously capture images of manned vehicles on the manned route and the display status of the second traffic light.

[0057] Figures 2-4 This illustrates one possible arrangement of the second traffic light 7 and the camera 8. It should be understood that... Figures 2-4 The positions of the second traffic light 7 and the camera 8 are only for illustration and do not represent their specific locations. In other embodiments of this disclosure, the second traffic light and the camera may also be placed in other locations.

[0058] In these embodiments of the present disclosure, the traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas further includes: The system acquires real-time road images from cameras and monitors the driving status of manned vehicles and the display status of the first traffic light based on the road video recordings.

[0059] By installing cameras in application scenarios, the operation of both manned and autonomous vehicles can be monitored in real time, facilitating timely adjustments to address any issues. Furthermore, in the event of an operational accident, accountability can be clearly defined, contributing to future improvements.

[0060] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the system can also monitor in real time whether the manned vehicle decelerates and / or stops to wait in accordance with the display status of the first traffic light, based on the driving status of the manned vehicle and the display status of the first traffic light; if the manned vehicle is found not to decelerate and / or stop to wait in accordance with the display status of the first traffic light, a control command is issued to the unmanned vehicle to instruct the unmanned vehicle to wait outside the mixed traffic area until the manned vehicle passes.

[0061] Specifically, if a manned vehicle traveling towards the mixed-traffic area is detected to fail to slow down and / or stop as indicated by the first traffic light, it can be assumed that if an autonomous vehicle on the autonomous driving route also travels normally towards the mixed-traffic area, a collision may occur between the autonomous vehicle and the manned vehicle within the mixed-traffic area. Therefore, a control command is issued to the autonomous vehicle traveling towards the mixed-traffic area, instructing it to wait outside the mixed-traffic area until the manned vehicle that failed to slow down and / or stop as indicated by the first traffic light exits the mixed-traffic area.

[0062] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the safety distance can be set in the following manner: Acquire historical driving route data of both autonomous and manned vehicles on the autonomous driving route during historical periods when manned vehicles safely pass through the mixed traffic area without deceleration; determine the historical distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area when the manned vehicle reaches the boundary of the mixed traffic area based on the historical driving data; and set a safe distance based on the historical distance.

[0063] Specifically, in some application scenarios, the planned autonomous driving routes and manned driving routes may have been in use for some time. In this case, it is possible to determine the historical time period during which manned vehicles on the manned driving routes safely passed through the mixed-traffic area without slowing down, and to obtain the historical driving route data of the manned vehicles on the manned routes and the autonomous vehicles on the autonomous driving routes from entering to exiting the mixed-traffic area. Based on this historical driving data, it is possible to determine the historical distance between the autonomous vehicles traveling towards the mixed-traffic area and the mixed-traffic area when these manned vehicles, having traveled from outside the mixed-traffic area to its boundary, are located.

[0064] In other words, historical experience shows that when a manned vehicle traveling towards a mixed-traffic area reaches the boundary of the mixed-traffic area, if the distance between the autonomous vehicle traveling towards the mixed-traffic area and the mixed-traffic area is not less than the historical distance, both vehicles can safely pass through the mixed-traffic area, and the manned vehicle does not need to yield to the autonomous vehicle. Therefore, in this embodiment of the disclosure, a safe distance can be set based on historical distances.

[0065] This disclosure does not limit the specific implementation method of setting the safety distance based on historical distances. In one example, the minimum value among the determined historical distances can be set as the safety distance, or a certain redundancy distance can be added to the minimum value among the determined historical distances as the safety distance.

[0066] In some embodiments of this disclosure, during the first state of the first traffic light display state, if an autonomous vehicle on the autonomous driving route approaches a mixed traffic area, the mixed traffic area traffic control method further includes: Based on the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area, the driving speed of the autonomous vehicle, and the driving distance in the mixed traffic area, the minimum safe speed for manned vehicles within a preset distance outside the mixed traffic area is determined in real time; a minimum speed limit is set based on the minimum safe speed and displayed in the signal display module.

[0067] In this embodiment of the disclosure, in order to ensure that the manned vehicle can safely pass through the mixed traffic area while being guided through the mixed traffic area by the first traffic light, a minimum speed limit is imposed on the manned vehicle during the passage through the mixed traffic area.

[0068] The preset distance is a distance reserved to allow the driver necessary reaction time and speed adjustment space, and can be set according to actual needs.

