JP2010250580A - Traffic information providing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a traffic information providing device for presenting travel time so that a driver easily selects a route according to the traffic condition. <P>SOLUTION: The traffic information providing device for presenting the travel time related to at least one of a plurality of alternative routes 10 and 12. The device includes: an acquisition means for acquiring current travel time T1 and T2 for the routes 10 and 12; a first arithmetic means for calculating assumed variations ΔD1 and ΔD2 to be generated on and after the current time with respect to the travel time of the routes 19 and 12; a second arithmetic means for calculating the travel time to be provided to the vehicle 5 on the basis of the travel time T1 and T2 at the current time and the assumed variations ΔD1 and ΔD2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a traffic information providing apparatus and method for providing a vehicle with a predicted travel time adjusted for a current travel time.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for adjusting the current travel time using a control parameter (signal control parameter or the like) that becomes a variation factor of the inflow traffic with respect to the route.

As a technology for providing road traffic information to drivers, VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System: “VICS” is a registered trademark of the foundation) is widely known.
This VICS tabulates traffic information including traffic congestion and link travel time on each route based on fixed point observation information consisting of the number of vehicles, vehicle speed, etc. collected from various roadside sensors (vehicle detectors, loop coils, etc.). Then, the traffic information is transmitted to the in-vehicle device of the vehicle by wide area communication such as narrow area communication by FM or beacon.

In the above VICS, the travel time data of the road on which each vehicle actually traveled is necessary to grasp the traffic jam on the road and calculate the optimum route. It is important to keep track of time data.
For this reason, in VICS, the travel time data of the road on which each vehicle actually traveled is accumulated in a database using vehicle detectors, optical beacons, etc., and the current link travel time is calculated based on a large number of travel time data. Thus, the system is distributed to related organizations and vehicles (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In a vehicle that has received the link travel time, for example, the link travel time is adopted as the link cost by an in-vehicle device having a navigation function, so that the link cost (total travel time) from the departure place to the destination is minimized. The route is searched and the route that can arrive at the destination in the shortest time is presented to the driver.

JP 2006-344006 A JP 2004-101504 A

As described above, an in-vehicle device having a navigation function searches for a route that minimizes the link cost from its own departure point to the destination, using the current link travel time as the link cost.
Here, assuming multiple routes with almost the same start point and end point, and there is no significant difference in travel time provided for them, it is left to the driver's experience and preference to choose which route to select. large.

In this case, for example, there is a traffic jam on the route at the present time, and even if there is a detour as an alternative route to the traffic jam section, it is difficult to proceed with the use of the detour and the traffic jam may be worsened. is there.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a traffic information providing apparatus and method that can provide a travel time in which a driver can easily select a route according to the traffic situation of the route. To do.

  (1) A traffic information providing apparatus according to the present invention is a traffic information providing apparatus that provides a vehicle with travel time relating to at least one of a plurality of alternative routes, and obtains current travel time for a target route. Means, first calculation means for obtaining an assumed fluctuation amount occurring after the present time with respect to the travel time of the target route, and a provided trip to be provided to the vehicle based on the current travel time and the assumed fluctuation amount And a second calculating means for obtaining time.

In the present invention, “a plurality of routes that can be substituted for each other” refers to a start point and an end point that can be substituted for one another, such as a “congestion section” and its “detour” in the embodiment described later. A plurality of matching routes.
However, since it is sufficient that the plurality of routes can be replaced with each other, the start point and the end point do not necessarily coincide with each other, and it is sufficient if the vehicle passengers have substantially the same point or area. Further, there may be three or more “a plurality of alternative routes”.

In the present invention, the “travel time related to the route” may be not only the travel time from the start point to the end point of the route but also the travel time of each link that is a component of the route.
In this case, the provided travel time of each link can be calculated by dividing the provided travel time obtained for the travel time of the route itself into each link.

  According to the traffic information providing apparatus of the present invention, the first calculation means obtains the assumed fluctuation amount occurring after the current time with respect to the travel time of the target route, and the second calculation means calculates the current travel time and the assumed fluctuation. Since the provided travel time to be provided to the vehicle is obtained based on the minutes, it is possible to generate the provided travel time in which the driver can easily select the route according to the traffic situation.

(2) In the traffic information providing apparatus of the present invention, when the acquisition unit further acquires a control parameter to be executed after the current time on the traffic signal on the target route, the first calculation The means can determine the assumed variation based on the control parameter. This control parameter is, for example, a signal control parameter after the present time for the traffic signal included in the target route.
These signal control parameters consist of splits, cycle lengths, offsets, etc., all of which have a large effect on the fluctuations in the inflow traffic for the target route. Can be calculated.

