DE102017204783A1 - Method for the remote control of several driverless self-propelled systems as well as control station for remote control of the self-propelled systems and system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the remote control of a plurality of driverless self - propulsion systems (12), wherein a central, stationary control station (11) is provided, which has a plurality of control resources (16) and from which each of the self - propelled systems (12) each at a respective assistance demand of Selbstfahrsystems (12) by means of one of the control resources (16) is remotely controlled. The invention provides that at least one future time interval (22), for each of which one of the self-propelled systems (12) has an assistance requirement, as well as a respectively associated location (21) on which the assistance requirement exists, are determined and the at least one time interval ( 22) each one of the control resources (16) of the control center (11) in an operating plan (17) is allocated and each control resource (16) in the time interval (22), which it is assigned according to the operating plan (17) with that in the Time interval (22) the self-propelled need assistance system (12) for remote control of the same is coupled.

Description

The invention relates to a method for coordinating a plurality of driverless self-propelled systems. Such a self-propelled system can be provided for transporting persons and / or goods. The self-propelled system drives by means of an autopilot driverless, i. all persons are passengers or passengers. The invention also includes a control station device or, in short, a control station by means of which one of the self-propelled systems is remotely controlled, if, for example, for safety reasons in a complex traffic situation due to excessive demands of the autopilot by a human driver. Finally, the invention also includes a system of the control station and a fleet of self-propelled systems.

An automatically driving by means of an autopilot motor vehicle without driver is referred to in the context of the invention as a self-propelled system (SDS - Self Driving System). A self-propelled system can be used to transport people, goods and goods. Self-propelled systems are equipped with on-board sensors to detect their environment. Such a sensor system may comprise, for example, at least one camera and / or at least one laser scanner and / or at least one radar, to name only a few examples. A self-propelled system may provide the ability to communicate with other road users and / or an infrastructure (eg, a server, a roadside infrastructure, such as a traffic light, and / or said control room.) Another designation for such a control room is, hand Center.

However, situations are possible in which a self-propelled system reaches the limits of its working range. For example, it may happen that a self-propelled system can not adequately assess or survey the traffic situation on the basis of its own sensors and / or the information from infrastructure and other road users, or that it is not possible to plan a trajectory to be traveled. In such a situation, there is thus an assistance requirement of the self-propelled system. Here, a control center can support the self-propelled system by remotely controlling the self-propelled system from the control station, for example by a human operator and / or a computer system, by sending control commands from the control console to the self-propelled system.

The concept described is for example from the DE 10 2014 014 119 A1 known. A self-propelled system that sends out assistance to a control room and then remotely controlled is also from the US Pat. No. 9,465,388 B1 known.

From the DE 10 2016 001 264 A1 It is known that a self-propelled system can also be remotely controlled by a vehicle-external control unit, so that no human operator in the case of remote control is necessary.

From the DE 10 2015 118 489 A1 is a self-propelled known that detects an unexpected driving environment and then sends out an assistance request for a remote control along with sensor data to a control room.

If a fleet of self-propelled systems is operated by a company, for example a taxi company, then in the event that a self-propelled system has an assistance requirement, an operator in the control room is to be kept on standby. If several self-propelled systems also require assistance, then a corresponding number of operators are required in readiness. Thus, the staffing requirements or in the case of a computerized remote control, the computing resources can be kept low, a co-ordination of self-propelled systems is required so that their assistance needs does not bind too many resources in the control room.

The invention has for its object to operate a control station for self-propelled systems efficiently.

The object is solved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent claims, the following description and the figures.

The invention provides a method of remotely controlling a plurality of driverless self-drive systems that are provided or arranged for transporting people and / or goods. The self-propelled systems thus form a fleet. Transporting can take place in a road network. For remote control, a central, stationary control station is provided, which has several control resources. Each control resource can control a self-propelled system remotely. From the control station, each of the self-propelled systems is remotely controlled by a respective one of the control resources, in each case with a respective assistance requirement of the self-propelled system. The self-propelled systems are therefore only partially self-propelled, as already described in the introduction.