[0069] In one example, the minimum safe speed determined in this embodiment of the disclosure can be: the speed at which the human-driven vehicle just exits the mixed traffic area when the autonomous vehicle on the autonomous driving route continues to travel towards the mixed traffic area at its driving speed, and a human-driven vehicle located at a preset distance outside the mixed traffic area is also traveling towards the mixed traffic area.

[0070] This disclosure does not limit the method of setting a minimum speed limit based on a minimum safe speed. In one example, a rated minimum driving speed can be preset. If the determined minimum safe speed is greater than the rated minimum driving speed, the minimum safe driving speed is set as the minimum speed limit; otherwise, the rated minimum driving speed is set as the minimum speed limit.

[0071] The way the signal display module shows the minimum speed limit can also be set according to actual needs. For example, the minimum speed limit can be displayed directly through the first traffic light, or a display sign can be set at the boundary of the mixed traffic area on the passenger-driving route to display the minimum speed limit.

[0072] In some embodiments of this disclosure, when the display state of the first traffic light switches from a first state to a second state or a third state, the traffic control method for mixed traffic areas further includes: If there are manned vehicles traveling along the same path towards the mixed traffic area on the autonomous driving route, the distance between the following manned vehicle and the preceding manned vehicle is determined; when the distance is less than the preset safe braking distance, a first warning message and / or a second warning message are issued to the following manned vehicle. The first warning message is used to remind the driver to pay attention to the braking of the vehicle in front, and the second warning message is used to remind the driver to wait for the following vehicle to slow down before slowing down and / or stopping.

[0073] In this embodiment of the disclosure, if the distance between the preceding and following vehicles is less than the safe braking distance, it is considered that the deceleration and / or braking behavior of the preceding vehicle may lead to a rear-end collision; otherwise, it is considered that the deceleration and / or braking behavior of the preceding vehicle will not lead to a rear-end collision. The specific size of the safe braking distance can be set according to actual needs and relevant experience.

[0074] For example, the first and second prompt messages can be issued to manned vehicles using intelligent transportation technology. As mentioned above, the second state is used to instruct manned vehicles to slow down, and the third state is used to instruct manned vehicles to stop and wait. In this embodiment of the disclosure, when the first traffic light switches to the second or third state, by prompting the following vehicle to pay attention to the braking of the vehicle in front, or prompting the vehicle in front to wait for the following vehicle to slow down before slowing down and / or stopping, rear-end collisions caused by the following vehicle's failure to react in time to the slowing down and / or stopping of the vehicle in front can be avoided.

[0075] In one possible application scenario of this disclosure, the aforementioned mixed-traffic control method can be applied to a mixed-traffic scenario of unmanned operation in an open-pit mine. In this case, both the manned and unmanned vehicles are engineering vehicles operating within the open-pit mine area. By applying this control method, a strong guarantee can be provided for the safe and reliable operation of engineering vehicles in mixed-traffic operations.

[0076] When this disclosure is applied to a mixed-traffic scenario of unmanned operation in open-pit mines, in some embodiments, the traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas further includes: The number of times each driverless and manned vehicle passes through is counted; the number of trips for the shift is determined based on the number of trips, and the output is calculated based on the number of trips and the time.

[0077] Those skilled in the art can easily understand that by counting the number of times unmanned and manned vehicles pass through, and then combining this with the number of passes required for a single operation, the number of trips for the work group can be derived from the counting results.

[0078] In practical applications, the transport capacity of a single engineering vehicle is generally a fixed value. Therefore, based on the statistically calculated number of trips and transport volume, the total transport volume of the work team can be determined. By combining this with the duration of the counting period, the total output or output per unit time within a specific time period can be obtained.

[0079] By combining the counting results to calculate output, real-time monitoring of production efficiency can be achieved through intelligent means, which helps with production management and improves operational efficiency.

[0080] Based on the same inventive concept, some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a mixed-traffic area traffic control system, including: manned driving routes and unmanned driving routes, a traffic control module and a signal display module.

[0081] Among them, the manned route is for manned vehicles to pass through, the unmanned route is for unmanned vehicles to pass through, and the area where the manned route and the unmanned route intersect is a mixed traffic area.

[0082] The traffic control module is used to obtain the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area in real time, generate corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, and send the instructions to the signal display module.