(3) In the traffic information providing apparatus according to the present invention, the second calculation means is configured to be shorter than the current travel time when the target route is a route that increases the inflow traffic after the current time. The provided travel time is determined as follows.
(4) Further, the travel time adjusting means may be configured such that the second computing means is longer than the current travel time when the target route is a route that reduces the inflow traffic after the current time. The provided travel time is determined as follows.

  As described above, according to the traffic information providing apparatus of the present invention, the current travel time after the current time (including the current time) corresponding to the increase / decrease of the inflow traffic predicted as the control parameter changes. Since the assumed fluctuation amount to be generated is obtained, it is possible to generate a provided travel time with high reliability based on a rational basis.

(5) By the way, as a route for reducing the inflow traffic volume by changing the control parameter, for example, there is a “congestion section” in an embodiment described later, but if the vehicle selects the congestion section from a plurality of routes, the inflow There is a characteristic that the increase in travel time with respect to the increase in traffic dramatically increases.
Therefore, when the traffic congestion section is included in a plurality of routes, it is preferable to generate the provided travel time in consideration of the travel time adjustment amount when the vehicle selects the traffic congestion section.

Therefore, in the traffic information providing apparatus according to the present invention, when the target route is a route that reduces the inflow traffic after the current time, the first calculation means is configured when the vehicle selects the target route. It is preferable to obtain the assumed variation according to the time increment.
In this case, since the assumed fluctuation amount is obtained according to the time increment when the vehicle selects the route, the provided travel time when the vehicle selects the route can be accurately obtained.

(6) The traffic information providing method of the present invention is a providing method executed by the traffic information providing apparatus, and has the same effects as the providing apparatus.
That is, the traffic information providing method of the present invention is a traffic information providing method for providing a vehicle with travel time relating to at least one of a plurality of alternative routes, and acquiring the current travel time for the target route; A step of obtaining an assumed variation occurring after the present time with respect to a travel time of the target route; a step of obtaining a provided travel time to be provided to the vehicle based on the current travel time and the assumed variation; It is characterized by having.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a travel time in which a driver can easily select a route according to the traffic condition of the route.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the outline | summary of a traffic signal control system. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the outline | summary of a traffic signal. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a central apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a traffic signal controller. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a vehicle-mounted apparatus. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the traffic signal in an inflow suppression intersection, and includes the control processing flow which a central apparatus performs.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[Overall system configuration]
FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a traffic signal control system employing the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the traffic signal control system of the present embodiment includes a traffic signal 1, a vehicle-mounted device 2 (see FIG. 2), a vehicle detector 3, a central device 4, a vehicle 5 equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 2, and the like. .

Each traffic signal 1 is installed at each of a plurality of intersections Ci (i = 1 to 12), and is connected to a router 7 via a communication line 6 such as a telephone line. The router 7 is connected to a central device 4 in the traffic control center, and the central device 4 constitutes a local area network (LAN) with each traffic signal 1 at the intersection Ci in the control area.
Therefore, the central device 4 can bidirectionally communicate with each traffic signal 1, and each traffic signal 1 can also communicate bidirectionally with other traffic signals 1. The central device 4 may be installed on the road instead of the traffic control center.

The vehicle detector 3 is installed upstream of each corresponding intersection Ci in order to count the number of vehicles flowing into each intersection Ci, and is connected to each corresponding traffic signal 1 via a communication line (not shown). Yes.
In FIG. 1, for simplification of illustration, only one signal lamp 1b is depicted at each intersection Ci, but each actual intersection Ci intersects each other as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Four signal lamps 1b are installed for going up and down the road.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the road structure of the control area under the control of the central device 4 is the main road RM in the north-south direction with a relatively large traffic volume and the east-west direction with a relatively small traffic volume. It is assumed that it is composed of a secondary road RS.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the main road RM includes a northbound up line RM1 and a southbound downline RM2, and the secondary road RS includes an eastbound upline RS1 and a westbound downline RS2. It shall be equipped with.

[Central equipment]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the central device 4.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the central device 4 includes a control unit 401, a display unit 402, a communication unit 403, a storage unit 404, and an operation unit 405.
The control unit 401 of the central device 4 includes a workstation (WS), a personal computer (PC), and the like, and collects, processes (calculates), records, and controls signals of various traffic information from the traffic signal 1 and the vehicle detector 3. And provide information in an integrated manner. The control unit 401 of the central device 4 is connected to the hardware units via an internal bus, and also controls the operations of these units.

The control unit 401 of the central device 4 controls the traffic signal 1 at the intersection Ci belonging to its own network with system control for adjusting a group of traffic signals on the same road, or wide area control that extends this system control to the road network. (Surface control) is performed, and traffic sensitive control is performed in which signal control parameters (split, cycle length, offset, etc.) are set according to traffic conditions.
The control unit 401 of the central device 4 is also connected to the VICS center (not shown) via the communication unit 403, calculates the current link travel time in its own control area, and transmits it to the VICS center. ing.