In order not to have to provide any number of control resources, so in the worst case, each a tax resource for each of Self-propelled systems, the method according to the invention comprises the following measures. At least one future time interval, for each of which one of the self-propelled systems will have an assistance requirement, and a respectively associated location at which the assistance requirement exists will be determined. Each of the control resources of the control center is allocated to the at least one time interval in an operating plan. So whenever a tax resource becomes free because one time interval has expired, that tax resource can be reused at a different time interval. In addition or as an alternative to dividing the control resources in accordance with the time interval, it may be provided that one of the control resources of the control station in the operating plan is allocated to a respective location at which assistance is required. Each control resource is then coupled in the time interval to which it is allocated according to the operating schedule with the self-propelled system having the assistance requirement in this time interval. In the second variant, each control resource for each location to which it is allocated according to the operation plan may be sequentially coupled to at least some of the self-driving systems having the assistance need at the location. The coupling is done in each case for remote control of the respective self-propelled system. Thus, the described control commands can be transmitted or transmitted from the control resource to the self-propelled system, so that the control resource of the control center remotely controls the respective self-propelled system. As a result, therefore, the control resource can lead the self-propelled system, so perform a longitudinal guide (acceleration and braking) and / or a transverse guide (steering).

Thus, by means of the method according to the invention, control resources of a control station are respectively assigned to a self-propelled system or a road section or even a traffic situation, the last two variants in the description in each case being combined as a location at which the road section is located or the traffic situation is taking place. The method therefore makes it possible to use a control resource for different self-propelled systems, namely at the end of each time interval the control resource can be allocated to a different time interval, as long as the two time intervals are overlap-free. As a result, a tax resource can be efficiently scheduled in an operating plan.

The invention also includes refinements, resulting in additional benefits.

The operating plan should be flexibly adapted to changing traffic situations. For example, a time interval of a self-propelled system may shift if the self-propelled system reaches the traffic situation or the place where assistance is needed sooner or later than originally provided. Accordingly, it is preferred to repeatedly receive updated travel route data from one or some or each of the self-drive systems and to cyclically adapt the operating schedule to the updated trip path data.

The time intervals for which one of the self-propelled systems has an assistance requirement in each case can be determined by the control station itself, that is to say a server or a computer, or by the respective self-propelled system itself. In order to determine the respective assistance requirement, each of the self-propelled systems can therefore be received in each case from at least one of the self-propelled systems of each route data for a respective planned route. This route data may include, for example, the current position and / or the planned driving trajectory. The assistance requirement of the self-propelled system can then be determined in a digital road map by a processor device of the control station for this self-propelled system. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the self-propelled systems can receive respective demand data which directly report or describe the time interval and the location for the planned assistance requirement of the self-propelled system. This can be used if a self-propelled system can independently determine its assistance needs.

The control room can provide as a respective control resource at least one of the following: a human operator or a group of human operators (if a self-propelled system is to be remotely controlled by multiple operators) or the computing time of a control computer.

One question is how to determine the assistance requirement in advance. The respective assistance requirement is determined or recognized in particular if, along a route of the respective self-propelled system, there is a location with at least one recurrent predetermined traffic situation. Such a traffic situation can be, for example, a traffic jam or a vehicle density or vehicle frequency greater than a threshold value. Additionally or alternatively, assistance needs can be determined if along the route of the self-drive system is a location with at least one predicted predetermined traffic situation. For example, if it is known that due to a predetermined event, such as a football match or a demonstration, a predetermined traffic situation, such as a traffic jam or a detour, will take place, so here also assistance requirement for a self-propelled system can be determined. Assistive demand can also be determined if along a drive route of the self-propelled system at least a predetermined road section is located. For example, a road section which, according to accident statistics, has an above-average accident frequency can be identified as a location with assistance requirements for self-driving systems. As an associated time interval, an estimated residence time of the self-propelled system is set at the respective location. The residence time can be determined on the basis of the planned travel route and the travel speed or planned driving speed determined, for example, by the autopilot. Additionally or alternatively, traffic flow data indicative of average speeds along the route may be used.

