Cooperative Vehicle Chain Navigation for Congestion Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle navigation systems often lead to traffic congestion by instructing drivers individually without considering the navigation of nearby vehicles, causing them to compete for positions in the same lane and resulting in risky maneuvers and congestion.
Innovation Solution
A system that obtains current position and route information for multiple vehicles on a road segment, identifies common routes, and generates navigation instructions to form vehicle chains, optimizing traffic flow by grouping vehicles with similar routes together.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individual navigation instructions are provided to each vehicle, then each vehicle can receive personalized route guidance, but traffic congestion increases due to vehicles jockeying for positions in the same lane
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges individual vehicle navigation instructions into coordinated group navigation by identifying vehicles with common routes and generating unified navigation instructions that guide multiple vehicles together, reducing lane changes and improving traffic flow efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments traffic flow into groups of vehicles with common routes, allowing navigation instructions to be tailored to each segment while coordinating within the segment to prevent congestion, thus maintaining individual guidance benefits without the negative effects
2Measurement precision
If navigation systems provide directions based on individual vehicle positions, then each driver receives accurate personal guidance, but drivers fail to recognize important navigational tools and make sudden risky actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by providing navigation instructions that incorporate information about surrounding vehicles and road context, allowing drivers to receive personalized guidance while being aware of the broader traffic situation and upcoming navigational elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing advance notice of upcoming turns and road changes through coordinated group navigation instructions, allowing drivers to prepare in advance rather than reacting suddenly to last-minute directions
3Productivity
If multiple vehicles are guided independently to the same exit ramp, then each vehicle optimizes its own route, but vehicles compete for position causing congestion and dangerous maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges navigation instructions for vehicles heading to the same destination, coordinating their movements as a group to eliminate competitive lane changes and dangerous maneuvers while maintaining route optimization
Solution Approach 2:
The navigation system acts as an intermediary that coordinates between multiple vehicles with common routes, mediating their individual navigation needs to produce coordinated group instructions that prevent congestion and dangerous maneuvers
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches presented herein enable cooperative traffic flow optimization. More specifically, a current position and route information for a plurality of vehicles traveling on a road segment are obtained. Common routes between the vehicles are determined and a first longest common route between two first vehicles is identified. A first vehicle chain navigation instruction based on the identified route is generated and sent to the two first vehicles, instructing the two vehicles to form a first vehicle chain. Further common routes are determined among the vehicles and the vehicle chain using the route information and a second longest common route is identified between a second vehicle and: another vehicle or the first vehicle chain. A second vehicle chain navigation instruction is generated instructing the second vehicle to form a second vehicle chain with the other vehicle or to join the first vehicle chain.