The communication unit 403 of the central device 4 is a communication interface connected to the LAN side via the communication line 6, and transmits a signal control command S1 related to the timing of switching the color of the signal lamp 1b every predetermined time, traffic congestion information, and the like. The traffic information S2 included and the control type information S6 relating to the type of traffic control performed by itself are transmitted to each traffic signal 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 2).
Note that the control type identified by the control type information S6 includes priority control and inflow suppression control, which will be described later, in addition to various types of sensitive control that the central device 4 normally performs.

The signal control command S1 and the control type information S6 are transmitted every signal control parameter calculation cycle (for example, 1.0 to 2.5 minutes), and the traffic information S2 is transmitted every five minutes, for example.
Further, the communication unit 403 of the central device 4 receives the vehicle ID, position information S3 and speed information S4 of the vehicle 5 on which the in-vehicle device 2 is mounted, and the detection of the vehicle sensor 3 from the communication unit 103 of each traffic signal device 1. The signal S5 is received in real time (for example, a period of 0.1 to 1.0 seconds) (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

The storage unit 404 of the central device 4 is composed of a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, and the like, and includes a control program for performing traffic sensitivity control including priority control and inflow suppression control, which will be described later, and a calculation program for signal control parameters used for the traffic sensitivity control. , And a travel time adjustment program for adjusting the travel time of a plurality of assumed routes (for example, a traffic jam section 10 and a detour 12 described later).
Further, the storage unit 404 of the central device 4 includes the signal control command S1, the traffic information S2, and the control type information S6 generated by the control unit 401, the vehicle ID, the position information S3, the speed information S5, and the sensing acquired from the LAN side. The signal S5 is temporarily stored.

The storage unit 404 of the central device 4 has a traffic jam section 10 where traffic congestion frequently occurs in the control area, an inflow suppression intersection 11 located on the upstream side of the traffic jam section 10, and actual traffic jam in the traffic jam section 10. A detour 12 that should be used as an alternative route to the section 10 when it occurs is stored in advance.
In the example shown in FIG. 1, the up line of the main road RM in the direction from the intersection C <b> 6 to the intersection C <b> 5 is set as the traffic congestion section 10, and the intersection C <b> 6 where the traffic congestion section 10 starts is the inflow suppression intersection 11. A route from the intersection C6 → the intersection C2 → the intersection C1 is set in the detour 12. The detour 12 may be determined by a minimum cost route search.

The control unit 401 of the central device 4 performs priority control to the detour 12 and inflow suppression control to the traffic congestion section 10 in order to suppress traffic congestion in the traffic congestion section 10 as part of the traffic sensitivity control.
Moreover, the control part 401 of the central apparatus 4 produces | generates the estimated travel time which adjusted the present travel time about the traffic congestion area 10 and the detour 12 when performing priority control and inflow suppression control. The contents of the priority control and the inflow suppression control and the generation processing of the predicted travel time of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 will be described later.

The display unit 402 of the central device 4 includes a road map of an area managed by the central device 4 and a display screen on which positions of all traffic signals 1 and light beacons (not shown) on the road map are displayed. It informs the central operator of traffic conditions such as traffic jams and accidents.
The operation unit 405 of the central device 4 includes an input interface such as a keyboard and a mouse. The operation unit 405 allows the central operator to perform a display switching operation on the display unit 402.

[Traffic signal]
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of each traffic signal 1 included in the control area.
As shown in FIG. 2, the traffic signal 1 of this embodiment includes four signal lamps 1b installed on the upper and lower lines RM1 and RM2 of the main road and the upper and lower lines RS1 and RS2 of the secondary road, and the signal lamp 1b. And a traffic signal controller 1 a connected via a communication line 8.

The traffic signal controller 1a receives the signal control command S1 from the central device 4, and based on the signal control command S1, turns on / off each signal light such as blue, yellow, red and right turn arrow of each signal lamp 1b. The blinking is controlled (see FIG. 2).
The traffic signal controller 1a transmits the traffic information S2 received from the central device 4 and the intersection ID stored therein to the in-vehicle device 2 at a predetermined cycle (for example, every 0.1 second). Further, the traffic signal controller 1a receives the position information S3 and the speed information S4 of the vehicle 5 from the in-vehicle device 2 and receives the detection signal S5 from the vehicle detector 5 (see FIG. 2).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the traffic signal controller 1a.
As shown in FIG. 4, the traffic signal controller 1 a includes a control unit 101, a lamp driving unit 102, a wired communication unit 103, a wireless communication unit 105, and a storage unit 104.
The control unit 101 of the traffic signal controller 1a is composed of one or a plurality of microcomputers. The control unit 101 is connected to the lamp driving unit 102, the communication unit 103, and the storage unit 104 via an internal bus, and the control unit 101 controls operations of these hardware units.

