Intelligent transportation system

• US 20050221759A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bosch Rexroth Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Bosch Rexroth Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Paielli, Perry M., Kramer, Jason G., Llewellyn, David R., Spadafora, William G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.200
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09 Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A node for communications in a transportation network comprises a processor, a memory, a communication device, and a set of instructions executable by the processor for: extracting information from a first message, making a first determination based at least in part on the information; and making a second determination as to whether a second message should be sent based on the first determination.

Claims

1. A node for communications in a transportation network, the node comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a communication device configured to send and receive one or more messages; and

a set of instructions executable by the processor for;

a. extracting a location of an event from a first message;

b. making a first determination by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the node; and

c. making a second determination as to whether a second message should be sent based on the first determination.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein said geographic characteristic is at least one of a position of the node and a direction of the node.

3. The node of claim 1, said instructions further comprising instructions for:

a. acting on the second determination.

4. The node of claim 1, wherein the node is attached to a vehicle.

5. The node of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle network interface, said instructions further comprising instructions for:

making a third determination as to as to whether information extracted from the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold; and

a. if the information surpasses the threshold, sending a communications directive via said vehicle network interface.

6. The node of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor, wherein the position sensor comprises an external navigation system and an inertial navigation system, and further wherein the second message includes a position of the node.

7. The node of claim 1, wherein the first message includes at least one of:

directional information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be repeated;

range information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon;

time information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon; and

target receiver information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message is intended for reception.

8. The node of claim 1, wherein the second message includes at least one of:

directional information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be repeated;

range information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon;

time information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon; and

target receiver information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message is intended for reception.

9. A node in a transportation system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a communication device configured to send and receive at least one message; and

a set of instructions executable by the processor for;

a. receiving a first message from said communication device;

b. making a determination as to whether information extracted from the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold, thereby determining a significance of the first message; and

c. if the information surpasses the threshold, creating a second message.

10. The node of claim 9, wherein the determination of significance is based on a geographic characteristic of the node.

11. The node of claim 9, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the relative position of the node to at least one second node.

12. The node of claim 9, wherein the second message includes at least one of position information, directional information, range information, time information, warning information, map information, text information, and traffic condition information, whereby a second node may determine if the message should be repeated.

13. The node of claim 9, wherein the message sent includes target receiver information, whereby a second node may determine if the message is intended for reception.

14. A transportation communications system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a position sensing system;

a communication device configured to send and receive a messages; and

a set of instructions executable by the processor for;

a. receiving a first message in said communication device, the first message including a location of a sender and an intended direction of message travel;

b. extracting the location of the sender from the first message;

c. determining a vehicle location from said position sensing system;

d. extracting the intended direction of message travel from the first message;

e. making a direction determination as to a direction of the vehicle relative to the position of the sender;

f. comparing the direction determination to the intended direction of message travel; and

g. acting on the comparison by sending a second message based upon the first message.

15. The node of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle network interface, said instructions further comprising instructions for:

a. making a third determination as to whether information extracted from the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold; and

b. if the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold, sending a communications directive via said vehicle network interface.