FR3133582A1 - Method and device for controlling crossing of a channel in a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling the crossing of a channel of a toll zone (120) for an autonomous vehicle (10), the channel comprising a barrier (11) and a traffic light (12). . For this purpose, first information representative of an opening state of the barrier (11) and second information representative of a state of the traffic light (12) are received in the same message via a wireless link according to a infrastructure-to-vehicle type communication mode, known as I2V. The crossing of the channel is controlled according to the first information and the second information. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Method and device for controlling crossing of a channel in a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle

The present invention relates to methods and devices for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle. The present invention also relates to a method and a device for controlling an autonomous vehicle for crossing a toll zone. The present invention also relates to a communication method and device for a vehicle, in particular an autonomous vehicle.

Technology background

Road safety is one of the important issues in vehicle development. To improve the safety of road users, contemporary vehicles include more and more functions to assist the driver in driving the vehicle. Such functions are generally implemented by driver assistance systems, known as ADAS systems (from English “Advanced Driver-Assistance System” or in French “Advanced Driving Assistance System”). "). The most advanced driver assistance systems provide control of the vehicle which becomes a so-called autonomous vehicle, that is to say a vehicle capable of driving in the road environment without intervention from the driver.

A vehicle traveling in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode needs to obtain data about the environment in which it is traveling, whether through on-board sensors and/or a communications infrastructure with which the vehicle is connected. connected by a wireless connection.

Crossing a toll zone, which is regulated by devices authorizing or prohibiting the passage of each channel forming the toll zone, requires in particular that the autonomous vehicle has perfect knowledge of the states of each of these devices to avoid any risk of 'accident.

Summary of the present invention

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the safety of a vehicle, in particular of a vehicle approaching a toll zone.

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle, the channel comprising a barrier and a traffic light, the method comprising the following steps:

- reception via a wireless link of first information representative of an opening state of the barrier and of second information representative of a state of the traffic light, the first information and the second information being included in a same message received using an infrastructure-to-vehicle type communication mode, known as I2V;

- control of the crossing of the channel according to the first information and the second information.

The aggregation of information on the opening and closing states of the barrier and on the states of the traffic light, for example two-color, of each channel of a toll zone in a single message received in I2V allows for the autonomous vehicle to determine in an optimized manner whether or not it can cross the channel, reducing the risk of loss of information on one of the devices regulating crossing the channel. This makes it possible to improve the safety of the autonomous vehicle and its passengers by receiving crossing authorization information in a single message.

According to a variant, the message is of the extended signal, phase and synchronization message type, called SPATEM message.

According to another additional variant, the control of the crossing of the channel comprises a determination of at least one control command of at least one driving assistance system, called ADAS system, equipping the autonomous vehicle.

According to yet another variant, the first information takes:

- a first value when the opening state corresponds to an open state of the barrier; And

- a second value when the open state corresponds to a closed state of the barrier.

According to an additional variant, the second information takes:

- a first value when the state of the signal light corresponds to a representative state of authorization to cross the channel; And

- a second value when the state of the signal light corresponds to a representative state of prohibition of crossing the channel.

According to an additional variant, control of the crossing of the channel is authorized when the first information takes the first value and the second information takes the first value.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to one variant, the vehicle corresponds to an autonomous vehicle having an autonomy level greater than or equal to 3.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of a source code, an object code, or an intermediate code between a source code and an object code, such as in partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a ROM memory of the microelectronic circuit type, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or terrestrial radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the present invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in executing the method in question.