[0083] The signal display module is used to generate corresponding states based on instructions in order to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

[0084] For more information on the traffic control system for mixed-traffic areas and its beneficial effects, please refer to the description of the implementation method for traffic control in mixed-traffic areas above, which will not be repeated here.

[0085] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the traffic control module can be integrated into a physical traffic control device in practical applications. When this traffic control device is set up in a traffic scenario where autonomous driving routes, manned driving routes, and signal display modules (such as first traffic lights) have been deployed, the traffic control device can communicate with the signal display modules based on cloud scheduling and 5G network technology to control the display status of the signal display modules, thereby guiding the operation of manned vehicles. Preferably, the traffic control module can be specifically integrated into a mobile physical traffic control device so that it can be set up in different scenarios as needed for traffic control.

[0086] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the traffic control device may include a power supply module for providing power to the traffic control device.

[0087] In one example, the power supply module could be a portable battery, which can be installed at the bottom of the traffic control equipment to provide power and ensure its proper operation. Of course, the power supply module is not limited to this; it could also be powered by mains electricity.

[0088] Furthermore, the electrical energy supplied to the traffic control equipment is not limited to this; for example, it can be solar energy (powering the control device by installing solar panels) or wind energy.

[0089] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the traffic control device may include a location identification module and an information processing module. The location identification module is used to acquire the location information of the unmanned vehicle in real time, and the information processing module is used to determine the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed traffic area based on the location information acquired by the location identification module, generate corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, and send the generated instructions to the signal display module.

[0090] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the signal display module includes a first traffic light, which is set on the manned driving route and located at the boundary of the mixed traffic area.

[0091] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the first traffic light has a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state. The first state is used to guide manned vehicles to pass, the second state is used to guide manned vehicles to decelerate, the third state is used to guide manned vehicles to stop and wait, and the fourth state is used to guide manned vehicles to prepare to start. Specifically, the traffic control module is used to: if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is greater than a safe distance, generate a corresponding instruction to make the first traffic light display the first state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is equal to the safe distance, generate a corresponding instruction to make the first traffic light display the second state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is approaching the mixed-traffic area, generate a corresponding instruction to make the first traffic light display the third state; if the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed-traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is moving away from the mixed-traffic area, generate a corresponding instruction to make the first traffic light display the fourth state.

[0092] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the traffic control module is further configured to: acquire road surface images captured in real time by a camera, wherein the camera is positioned to simultaneously capture images of manned vehicles on the manned route and the display status of a pre-set second traffic light, the display status of the second traffic light being synchronized with the display status of the first traffic light; and monitor the driving status of manned vehicles and the display status of the first traffic light based on the road surface images.

[0093] As mentioned earlier, in practical applications, traffic control modules can be integrated into physical traffic control devices. For example, a camera can be specifically installed on such a traffic control device.

[0094] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the first traffic light has a display state for guiding manned vehicles to slow down and / or stop and wait. The traffic control module is further configured to: when monitoring that a manned vehicle does not slow down and / or stop and wait in accordance with the display state of the first traffic light, issue a control command to the unmanned vehicle to instruct the unmanned vehicle to wait outside the mixed traffic area until the manned vehicle passes.

[0095] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the traffic control module is further configured to: acquire historical driving route data of unmanned vehicles on unmanned routes and manned vehicles on manned routes during a historical period in which manned vehicles safely pass through the mixed traffic area without deceleration; determine the historical distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed traffic area when the manned vehicle reaches the boundary position of the mixed traffic area based on the historical driving data; and set a safe distance based on the historical distance.

[0096] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, when the display state of the first traffic light switches from the first state to the second or third state, the traffic control module is further configured to: if there are manned vehicles traveling sequentially along the same path towards the mixed traffic area on the driverless route, determine the distance between the following manned vehicle and the preceding manned vehicle; when the distance is less than a preset safe braking distance, issue a first warning message and / or a second warning message to the following manned vehicle, wherein the first warning message is used to remind the driver to pay attention to the braking of the vehicle in front, and the second warning message is used to remind the driver to wait for the following vehicle to slow down before slowing down and / or stopping.

[0097] In one possible implementation of this disclosure, the driverless vehicle and the manned vehicle are engineering vehicles operating in the open-pit mine area. The traffic control module is also used to: count the number of times the driverless vehicle and the manned vehicle pass through; determine the number of trips for the shift based on the number of times the driverless vehicle and the manned vehicle pass through; and calculate the output based on the number of trips and the time.

