Traffic flow through an intersection by reducing platoon interference

A computer-implemented method for improving traffic flow, the method comprising:

• obtaining, by a computer device having a processor, traffic information corresponding to an intersection having a traffic signal, wherein the traffic information is received from a radar traffic sensor;
• determining, by the computer device, platoon properties associated with a platoon, based on the traffic information received from the radar traffic sensor, wherein determining platoon properties comprises:
• creating a grid representative of the traffic information, the grid comprising entries corresponding to multiple zones of traffic for multiple time periods, wherein each cell of the grid is deemed to be occupied or unoccupied dependent on whether at least one vehicle was detected by the radar traffic sensor in the corresponding zone of traffic during the time represented by the cell;
• identifying clusters of occupied cells using cluster identification algorithms;
• determining that the number of occupied cells in at least a portion of the grid is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum number;
• determining that the density of occupied cells in at least the portion of the grid is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum density;
• determining that the extent of the occupied cells in at least the portion of the grid is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum extent;
• calculating, by the computer device, a timing change to make to the traffic signal to improve traffic flow through the intersection, the timing change being based on the platoon properties,
• determining an impact that the timing change to the traffic signal has on traffic flow through the intersection;
• and
• adjusting the timing of the traffic signal to minimize a total interference experienced within the upstream platoon or a total delay experienced traveling through an intersection.

A system for monitoring traffic flow, comprising:

• a radar traffic sensor that records traffic information corresponding to an approach of an intersection;
• a computing device that receives the traffic information from the radar traffic sensor and generates an Enhanced Platoon Coordination Diagram (EPCD) based on the traffic information, the computing device comprising a processor and memory;
• and
• a user interface configured to display to a user the EPCD generated by the computing device,
• wherein the computing device identifies one or more clusters of vehicles from the traffic information and determines that a cluster of the one or more clusters represents a group of vehicles that qualifies as an upstream platoon by:
• determining that a number of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to predetermined minimum number of vehicles;
• determining that a density of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum density;
• or
• determining that an extent of the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum extent;
• wherein the EPCD comprises:
• a first set of visual distinctions that distinguish individual vehicles within upstream platoons from vehicles not in the upstream platoons, wherein the first set of visual distinctions comprises displaying the individual vehicles within upstream platoons differently than at least a portion of other vehicles displayed within the EPCD.

A method of improving traffic flow, the method comprising:

• detecting, with a single radar traffic sensor, vehicles within a traffic stream along a continuous longitudinal section of a roadway;
• tracking, with the single radar traffic sensor, the detected vehicles as the vehicles propagate towards a signalized intersection;
• identifying clusters of vehicles within the traffic stream based upon the tracking of the vehicles;
• determining which clusters belong to upstream platoons arriving at the intersection by:
• determining that a number of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum number of vehicles;
• determining that a density of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum density;
• or
• determining that an extent of the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum extent;
• determining a magnitude of soft interference and hard interference experienced by one or more vehicles, wherein the magnitude of soft interference and hard interference is determined from information received from the single radar traffic sensor;
• determining properties of the upstream platoons based on the determined magnitude of soft interference and hard interference;
• calculating, by a computer device, a timing change to make to a traffic signal to improve traffic flow through the signalized intersection, the timing change being based on the determined magnitude of soft interference and hard interference;
• changing the timing of the traffic signal to incorporate the calculated timing change;
• determining an impact that the timing change to the traffic signal has on the traffic flow through the intersection;
• and
• adjusting the timing of the traffic signal to minimize a total interference experienced with the upstream platoon or a total delay experienced traveling through an intersection.

A computer system for monitoring traffic flow, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors configure the computer system to perform at least the following:
• receive traffic information from one or more radar traffic sensors that are positioned along a roadway;
• identify a cluster of one or more vehicles from the traffic information that was received from the one or more radar traffic sensors;
• determine that the cluster represents a group of vehicles that qualifies as an upstream platoon by:
• determining that a number of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum number of vehicles;
• determining that a density of vehicles in the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum density;
• or
• determining that an extent of the cluster is greater than or equal to a predetermined minimum extent;
• calculate properties of the one or more vehicles based on the traffic information received from the one or more radar traffic sensors to identify a type of interference respectively experienced by the one or more vehicles;
• and
• generate an Enhanced Platoon Coordination Diagram (EPCD) based on the calculated properties of the one or more vehicles, wherein the EPCD displays the arrival times of the one or more vehicles relative to a signal cycle phase and further comprises:
• a set of visual distinctions within the one or more vehicles that indicate the type of interference respectively experienced by the one or more vehicles, wherein the set of visual distinctions comprises a first visual indication for each vehicle that experiences hard interference and a second, different visual indication for each vehicle that experiences soft interference.