Brief description of the figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3, in which:

schematically illustrates an autonomous vehicle approaching a channel of a toll zone, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

schematically illustrates a device configured to control the crossing of the toll zone channel by the autonomous vehicle of the , according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a process for controlling the crossing of the toll zone channel by the autonomous vehicle of the , according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the implementation examples

A method and a device for controlling the crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle will now be described in what follows with reference jointly to Figures 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same signs reference throughout the description which follows.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention, in a toll zone comprising one or more channels, the crossing of each channel being regulated or controlled by a barrier and a two-color traffic light, the control of the crossing of a channel of this toll zone by an autonomous vehicle, comprises the reception, by the autonomous vehicle via a wireless link, of a first information representative of an opening state of the barrier and of a second information representative of 'a state of the traffic light, for example two-color. This first information and this second information are advantageously understood and received in the same message according to an infrastructure-to-vehicle type communication mode, known as I2V (from the English “Infrastructure-to-Vehicle”). The first information is for example representative of a first so-called open state of the barrier and a second so-called closed state of the barrier. The second information is for example representative of a first state of the traffic light authorizing crossing the channel (state corresponding to the green light) and a second state of the traffic light prohibiting crossing the channel (state corresponding to the red light) . The control of the crossing of the channel is then implemented according to the first information and the second information. For example, crossing is authorized when the first information indicates that the barrier is open and when the second information indicates that the light is green.

This makes it possible, for example, to avoid errors in controlling the crossing of the channel based only on one or the other of the first information and the second information, for example when the first information is transmitted in a first message and the second information in a second message different from the first message, which generates risks of loss of one or the other of the first and second information in the event of non-reception of one of the two messages, the risk of non-reception increasing with the number of messages transmitted by the infrastructure.

There schematically illustrates an environment 1 in which a vehicle 10 operates, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

The vehicle 10 corresponds for example to a vehicle with a thermal engine, with an electric motor(s) or even a hybrid vehicle with a thermal engine and one or more electric motors. The vehicle 10 thus corresponds for example to a land vehicle, for example an automobile, a truck, a coach, a motorcycle.

According to a particular embodiment, the vehicle 10 carries one or more ADAS systems, each controlled by one or more computers. These computers form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the production of different services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle and to assist the driver and/or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the vehicle 10 via the control of the ADAS system(s) on board the vehicle. vehicle 10. The computers communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN data bus type communication bus (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “ Controller Area Network"), CAN FD (from the English "Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate" or in French "Network of Controllers with Flexible Data Rate"), FlexRay (according to the ISO 17458 standard), LIN (from the English “Local Interconnect Network” or in French “Réseau interconnectée local”) or Ethernet (according to the ISO/IEC 802-3 standard).

The ADAS system(s) onboard the vehicle 10 correspond for example to one or more of the ADAS systems from the following list, this list being non-exhaustive and provided for purposes of illustration:

- assistance for keeping in the traffic lane, known as the LKA system (from the English “Lane-Keeping Assist”); and or

- pedestrian detection; and or

- involuntary lane crossing alert, known as the AFIL system; and or

- safety distance alert, known as ADS system; and or

- reading of traffic signs, known as the TSR system (from English “Traffic Sign Recognition”); and or

- detection and recognition of ground markings. ; and or

- adaptive cruise control, known as the ACC system (from the English “Adaptive Cruise Control”).

The vehicle 10 corresponds to a vehicle configured to circulate under the control of one or more ADAS systems, in an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode, that is to say under the partial or total supervision of one or more ADAS systems embedded in the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 circulates for example in environment 1 with a level of autonomy greater than or equal to 3 according to the scale defined by the American federal agency which has established 5 levels of autonomy ranging from 1 to 5 (or according to the classification scale of the international organization of automobile manufacturers which has established 6 levels), level 0 corresponding to a vehicle having no autonomy, whose driving is under the total supervision of the driver, and level 5 (or level 6 according to the classification scale of the international organization of automobile manufacturers) corresponding to a completely autonomous vehicle.

