Methods and apparatus for monitoring traffic data

• US 10,297,147 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2017
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FLIR Commercial Systems Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Commercial Systems Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Benhammou, Daniel, Birgen, Tyler, Houska, Josh, VanRooyen, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louie, Wae L
• Application Number:
  US15/708,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20180158329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 701117, 701119, 34235752, 34235774, 340933
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/30 Environment conditions or position therewithin
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/36 Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/065 by counting the vehicles in a section of the road or in a parking area, i.e. comparing incoming count with outgoing count
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096 provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 : where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 : where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 : where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/097 : Supervising of traffic control systems, e.g. by giving an alarm if two crossing streets have green light simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 : involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 : Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/12 : Transmitting and receiving encryption devices synchronised or initially set up in a particular manner
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 : using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 : Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 : with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 : to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

A system and method for processing traffic data and locally generated data. A traffic signal monitoring device may be associated with a vehicle and configured to receive traffic data from traffic infrastructure devices. The traffic signal monitoring device may additionally or alternatively utilize local data (e.g., speed of the vehicle) to generate alerts to notify a driver of hazardous conditions or to suppress operations (e.g., notifications, menus) of a device to reduce distractions.

Claims

1. A method of improving vehicle operational safety, comprising:

receiving, at a traffic signal monitoring device, traffic data from at least one traffic hardware device, wherein the traffic signal monitoring device is disposed in a vehicle and comprises;

a memory module comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a processor in operative communication with the memory module;

an input port for receiving input data from accessory devices; and

an output port for transmitting instruction signals to output devices;

receiving, at the processor, input data from at least one accessory device;

analyzing, at the processor, the traffic data and the input data utilizing at least one rule comprising at least one condition and at least one instruction, wherein the at least one rule is stored on the memory module;

generating, at the processor and in response to determining the traffic data and input data satisfy the at least one condition, an instruction signal;

transmitting, from the output port, the instruction signal to an output device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a control module associated with a mobile telephone and, in response to the instruction signal, the mobile telephone enters a reduced functionality mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reduced functionality mode comprises suppressing at least one notification generated by a processor of the mobile telephone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the output device is a control module associated with an in-dash display unit and, in response to the instruction signal, the in-dash display unit enters a reduced functionality mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the reduced functionality mode comprises suppressing menu options.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input data comprises a speed of the vehicle and the traffic data comprises signal phase and timing data of a traffic signal in close proximity to the vehicle; and

the at least one condition comprises a threshold speed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the output device is a speaker; and

the at least one instruction signal is operable to cause the speaker to generate an audible alert to the operator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed;

the signal phase and timing data indicates that the traffic signal is displaying a red light; and

the audible alert comprises a warning indicative of hazardous conditions.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the speed of the vehicle is zero miles per hour and the audible alert comprises a warning indicative that the traffic signal is displaying a green light.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one accessory device comprises one of a gyroscope, a touch-sensitive display screen, a keyboard, or a camera.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the vehicle is stationary based on the speed of the vehicle;

calculating a location of the vehicle based on input data received from a global positioning system module;

predicting that the vehicle will remain stationary based on the signal phase and timing data;

selecting an advertisement from a database based at least in part on the location of the vehicle;

streaming the advertisement.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the processor, that an operator of vehicle is interacting with the traffic signal monitoring device based on input data received from at least one accessory device.

13. A device configured for use in a vehicle, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive traffic data transmitted wirelessly from a transmitter in operative communication with at least one traffic hardware device, wherein the traffic data is generated at least in part by the at least one traffic hardware device;

a processor;

a memory module configured to store a plurality of rules, wherein each rule of the plurality of rules comprises at least one condition and at least one instruction; and

an output port for transmitting an instruction signal to an output device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the output device is a speaker in operative communication with the output port and the instruction signal causes the speaker to emit an audible alert.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the output device comprises a control module of an autonomous braking system integrated with the vehicle.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the output device comprises a display screen configured to display a visual alert to an operator of the vehicle in response to the instruction signal.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one traffic hardware device comprises a signal controller configured to control at least one traffic signal disposed adjacent to a roadway intersection and wherein the signal controller is in operative communication with a radio transmitter for transmission of traffic data.