In order to further optimize the operation of the control room or to make it more efficient, it can be provided that at least two time intervals, each at least partially overlapping, of one of the self-propelled systems are recognized. By overlapping time intervals it is indicated or indicated that two self-propelled systems have at the same time assistance needs, since every time interval represents a self-propelled system and overlapping time intervals thus indicate at the same time two self-propelled remote control systems. This binds two control resources. In order to avoid this, ie to be able to remotely control both self-propelled systems with a control resource, it can be provided that a respective control command for setting a displacement action is sent to the self-propelled system on at least one of the self-propelled systems before the time interval at which the self-propelled system has the assistance requirement. This SCI move action is set up to move the time interval. This can eliminate the overlap.

The shifting action may include delaying a self-drive system departure. The self-propelled system will start later, so it has a different, delayed or delayed residence time to the place with assistance needs. Additionally or alternatively, the shifting action may include changing a traveling speed of the self-propelled system. This can also be used to postpone or change the time of arrival at a place where assistance is required. In this case, by increasing the travel speed, the time interval can be advanced and shifted by decreasing the vehicle speed to the rear, at later times.

Another measure for optimizing the operation of the control station provides that a control command for forming a platoon (platoon column) with at least one second of the control systems is transmitted to a first of the self-propelled systems. In a platoon, a self-propelled system follows another self-propelled system, taking over its driving behavior. If, for example, the platoon's foremost, leading self-propelled system is remotely controlled, each subsequent self-propelled system of the platoon follows automatically, without this self-propelled system having to be remotely controlled. Thus, by forming the platoon, the time interval of the first self-propulsion system (which adjoins or follows another self-propelled system in the platoon) is merged into a single time interval with the time interval of the second self-propelled system citing the platooning. As a result, only one control resource is needed, which remotely controls two or more than two self-propelled systems in this time interval by remotely controlling only the platoon's leading self-propelled system and following each remaining self-propelled system of the platoon.

A control station, which is operated according to the inventive method, results in an embodiment of the control station according to the invention. In other words, the invention provides a control station for the remote control of several driverless self-propelled systems. Each self-propelled system can carry at least one person and / or goods. The control station has a processor device which is set up to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller. By means of the processor device, an operating plan for control resources of the control station can be created. Of course, the control resources themselves may also be operators in the manner described. The processor device can have a program code which is set up to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention. The program code may be stored in a data memory of the processor device.

In the manner described, the invention also includes the system comprising the control station and a plurality of driverless self-propelled systems. The self-propelled systems are set up to drive in an assistance requirement in which the self-propelled system recognizes that self-propulsion is impossible in response to a remote control signal from the control center, ie from remote control commands or control commands from the control center.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Systems;
• 2 eine Skizze zur Veranschaulichung von Zeitintervallen, die durch einen Leitstand des Systems von 1 ermittelt werden können; und
• 3 eine Skizze zur Veranschaulichung der Zeitintervalle, nachdem sie durch zumindest eine Verschiebemaßnahme gegeneinander verschoben worden sind.

In the following embodiments of the invention are described. This shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of the system according to the invention;
• 2 a sketch illustrating time intervals by a control center of the system of 1 can be determined; and
• 3 a sketch to illustrate the time intervals after they have been moved by at least one shift action against each other.

The exemplary embodiment explained below is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the exemplary embodiment, the described components of the embodiment each represent individual features of the invention that are to be considered independently of one another, which also each independently further develop the invention and thus also individually or in a different combination than the one shown as part of the invention. Furthermore, the described embodiment can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

In the figures, functionally identical elements are each provided with the same reference numerals.

1 shows a system 10 that has a control room 11 and self-propelled systems 12 or SDS 12 can have. The control room 11 can be a processor device 13 have, via a respective communication link 14 with each of the SDS 12 can communicate. The processor device 13 for example, to the Internet 15 be connected. Every communication connection 14 may then include, for example, an Internet connection and / or a wireless connection. The control room 12 may further control resources 16 for remotely controlling the self-propelled systems 12 have, if a self-propelled system 12 corresponding assistance needs. By means of the processor device 13 can for the control resources 16 a business plan 17 automatically generated. The operating plan 17 can for any tax resource 16 indicate in which time interval or for which driving situation or at which location a self-propelled system 12 by the respective control resource 16 to be remotely controlled.

