Method and system for obtaining traffic information using transponders
First Claim
1. A method of obtaining traffic information regarding a roadway using a vehicle equipped with a transponder having a memory, the roadway including a downstream reader having a downstream communications zone over a first portion of the roadway and an upstream reader having an upstream communication zone over a second portion of the roadway, the upstream communication zone being separated from the downstream communication zone by a distance of the roadway, the roadway including a display sign, the method comprising the steps of:
- sending a time stamp to the transponder for storage in the memory of the transponder while the vehicle traverses the upstream communication zone;
reading said time stamp from the memory of the transponder when the vehicle is in the downstream communication zone; and
determining a travel time from the upstream communication zone to the downstream communication zone based upon said time stamp, and travel time information based upon said travel time.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for obtaining traffic information regarding the travel time between two points using vehicle-mounted transponders. The system includes an upstream reader and a downstream reader. The upstream reader inserts a time stamp into a passing transponder. The downstream reader reads the time stamp and determines the travel time between the two readers. The downstream reader may accumulate a number of travel times from multiple transponders and calculate an average travel time. The downstream reader may then send the calculated travel time to a display sign for display to motorists. The displayed travel time may include a quantitative value or a qualitative assessment of the travel conditions.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of obtaining traffic information regarding a roadway using a vehicle equipped with a transponder having a memory, the roadway including a downstream reader having a downstream communications zone over a first portion of the roadway and an upstream reader having an upstream communication zone over a second portion of the roadway, the upstream communication zone being separated from the downstream communication zone by a distance of the roadway, the roadway including a display sign, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending a time stamp to the transponder for storage in the memory of the transponder while the vehicle traverses the upstream communication zone;
reading said time stamp from the memory of the transponder when the vehicle is in the downstream communication zone; and
determining a travel time from the upstream communication zone to the downstream communication zone based upon said time stamp, and travel time information based upon said travel time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for obtaining traffic information regarding a roadway upon which vehicles equipped with transponders travel, the transponders each having a memory, the system comprising:
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a downstream reader having a downstream communications zone over a first portion of the roadway; and
an upstream reader having an upstream communication zone over a second portion of the roadway, the upstream communication zone being separated from the downstream communication zone by a distance of the roadway, the upstream reader having a time stamp transceiver for sending a time stamp to the transponder for storage in the memory of the transponder while one of the vehicles traverses the upstream communication zone, wherein said downstream reader includes an interrogation transceiver for reading said time stamp from the memory of the transponder when the vehicle is in the downstream communication zone, and a travel time module for determining a travel time from the upstream communication zone to the downstream communication zone based upon said time stamp, and determining travel time information based upon said travel time. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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22. A downstream reader for use in a system for obtaining traffic information regarding a roadway upon which vehicles equipped with transponders travel, the transponders each having a memory, the system including an upstream reader having an upstream communication zone and storing a time stamp in the memory of a transponder while a vehicle traverses the upstream communication zone, the downstream reader comprising:
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a downstream antenna having a downstream communication zone over a portion of the roadway;
an interrogation transceiver connected to said downstream antenna for sending an interrogation signal to the transponder and receiving a response signal, wherein the response signal includes said time stamp; and
a travel time module for determining a travel time from the upstream communication zone to the downstream communication zone based upon said time stamp and travel time information based upon said travel time.
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Specification