Method and apparatus for collecting traffic data in real time

• US 20040249560A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Byung-Wook, Kim, Jin-Won
• Application Number:
  US10/637,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249560A1
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting traffic data in real time are disclosed. When a mobile terminal having received real time traffic data generates a position registration message including the real time traffic data, and then transmits the generated position registration message, a regional traffic server, which manages regional traffic information within a predetermined area, receives the position registration message, and extracts the traffic data from the position registration message. Further, the regional traffic server stores the extracted traffic data in a regional traffic information management database, and then transmits regional traffic information to a central traffic server, thereby enabling the central traffic server to synthetically manage national traffic information. Because messages transmitted/received when a mobile terminal of a mobile communication system, which has been already installed and spread, registers its position, are utilized, the initial investment cost and maintenance cost for collecting traffic data in real time are minimized. Further, because traffic data of corresponding positions from an unspecified plurality of mobile terminals cooperating with a navigation terminal are collected, traffic data can be collected more accurately in real time.

Claims

1. A method for collecting traffic data in real time, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) generating and transmitting a position registration message including real time traffic data in a mobile terminal having received the real time traffic data from a navigation terminal,;

(2) managing regional traffic information within a predetermined area, and receiving the position registration message in a regional traffic server; and

(3) extracting traffic data from the position registration message in the regional traffic server, and storing the extracted traffic data in a regional traffic information management database.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the extracted traffic data to a central traffic server for synthetically managing national traffic data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step (1), the real time traffic data is added to a surplus area of the position registration message set in advance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the real time traffic data includes at least one of moving direction data, present position data, and moving speed data of the mobile terminal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step (2), the regional traffic server receives the position registration message from a BSC in an area to which the mobile terminal belongs.

6. A mobile terminal for transmitting traffic data in real time, the mobile terminal comprising:

a navigation terminal interface unit for receiving real time traffic data from a navigation terminal, which is installed on a mobile body and reads traveling information of the mobile body;

a mobile phone function processing unit for controlling mobile phone functions of the mobile terminal, and transmitting a position registration message to a BSC after determining whether a position of the mobile terminal is registered; and

a format processing unit for receiving the traffic data from the navigation terminal interface unit, temporarily storing it, generating the position registration message including the stored traffic data when a position registration message transmission is determined by the mobile phone function processing unit, and transmitting the generated position registration message to the mobile phone function processing unit.

7. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the format processing unit adds the traffic data including at least one of moving direction data, present position data, and a moving speed to a surplus area of the position registration message, and then generates the position registration message including the traffic data.

8. The mobile terminal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the mobile phone function processing unit transmits the position registration message including the traffic data, which is transmitted from the format processing unit, to the BSC.

9. A regional traffic information management apparatus comprising:

a position registration message analyzing unit for receiving a position registration message from a BSC, analyzing the position registration message, and then determining whether traffic data has been included in the position registration message;

a traffic data extraction unit for extracting the traffic data from the position registration message when the traffic data has been included in the position registration message;

a traffic data decoding unit for decoding the traffic data extracted by the traffic data extraction unit; and

a regional traffic information storage unit for storing the traffic data decoded by the traffic data decoding unit as regional traffic information.

10. The regional traffic information management apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a traffic data transmission unit for transmitting at least one of a present position, a moving direction, and a moving speed of the mobile terminal decoded by the traffic data decoding unit to a central traffic information management apparatus, which synthetically manages national traffic data.

11. The regional traffic information management apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the traffic data is at least one of a present position, a moving direction, and a moving speed of the mobile terminal that has transmitted the position registration message.

12. The regional traffic information management apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the traffic data is classified into moving speeds and moving directions according to links, and then stored in the regional traffic information storage unit.

13. The regional traffic information management apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein generation time of the traffic data is managed, and traffic data that has passed a predetermined effective time is discarded in the regional traffic information storage unit.