Detecting, monitoring and mitigating traffic control device anomalies

1 . A cloud-based network device comprising:

a reporting module configured to receive first perception information regarding a target traffic control device from a scouter vehicle indicating an anomaly associated with the target traffic control device;

at least one recruitment module configured to recruit worker vehicles by signaling the worker vehicles to drive through a target region where target traffic control device is located and collect second perception information regarding the target traffic control device;

at least one consensus module configured to establish a consensus regarding the target traffic control device based on the first perception information and the second perception information; and

at least one traffic control device avoidance module configured to signal at least one of i) other traffic control devices, and ii) onlooker vehicles, to prevent the onlooker vehicles from driving through the target region.

2 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , further comprising a control module of the cloud-based network device comprises a neural network configured to classify intersection traffic flow pattern of the target region as a stop-and-go pattern, a traffic-light protected pattern, or as undetermined,

wherein the at least one consensus module is configured to determine the consensus based on the intersection traffic flow pattern and operational details of the target traffic control device.

3 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recruitment module is configured to direct the worker vehicles to the target region to increase reporting probability of status information regarding the target traffic control device.

4 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one recruitment module is configured to swarm the worker vehicles to the target region to increase observation of the target traffic control device.

5 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one consensus module is configured to continue to collect additional information regarding the target traffic control device from the worker vehicles and update the consensus based on the addition information to increase a confidence level in the consensus.

6 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one consensus module is configured to determine a penalty cost for one of the worker vehicles to re-route and travel through target region and transmit the penalty cost to the one of the worker vehicles to control whether the one of the worker vehicles travels through the target region.

7 . The cloud-based network device of claim 6 , wherein:

the at least one consensus module is configured to determine an attractiveness value for one of the worker vehicles to re-route and travel through the target region, and transmit the attractiveness value to the one of the worker vehicles to control whether the one of the worker vehicles travels through the target region; and

the attractiveness value is based on the penalty cost, a severity of event value, and an observation confidence level.

8 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one consensus module is configured to update the consensus based on a first weighting of perception data received from the worker vehicles and a second weighting of out-of-band data;

the first weighting decreasing over time; and

the second weighting increasing over time.

9 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , further comprising a target region announcement and maintenance module configured to transmit a targeted region announcement for the target traffic control device to the worker vehicles and the onlooker vehicles indicating i) there is an issue with the target traffic control device, ii) the target region affected by the issue, and iii) vehicles affected by the issue.

10 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traffic control device avoidance module is configured to virtually form a barricade around the target traffic control device by controlling the other traffic control devices to prevent the onlooker vehicles from driving through the targeted region.

11 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traffic control device avoidance module is configured to signal the onlooker vehicles to re-route around the target region.

12 . The cloud-based network device of claim 1 , further comprising an infrastructure integration module configured to signal a municipality device to initiate maintenance on the target traffic control device.

13 . A traffic control device monitoring and anomaly mitigating system comprising:

the cloud-based network device of claim 1 ;

the target traffic control device; and

the other traffic control devices,

wherein a control module of the cloud-based network device is in communication with at least one of the target traffic control device and the other traffic control devices.

14 . The traffic control device monitoring and anomaly mitigating system of claim 13 , wherein the target traffic control device is a passive device or an active device.

15 . A vehicle comprising:

a perception module configured to collect sensor data and out-of-band data regarding a traffic control device; and

a control module configured to

determine a scouter probability value of whether to operate as a scouter vehicle,

determine a worker probability value of whether to operate as a worker vehicle,

based on the scouter probability value and the worker probability value, determine whether to operate as a scouter vehicle or as a worker vehicle,

while operating as a scouter vehicle, transmit the sensor data and the out-of-band data to a cloud-based network device indicating an anomaly associated with the traffic control device, and

while operating as a worker vehicle, drive to a target region of the traffic control device and transmit the sensor data and the out-of-band data to the cloud-based network device to confirm whether an anomaly exists with the traffic control device.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured to:

receive a signal from the cloud-based network device indicating to re-route and drive toward the target region of the traffic control device;

based on the signal, re-route to drive through the target region and while in the target region collect perception data regarding the traffic control device; and

transmit the perception data regarding the traffic control device to the cloud-based network device.

17 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured to:

receive a signal from the cloud-based network device indicating that there is anomaly associated with the traffic control device; and

determine, based on the signal, whether to drive towards the target region or avoid the target region.

18 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured to:

determine based on the scouter probability value and the worker probability value to operate as an onlooker vehicle;

while operating as an onlooker vehicle, receive a signal from the cloud-based networked device; and

based on the signal, drive to avoid the target region.

19 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the control module is configured to:

receive or determine a penalty cost associated with re-routing around the target region; and

based on the penalty cost, drive through the target region.

20 . The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the control module is configured to:

receive or determine an attractiveness value for re-routing around the target region, wherein the attractiveness value is based on the penalty cost, a severity of events value, and an observation confidence level; and

based on the attractiveness value, drive through the target region.