To the operating plan 17 to determine the control center 11 from every self-propelled system 12 Demand data 18 and / or route data 19 receive. By means of the route data 19 can be an SDS 12 his planned route 20 to the control room 11 signal. If no demand data 18 can be received from an SDS, the processor device 13 based on the route data 19 even determine the assistance requirement of the SDS 12. For example, in a digital road map 21 be recognized by the routes 20, if an SDS 12 a place 21 will happen at which assistance may arise. Furthermore, it can be determined within which time interval 22 the respective SDS 12 in the place 21 will stop. With location here is meant an area.

2 illustrates the resulting time intervals 22 for the place 21 exemplary. The time intervals 22 are arranged over the time t. Within an overlapping area 23 are for each overlapping time intervals 22 two tax resources 16 occupied or necessary.

In 2 are the SDS 12 by respective designations SDS 1, SDS 2, SDS 3, SDS 4.

By the processor device 13 can now contact any SDS 12 or one or a few SDS 12 each a control command 24 to be sent out (see 1 ). By the respective control command 24 can in the respective SDS 12 a move action is triggered or controlled as already described.

3 illustrates a possible result. As in 3 The overlapping areas could be illustrated 23 be resolved or removed. Thus, instead of 3 control resources, as was necessary for the example of FIG. 2, only two control resources are still in the 3 illustrates the case necessary.

The operating plan 17 as he said 3 can then be output or displayed for scheduling the control resources 16. Each tax resource, according to the operating plan for the place 21 or an individually assigned SDS 12 is divided, then can be a remote control signal 25 to the respective SDS 12 for example, by means of the processor device 13 send out and thereby the respective SDS 12 remote control and thus by the place 21 or remotely control or guide its area so that the SDS 12 does not self-locate by means of its autopilot 21 must drive.

In the following is again described a particularly preferred embodiment. A procedure will be implemented to help ensure that each SDS of the SDS Fleet under management is available, if required, with a Commander (Control Resource) or available within a defined period of time.

The invention assumes that at least some of the situations in which an SDS must request assistance from the command center are known and can be predicted. These can be recurrent traffic situations as well as road sections with features that require assistance (eg bottlenecks, complex roadway guidance). It could also be road sections, which in normal traffic conditions of an SDS are self-driving, but not in certain Traffic situations whose timing can be predicted (eg rush hour traffic in the morning and in the evening).

• • Es findet eine zentrale Prognose darüber statt, wann welches SDS welche Art der Assistenz für welche Zeit durch einen Commander benötigt. Als Variante könnte eine Prognose auch durch ein SDS selbst erfolgen und dem Command Center für eine zentrale Verarbeitung zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Es wäre auch eine Kombination von Prognosen durch das Command Center und die einzelnen SDS mit anschließender zentraler Auswertung denkbar.
• • Auf Basis dieser Prognose erfolgt eine Planung der zeitlichen Zuordnung der Commander zu den SDS. Es könnte auch eine Zuordnung der Commanders zu bestimmten Straßenabschnitten oder zu bestimmten Verkehrssituation erfolgen (z. B. einer bestimmten Kreuzung oder einem Straßenabschnitt in dem sich aktuell ein Müllfahrzeug befindet). Für einen Straßenabschnitt könnte dann zusätzlich eine zeitliche Zuordnung gemacht werden, sodass eine Kombination von räumlicher und zeitlicher Zuordnung stattfindet.
• • Die Fahrt eines SDS kann in bestimmten Grenzen vom Command Center beeinflusst werden, um die Ankunftszeit eines SDS an einem Ort mit Assistenzbedarf in gewissem Rahmen zu steuern (z. B. Beeinflussung der Reisegeschwindigkeit, des Abfahrtzeitpunktes oder der Route). Das Ziel ist es, falls möglich eine Überlappung von Assistenzzeiten zu vermeiden und eine sukzessive Abarbeitung zu erreichen.
• • Die Fahrt eines SDS kann in bestimmten Grenzen vom Command Center so beeinflusst werden, dass mehrere betreute SDS hintereinander fahren. Dann wäre eine räumliche Zuordnung eines Commanders sinnvoll und es wäre eine Assistenz für hintereinander fahrende SDS oder in kurzen Abständen (zeitlich und räumlich) fahrende SDS möglich.
• • Auch wäre eine virtuelle Kopplung von hintereinander fahrenden SDS denkbar (elektronische Deichsel), die dann als Einheit vom Command Center gesteuert werden können und so z. B. als eine Einheit über eine Kreuzung geführt werden könnten.

