GPS-based traffic monitoring system

• US 20070005224A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell World Trade Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 9,047,765 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 1/096716 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 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A traffic information system for a vehicle comprises a transmitter and a global positioning system (GPS) associated with the vehicle that selectively generates location and vector data. A control module receives the location and vector data and wirelessly transmits the location and vector data using the transmitter when the vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads and does not transmit the location and vector data when the vehicle is traveling on a second set of predetermined roads.

Claims

1. A traffic information system for a vehicle, comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) associated with said vehicle that selectively generates location and vector data;

a transmitter; and

a control module that receives said location and vector data and that wirelessly transmits said location and vector data using said transmitter when said vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads and that does not transmit said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a second set of roads.

2. The traffic information system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver that communicates with said control module and that wirelessly receives traffic reports from a remote traffic monitoring system.

3. The traffic information system of claim 2 wherein said traffic reports include traffic speed information for traffic traveling on at least one of said first set of predetermined roads.

4. A system comprising the traffic information system of claim 2 and further comprising a service assistance system that communicates with said control module and that wirelessly communicates with said a remote service assistance system.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising said remote traffic monitoring system that receives said vector and location data and that compares a speed of said vehicle on a first road to a first threshold and to an average traffic speed on said first road and that selectively triggers contact with said vehicle using said service assistance system and said remote service assistance system.

6. The traffic information system of claim 2 wherein said traffic reports include parking status information for public parking spots.

7. The traffic information system of claim 6 wherein said parking status information for said public parking spots includes at least one status type selected from a group consisting of leaving, filled, open and unknown.

8. The traffic information system of claim 1 wherein said control module transmits said vector and location data on a periodic basis.

9. The traffic information system of claim 1 wherein said control module monitors changes in direction of said vehicle and transmits said vector and location data when said vehicle changes direction greater than a direction change threshold.

10. The traffic information system of claim 1 wherein said control module monitors changes in speed of said vehicle and transmits said vector and location data when said vehicle speed change is greater than a speed change threshold.

11. The traffic information system of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transmitter when said vehicle ignition is turned off.

12. The traffic information system of claim 11 wherein said control module selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transmitter when said vehicle ignition is turned off and said vehicle is parked in a public parking spot.

13. The traffic information system of claim 12 wherein said control module selectively transmits vector and location data using said transmitter when said vehicle leaves said public parking spot.

14. The traffic information system of claim 2 wherein said control module selectively generates location and parking indication data when an engine of said vehicle is turned off and selectively transmits said location and parking indication data using said transmitter.

15. A system comprising the traffic information system of claim 14 and further comprising a parking monitoring system located remotely from said vehicle that receives said location and parking indication data from said vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles, that generates parking status reports, and that selectively transmits said parking status reports to said vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a parking lot module associated with a parking lot that identifies available parking spots in said parking lot; and

a transmitter that transmits parking lot data related to said available parking spots to said parking monitoring system.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a parking spot module associated with a parking spot that identifies a filled status of said parking spot; and

a transmitter that transmits parking spot data based on said filled status to said parking monitoring system.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said parking status report is based in part on said parking lot data.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said parking report is based in part on said parking spot data.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said parking status reports include parking spot information related to parking spots within a predetermined distance of said at least one vehicle.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein said parking spot information includes a parking status for parking spaces on at least one road, wherein said parking status includes at least one selected from the group consisting of vacant, filled, unknown, and leaving.

22. The traffic information system of claim 1 wherein said control module is integrated with said GPS.

23. A method for operating a traffic information system for a vehicle, comprising:

selectively generating location and vector data using a global positioning system associated with a vehicle;

wirelessly transmitting said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads; and

disabling transmission of said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a second set of roads.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising wirelessly receiving traffic reports at said vehicle from a remote traffic monitoring system.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said traffic reports include traffic speed information for traffic traveling on at least one of said first set of predetermined roads.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

comparing a speed of said vehicle on a first road to a first threshold and to an average traffic speed on said first road; and

selectively triggering contact with said vehicle using a remote service assistance system based on said comparison.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said traffic reports include parking status information for public parking spots.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said parking status information for a parking spot includes at least one status type selected from a group consisting of leaving, filled, open and unknown.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising transmitting said vector and location data on a periodic basis.

30. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

monitoring changes in direction of said vehicle; and

transmitting said vector and location data when said vehicle changes direction greater than a direction change threshold.

31. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

monitoring changes in speed of said vehicle; and

transmitting said vector and location data when said vehicle speed change is greater than a speed change threshold.

32. The method of claim 23 further comprising selectively transmitting parking indication and location data when said vehicle ignition is turned off.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising selectively transmitting parking indication and location data when said vehicle ignition is turned off and said vehicle is parked in a public parking spot.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising transmitting vector and location data when said vehicle leaves said public parking spot.

35. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

selectively generating location and parking indication data when an engine of said vehicle is turned off; and

selectively transmitting said location and parking indication data.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising:

receiving said location and parking indication data from said vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles;

generating parking status reports; and

selectively transmitting said parking status reports to said vehicle.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

identifying available parking spots in a parking lot; and

wirelessly transmitting parking lot data related to said available parking spots to a remote parking monitoring system.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

identifying a filled status of a parking spot; and

transmitting parking spot data based on said filled status to a remote parking monitoring system.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein said parking status report is based in part on said parking lot data.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein said parking reports are based in part on said parking spot data.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein said parking status reports include parking spot information related to parking spots within a predetermined distance of said at least one vehicle.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein said parking spot information includes a parking status for a parking spot, wherein said parking status includes at least one selected from the group consisting of vacant, filled, unknown, and leaving.