Method for refining traffic flow data

• US 20050222751A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uyeki, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,366,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Traffic information, including traffic flow information and traffic incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be presented to a user on a user display in the vehicle. In one embodiment, traffic information provided to a vehicle navigation device is refined by comparing the average speed of the vehicle against the average speed of other vehicles traveling along the same road. In another embodiment, the operation of a traffic signal is controlled based, in part, on the current traffic flow and distance from the traffic signal to alleviate traffic congestion.

Claims

1. A method for improving the accuracy of traffic information provided to a navigation device within a vehicle, the vehicle traveling along a road having a plurality of speed sensors that each provide traffic flow information to a traffic information supplier, the method comprising:

(a) receiving location data and speed data from the navigation device;

(b) broadcasting the location data and speed data received in said step (a) to the traffic information supplier;

(c) receiving sensor data from the traffic information supplier;

(d) comparing the speed data received in said step (a) with the sensor data received in said step (c);

(e) generating an alert containing proposed corrective action, if there is a discrepancy between the speed data and sensor data;

(f) broadcasting refined traffic information to the navigation device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location data and speed data received in said step (a) is transmitted by the navigation device over a wireless communication network.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location data and speed data received in said step (a) is transmitted by the navigation device over a satellite communication network.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data received in said step (c) was transmitted from a sensor located in a similar geographic area as when the vehicle navigation device transmitted the location data and speed data.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor data received in said step (c) comprises sensor speed data.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein comparing the speed data with the sensor data in said step (d) comprises:

(i) determining the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and a sensor speed data received in said step (c).

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein generating an alert in said step (e) comprises:

(i) generating a first alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is between zero and ten miles per hour;

(ii) generating a second alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is between ten and sixteen miles per hour;

(iii) generating a third alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is between sixteen and twenty miles per hour; and

(iv) generating a fourth alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is greater that twenty miles per hour.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the second alert generated in said step (ii) comprises requesting the traffic information supplier to check the sensor data received in said step (c).

9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the third alert generated in said step (iii) comprises requesting the traffic information supplier to monitor the speed sensor.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating an alert in said step (e) comprises:

(i) generating a first alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is less than twenty percent;

(ii) generating a second alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is between twenty and thirty percent;

(iii) generating a third alert, if the speed difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is between thirty and forty percent; and

(iv) generating a fourth alert, if the difference between the speed data received in said step (a) and the sensor speed data received in said step (c) is greater that forty percent.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(g) transmitting the alert generated in said step (e) to the traffic information supplier.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein broadcasting refined traffic information in said step (f) comprises:

(i) correcting the sensor data received in said step (c); and

(ii) transmitting the traffic information t the navigation device, based at least in part on the sensor data corrected in said step (i).

13. A method for managing traffic signals controlled by a signal control center to alleviate traffic flow problems associated with vehicles traveling on a road having a first lane and a second lane, each vehicle having a navigation device, the method comprising:

(a) receiving location data and speed data from a navigation device in a target vehicle traveling in the first lane;

(b) receiving average vehicle speeds of vehicles traveling in the first and second lanes;

(c) transmitting the location data and the speed data received in said step (a) and the average vehicle speeds received in said step (b) to the signal control center;

(d) determining the speed differential between the average vehicle speed of a vehicle traveling in the first lane and the average vehicle speed of a vehicle traveling in the second lane;

(e) determining the distance that the target vehicle is located from the traffic signal; and

(f) modifying the signal time of the traffic signal, based at least in part on the distance determined in said step (e) and the speed differential determined in said step (d).

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein modifying the signal time in said step (g) comprises:

(i) increasing the signal timing by ten percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is between one-quarter of a mile and one-half of a mile.

(ii) increasing the signal timing by fifteen percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is between one-half of a mile and three quarters of a mile;

(iii) increasing the signal timing by twenty percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is between three quarters of a mile and one mile;

(iv) increasing the signal timing by thirty percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is between one mile and one and one quarter of a mile;

(v) increasing the signal timing by forty percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is between one and one-quarter of a mile and one and one half of a mile; and

(vi) increasing the signal timing by fifty percent if the speed differential determined in said step (d) is less than twenty miles per hour and the distance determined in said (e) is greater than one and one-half of a mile.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

(g) displaying the location data and the speed data received in said step (a) and the average vehicle speed received in said step (b).