PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATING TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION TENDENCY AND USING THE SAME

• US 20060268721A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Young In, SEO, Chu Hyun, LEE, Joon Hwi, JUNG, Mun Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,907,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/237
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/092 Coding or decoding of the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour

Abstract

A method for identifying traffic information includes receiving traffic data including a first identifier, information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link, and information corresponding to a location associated with the particular link. The first identifier enables a determination of a type of the information that is included within the received traffic data. The method includes determining a type of information included within the received traffic data based on the first identifier and determining congestion tendency prediction information based on the information included in the received traffic data only if the first identifier enables a determination that the received traffic data includes a prediction related to a congestion tendency. The method includes determining location information based on the information that is included in the received traffic data corresponding to the location associated with the particular link and identifying traffic information based on the determined congestion tendency prediction information and the determined location information.

Claims

1. A method for identifying traffic information, the method comprising:

receiving traffic data including a first identifier, information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link, and information corresponding to a location associated with the particular link, wherein the first identifier enables a determination of a type of the information that is included within the received traffic data;

determining a type of information included within the received traffic data based on the first identifier;

determining congestion tendency prediction information based on the information included in the received traffic data only if the first identifier enables a determination that the received traffic data includes a prediction related to a congestion tendency;

determining location information based on the information that is included in the received traffic data corresponding to the location associated with the particular link; and

identifying traffic information based on the determined congestion tendency prediction information and the determined location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining congestion tendency prediction information includes accessing received data reflecting, among other items, results of measurements made with respect to traffic previously traversing the link, and computing a prediction for future congestion based on the received data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining congestion tendency prediction information involves accessing information provided within the received traffic data and recognizing that data as the predicted congestion tendency.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information corresponding to a message management structure including information corresponding to a generation time of information reflected in the traffic data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the generation time included within the received message management structure relates to a plurality of message component structures that correspond to more than one of a predicted or current traffic tendency, a predicted or current amount of traffic, a predicted or current speed, or a predicted or current time to traverse a particular link.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each message component structure further comprises an identifier specific to the type of information and the first identifier is an identifier, in a message component structure, specific to the prediction of congestion tendency for the particular link.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving information corresponding to a chronological indication associated with the predicted congestion tendency revealed by the received information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the chronological indication reflects a particular time of day for which the predicted congestion tendency corresponds.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the chronological indication is reflected using the universal time co-ordinated standard.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the congestion tendency prediction information and the location information are determined in a single step.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information is determined before the congestion tendency prediction information is determined.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving traffic data includes decoding the traffic data such that the received traffic data is decoded traffic data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency includes receiving a value associated with a level of congestion.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving a value associated with a level of congestion includes receiving a predicted congestion tendency of the link including a text descriptor of congestion and a value associated with a level of congestion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the value associated with a level of congestion is a code that directs access of a table of values to retrieve a specific value.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the value associated with a level of congestion is determined by a weighted summation of past or present congestion information.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link reflects the predicted congestion tendency.

18. An apparatus for identifying traffic information, the apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive traffic data including a first identifier, information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link, and information corresponding to a location associated with the particular link, wherein the first identifier enables a determination of a type of the information that is included within the received traffic data; and

a processor configured to;

determine a type of information included within the received traffic data based on the first identifier;

dependent upon whether the first identifier enables a determination that the received traffic data includes a prediction related to a congestion tendency, determine congestion tendency prediction information based on the information included in the received traffic data;

determine location information based on the information that is included in the received traffic data corresponding to the location corresponding to the particular link; and

identify traffic information based on the determined congestion tendency prediction information and the determined location information.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive traffic data including information corresponding to a version number of information reflected in the traffic data, wherein the version number is associated with a specific syntax of the data where any one of multiple syntaxes may be used.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive information corresponding to a message management structure including information corresponding to a generation time of information reflected in the traffic data.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive information corresponding to a data length of the received data.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to receive the predicted congestion tendency reflected as one value in a set of possible values.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine the prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link only if the first identifier reveals that the traffic data relates to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link.

24. An apparatus for identifying traffic information, the apparatus comprising:

means for an interface configured to receive traffic data including a first identifier, information corresponding to a prediction of congestion tendency for a particular link, and information corresponding to a location associated with the particular link, wherein the first identifier enables a determination of a type of the information that is included within the received traffic data;

means for determining a type of information included within the received traffic data based on the first identifier;

means for determining congestion tendency prediction information based on the information included in the received traffic data only if the first identifier enables a determination that the received traffic data includes a prediction related to a congestion tendency;

means for determining location information based on the information that is included in the received traffic data corresponding to the location corresponding to the particular link; and

means for identifying traffic information based on the determined congestion tendency prediction information and the determined location information.