The 5 levels of the classification of the federal agency responsible for road safety are:

- level 0: no automation, the vehicle driver has full control over the main functions of the vehicle (engine, accelerator, steering, brakes);

- level 1: driver assistance, automation is active for certain vehicle functions, the driver maintaining overall control over vehicle driving; cruise control is part of this level, like other aids such as ABS (anti-lock braking system) or ESP (programmed electro-stabilizer);

- level 2: automation of combined functions, the control of at least two main functions is combined in the automation to replace the driver in certain situations; for example, adaptive cruise control combined with lane centering allows a vehicle to be classified level 2, as does automatic parking assistance;

- level 3: limited autonomous driving, the driver can cede complete control of the vehicle to the automated system which will then be in charge of critical safety functions; however, autonomous driving can only take place in certain specific environmental and traffic conditions (only on motorways for example);

- level 4: complete autonomous driving under conditions, the vehicle is designed to ensure all critical safety functions alone over a complete journey; the driver provides a destination or navigation instructions but is not required to make himself available to regain control of the vehicle;

- level 5: completely autonomous driving without driver assistance in all circumstances.

Such a vehicle 10 circulating in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode, for example according to an autonomy level greater than or equal to 2 or 3, is called an autonomous vehicle.

The environment 1 of the autonomous vehicle 10 corresponds to a portion of road or highway comprising a toll zone 120. A toll zone corresponds to an area comprising one or more channels, the crossing of each channel being controlled by two monitoring devices. regulation according to the present invention, namely a barrier 11 and a signaling light 12, for example two-color or three-color. The signal light is advantageously of the R23 type, for example of the R23v type (with a green light and a red light), such a light also being called a two-color individual control signal.

Only one channel is shown on the . The present invention is not, however, limited to such an example but extends to any type of toll zone comprising a single channel or a plurality of channels (for example 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 or more channels ), the crossing of each channel being regulated or controlled by a barrier and a signaling light, for example two-color.

Crossing a channel of such a toll zone 120 is for example conditioned by the payment or settlement of a tax determined by the autonomous vehicle 10. According to another example, crossing a channel is permitted for authorized vehicles, for example after verification of the identity of the driver or the type of the autonomous vehicle 10 (for example to enter a parking zone, a port, a place where access is regulated). According to yet another example, the toll zone 120 is intended to regulate traffic downstream of the toll zone 120, for example to streamline traffic downstream of the toll zone 120.

The environment 1 of the vehicle 10 further comprises a mobile communication infrastructure, for example an infrastructure of a V2X type network (from the English “Vehicle-to-everything” or in French “Véhicule vers tout”), with which the autonomous vehicle 10 is configured to communicate data. The communication infrastructure implements, for example, communications using LTE technology (from the English “Long-Term Evolution” or in French “Evolution à long-term”), LTE-Advanced (from the English “Long-Term Evolution - Advanced” or in French “Advanced long-term evolution”), C-V2X (from the English “Cellular – Vehicle to Everything” or in French “Cellulaire – Véhicule vers tout”) which is based on 4G and /or 5G, based on LTE.

For this purpose, the autonomous vehicle 10 carries a communication device corresponding for example to a telematic control unit, called TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit”) associated with one or more antennas.

The autonomous vehicle 10 communicates advantageously using a so-called V2X communication system, for example based on the 3GPP LTE-V or IEEE 802.11p standards of ITS G5. In such a V2X communication system, each vehicle has a node to enable V2V vehicle-to-vehicle (vehicle-to-vehicle) and vehicle-to-vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. -infrastructure) and/or vehicle-to-pedestrian V2P.

The network infrastructure includes, for example, communication devices 110 corresponding to relay antennas and/or roadside units (UBR), each corresponding to a node of the network.

According to a particular embodiment, all the nodes (that is to say the communications devices associated with the autonomous vehicle 10 and the antenna or UBR 110) of the network form for example an ad hoc wireless network ( also called WANET (from the English “Wireless Ad Hoc Network”) or MANET (from the English “Mobile Ad Hoc Network”)), corresponding to a decentralized wireless network. The ad hoc wireless network advantageously corresponds to an ad hoc vehicular network (or VANET, from the English “Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork”) or to an intelligent ad hoc vehicular network (or InVANET, from the English “Intelligent Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork), also called “GeoNetworking”. In such a network, the vehicle 10 can communicate with another vehicle between them as part of a V2V vehicle-to-vehicle communication and/or with the infrastructure set up. as part of vehicle-to-infrastructure V2I communication.