[0098] As mentioned earlier, traffic control modules can be integrated into physical traffic control devices in practical applications. In practical applications, a counting module can be integrated into this traffic control device.

[0099] In one example, the information processing module can control the power supply to the command display module, the camera, and the counting module; for instance, the information processing module can disconnect the connection between the command display module, the camera, and the counting module and the power supply module, thereby cutting off the power supply to the command display module, the camera, and the counting module.

[0100] Furthermore, the information processing module can also report the operating status of the command display module, camera, and counting module to the operation backend, allowing staff to evaluate the operation of these modules.

[0101] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A traffic control method for mixed-traffic areas, characterized in that, include: Set up autonomous driving routes, manned driving routes, and mixed traffic areas; Real-time acquisition of the distance between autonomous vehicles and mixed traffic areas; The corresponding instructions are generated based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance; The signal display module generates a corresponding state based on the generated instructions to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal display module includes a first signal light, which is installed on the manned driving route and located at the boundary of the mixed traffic area.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first traffic light has a first state, a second state, a third state, and a fourth state. The first state is used to guide a manned vehicle to pass, the second state is used to guide a manned vehicle to slow down, the third state is used to guide a manned vehicle to stop and wait, and the fourth state is used to guide a manned vehicle to prepare to start. The method of generating corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance includes: If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is greater than the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the first state; If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is equal to the safe distance, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the second state; If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is driving close to the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated to make the first traffic light display the third state. If the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area is less than the safe distance, and the autonomous vehicle is driving away from the mixed traffic area, a corresponding instruction is generated so that the first traffic light displays the fourth state.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: The camera acquires real-time images of the road surface. The camera is positioned to simultaneously capture images of manned vehicles on the manned route and the display status of a pre-set second traffic light. The display status of the second traffic light is synchronized with the display status of the first traffic light. The driving status of manned vehicles and the display status of the first traffic light are monitored based on the road surface images.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first traffic light has a display status for guiding manned vehicles to slow down and / or stop and wait, and the method further includes: When it is detected that a manned vehicle does not slow down and / or stop to wait as indicated by the first traffic light, a control command is issued to the unmanned vehicle to instruct it to wait outside the mixed traffic area until the manned vehicle passes.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Acquire historical driving route data of unmanned vehicles on unmanned routes and manned vehicles on manned routes during historical periods when manned vehicles safely passed through mixed traffic areas without slowing down; Based on the historical driving data, determine the historical distance between the unmanned vehicle and the mixed traffic area when the manned vehicle drives to the boundary of the mixed traffic area. The safety distance is set based on the historical distance.

7. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, While the first traffic light is in its first state, if an unmanned vehicle approaches a mixed traffic area, the method further includes: Based on the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area, the driving speed of the autonomous vehicle, and the driving distance in the mixed traffic area, the minimum safe speed at which human-driven vehicles are allowed to pass safely within a preset distance outside the mixed traffic area is determined in real time. A minimum speed limit is set based on the minimum safe speed, and the minimum speed limit is displayed in the signal display module.

8. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the display state of the first traffic light switches from the first state to the second state or the third state, the method further includes: If there are manned vehicles traveling along the same path toward the mixed traffic area on the autonomous driving route, determine the distance between the later manned vehicle and the earlier manned vehicle. When the distance is less than the preset safe braking distance, a first warning message and / or a second warning message are issued to the following manned vehicle. The first warning message is used to remind the driver to pay attention to the braking of the vehicle in front, and the second warning message is used to remind the driver to slow down and / or stop after the following vehicle slows down.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unmanned vehicle and the manned vehicle are engineering vehicles operating in open-pit mines, and the method further includes: The number of times each driverless vehicle and a manned vehicle passes through is counted; The number of trips for the work group is determined based on the number of times each driverless and manned vehicle passes through, and the output is calculated based on the number of trips and the time.

10. A traffic control system for mixed-traffic areas, characterized in that, include: There are manned and unmanned routes. The manned routes are for manned vehicles to pass through, and the unmanned routes are for unmanned vehicles to pass through. The area where the manned and unmanned routes intersect is a mixed traffic area. The traffic control module is used to acquire the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area in real time, generate corresponding instructions based on the relationship between the distance between the autonomous vehicle and the mixed traffic area and the safe distance, and send the instructions to the signal display module. The signal display module is used to generate a corresponding state according to the instructions in order to guide the operation of manned vehicles.

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