METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING TRAFFIC FLOW DATA TO NAVIGATE A VEHICLE TO A DESTINATION

• US 20070290839A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• 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: Kurciska, Maja, Tamura, Kazuya, Uyeki, Robert, Ohki, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,671,764 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for selectively using traffic flow data to provide routing options for a vehicle traveling to a destination point. There is provided a method comprising setting a threshold traffic flow data availability level, receiving traffic flow data from traffic flow sensors placed along one or more routes to the destination point, and determining whether the traffic flow data for each route meets the threshold availability level. The method further comprises enabling a flow-based route guidance for those routes for which the traffic flow data meets the threshold availability level. In one embodiment, the flow-based route guidance comprises utilizing the traffic flow data to calculate an estimated time of arrival at the destination point along each route.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a vehicle to a destination point, comprising:

setting a traffic flow data availability level;

calculating a first route from a vehicle starting point to the destination point;

receiving first traffic flow data from traffic flow sensors placed along the first route;

determining whether the first traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level;

enabling a flow-based route guidance for the first route if the first traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level, the flow-based route guidance comprising utilizing the first traffic flow data to calculate a first estimated time of arrival at the destination point along the first route; and

utilizing a first alternative route guidance to navigate the vehicle if the first traffic flow data does not meet the traffic flow data availability level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the traffic flow data availability level comprises setting the availability level to a majority of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting the traffic flow data availability level comprises setting the availability level to approximately 75% availability of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the first traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level comprises determining whether at least approximately 75% of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route are available to provide traffic flow measurements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the traffic flow data availability level comprises setting the availability level from about 50% to about 90% availability of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the first alternative route guidance comprises using one or more default flow values in calculating the first estimated time of arrival.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing the first alternative route guidance comprises using traffic incident data in calculating the first estimated time of arrival.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a second route from the vehicle starting point to the destination point;

receiving second traffic flow data from traffic flow sensors placed along the second route;

determining whether the second traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level;

enabling the flow-based route guidance for second route if the second traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level, the flow-based route guidance comprising utilizing the second traffic flow data to calculate a second estimated time of arrival at the destination point along the second route; and

utilizing a second alternative route guidance to navigate the vehicle if the second traffic flow data does not meet the traffic flow data availability level.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying the first and second routes on a vehicle display device; and

graying out those routes having traffic flow data that do not meet the traffic flow data availability level.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the first and second routes; and

ranking the first and second routes based on the first and second estimated times of arrival, respectively, a higher ranking is assigned to one of the first and second routes having an earlier estimated time of arrival at the destination point.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein utilizing the second alternative route guidance comprises using one or more default flow values in calculating the second estimated time of arrival.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein utilizing the second alternative route guidance comprises using traffic incident data in calculating the second estimated time of arrival.

13. A system for navigating a vehicle to a destination point, comprising:

an onboard vehicle computer programmed to;

set a traffic flow data availability level;

calculate a first route from a vehicle starting point to the destination point;

receive first traffic flow data from traffic flow sensors placed along the first route;

determine whether the first traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level;

enable a flow-based route guidance for the first route if the first traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level, the flow-based route guidance comprising utilizing the first traffic flow data to calculate a first estimated time of arrival at the destination point along the first route; and

utilize a first alternative route guidance to navigate the vehicle if the first traffic flow data does not meet the traffic flow data availability level; and

a vehicle display device operatively coupled to the vehicle computer for displaying map and routing information for a user.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the traffic flow data availability level comprises a majority of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the majority comprises approximately 75% of the traffic flow sensors placed along the first route.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein first alternative route guidance comprises using one or more default flow values in calculating the first estimated time of arrival.

17. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the first alternative route guidance comprises using traffic incident data in calculating the first estimated time of arrival.

18. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the onboard vehicle computer is further programmed to:

calculate a second route from the vehicle starting point to the destination point;

receive second traffic flow data from traffic flow sensors placed along the second route;

determine whether the second traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level;

enable the flow-based route guidance for the second route if the second traffic flow data meets the traffic flow data availability level, the flow-based route guidance comprising utilizing the second traffic flow data to calculate a second estimated time of arrival at the destination point along the second route; and

utilize a second alternative route guidance to navigate the vehicle if the second traffic flow data does not meet the traffic flow data availability level.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the onboard vehicle computer is further programmed to:

display the first and second routes on the vehicle display device; and

gray out those routes having traffic flow data that do not meet the traffic flow data availability level.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the onboard vehicle computer is further programmed to:

compare the first and second routes; and

rank the first and second routes based on the first and second estimated times of arrival, respectively, a higher ranking is assigned to one of the first and second routes having an earlier estimated time of arrival at the destination point.

21. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein second alternative route guidance comprises using one or more default flow values in calculating the second estimated time of arrival.

22. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the second alternative route guidance comprises using traffic incident data in calculating the second estimated time of arrival.