The antenna or UBR 110 is advantageously connected to one or more remote servers 111, 112, for example via the “cloud” 100 (or in French “cloud”), via a wired and/or wireless connection. The antenna or UBR 110 is thus configured to act as a relay between the “cloud” 100 (and the remote server 111) and the autonomous vehicle 10.

The remote server 112 associated or connected to the antenna or UBR 110 corresponds for example to a peripheral computing device, to an MEC type device (from the English “Mobile Edge Computing” or “Multi-Access Edge Computing”) which allows to move computer traffic and services from the centralized “cloud” 100 to an edge network, closer to the users or client devices (for example the vehicle 10). Instead of sending all data to be processed in the “cloud”, an edge network analyzes, processes and/or stores the data. Collecting and processing data close to users reduces communications latency and increases the bandwidth available to each user by avoiding the bottleneck effect when all data is redirected to or emitted from the cloud. the “cloud” 100. The standards governing the operation of the architecture and MEC compatible devices are defined by ETSI (from the English “European Telecommunications Standards Institute” or in French “European Institute of Telecommunications Standards”). The peripheral computing device 112 is connected to the “cloud” infrastructure 100 (for example to “cloud” servers 100 such as the server 111) via a wired “backbone” type connection, for example Ethernet or optical fiber type.

The control of the states of the barrier 11 (that is to say open or closed) and the control of the states of the traffic light 12 (passage authorized or prohibited) are for example managed or implemented by the server 111 or the peripheral computing device 112. For this purpose, the barrier 11 and the traffic light 12 are connected in communication with the server 111 or the peripheral computing device 112 via a wired and/or wireless connection.

A process for controlling the crossing of a channel, the crossing of which is controlled by a barrier and a traffic light, of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle is advantageously implemented by the autonomous vehicle, for example by a device calculation or data processing on board the vehicle, for example by one or more processors of one or more computers of the on-board system of the autonomous vehicle 10.

In a first operation, the autonomous vehicle 10 receives, via a link or a wireless connection, first information representative of an opening state of the barrier 11 and second information representative of a state of the traffic light 12. The first information and the second information are advantageously understood and received in the same message, which message is received according to an infrastructure-to-vehicle type communication mode, called I2V.

The message carrying the first information and the second information is for example transmitted by the server 111 or by the peripheral computing device 112, in an I2V communication mode, using for example a 4G or 5G type connection based on a wireless cellular network or a V2X or C-V2X type connection.

The message corresponds for example to an extended signal, phase and synchronization message type message, called SPATEM message (from the English “Signal, Phase and Timing Extending Message”).

Such a SPATEM message is for example defined and described in document ISO/TS 19091 published in June 2019 and in document ETSI TS 103 301 published in February 2020.

The first information corresponds for example to a bit of a data unit per packet, called PDU (from the English “Packet Data Unit”), for example corresponding to the SSP information (from the English “Service Specific Permissions” or in French “Specific service permissions”) as defined in document ETSI TS 103 301. The bit associated with the first information corresponds for example to a bit of the first byte or one of bytes 2 to 30.

The first information takes as follows:

- a first value, for example 0 (or 1), when the open state of the barrier 11 corresponds to an open state of the barrier 11 allowing passage of the channel; And

- a second value, for example 1 (respectively 0) when the open state of the barrier 11 corresponds to a closed state of the barrier 11 preventing passage of the channel.

The second information corresponds for example to another bit of the PDU corresponding to the SSP information. Like the bit associated with the first information, the bit associated with the second information corresponds for example to a bit of the first byte or of one of bytes 2 to 30.

The second information takes as follows:

- a first value, for example 0 (or 1), when the state of the traffic light 12 corresponds to a representative state of authorization to cross the channel, when the traffic light is green for example; And

- a second value, for example 1 (respectively 0) when the state of the signal light 12 corresponds to a representative state of prohibition of crossing the channel, when the signal light 12 is red for example.