The basic idea can be described as follows:

• • There is a central prognosis about when which SDS needs which kind of assistant for which time by a commander. As a variant, a prognosis could also be made by an SDS itself and made available to the Command Center for central processing. A combination of forecasts by the Command Center and the individual SDS with subsequent central evaluation would also be conceivable.
• • On the basis of this prognosis, the scheduling of the commander to the SDS is planned. An assignment of the commanders to certain road sections or to specific traffic situations could also take place (eg a specific intersection or a section of road in which a refuse vehicle is currently located). In addition, a time allocation could be made for a road section, so that a combination of spatial and temporal assignment takes place.
• • The driving of an SDS can be influenced within certain limits by the Command Center to control the arrival time of an SDS in an assisted location to some extent (eg affecting cruising speed, departure time or route). The goal is, if possible, to avoid an overlap of assistants and to achieve a gradual processing.
• • Within certain limits, the movement of an SDS can be influenced by the Command Center in such a way that several supervised SDS travel in succession. Then a spatial assignment of a commander would make sense and it would be an assistance for consecutive SDS or in short intervals (temporally and spatially) driving SDS possible.
• • A virtual coupling of consecutive SDS would be conceivable (electronic drawbar), which can then be controlled as a unit by the Command Center and so z. B. could be performed as a unit via an intersection.

• • SDS:
  • ◯ Aktuelle Position
  • ◯ Aktuelle Geschwindigkeit
  • ◯ Aktueller Status
  • ◯ Geplante Route/Restroute des SDS
  • ◯ optional: Zeit oder Entfernung bis zum nächsten nicht-automatisch befahrbaren Streckenabschnitt
• • Straße (statische Eingangsdaten):
  • o Straßenkarte mit bewerteten Straßenabschnitten (Bewertung entsprechend der Leistungsfähigkeit der eingesetzten SDS). Zur Nachvollziehbarkeit und Verifizierung sollte dieser Bewertung auch eine Begründung hinzugefügt sein (zum Beispiel: „häufig Fußgänger am Fahrbahnrand“, „enge Straßenführung“, „komplexe Verkehrssituation“, ...) sowie das Datum der letzten Aktualisierung dieser Information.
• • Verkehr (dynamische Eingangsdaten):
  • ◯ Historische Verkehrsdaten
  • ◯ Aktuelle Verkehrsinformationen aus der SDS-Flotte, Schwarmdaten anderer Fahrzeuge, weitere Quellen wie z. B. Verkehrszentrale. Diese Verkehrsinformationen können auch lokale (ggfls. nur kurzzeitige) Störungen wie Tagesbaustellen, Wanderbaustellen durch Wartungsarbeiten, Müllabfuhr, Kehrmaschine usw. beinhalten. Optional können auch die Orts- und Bewegungsprofile anderer Verkehrsteilnehmer via Smartphone, Aktivitäts-Tracker o. ä. berücksichtigt werden, insbesondere Fußgänger und Fahrradfahrer.
  • ◯ Informationen über die Verkehrssteuerung (Ampelinformationen, Seitenstreifenfreigabe, Fahrstreifensperrung etc.) von einer Verkehrszentrale oder einem entsprechenden Provider oder Dienstleister.
  • ◯ Prognostizierte besondere Verkehrssituationen aufgrund von beispielsweise Großveranstaltungen (Konzerte, Sportveranstaltungen). Diese Prognose kann auf Basis der Auswertung von Veranstaltungskalendern und/oder Social Media erfolgen.

