US 12,260,748 B2
Method, system, module and software for intelligently governing a multi-way stop intersection
Thorsten Hehn, Ingolstadt (DE); Joerg Plechinger, Munich (DE); Daniel Pfaller, Wettstetten (DE); Markus Mueller, Hohenwart (DE); John Walpuck, West Bloomfield, MI (US); Jovan Zagajac, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Hendrik-Joern Guenther, Peine (DE); and Kevin Lieberman, Belmont, CA (US)
Assigned to VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Wolfsburg (DE); and AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
Appl. No. 17/420,506
Filed by AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE); and VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, Wolfsburg (DE)
PCT Filed Jan. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/050091
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 2, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/141220, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/788,382, filed on Jan. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0084399 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G08G 1/01 (2006.01); G07C 5/06 (2006.01); G08G 1/16 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 1/0145 (2013.01) [G07C 5/06 (2013.01); G08G 1/0125 (2013.01); G08G 1/166 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
2. A method of coordinating a launch of a first vehicle, a second vehicle and a third vehicle approaching a four-way stop intersection from different directions comprising:
evaluating first vehicle data of the first vehicle, approaching the four-way stop intersection according to first predefined approaching criteria from a first direction, to determine a first stop time at a first predefined stop location and a first intended direction of the first vehicle;
evaluating second vehicle data of the second vehicle, approaching the four-way stop intersection according to second predefined approaching criteria from a second direction, which is different from the first direction, to determine a second stop time at a second predefined stop location and a second intended direction of the second vehicle;
evaluating third vehicle data of the third vehicle, approaching the four-way stop intersection according to third predefined approaching criteria from a third direction, which is different from the first direction and the second direction, to determine a third stop time at a third predefined stop location and a third intended direction of the third vehicle;
allocating to all three vehicles, among the first vehicle, the second vehicle and the third vehicle, respective sequence numbers specifying a launch sequence of the first vehicle, the second vehicle and the third vehicle by following a sequence of operations, including
determining whether all of the three vehicles are turning right;
upon determining that all of the three vehicles are turning right, assigning all the respective sequence numbers of the three vehicles to the base sequence number increased by 1;
upon determining that all of the three vehicles are not turning right; obtaining a first collision parameter by comparing the first intended direction and the first stop location of the first vehicle in relation to the second intended direction and the second stop location of the second vehicle;
upon determining that no conflict or collision might occur between the first and second vehicles based on the first collision parameter, assigning the base sequence number increased by 1 to the first and second vehicles, and the base sequence number increased by 2 to the third vehicle;
upon determining that conflict or collision might occur between the first and second vehicles, obtaining a second collision parameter by comparing the first intended direction and the first stop location of the first vehicle in relation to the third intended direction and the third stop location of the third vehicle;
upon determining that no conflict or collision might occur between the first and third vehicles based on the second collision parameter, assigning the base sequence number increased by 1 to the first and third vehicles and the base sequence number increased by 2 to the second vehicle;
upon determining that conflict or collision might occur between the first and third vehicles based on the second collision parameter, obtaining a third collision parameter by comparing the second intended direction and the second stop location of the second vehicle in relation to the third intended direction and the third stop location of the third vehicle;
upon determining that no conflict or collision might occur between the second and third vehicles based on the third collision parameter, assigning the base sequence number increased by 1 to the second and third vehicles and the base sequence number increased by 2 to the first vehicle; and
upon determining that conflict or collision might occur between the second and third vehicles based on the third collision parameter, specifying the launch sequence of the first vehicle, the second vehicle and the third vehicle depending on ascending stop times of the three vehicles, so that an earliest vehicle, among the three vehicles, which was first in time to stop at the four-way stop intersection, is provided with a launch signal first; and
controlling the first, second and third vehicles depending on the launch sequence.