The first information and the second information are for example obtained from a control device, for example the peripheral computing device 112, controlling the states of the barrier 11 and the traffic light 12 as a function of a set of parameters (for example payment made or not if required, result of the identity check, result of the vehicle type check, crossing carried out by the previous vehicle, etc.) and connected via a wired or wireless link to the barrier 11 and the light 12.

In a second operation, the autonomous vehicle 12 determines whether or not it is authorized to cross the channel based on the first information and the second information.

Thus, crossing the channel is authorized for the autonomous vehicle 10 only when the first information takes the first value and when the second information takes the first value.

In all other cases, crossing the channel is not authorized.

For example, if the first information takes the first value indicating that barrier 11 is open but if the second information takes the second value (red light) indicating that crossing is not authorized, then crossing the channel is prohibited. Such a scenario occurs for example when the vehicle preceding the autonomous vehicle 10 has been authorized to cross the channel, causing the barrier 11 to open, but has not yet crossed the channel, the signal light 12 remaining then red. In such a scenario, it is necessary to prohibit the autonomous vehicle 10 from crossing the channel to prevent the latter from colliding with the preceding vehicle or to prevent the barrier from closing on the autonomous vehicle 10 or in front of the latter while the autonomous vehicle proceeds to cross the channel.

The message received by the autonomous vehicle 10 and aggregating the first information and the second information thus conveys the combined state of the barrier 11 and the traffic light 12, in a single message.

Such a message is for example repeated and transmitted at regular intervals, for example every 500 or 1000 ms, carrying the current combined state of the barrier 11 and the traffic light 12.

According to a variant embodiment, the first information and the second information form a single piece of information coded on a single bit, the single information corresponding to the aggregation of the first information and the second information. According to this variant, the only information takes a first value 0 (or 1) representative of an authorization to cross the channel and a second value 1 (respectively 0) representative of a prohibition of crossing the channel. According to this variant, the aggregation of information is for example implemented by the device controlling the barrier 11 and the fire 12 or by the device receiving the first and second information and in charge of generating and transmitting the SPATEM message to the autonomous vehicle 10.

According to another variant, when the toll zone 120 includes several channels, an identifier of each channel is associated with the first information and the second information associated with this channel so that the autonomous vehicle 10 determines the state of the barrier 11 and the signal light 12 regulating the crossing of the channel taken by the autonomous vehicle 10.

In a third operation, the control of the crossing of the channel according to the first information and the second information is implemented by the autonomous vehicle 10, for example by a plurality of ADAS systems of the autonomous vehicle 10 which control in particular the power train of the autonomous vehicle 10.

The control of crossing the channel thus comprises, for example, a determination of at least one control command or instruction for the ADAS system(s) responsible for controlling the vehicle 10 in autonomous or semi-autonomous mode.

When crossing the channel is authorized, the speed and/or acceleration of the autonomous vehicle 10 is controlled to cross the channel at the authorized speed (for example indicated by a traffic sign recognized by an ad-hoc ADAS system of the autonomous vehicle 10).

When crossing the channel is authorized, the speed of the autonomous vehicle 10 is controlled so as to immobilize the autonomous vehicle 10 until the crossing is authorized (upon receipt of a SPATEM type message subsequent to the SPATEM message indicating that crossing is prohibited).

There schematically illustrates a device 2 configured for controlling the crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle, for example the autonomous vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds for example to a device on board the vehicle 10, for example a computer.

According to a variant embodiment, the device 2 corresponds to a remote device connected in communication to the vehicle 10, for example the server 111 or the peripheral computing device 112.