Possible input variables for the forecast are the following:

• • SDS:
  • ◯ Current position
  • ◯ Current speed
  • ◯ Current status
  • ◯ Planned route / rest route of the SDS
  • ◯ optional: time or distance to the next non-automatically passable section
• • Road (static input data):
  • o Road map with assessed road sections (evaluation according to the performance of SDS used). For traceability and verification, a reason should also be added to this assessment (for example: "frequent pedestrians on the side of the road", "narrow lanes", "complex traffic situation", ...) as well as the date of the last update of this information.
• • Traffic (dynamic input data):
  • ◯ Historical traffic data
  • ◯ Current traffic information from the SDS fleet, swarm data of other vehicles, other sources such. B. traffic control center. This traffic information may also include local (possibly only temporary) disturbances such as daily construction sites, hiking construction sites due to maintenance work, refuse collection, sweeper, etc. Optionally, the location and movement profiles of other road users via smartphone, activity tracker o. Ä. Be taken into account, especially pedestrians and cyclists.
  • ◯ Information about the traffic control (traffic light information, side lane release, lane closure, etc.) from a traffic center or a corresponding provider or service provider.
  • ◯ Forecasted special traffic situations due to, for example, major events (concerts, sports events). This forecast can be based on the evaluation of event calendars and / or social media.

• Schritt 1
  • • Für jedes zu betreuende SDS
    • ◯ Erfassen der aktuellen Position
    • ◯ Prognose der Restfahrt (Orts- und Zeitverlauf) auf Basis der aktuellen Informationen über den Verkehr und der zu erwartenden Verkehrsentwicklung
    • ◯ Prognose der Zeiten mit Assistenzbedarf und Art der Assistenz (Anfangs- und Endzeit, Zeitintervall)
    • ◯ Aktualisierung in festgelegten Zeitintervallen (z. B. 1 mal pro Minute)
• Schritt 2
  • • Erstellen eines Assistenz-Zeitplanes für jedes SDS (Plan mit den für jedes SDS benötigten Zeitintervallen, SDS-orientierter Commander-Einsatzplan)
  • • Es könnte auch alternativ oder ergänzend ein Zeitplan für jeden zu betreuenden Straßenabschnitt erstellt werden (z. B. Kreuzung etc. welche eine Assistenz durch einen Commander erfordert, straßen- bzw. verkehrssituationsorientierter Einsatzplan)
  • • Auswertung der Assistenz-Zeitpläne für alle zu betreuenden SDS bzw. Straßenabschnitte
    • ◯ Identifizierung der parallel liegenden Zeitintervalle
    • ◯ Bildung von Gruppen parallel liegender Zeitintervalle
    • ◯ Bewertung des Grades der zeitlichen Überlappung (hierzu z. B. Zuordnung in ein Bewertungsraster aus z. B. 15-Sekunden-Blöcken)
    • ◯ Identifizierung von Zeitintervallen (mit geringer zeitlicher Überlappung), welche das Potenzial besitzen, dass sie durch Beeinflussung der SDS (z. B. Reisegeschwindigkeit, Abfahrtzeit, Anpassung der Fahrtroute und dadurch der Reisezeit und/oder des Assistenzbedarfs) so gegeneinander verschoben werden können, dass eine sukzessive Abarbeitung möglich wird.
    • ◯ Identifizierung von Anforderungen an den jeweiligen Commander, je nach Eigenschaften des SDS und Schwierigkeit der zu bewältigenden Assistenzaufgabe. Es könnte Aufgaben für Commander geben, die einfach zu bewältigen sind, wenig Zeit in Anspruch nehmen und vielleicht sogar parallel mit anderen, einfachen Commander-Tätigkeiten abzuarbeiten sind. Andererseits könnte es auch Commander-Tätigkeiten mit einem hohen kognitiven Anspruch an den Commander geben, welche auch eine bestimmt Qualifikation voraussetzen (zum Beispiel einen speziellen SDS-Führerschein).
• Schritt 3
  • • Zuordnung der SDS bzw. Straßenabschnitte zu Commandern
  • • Prüfen ob der prognostizierte Assistenzbedarf befriedigt werden kann
    • ◯ Berücksichtigung von freien Kapazitäten der Commander
    • ◯ Berücksichtigung von definiertem Vorhalt für unvorhergesehenen Assistenzbedarf
    • ◯ Identifizieren von Konflikten in der Planung
    • ◯ Bewertung der aufgetretenen Konflikte (Welche SDS stehen für welche Teilstrecken und welche Zeiten im Wettbewerb zueinander?)
• Schritt 4
  • • Identifizierung von Ansätzen zur Konfliktlösung
    • ◯ Planung zusätzlicher Commander
    • ◯ Eingriff in die Planung der SDS-Abfahrtzeiten, -Reisegeschwindigkeiten, - Wartezeiten, -Routen
    • ◯ Beschränkung der Anzahl der eingesetzten SDS
• Schritt 5
  • • Senden von Steuerbefehlen an die zu beeinflussenden SDS
  • • Aktualisierung des Zeitplanes
  • • Ggf. Information der Passagiere „Es gibt einen Stau .... Ihre Ankunftszeit wird optimiert.....“
  • • Ggfs. Information anderer zentraler Einrichtungen von Mobilitätsanbietern, Verkehrszentralen o. ä, falls der Eingriff eines Commanders nicht nur rein lokale Auswirkungen hat.