The control unit 101 of the traffic signal controller 1a controls each signal lamp 1b according to a signal control command S1 that is an output as a result of the central device 4 performing traffic sensitivity control (including priority control and inflow suppression control described later). The signal lamp color of each signal lamp 1b is switched at a predetermined timing based on the command S1.
The lamp driving unit 102 includes a semiconductor relay (not shown), and corresponds to each of the blue, yellow, and red lamps of the plurality of signal lamps 1b based on the output command S1 input from the control unit 101. The AC voltage (AC 100V) or DC voltage supplied to the signal lights of each color is turned on / off.

The wired communication unit 103 of the traffic signal controller 1a is a communication interface that performs wired communication between the central device 4 and the vehicle detector 3, and the signal control command S1, traffic information S2, and The control type information S6 is received from the central device 4, and the vehicle detection signal S5 is received from the vehicle detector 3 (see FIG. 2).
The wireless communication unit 105 of the traffic signal controller 1a is a communication interface that performs wireless communication with the in-vehicle device 2 of the vehicle 5 flowing into the intersection Ci, and the traffic information S2 is obtained regardless of whether or not a traffic jam occurs. The vehicle ID is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 2, and the vehicle ID, position information S3, and speed information S4 of the vehicle 5 are received from the in-vehicle device 2 (see FIG. 2).

The wireless communication unit 105 is a medium / wide area communication device such as a wireless LAN or WiMAX (World Interoperability for Microwave Access), and can wirelessly communicate various information with the in-vehicle device 2 mounted on the vehicle 5. .
As shown in FIG. 2, the wireless communication unit 105 can communicate with the in-vehicle devices 2 of the vehicle 5 on all the roads RM1, RM2, RS1, and RS2 flowing into the intersection Ci. And the radio | wireless communication part 105 of this embodiment transmits link ID of the link (in the example of FIG. 2 main road RM1) with intersection ID with respect to the vehicle-mounted apparatus 2. FIG.

The in-vehicle device 2 selects information necessary for itself by collating the link ID attached to the information received from the wireless communication unit 105 with the link ID of the running link. Further, the extension of the communication area of the wireless communication unit 105 (the traveling direction length of the uplink RM1) is set to about 50 to 200 m.
The storage unit 104 of the traffic signal controller 1a includes a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, and the like. The signal control command S1, the traffic information S2, the sensing signal S5 and the control type information S6 received by the wired communication unit 103, and wireless communication The unit 105 stores the vehicle ID, position information S3, speed information S4, and the like of the vehicle 5 received.

[In-vehicle device]
The in-vehicle device 2 mounted on the vehicle 5 has a communication function for wirelessly communicating various information with the traffic signal controller 1a and a navigation function for guiding to a destination set by the passenger. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle device 2.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the in-vehicle device 2 includes a GPS processing unit 201, an orientation sensor 202, a vehicle speed acquisition unit 203, a communication unit 204, a storage unit 205, an operation unit 206, a display unit 207, an audio output unit 208, and a processing unit 209. Etc.

The GPS processing unit 201 receives a GPS signal from a GPS satellite, and measures the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the vehicle 5 based on time information, GPS satellite orbit, positioning correction information, and the like included in the GPS signal. To do.
The direction sensor 202 is constituted by an optical fiber gyro or the like, and measures the direction and angular velocity of the vehicle 5. The vehicle speed acquisition unit 203 acquires the speed data of the vehicle 5 measured by a vehicle speed sensor (not shown) detecting the angular speed of the wheels.

When the communication unit 204 of the in-vehicle device 2 enters the communication area of the wireless communication unit 105 of the traffic signal controller 1a while the vehicle 5 is traveling toward a certain intersection Ci, the traffic information S2 transmitted by the wireless communication unit 105 is transmitted. And the vehicle ID, the position information S3, and the speed information S4 are transmitted to the wireless communication unit 105 in real time (for example, in a cycle of 0.1 to 1.0 seconds).
The storage unit 205 of the in-vehicle device 2 is composed of a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, and the like, and stores the traffic information S2 received by the communication unit 204. The storage unit 205 stores road map data.

  This road map data includes the intersection data that associates the intersection ID with the position of the intersection, the link ID, the link start point, the end point, and the interpolation point (corresponding to the point where the road bends), and the link start point. It consists of link data that links the link ID of the link to be connected, the link ID of the link connected to the end point of the link, and the link cost.