The device 2 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to the and/or steps of the process described with regard to the . Examples of such a device 2 include, without being limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as an on-board computer of a vehicle, an electronic computer such as an ECU (“Electronic Control Unit”), a control unit. telecommunications type TCU, or a server, a peripheral computing device type MEC, a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop. The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, can be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and/or into discrete components. Device 2 can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

The device 2 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and/or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 2 further comprises at least one memory 21 corresponding for example to a volatile and/or non-volatile memory and/or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM , PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 21.

According to different particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment, the device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example other servers or a TCU (from the English "Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Telematic Control Unit”), for example via a communications bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 2 comprises a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices, for example a computer or a TCU of a vehicle, or a remote server or the "cloud », other nodes of the ad hoc network. The interface elements of block 22 include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radio frequency interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the frequency bands at 2.4, 5 or 5.9 GHz, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the band frequency at 2.4 GHz, LTE (from the English “Long-Term Evolution” or in French “Evolution à long-term”), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-advanced);

- USB interface (from the English “Universal Serial Bus” or “Bus Universel en Série” in French);

- HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, or “Interface Multimedia Haute Definition” in French).

According to another particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 2 comprises a communication interface 23 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other computers of the on-board system when the device 2 corresponds to a computer ) via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a wired network of the CAN type (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Réseau de controllers”), CAN FD (from the English “Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate” or in French “Réseau de controllers à flow” flexible data"), FlexRay (standardized by the ISO 17458 standard) or Ethernet (standardized by the ISO/IEC 802-3 standard).

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen, touch or not, one or more speakers and/or other peripherals (e.g. haptic actuator) via respective output interfaces. According to one variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into device 2.

There illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a process for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle, for example for vehicle 10, the channel comprising a barrier and a traffic light, according to an example particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by one or more processors of one or more computers of the on-board system of the vehicle 10, or by the device 2 of the .

In a first step 31, first information representative of an opening state of the barrier and second information representative of a state of the traffic light are received via a wireless link, the first information and the second information being included in the same message received using an infrastructure-to-vehicle type of communication mode, known as I2V.

In a second step 32, the crossing of the channel is controlled according to the first information and the second information.

According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to the apply to the stages of the process of .

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method for determining an authorization or a ban on crossing a channel which would include secondary stages without this beyond the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured to implement such a process.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular an autonomous vehicle circulating with a level of autonomy greater than or equal to 3, comprising device 2.

The present invention also relates to a system comprising the device 2, or a vehicle comprising the device 2, connected in V2X communication, for example V2I, with one or more remote devices such as the server 111 or the peripheral computing device 112.

Claims (10)

Method for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone (120) for an autonomous vehicle (10), said channel comprising a barrier (11) and a traffic light (12), said method comprising the following steps:
- reception (31) via a wireless link of first information representative of an opening state of said barrier (11) and of second information representative of a state of said traffic light (12), said first information and said second information being included in the same message received according to an infrastructure-to-vehicle type communication mode, called I2V;
- control (32) of the crossing of said channel according to said first information and said second information. Method according to claim 1, for which said message is of the extended signal, phase and synchronization message type, called SPATEM message. Method according to claim 1 or 2, for which said control of crossing of said channel comprises a determination of at least one control command of at least one driving assistance system, called ADAS system, equipping said autonomous vehicle (10 ). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, for which said first information takes:
- a first value when said opening state corresponds to an open state of said barrier (11); And
- a second value when said open state corresponds to a closed state of said barrier (11). Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, for which said second information takes:
- a first value when said state of said signaling light (12) corresponds to a representative state of authorization to cross said channel; And
- a second value when said state of said signaling light (12) corresponds to a representative state of prohibition of crossing of said channel. Method according to claims 4 and 5, for which said control of crossing of said channel is authorized when said first information takes the first value and said second information takes the first value. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by a processor. Device (2) for controlling crossing of a channel of a toll zone for an autonomous vehicle, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for the implementation of the steps of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Vehicle (10) comprising the device (2) according to claim 8. Vehicle (10) according to claim 9, said vehicle (10) corresponding to an autonomous vehicle having an autonomy level greater than or equal to 3.