Optimizing autonomous car's driving time and user experience using traffic signal information

1. A method for optimizing driving time, the method comprising:

determining, by a processor, based on route data, a plurality of distances corresponding to a plurality of paths for a vehicle between a vehicle location and a destination location, wherein the route data includes a map of a predetermined area including the vehicle location and the destination location;

receiving, by the processor, traffic signal data including a plurality of traffic signal states for a plurality of traffic signals on the plurality of paths, wherein receiving the traffic signal data includes receiving the traffic signal data from an external traffic signal data source via an electronic communication link;

determining, by the processor, a plurality of travel times corresponding to a predetermined portion of the plurality of paths based on the plurality of distances and the plurality of traffic signal states; and

determining, by the processor, an optimized path between the vehicle location and the destination location based on the path of the plurality of paths that corresponds to a shortest travel time of the plurality of travel times.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of traffic signal states includes a plurality of red traffic signal states to indicate that a red traffic signal time period has not elapsed, wherein the plurality of red traffic signal states indicates that when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a corresponding one of the plurality of traffic signals, the vehicle is requested to stop until the red traffic signal time period elapses.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, for the plurality of paths, a plurality of traffic queue delay times based on a number of objects within a predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals or a velocity of the objects within the predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals, wherein the predetermined portion of the plurality of paths includes the plurality of paths corresponding to the plurality of traffic signals with a traffic queue delay time that is less than a predetermined traffic queue delay threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, an intercept time period based on a velocity of the vehicle and the distance to a nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the intercept time period is an amount of time for the vehicle to arrive at the nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path; and

responsive to the red traffic signal time period beginning before the intercept time period elapses or the red traffic signal time period not elapsing before the intercept time period elapses, sending, by the processor, a time modification message to a traffic signal control device associated with nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the time modification message includes a request to increase the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a request to decrease the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

responsive to receiving a response to the time modification message including an amount of modification time, modifying, by the processor, the plurality of travel times based on the amount of modification time indicated in the response to the time modification message, wherein the amount of modification time in the response to the time modification message indicates an increase in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a decrease in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

responsive to the red traffic signal time period beginning before the intercept time period elapses or the red traffic signal time period not elapsing before the intercept time period elapses, increasing, by the processor, the velocity of the vehicle to arrive at the nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path before the intercept time period elapses, wherein the increase in the velocity of the vehicle is stopped when the velocity of the vehicle attains a predetermined maximum velocity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the route data further includes path condition data based on a state of one or more objects external to the vehicle on the plurality of paths, wherein the plurality of travel times are further based on the path condition data.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the path condition data further includes vehicle stoppage data, construction activity data, lane closure data, road surface condition data, pedestrian activity data, or traffic signal timing data.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a plurality of turning time differentials for the plurality of paths, wherein the plurality of turning time differentials are based on a difference between a velocity of the vehicle travelling on a straight portion of the plurality of paths and a velocity of the vehicle when turning on an intersection of the plurality of paths; and

modifying, by the processor, the plurality of travel times based on the plurality of turning time differentials.

10. A driving time optimization apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory memory; and

a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory memory to:

determine, based on route data, a plurality of distances corresponding to a plurality of paths for a vehicle between a vehicle location and a destination location, wherein the route data includes a map of a predetermined area including the vehicle location and the destination location;

receive traffic signal data from an external traffic signal data source via an electronic communication link, the traffic signal data including a plurality of traffic signal states for a plurality of traffic signals on the plurality of paths;

determine a plurality of travel times corresponding to a predetermined portion of the plurality of paths based on the plurality of distances and the plurality of traffic signal states; and

determine an optimized path between the vehicle location and the destination location based on the path of the plurality of paths that corresponds to a shortest travel time of the plurality of travel times.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of traffic signal states includes a red traffic signal state to indicate that a red traffic signal time period has not elapsed, wherein the red traffic signal state indicates that when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of one of the plurality of traffic signals in the red traffic signal state, the vehicle is requested to stop until the red traffic signal time period elapses.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine, for the plurality of paths, a plurality of traffic queue delay times based on a number of objects within a predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals or a velocity of the objects within the predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals, wherein the predetermined portion of the plurality of paths includes the plurality of paths corresponding to the plurality of traffic signals with a traffic queue delay time that is less than a predetermined traffic queue delay threshold.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

determine an intercept time period based on a velocity of the vehicle and the distance to a nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the intercept time period is an amount of time for the vehicle to arrive at the nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path; and

responsive to the red traffic signal time period beginning before the intercept time period elapses or the red traffic signal time period not elapsing before the intercept time period elapses, send a time modification message to a traffic signal control device associated with nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the time modification message includes a request to increase the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a request to decrease the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

responsive to receiving a response to the time modification message including an amount of modification time, modify the plurality of travel times based on the amount of modification time indicated in the response to the time modification message, wherein the amount of modification time in the response to the time modification message indicates an increase in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a decrease in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

responsive to the red traffic signal time period beginning before the intercept time period elapses or the red traffic signal time period not elapsing before the intercept time period elapses, increase the velocity of the vehicle to arrive at the nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path before the intercept time period elapses, wherein the increase in the velocity of the vehicle is stopped when the velocity of the vehicle attains a predetermined maximum velocity.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including program instructions executable by one or more processors that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:

determining, based on route data, a plurality of distances corresponding to a plurality of paths for a vehicle between a vehicle location and a destination location, wherein the route data includes a map of a predetermined area including the vehicle location and the destination location;

receiving traffic signal data from an external traffic signal data source via an electronic communication link, the traffic signal data including a plurality of traffic signal states for a plurality of traffic signals on the plurality of paths;

determining a plurality of travel times corresponding to a predetermined portion of the plurality of paths based on the plurality of distances and the plurality of traffic signal states; and

determining an optimized path between the vehicle location and the destination location based on the path of the plurality of paths that corresponds to a shortest travel time of the plurality of travel times.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of traffic signal states includes a red traffic signal state to indicate that a red traffic signal time period has not elapsed, wherein the red traffic signal state indicates that when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of one of the plurality of traffic signals in the red traffic signal state, the vehicle is requested to stop until the red traffic signal time period elapses.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

determine, for the plurality of paths, a plurality of traffic queue delay times based on a number of objects within a predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals or a velocity of the objects within the predetermined distance of the plurality of traffic signals, wherein the predetermined portion of the plurality of paths includes the plurality of paths corresponding to the plurality of traffic signals with a traffic queue delay time that is less than a predetermined traffic queue delay threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

determine an intercept time period based on a velocity of the vehicle and the distance to a nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the intercept time period is an amount of time for the vehicle to arrive at the nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path; and

responsive to the red traffic signal time period beginning before the intercept time period elapses or the red traffic signal time period not elapsing before the intercept time period elapses, send a time modification message to a traffic signal control device associated with nearest one of the plurality of traffic signals on the optimized path, wherein the time modification message includes a request to increase the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a request to decrease the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , further comprising:

responsive to receiving a response to the time modification message including an amount of modification time, modify the plurality of travel times based on the amount of modification time indicated in the response to the time modification message, wherein the amount of modification time in the response to the time modification message indicates an increase in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period begins or a decrease in the amount of time before the red traffic signal time period elapses.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external traffic signal data source is a traffic management center.