Centralized Traffic Control for Mixed Manual and Automated Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heterogeneous parking environments with both manually and automatically operated traffic participants experience traffic jams and excessive waiting times due to lack of communication and inefficient traffic flow control, as existing systems do not account for the different operating properties of these groups.
Innovation Solution
A central control system that uses sensor data and communication links to determine and transmit instruction information for all traffic participants, optimizing route planning and traffic flow by considering the current status and future operations of both manual and automated vehicles, and utilizing traffic influencing devices to ensure compliance and efficient use of parking spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a parking environment is used heterogeneously by both manually operated and automatically operated traffic participants, then the parking environment can serve diverse traffic needs, but traffic jams and excessive waiting times occur due to lack of communication between the two groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of manually operated and automatically operated traffic participants into a single centralized control system. The central control device receives status information from both groups, determines instruction information for both, and transmits it to both groups via communication links, enabling coordinated operation and eliminating traffic jams caused by lack of communication between the two groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The central control device acts as an intermediary between manually operated and automatically operated traffic participants. It receives status information from both groups, processes this information centrally, and generates coordinated instruction information that is transmitted to both groups, facilitating smooth interaction and preventing conflicts in the heterogeneous parking environment.
2Ease of operation
If existing traffic control systems are used without considering automated traffic participants, then manually operated vehicles can follow simple control rules, but automated traffic participants cannot be properly integrated leading to blocking of travel paths
Solution Approach 1:
The central control device is designed with universal functionality to handle both manually operated and automatically operated traffic participants. It can process status information from both groups, generate appropriate instruction information for both types of participants, and transmit instructions to both groups through communication links, making the system adaptable to heterogeneous traffic compositions.
Solution Approach 2:
The traffic control system transitions from static, group-specific control to dynamic, unified control. The central control device continuously receives status information from both manually and automatically operated participants, dynamically determines instruction information based on current conditions, and adjusts control instructions in real-time to accommodate the needs of both traffic participant groups.
3Productivity
If centralized control is implemented for heterogeneous traffic, then coordinated movement and reduced waiting times are achieved, but system complexity increases due to need to process information from all traffic participants
Solution Approach 1:
Automatically operated traffic participants autonomously transmit their status information to the central control device via communication links. This self-service approach allows the system to gather necessary data without requiring manual intervention or complex data collection mechanisms, reducing the burden on the central control system while maintaining comprehensive information gathering.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for controlling traffic in a parking environment comprising at least one parking space and used by at least a first group of manually operated traffic participants and a second group of automatically operated traffic participants. A central control device by considering current status information of traffic participants as determined by sensors and/or transmitted by the traffic participants, determines instruction information for each traffic participant. The instruction information describes the future operation of each traffic participant in a common route planning for all traffic participants using the parking environment. The central control device transmits the instruction information, via a communication link, to at least one part of the traffic participants. The instruction information is used for outputting information and/or automatically controlling each traffic participant.