Intersection Phase Map

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing information about road features. A server can receive reports from information sources associated with a road feature that can include a road intersection. Each report can include source data obtained at a respective time. The source data from the reports can be stored at the server. The server can construct a phase map, where the phase map is configured to represent a status of the road feature at one or more times. The server can receive an information request related to the road feature at a specified time. In response to the information request, the server can generate an information response including a prediction of a status related to the road feature at the specified time. The prediction can be provided by the phase map and is based on information request. The information response can be sent from the server.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a computing device coupled to a vehicle, first sensor data representative of an environment that includes an intersection, wherein a path of travel for the vehicle involves performance of a right turn at the intersection;   based on the first sensor data, detecting, by the computing device, a bicyclist positioned in a right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on a trajectory toward the intersection;   based on detecting the bicyclist positioned in the right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on the trajectory toward the intersection, causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection;   receiving, at the computing device, second sensor data representative of the environment that includes the intersection;   based on the second sensor data, detecting that the bicyclist passed through the intersection; and   based on detecting that the bicyclist passed through the intersection, causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 based on the first sensor data, detecting a pedestrian crossing the intersection; and   wherein causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection further comprises:   causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection based on detecting the pedestrian crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 based on the second sensor data, detecting that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection; and   wherein causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection further comprises:   causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection further based on detecting that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining a phase map that represents traffic cycle information for a traffic signal positioned at the intersection, and   wherein causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection comprises:   causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection using the traffic cycle information for the traffic signal positioned at the intersection.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein obtaining the phase map that represents traffic cycle information for the traffic signal positioned at the intersection comprises:
 transmitting an information request to a server; and   receiving the phase map from the server based on the information request.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection comprises:
 causing the vehicle to decrease speed as the vehicle approaches the intersection.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving first sensor data representative of the environment that includes the intersection comprises:
 receiving one or more images from a camera coupled to the vehicle.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a vehicle;   a computing device coupled to the vehicle, wherein the computing device is configured to:
 receive first sensor data representative of an environment that includes an intersection, wherein a path of travel for the vehicle involves performance of a right turn at the intersection; 
 based on the first sensor data, detect a bicyclist positioned in a right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on a trajectory toward the intersection; 
 based on detecting the bicyclist positioned in the right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on the trajectory toward the intersection, cause the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection; 
 receive second sensor data representative of the environment that includes the intersection; 
 based on the second sensor data, detect that the bicyclist passed through the intersection; and 
 based on detecting that the bicyclist passed through the intersection, cause the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 based on the first sensor data, detect a pedestrian crossing the intersection; and   cause the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection based on detecting the pedestrian crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 based on the second sensor data, detect that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection; and   cause the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection further based on detecting that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 obtain a phase map that represents traffic cycle information for a traffic signal positioned at the intersection, and   cause the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection using the traffic cycle information for the traffic signal positioned at the intersection.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 transmit an information request to a server; and   receive the phase map from the server based on the information request.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:
 cause the vehicle to decrease speed as the vehicle approaches the intersection.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first sensor data corresponds to one or more images from a camera coupled to the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving first sensor data representative of an environment that includes an intersection, wherein a path of travel for a vehicle involves performance of a right turn at the intersection;   based on the first sensor data, detecting a bicyclist positioned in a right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on a trajectory toward the intersection;   based on detecting the bicyclist positioned in the right lane relative to the vehicle and traveling on the trajectory toward the intersection, causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection;   receiving second sensor data representative of the environment that includes the intersection;   based on the second sensor data, detecting that the bicyclist passed through the intersection; and   based on detecting that the bicyclist passed through the intersection, causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 based on the first sensor data, detecting a pedestrian crossing the intersection; and   wherein causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection further comprises:   causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection based on detecting the pedestrian crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 based on the second sensor data, detecting that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection; and   wherein causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection further comprises:   causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection further based on detecting that the pedestrian completed crossing the intersection.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 obtaining a phase map that represents traffic cycle information for a traffic signal positioned at the intersection, and   wherein causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection comprises:   causing the vehicle to perform the right turn at the intersection using the traffic cycle information for the traffic signal positioned at the intersection.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein obtaining the phase map that represents traffic cycle information for the traffic signal positioned at the intersection comprises:
 transmitting an information request to a server; and   receiving the phase map from the server based on the information request.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein causing the vehicle to delay performance of the right turn at the intersection comprises:
 causing the vehicle to decrease speed as the vehicle approaches the intersection.