The method may then include the following steps:

• Step 1
  • • For each SDS to be supervised
    • ◯ Acquire the current position
    • ◯ Forecast of the rest of the journey (location and time) based on the current information about the Traffic and the expected traffic development
    • ◯ Forecasting the times with assistance requirement and type of assistance (start and end time, time interval)
    • ◯ Update at specified time intervals (eg 1 time per minute)
• step 2
  • • Create an assistance schedule for each SDS (plan with the time intervals required for each SDS, SDS-oriented Commander dispatch plan)
  • • Alternatively or additionally, a timetable could be created for each road section to be supervised (eg intersection, etc., which requires assistance from a commander, street or traffic situation-oriented operational plan)
  • • Evaluation of assistance schedules for all SDS or road sections to be supervised
    • ◯ Identification of the parallel time intervals
    • ◯ Formation of groups of parallel time intervals
    • ◯ Evaluation of the degree of temporal overlap (for example, assignment to a rating grid from, for example, 15-second blocks)
    • ◯ Identification of time intervals (with little time overlap), which have the potential that they can be shifted against each other by influencing the SDS (eg cruising speed, departure time, adjustment of the travel route and thus the travel time and / or the assistance requirement), that a successive processing is possible.
    • ◯ Identification of requirements for the respective commander, depending on the characteristics of the SDS and the difficulty of the assistant task to be mastered. It could be tasks for commanders that are easy to manage, take little time, and perhaps even work alongside other simple commander tasks. On the other hand, there could also be Commander activities with a high cognitive claim to the Commander, which also require a certain qualification (for example, a special SDS driver's license).
• step 3
  • • Assignment of SDS or road sections to commanders
  • • Check whether the predicted assistance requirement can be met
    • ◯ Consideration of free capacities of the commander
    • ◯ Consideration of defined provision for unforeseen assistance needs
    • ◯ Identify conflicts in the planning
    • ◯ Assessment of the conflicts that have arisen (which SDS stand for which sections and which times compete with each other?)
• Step 4
  • • Identification of conflict resolution approaches
    • ◯ Planning additional commander
    • ◯ intervention in the planning of the SDS departure times, travel speeds, - waiting times, routes
    • ◯ Limitation of the number of SDS used
• Step 5
  • • Sending control commands to the SDS to be influenced
  • • Updating the schedule
  • • Possibly. Information of passengers "There is a traffic jam .... your arrival time is optimized ....."
  • • If necessary Information from other central facilities of mobility providers, traffic control centers or similar, if the intervention of a commander does not have purely local effects.

