System and method of maintaining traffic apparatus location information

• US 10,475,341 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2018
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ver-Mac Co.
• Original Assignee: Ver-Mac Co.
• Inventors: Beaudry, Serge, Langlois, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US16/059,152
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 340907
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/0423 Mounting or deployment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2201/01 adapted for specific applications or environments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0295 Proximity-based methods, e.g. position inferred from reception of particular signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable
• 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: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 : for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A system and method of acquiring and maintaining location information associated with traffic apparatus deployed in connection with a traffic flow monitoring or regulation system are disclosed. In some implementations, an apparatus identifier may distinguish a particular traffic apparatus from others that are deployed in proximity, and a functional identifier may define a functionality of the particular traffic apparatus; positioning, orientation, and movement or acceleration data may also be provided for real-time or near real-time system applications. These apparatus data may be used to derive and to maintain a record of location data associated with each traffic apparatus deployed in a particular application.

Claims

1. A method of acquiring and maintaining location information associated with a traffic apparatus;

said method comprising;

affixing a beacon system to the traffic apparatus, the beacon system operative to broadcast apparatus data associated with the traffic apparatus to a remote device operated by a traffic control agency;

capturing the apparatus data responsive to a measure of a signal strength of the beacon system;

deriving location data associated with the traffic apparatus responsive to said capturing; and

responsive to said deriving, recording a location in space at which the traffic apparatus is deployed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data periodically at a frequency.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said capturing is responsive to a peak signal strength.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said deriving comprises utilizing the apparatus data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data responsive to a proximity of the remote device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said deriving comprises utilizing positioning data resident on the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus data include a unique apparatus identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus data include a functional identifier associated with a function of the traffic apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the apparatus data from the remote device to a computer processing system.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said deriving comprises utilizing the computer processing system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said recording comprises utilizing the computer processing system.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting the location data from the computer processing system to a third party platform.

13. A traffic apparatus location system comprising:

a traffic apparatus;

a beacon system affixed to said traffic apparatus, said beacon system to broadcast apparatus data associated with said traffic apparatus;

a remote device to receive the apparatus data broadcast by said beacon system, said remote device operated by a traffic control agency; and

a computer processing system to receive information associated with the apparatus data from said remote device;

wherein the apparatus data are used to derive location data associated with a location in space at which said traffic apparatus is deployed.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the location data are included in the apparatus data broadcast by said beacon system.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data periodically at a frequency.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein said beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data responsive to a proximity of said remote device.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the location data are derived based on a location of said remote device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the location data are derived by said remote device.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the location data are derived by said computer processing system.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus data include a unique apparatus identifier.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the apparatus data include a functional identifier associated with a function of said traffic apparatus.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein said remote device is a wireless telephone.

23. The system of claim 13 wherein said remote device is a tablet computer.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein said beacon system comprises a wireless transceiver and is configured and operative to initiate the broadcast responsive to a signal from said remote device.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein said beacon system comprises one of a global positioning system sensor, a gyroscope, an altimeter, a compass, and an accelerometer.

26. The system of claim 13 wherein said computer processing system is operative to transmit the location data to a third party platform.

27. A traffic apparatus comprising:

a structure to convey information to a motorist; and

a beacon system affixed to said structure, said beacon system to broadcast apparatus data associated with said structure to a remote device, the remote device operated by a traffic control agency and configured and operative receive the apparatus data broadcast by said beacon system;

wherein the remote device transmits information associated with the apparatus data to a computer processing system and the apparatus data are used to derive location data associated with a location in space at which said structure is deployed.

28. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said structure comprises one of a drum, a delineator, a cone, a flasher, a fixed sign, a placard, a barricade, and a programmable sign.

29. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said structure comprises one identified in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

30. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said beacon system comprises a memory to store the apparatus data.

31. The traffic apparatus of claim 30 wherein said memory is selectively programmable.

32. The traffic apparatus of claim 31 wherein the apparatus data may be selectively programmed.

33. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data periodically at a frequency.

34. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said beacon system is operative to broadcast the apparatus data responsive to a proximity of the remote device.

35. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus data include a unique apparatus identifier.

36. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein the apparatus data include a functional identifier associated with a function of said structure.

37. The traffic apparatus of claim 36 wherein the functional identifier is selectively programmable.

38. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said beacon system comprises a wireless transceiver and is configured and operative to initiate the broadcast responsive to a signal from the remote device.

39. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein the location data are derived by said beacon system.

40. The traffic apparatus of claim 39 wherein said beacon system comprises one of a global positioning system sensor, a gyroscope, an altimeter, a compass, and an accelerometer.

41. The traffic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said structure is portable.