For example, there are as many link costs as the number of combinations of a link and its end point, and after entering the start point of the link, exit the end point of the link and enter the start point of the next link to be connected. The time required until is set.
That is, the link cost includes the cost (time) required to travel from the start point to the end point of the link and the cost (time) required to travel from the end point of the link to the start point of the next link, that is, the intersection. The cost required to pass is included.

The operation unit 206 of the in-vehicle device 2 includes a touch panel, buttons, and the like, and a passenger of the vehicle 5 including a driver can set a destination.
The display unit 207 of the in-vehicle device 2 includes a monitor device (not shown) attached to the dashboard portion of the vehicle 5 and displays the image data created by the processing unit 209 to the passenger. The audio output unit 208 outputs the audio data created by the processing unit 209 from a speaker (not shown).

The processing unit 209 of the in-vehicle device 2 includes one or a plurality of microcomputers and the like, and includes a GPS processing unit 201, a direction sensor 202, a vehicle speed acquisition unit 203, a communication unit 204, a storage unit 205, an operation unit 206, and a display unit. Each process of the audio output unit 208 is controlled.
Further, the processing unit 209 includes each data of the position of the vehicle 5 measured by the GPS processing unit 201, the azimuth and angular velocity of the vehicle 5 measured by the direction sensor 202, the speed of the vehicle 5 acquired by the vehicle speed acquisition unit 203, and the storage unit 205. Based on the road map data stored in the map, the map matching process is performed to determine the position of the vehicle 5 on the road map data link.

[Control contents of central unit]
Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the contents of the priority control and the inflow suppression control and the predicted travel time generation process among the control contents executed by the control unit 401 of the central device 4 will be described.

[Congestion judgment]
As described above, the central device 4 has a traffic jam section 10 in which traffic congestion frequently occurs in the control area, an inflow suppression intersection 12 located upstream of the traffic jam section 10, and a traffic jam in the traffic jam section 10. The detour 12 when it occurs is stored in the storage unit 404.

  Therefore, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 uses the detection signal S5 from the vehicle detector 3 installed in the traffic jam section 10, the uplink information from the vehicle 5 traveling in the traffic jam section 10, and the like in the traffic jam section 10. The queue length is constantly detected, and by comparing this queue length with a predetermined threshold value, it is determined whether or not a congestion has occurred in the congestion section 10 (step ST1 in FIG. 6). .

[Priority control to detours]
Next, when the control unit 401 of the central device 4 detects the occurrence of the traffic jam in the traffic jam section 10 by the above determination, the vehicle 5 traveling on the upstream side of the inflow suppression intersection 11 can easily select the detour 12. Priority control for setting signal control parameters for the intersection Ci included in the detour 12 is performed (step ST2 in FIG. 6).

  Specifically, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 calculates an offset for the intersection Ci included in the detour 12 so that the detour direction of the detour 12 has priority over the opposite direction. The signal control command S1 for executing the offset is distributed to the traffic signal controller 1a at each intersection Ci included in the detour 12.

The control unit 401 of the central device 4 performs a simulation using the traffic volume in the uplink and downlink directions, and searches for an offset that minimizes the evaluation index that is a weighted sum of the link indices for each link in the uplink and downlink directions. The link index is a value obtained by adding a weight of an accident risk, which is the number of stops and the number of vehicles arriving at the intersection before and after the start of red, to the signal waiting time of the vehicle in each link.
For example, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the detour 12 corresponding to the traffic jam section 10 is a route that passes through the intersection C6 → the intersection C2 → the intersection C1.

  In this case, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 has the upward direction (eastbound) which is the traveling direction of the detour 12 as compared to the downward direction (westbound) opposite to the secondary road RS passing through the intersection C6 and the intersection C2. In order to reduce the signal waiting time, an offset obtained by assigning a large priority (weight) to the uplink link index is calculated.

Similarly, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 determines that the upward direction (northbound) which is the traveling direction of the detour 12 is the opposite downward direction (southbound) with respect to the main road RM passing through the intersection C2 and the intersection C1. ) Is calculated so that a higher priority (weight) is given to the uplink link index so that the signal waiting time becomes smaller than ().
And the control part 401 of the central apparatus 4 distributes the signal control instruction | command S1 for performing the offset computed as mentioned above to the traffic signal controller 1a of the intersection C6, the intersection C2, and the intersection C1.

[Control of inflow into traffic congestion section]
Further, when the control unit 401 of the central device 4 detects the occurrence of the traffic jam in the traffic jam section 10 based on the traffic jam judgment, the vehicle 5 traveling on the upstream side of the inflow suppression intersection 11 is further prevented from entering the traffic jam section 10. Then, inflow suppression control for setting the signal control parameter of the inflow suppression intersection 11 is performed (step ST3 in FIG. 6).

