IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,293,657
Granted Patent B2
US 12,293,657 · App. 17/830,776 · Granted May 6, 2025

Systems and methods for mitigating lane-change disturbance based on cooperative maneuvering

Inventors: Yashar Zeiynali Farid (Mountain View, CA); Sergei S. Avedisov (Mountain View, CA); Onur Altintas (Mountain View, CA); Kentaro Oguchi (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
G08G1/0112G08G1/052B60W30/18163
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,293,657
App. No.
17/830,776
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for mitigating lane-change disturbance based on cooperative maneuvering includes obtaining traffic data from a target lane, determining whether a traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane based on learned car-following models and the traffic data, identifying a connected vehicle in the target lane in response to determining that the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane, and requesting that the identified connected vehicle change lanes from the target lane to another lane to obtain an empty space between a vehicle in front of the identified connected vehicle and a vehicle behind the identified connected vehicle or follow a suggested speed profile to obtain an empty space between the identified connected vehicle and a vehicle in front of the identified connected vehicle.

Claims (45)

1. A method for traffic density reduction, comprising:

obtaining traffic data from a target lane;

predicting speed or acceleration profile oscillations of vehicles in the target lane generated in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane;

determining whether a traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to the ego vehicle moving to the target lane based on learned car-following models and the traffic data;

identifying a connected vehicle in the target lane in response to determining that the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane;

requesting that the identified connected vehicle change lanes from the target lane to another lane to obtain a first empty space between a vehicle in front of the identified connected vehicle and a vehicle behind the identified connected vehicle; and

operating the ego vehicle to move to the target lane,

wherein whether the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable is determined based on the predicted speed or acceleration profile oscillations of vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein requesting that the identified connected vehicle change lanes comprises transmitting a vehicle-to-vehicle message to the identified connected vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the traffic data from the target lane includes driving information about vehicles in the target lane.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a decline from the identified connected vehicle in the target lane;

identifying another connected vehicle in the target lane; and

requesting that the identified another connected vehicle change lanes from the target lane to another lane to obtain another empty space between a vehicle in front of the identified another connected vehicle and a vehicle behind the identified another connected vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an approval from the identified connected vehicle in the target lane; and

instructing the connected vehicle to change lanes from the target lane to another lane in response to receiving approval from the identified connected vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

instructing the ego vehicle to enter into a second empty space by changing lanes from a current lane to the target lane,

wherein the first empty space is further away from the ego vehicle than the second empty space.

7. A system for mitigating traffic congestion, the system comprising:

a network interface hardware; and

a processor programmed to perform operations comprising:

obtaining traffic data from a target lane;

predicting speed or acceleration profile oscillations of vehicles in the target lane generated in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane;

determining whether a traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane based on learned car-following models and the traffic data;

identifying a connected vehicle in the target lane in response to determining that the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane; requesting, through the network interface hardware, that the identified connected vehicle change lanes from the target lane to another lane to obtain an empty space between a vehicle in front of the identified connected vehicle and a vehicle behind the identified connected vehicle; and

operating the ego vehicle to move to the target lane,

wherein whether the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable is determined based on the predicted speed or acceleration profile oscillations of vehicles.

8. The system for mitigating traffic congestion of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform operations comprising:

receiving a decline from the identified connected vehicle in the target lane;

identifying another connected vehicle in the target lane; and

requesting that the identified another connected vehicle change lanes from the target lane to another lane to obtain another empty space between a vehicle in front of the identified another connected vehicle and a vehicle behind the identified another connected vehicle.

9. The system for mitigating traffic congestion of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform operations comprising:

receiving an approval from the identified connected vehicle in the target lane; and

instructing the connected vehicle to change lanes from the target lane to another lane in response to receiving approval from the identified connected vehicle.

10. The system for mitigating traffic congestion of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform operations comprising:

identifying another connected vehicle in the target lane in response to determining that the traffic in the target lane becomes string unstable in response to an ego vehicle moving to the target lane;

generating a suggested speed profile for the identified another connected vehicle based on the traffic data and the learned car-following models; and

requesting that the identified another connected vehicle drive based on the suggested speed profile.

11. The system for mitigating traffic congestion of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to perform operations comprising:

instructing other connected vehicles in the target lane to transmit state data to the identified another connected vehicle.

12. The system for mitigating traffic congestion of claim 10 , wherein the identified another connected vehicle follows the suggested speed profile to create a first empty space between the identified another connected vehicle and a vehicle in front of the identified another connected vehicle in the target lane, and

wherein the processor is further programmed to perform operations comprising:

instructing the ego vehicle to enter into a second empty space in the target lane by changing lanes from a current lane to the target lane.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2025
From: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 071485/0647 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2022
From: ZEIYNALI FARID, YASHAR; AVEDISOV, SERGEI S.; ALTINTAS, ONUR; OGUCHI, KENTARO
To: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.; TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 060086/0906 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230394957A1 · Dec 7, 2023
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