In-Vehicle Virtual Traffic Light System for Red-Light Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current traffic control systems fail to effectively prevent drivers from running red lights, particularly those who are impaired or distracted, leading to significant accidents and fatalities, as they lack real-time intervention and predictive capabilities within vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system that integrates GPS, cameras, and automatic braking to predict signs of impairment or distraction, displaying traffic signals and providing audible warnings, and automatically slows or stops the vehicle to prevent red-light running by using a database of predefined traffic cases and geographic coordinates to anticipate and react to upcoming intersections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional traffic control systems are used, then drivers have freedom to operate vehicles, but drivers running red lights cause accidents and fatalities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system that acts as an intermediary between the driver and the actual traffic signals. The system includes a processing unit that receives traffic signal data, determines virtual traffic light states, and provides warnings or automatic braking interventions. This intermediary system maintains driver autonomy while preventing red-light running through layered intervention strategies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring driver behavior, vehicle position, and traffic signal states in real-time. The processing unit analyzes this feedback data to predict impairment or distraction and adjusts the level of intervention accordingly, providing warnings when signs of impairment are detected and automatic braking when red-light running is predicted.
2Reliability
If real-time intervention systems are implemented, then red-light running is prevented, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the in-vehicle system to perform multiple functions using a single integrated architecture. The processing unit handles traffic signal reception, virtual traffic light determination, driver behavior analysis, impairment prediction, warning generation, and automatic braking control. This multi-functional approach reduces overall system complexity compared to implementing separate systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates self-diagnosis and adaptive adjustment capabilities. The processing unit automatically calibrates warning thresholds and intervention levels based on learned driver behavior patterns and environmental conditions, reducing the need for manual configuration and maintenance while maintaining high reliability.
3Reliability
If predictive analytics are used to identify impairment, then safety is enhanced, but data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a tiered analysis approach where the processing unit first performs lightweight monitoring of basic driving parameters, and only activates more computationally intensive impairment prediction algorithms when anomalies are detected. This partial action strategy maintains high detection accuracy while minimizing overall energy consumption during normal driving conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method on-board vehicles for predicting a plurality of primary signs of driving while impaired or driving while distracted, and preventing running red lights at predefined intersections by a traveling vehicle, the method comprising integrating the autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system with the in-vehicle's cameras and the automatic braking of the vehicle.