  Specifically, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 shortens the display length for the traffic flow that is about to enter the traffic jam section 10.

  That is, taking the inflow suppression intersection 11 (intersection C6) shown in FIG. 6 as an example, the straight blue time of the up line RM1 of the main road is shortened by a predetermined time (for example, about 10 seconds), and the right turn blue time is set to a predetermined time. (For example, about 10 seconds) and the right turn arrow time of the downstream line RS2 of the secondary road is shortened by a predetermined time (for example, about 5 seconds), and the straight blue time is shortened by a predetermined time (for example, about 5 seconds). Extend.

[Change of parameters based on detour rate]
When priority control or inflow suppression control is performed, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 is the ratio of the vehicle 5 that has selected the detour 12 among the vehicles 5 that have traveled upstream of the inflow suppression intersection 11 (hereinafter, Actually measured.
The actual measurement of the detour rate is, for example, the number of vehicles 5 communicated with the traffic signal controller 1a at the intersection Ci included in the detour 12 with respect to the number of vehicles 5 communicated with the traffic signal controller 1a at the inflow suppression intersection 11. Ratio. Further, in the case of an intersection Ci having a vehicle detector that counts the number of right-turned vehicles, the detour rate can also be measured by the ratio of the number of right-turned vehicles to the number of vehicles passing in a certain direction.

The control unit 401 of the central device 4 resets the signal control parameters for the intersection Ci included in the detour 12 and the signal parameters for the inflow suppression intersection 11 based on the actually measured detour rate.
Specifically, when the control unit 401 of the central apparatus 4 determines that the detour rate is relatively small even when priority control or inflow suppression control is being performed, the priority in the traveling direction of the detour 12 ( (Weight) is further increased to calculate an offset, and a signal control command S1 for executing the offset is distributed to the traffic signal controller 1a at the intersection C6, the intersection C2, and the intersection C1.

Further, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 further shortens the display length for the traffic flow that is about to enter the traffic jam section 10, and sends the signal control command S1 for executing this signal display to the inflow suppression intersection. 11 traffic signal controllers 1a.
Thus, according to the central device 4 of the present embodiment, since the signal control parameter used in the priority control and the inflow suppression control is changed based on the detour rate, finer priority control and inflow suppression control are performed. Can do.

[Adjustment of travel time (generation of travel time provided)]
When executing the priority control and the inflow suppression control, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 further adjusts the current travel time regarding the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 based on the signal control parameter, and routes 10 , 12 is generated. The travel time adjustment process will be described below.

The current travel times T1 and T2 of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 are generated for each analysis cycle by adding the current link travel times.
In the following, a case where the travel times T1 and T2 of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 are adjusted as they are to generate the provided travel time will be described. In the case of providing to the 5 side, the provided travel times of the routes 10 and 12 may be apportioned to each link to obtain the predicted value of the link travel time.

[Offer travel time for detours]
First, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 determines the vehicle for each uplink link with respect to the current offset and the offset obtained as the optimum solution during the simulation when calculating the offset of the detour 12 in the priority control. The total signal waiting time per unit is calculated.

When the total values are D1 (seconds) and D′ 1 (seconds), respectively, the amount of travel time reduction (assumed fluctuation) in the detour 12 when priority control to the detour 12 is executed is as follows: It can be predicted that ΔD1 = D1−D′1.
Therefore, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 generates a value (= T1−ΔD1) obtained by subtracting the reduction amount ΔD1 from the current travel time T1 (seconds) as the travel time provided by the detour 12.

[Provided travel time for traffic jam sections]
On the other hand, the queue length at the inflow suppression intersection 11 in the traffic jam section 10 is L (m), the average headway distance is h (m), the saturation traffic flow rate of the inflow path RM1 is s (units / second), and the cycle length is Cy. (Seconds), when the current blue time is G (seconds) and the amount of blue time shortened by the inflow suppression control is ΔG (seconds), the signal waiting per vehicle before and after the inflow suppression control at the inflow suppression intersection 11 Each time can be calculated as follows.

(A) Current waiting time D2 per vehicle
D2 = LCy / shG
(B) Signal waiting time D′ 2 per vehicle after inflow suppression control is performed
D′ 2 = LCy / sh (G−ΔG)

Accordingly, the increase in travel time (assumed fluctuation) in the traffic jam section 10 due to the inflow suppression control can be predicted as ΔD2 = D′ 2−D2.
Therefore, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 generates a value (= T2 + ΔD2) obtained by adding the increase ΔD2 to the current travel time T2 (seconds) as the provided travel time of the traffic jam section 10.
Note that the average vehicle head gap h and the saturated traffic flow rate s are stored in the storage unit 404 as statistical values actually measured in advance as constants.

