Method and system for modeling and processing vehicular traffic data and information and applying thereof

• US 20030216857A1
• Filed: 06/16/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inrix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Estimotion, Inc.
• Inventors: Eshpar, Allon, Feldman, Israel, Lotem, Amnon, Meltzer, Yochai, Trinker, Arie
• Granted Patent: US 6,879,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]

Abstract

A method and system for modeling and processing vehicular traffic data and information, comprising: (a) transforming a spatial representation of a road network into a network of spatially interdependent and interrelated oriented road sections, for forming an oriented road section network; (b) acquiring a variety of the vehicular traffic data and information associated with the oriented road section network, from a variety of sources; (c) prioritizing, filtering, and controlling, the vehicular traffic data and information acquired from each of the variety of sources; (d) calculating a mean normalized travel time (NTT) value for each oriented road section of said oriented road section network using the prioritized, filtered, and controlled, vehicular traffic data and information associated with each source, for forming a partial current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with each source; (e) fusing the partial current traffic situation picture associated with each source, for generating a single complete current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with entire oriented road section network; (f) predicting a future complete vehicular traffic situation picture associated with the entire oriented road section network; and (g) using the current vehicular traffic situation picture and the future vehicular traffic situation picture for providing a variety of vehicular traffic related service applications to end users.

Claims

1. A method for modeling and processing vehicular traffic data and information, comprising the steps of:

(a) transforming a spatial representation of a road network associated with the vehicular traffic data and information into a network of spatially interdependent and interrelated oriented road sections, for forming an oriented road section network;

(b) acquiring a variety of the vehicular traffic data and information associated with said oriented road section network, from a variety of sources;

(c) calculating a mean normalized travel time (NTT) value from a plurality of normalized travel time (NTT) values of each of a plurality of vehicles, normalized with respect to a pre-determined distance, for each said oriented road section of said oriented road section network using said prioritized, filtered, and controlled, vehicular traffic data and information associated with each said source, for forming a partial current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with each said source; and

(d) fusing said partial current traffic situation picture associated with each said source, for generating a single complete current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with entire said oriented road section network and with said road network.

2. A method for acquiring vehicular traffic data and information, comprising:

(a) transforming a spatial representation of a road network associated with the vehicular traffic data and information into a network of spatially interdependent and interrelated oriented road sections, for forming an oriented road section network; and

(b) acquiring a variety of the vehicular traffic data and information associated with said oriented road section network, from a variety of sources.

3. A system for modeling and processing vehicular traffic data and information, comprising:

(a) a transform mechanism for transforming a spatial representation of a road network associated with the vehicular traffic data and information into a network of spatially interdependent and interrelated oriented road sections, for forming an oriented road section network;

(b) a normalized travel time (NTT) calculator software module for calculating a mean normalized travel time (NTT) value from a plurality of normalized travel time (NTT) values of each of a plurality of vehicles, normalized with respect to a predetermined distance, for each said oriented road section of said oriented road section network by using said prioritized, filtered, and controlled, vehicular traffic data and information associated with each said source, supplied by said sampler software module, for forming a partial current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with each said source; and

(c) a fusion and current picture generator module for fusing said partial current traffic situation picture associated with each said source, supplied by said normalized travel time (NTT) calculator software module, for generating a single complete current vehicular traffic situation picture associated with entire said oriented road section network and with said road network.