The process is run through cyclically during operation.

The method also applies to the general deployment planning of Commander use, for. For example, to plan additional capacity for special events, such as a major event.

Overall, the example shows how a scheduling or operating plan for a self-drive system (SDS) can be provided by the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

system

11

control station

12

Self-propelled system

13

processor means

14

communication link

15

Internet

16

control resource

17

operating plan

18

demand data

19

Route data

20

route

21

place

22

time interval

23

overlap

24

command

25

Remote control signal

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014014119 A1 [0004]
• US Pat. No. 9465388 B1 [0004]
• DE 102016001264 A1 [0005]
• DE 102015118489 A1 [0006]

Claims (10)

A method of remotely controlling a plurality of driverless self-drive systems (12) for transporting people and / or goods, wherein a centralized stationary control station (11) is provided having a plurality of control resources (16) and from each of which the self-propelled systems (12) respectively a respective assistance requirement of the self-propelled system (12) by means of one of the control resources (16) is remotely controlled, characterized in that - at least one future time interval (22), for each of which one of the self-propelled systems (12) has an assistance requirement, as well as a respective associated location (21), at which the assistance requirement exists, are determined, - assigned to the at least one time interval (22) and / or the respective associated location (21) each one of the control resources (16) of the control station (11) in an operating plan (17) and - each control resource (16) in the time interval (22) allocated according to the operation plan (17) the self-propelled system (12) having the assistance requirement in the time interval (22) and / or for each location (21) to which it is allocated according to the operation plan (17) successively with at least some of the self-propelled systems having the assistance need at the location (21) (12) each for remote control of the same is coupled. Method according to Claim 1 in that repeatedly updated travel route data (19) is received from one or more or each of the self-propelled systems (12) and the operating plan (17) is cyclically adapted to the updated travel route data (19). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in order to determine the respective assistance requirement, each of the self-propelled systems (12) a) from at least one of the self-propelled systems (12) each travel route data (19) for a respective planned route (20) are received and the assistance requirement of the self-propelled system (12) in a digital road map (MAP) by a processor means (15) of the control station (11 ) is determined and / or b) from at least one of the self-propelled systems (12) respectively demand data (18), the time interval (22) and the place (21) for the planned assistance requirement of the self-propelled system (12) report received. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein as respective control resource (16) at least one of the following is provided: a human operator, a group of human operators, computing time of a control computer. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective assistance requirement is determined if along a travel route (20) of the respective self-propelled system (12) a location (21) with at least one recurrent predetermined traffic situation and / or at least one predicted predetermined traffic situation and / or at least is a predetermined road section and as the time interval (22) an estimated residence time of the self-propelled system is fixed at the location. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two at least partially overlapping time intervals (22) of one of the self-propelled systems (12) are detected and on at least one of the self-propelled systems (12) before the time interval (22) to which the self-propelled system (12) has the assistance requirement, a respective control command (24) for setting a displacement measure to the self-propelled system (12) is emitted, wherein the displacement measure is adapted to shift the time interval (22). Method according to Claim 6 wherein the shifting action comprises delaying a descent of the self-propelled system (12) and / or changing a vehicle speed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a control command for forming a platoon with a second one of the self-propelled systems (12) is transmitted to a first of the self-propelled systems (12), wherein by forming the platoon the time interval (22) of the first self-propelled system with the time interval ( 22) of the second self-propelled system (12) is merged at a single time interval. Control station (11) for remotely controlling a plurality of driverless self-propelled systems (12) for transporting people and / or goods, said control station (11) having processor means (15) adapted to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims. System (10) comprising a control station (11) according to Claim 9 and a plurality of driverless self-driving systems (11) for transporting people and / or goods, wherein the self-driving systems (12) is adapted to an assistance requirement in which the self-propelled system (12) recognizes that self-propulsion is impossible in response to a remote control signal (25) of the control center (11) to drive.

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