[Adjustment for the estimated travel time of a traffic jam section]
By the way, in general, the travel time of a route has a characteristic that an increase in travel time (assumed fluctuation) with respect to an increase in inflow traffic dramatically increases as a road becomes congested.
For this reason, when the vehicle 5 travels by selecting either the traffic jam section 10 or the detour 12 that is not congested, if the detour 12 is selected, the influence on the travel time of the detour 12 is affected. However, if the traffic jam section 10 is selected, the travel time of the traffic jam section 10 will be affected considerably.

Therefore, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 does not consider the time increment when the vehicle 5 selects the detour 12 for the travel time T1 of the detour 12, and calculates the provided travel time (T1-ΔD1). The travel time provided to the vehicle 5 is used as it is.
Further, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 further adds the time increment ΔT2 for the travel time (= T2 + ΔD2) of the traffic jam section 10 when the received vehicle 5 selects the traffic jam section 10 to the current travel time. In addition to T2, it is set as the provided travel time for the vehicle 5.

Specifically, assuming that the cycle length of the bottleneck intersection in the traffic jam section 10 is Cy and the green time is G, the increase amount ΔT2 (seconds) of the travel time T2 in the traffic jam section 10 when one inflowing vehicle 5 is increased is , ΔT2 = Cy / sG.
If one vehicle 5 selects the traffic jam section 10, it is considered that there is another vehicle 5 that selects the traffic jam section 10. Therefore, a conversion coefficient a for converting the number of vehicles 5 is set in advance. The provided travel time may be generated by adding aΔT2 to the current travel time T2.

[Providing information to vehicles]
Further, when the control unit 401 of the central device 4 generates the provided travel time in consideration of the assumed variation ΔD1, ΔD2 based on the signal control parameter for the current travel times T1, T2 of the routes 10 and 12, Various traffic information including the provided travel time is provided to the vehicle 5 (step ST5 in FIG. 6).
Specifically, when priority control or inflow suppression control is performed, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 generates control type information S6 whose control type is the priority control or inflow suppression control, and performs priority control. In this case, the route information S7 of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 and the signal information S8 regarding the signal switching timing in the detour 12 are generated.

Therefore, the communication unit 403 of the central device 4 sends the control type information S6, the route information S7, the signal information S8, and the predicted travel time information S9 to the traffic signal controller 1a at the inflow suppression intersection 11 or the upstream intersection. Send.
The communication unit 403 of the central device 4 also transmits the signal information S8 to the traffic signal controller 1a at the intersection Ci included in the detour 12 (intersections C2 and C1 in the illustrated example).

On the other hand, the wireless communication unit 105 of the traffic signal controller 1a at the inflow suppression intersection 11 transmits each of the information S6 to S9 to the in-vehicle device 2 of the vehicle 5 (see thick arrows in FIG. 6).
The in-vehicle device 2 that has received the control type information S6 notifies the passenger of the information S6 through the display unit 207 and the audio output unit 208. For this reason, the passenger of the vehicle 5 traveling toward the inflow suppression intersection 11 can detect in advance that priority control or inflow suppression control or both of them are being performed.

The in-vehicle device 2 that has received the route information S7 and the signal information S8 notifies the passenger of the information S7 and S8 through the display unit 207 and the audio output unit 208.
For this reason, the passenger of the vehicle 5 traveling toward the inflow suppression intersection 11 and the passenger of the vehicle traveling on the detour 12, a route to the detour 12 and a signal when traveling on the detour 12 The switching timing can be detected in advance, and the detour 12 can be traveled more safely and reliably.

Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 2 that has received the provided travel time information S9 notifies the passenger of the information S9 by the display unit 207 or the audio output unit 208, or the provided travel time information S9 gives the link travel time as the link travel time. If it is, the optimum route is obtained using the link travel time.
In this case, the travel time of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 included in the provided travel time information S9 is calculated based on the signal control parameter that becomes a fluctuation factor of the inflow traffic when the priority control and the inflow suppression control are performed. Therefore, the reliability is higher than that in the case where the predicted travel time is obtained by adjusting the current travel times T1 and T2 with arbitrary fixed values.

For this reason, even when the vehicle 5 travels on one of the routes 10 and 12 in accordance with the provided travel time information S9, it is possible to travel on the routes 10 and 12 almost on time.
Therefore, by providing the provided travel time information S9 to the vehicle 5, it becomes easier for the driver of the vehicle 5 to select a route according to the traffic situation, and the route selection rate on the vehicle 5 side can be affected.

