Systems and methods to detect vehicle queue lengths of vehicles stopped at a traffic light signal

1. A method of detecting a queue length of a vehicle queue at a traffic light signal, the method comprising:

calculating a distance between a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle and a second OBU-equipped vehicle in the vehicle queue associated with the traffic light signal;

determining whether the distance between the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle is greater than a vehicle length of an OBU-equipped vehicle;

if the distance is determined greater than the vehicle length, detecting at least one non-OBU-equipped vehicle stopped in the vehicle queue behind the first OBU-equipped vehicle;

determining the queue length of the vehicle queue based on the first OBU-equipped vehicle, the second OBU-equipped vehicle and an outcome of a comparison between the distance and the vehicle length to control the traffic light signal; and

transmitting wireless signals from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle including at least one of vehicle location data, elevation data, direction heading data and speed data to a Roadside Unit (RSU).

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a change in the traffic light signal from a green phase to a red phase.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a traffic lane geometry map associated with the traffic light signal for the vehicle queue.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

initiating for the traffic lane geometry map a green status by a traffic signal controller based on the queue length of the vehicle queue.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

terminating the green status of the traffic lane geometry map when no vehicle presence is detected in the traffic lane geometry map.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving at the roadside unit (RSU) the at least one of vehicle location data, elevation data, direction heading data and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle; and

forwarding the at least one of vehicle location data, elevation data, direction heading data and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle to a traffic signal controller.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating the queue length of the vehicle queue to include the at least one non-OBU-equipped vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

controlling a transition from one phase to another phase of the traffic light signal based on the updated queue length of the vehicle queue.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying an intersection MAP and associated vehicle queues corresponding to respective traffic light signals of an intersection relating to the traffic light signal;

calculating distances between Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicles in the associated vehicle queues; and

identifying gaps between the OBU-equipped vehicles to calculate more accurate queue lengths of the associated vehicle queues.

10. A connected vehicle traffic monitoring system, the system comprising:

a traffic signal controller; and

at least one Roadside Unit (RSU) located at an intersection, the roadside unit (RSU) comprising at least a processor and a wireless transceiver, the roadside unit (RSU) configured to transmit wireless signals and receive corresponding responses from a corresponding wireless device of a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle and a second OBU-equipped vehicle, and to send at least one of vehicle location data, elevation data, direction heading data and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle to the traffic signal controller,

wherein the traffic signal controller to:

calculate a distance between the first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle in a vehicle queue associated with a traffic light signal on the intersection;

determine the queue length of the vehicle queue based on the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle;

determine whether the distance between the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle is greater than a vehicle length of an OBU-equipped vehicle; and

if the distance is determined greater than the vehicle length, detect at least one non-OBU-equipped vehicle stopped in the vehicle queue behind the first OBU-equipped vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the traffic signal controller to:

detect a change in the traffic light signal from a green phase to a red phase.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the traffic signal controller to:

determine a traffic lane geometry map associated with the traffic light signal for the vehicle queue;

initiate for the traffic lane geometry map a green status by a traffic signal controller based on the queue length of the vehicle queue; and

terminate the green status of the traffic lane geometry map when no vehicle presence is detected in the traffic lane geometry map.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle to transmit wireless signals including at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data and speed data to a Roadside Unit (RSU).

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the roadside unit (RSU) device to receive the at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle and forward the at least one of vehicle location data, direction heading data and speed data from the first OBU-equipped vehicle and the second OBU-equipped vehicle to the traffic signal controller.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the traffic signal controller to:

update the queue length of the vehicle queue to include the at least one non-OBU-equipped vehicle; and

control a transition from one phase to another phase of the traffic light signal based on the updated queue length of the vehicle queue.