  As a method of providing the control type information S6, the route information S7, the signal information S8, and the estimated travel time information S9 to the in-vehicle device 2 of the vehicle 5, not only information transmission from the wireless communication unit 105 of the traffic signal controller 1a. A method in which a wireless communication device provided in the central device 4 directly transmits to each vehicle 5 or another communication infrastructure such as an optical beacon transmits to each vehicle 5 can also be adopted.

  Thus, according to the central device 4 of the present embodiment, the current travel times T1, T2 are adjusted based on the signal control parameters (offsets, etc.) that cause fluctuations in the inflow traffic for the routes 10, 12, Since the provided travel time corresponding to the traffic situation is generated and the provided travel time is provided to the vehicle 5, it becomes easier for the driver of the vehicle 5 to select the route according to the traffic situation, and the route selection rate (this In the embodiment, it is possible to affect the congestion section 10 or the selection rate of the detour 12).

[Other variations]
The above embodiment is illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the right of the present invention is defined by the claims, and all modifications within the scope equivalent to the structure of the claims are included in the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the travel time provided by adjusting the current travel times T1 and T2 of the traffic jam section 10 and the detour 12 is generated, but a plurality of alternative routes can be used as the traffic jam section 10 and the detour. The route is not limited to the route 12 and may be any route that can estimate the assumed fluctuation amount with respect to the current travel times T1 and T2, such as a route that changes the signal control parameter in order to change the inflow traffic.

In the above embodiment, the control unit 401 of the central device 4 provides a value obtained by adding a time increment ΔT2 or aΔT2 to the travel time (= T2 + ΔD2) of the traffic jam section 10 as the travel time of the traffic jam section 10 at the present time. . However, a value obtained by adding the time increment ΔT2 or aΔT2 to the current travel time T2 may be provided as the travel time of the traffic jam section 10 at the current time. In this way, the travel time changed by the assumed fluctuation generated after the current time, such as the route selection of the vehicle after the current time, is provided as the current travel time. This makes it easier for the driver of the vehicle 5 to select a route according to traffic conditions such as traffic jams, and as a result, the use of a detour is promoted.
Moreover, not only when the central apparatus 4 produces | generates provision travel time, you may make it the some traffic signal 1 contained in LAN produce | generate estimated travel time separately from the control by the central apparatus 4. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Traffic signal device 1a Traffic signal controller 1b Signal lamp device 101 Control part 102 Lamp drive part 103 Wired communication part 104 Storage part 105 Wireless communication part (information provision means)
2 On-vehicle device 201 GPS processing unit 202 Direction sensor 203 Vehicle speed acquisition unit 204 Communication unit 205 Storage unit 206 Operation unit 207 Display unit 208 Audio output unit 209 Processing unit 3 Vehicle detector 4 Central device (traffic information providing device)
401 control unit (acquisition means, first calculation means, second calculation means)
402 Display unit 403 Communication unit (information providing means)
404 Storage Unit 405 Operation Unit 5 Vehicle 10 Congestion Section 11 Inflow Suppression Intersection 12 Detour Ci Intersection S1 Signal Control Command S2 Traffic Information S3 Location Information S4 Speed Information S5 Sensing Signal
S6 Control type information S7 Route information S8 Signal information S9 Predicted travel time information

Claims (6)

A traffic information providing device that provides a vehicle with travel time relating to at least one of a plurality of alternative routes,
Acquisition means for acquiring the current travel time for the target route;
First computing means for obtaining an assumed variation occurring after the current time with respect to the travel time of the target route;
Second computing means for obtaining a provided travel time to be provided to the vehicle based on the current travel time and the assumed fluctuation amount;
A traffic information providing device characterized by comprising: The acquisition means further acquires a control parameter to be executed after the present time for the traffic signal on the target route,
The traffic information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first calculation means obtains the assumed fluctuation amount based on the control parameter.   The said 2nd calculating means calculates | requires the said provided travel time so that it may become shorter than the said current travel time, when the said target route is a route which increases inflow traffic after this time. Or the traffic information providing apparatus according to 2;   The said 2nd calculating means calculates | requires the said provided travel time so that it may become longer than the said present travel time, when the said target route is a route which reduces inflow traffic after this time. The traffic information provision apparatus of any one of -3.   When the target route is a route that reduces the inflow traffic after the current time, the first calculation means obtains the assumed fluctuation amount according to a time increment when the vehicle selects the target route. The traffic information provision apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4. A traffic information providing method for providing a vehicle with travel time relating to at least one of a plurality of alternative routes,
Obtaining the current travel time for the route of interest;
Obtaining an assumed fluctuation amount occurring after the present time with respect to the travel time of the target route; obtaining an provided travel time to be provided to the vehicle based on the current travel time and the assumed fluctuation amount;
A traffic information providing method.

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