METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING TRAFFIC INFORMATION

• US 20080275628A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Xiang, Li, Qi-Xiang, Zhang, Ke-Jiao, Li, Zhao-Hui
• Application Number:
  US11/743,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20080275628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• 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: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates

Abstract

A method and apparatus for communicating traffic information, that in certain embodiments performs the actions of associating (215) with a traffic group that corresponds to a traffic region, determining (220) at least one traffic related parameter of the mobile communication device while operating within the traffic region, and transmitting (235) to the traffic group a transmit traffic information message that includes the at least one traffic related parameter. In certain embodiments, the following actions are performed: receiving (225) one or more receive traffic information messages from mobile communication devices associated with the traffic group, wherein each receive traffic information message includes at least one traffic related parameter and preparing (240) a local traffic report using the receive traffic information messages.

Claims

1. A method used in a mobile communication device for communicating traffic information, comprising:

associating with a traffic group that corresponds to a traffic region;

determining at least one traffic related parameter of the mobile communication device while operating within the traffic region; and

transmitting to the traffic group a transmit traffic information message that includes the at least one traffic related parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting the traffic group from a traffic group database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic parameter is transmitted when a criteria is met, wherein the criteria is one of a group that consists of expiration of an interval, reaching a specific location, below a speed for a period, above a speed for a period, and finding a road condition.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic parameter includes at least one of a location of the mobile communication device, an average speed of the mobile communication device, a maximum speed of the mobile communication device, a minimum speed of the mobile communication device, an average acceleration of the mobile communication device, a time related to the at least one traffic parameter, and a new local road condition.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a transmission time of the transmitting of the transmit traffic information message and content of the transmit traffic information message is determined by an filtering function that is a function of at least one of 1) times of transmissions of one or more previous transmit traffic information messages transmitted by the mobile communication device and 2) traffic information within the one or more previous transmit traffic information messages transmitted by the mobile communication device.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising receiving one or more receive traffic information messages from one or more mobile communication devices associated with the traffic group, wherein the filtering function of the traffic information associated with the mobile communication device is further a function of at least one of 1) times of receipts of the one or more receive traffic information messages and 2) traffic information within the one or more receive traffic information messages.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the filtering function alters an interval between the transmission of the transmit traffic information message and a most recent transmit traffic information message in response to at least one of the following:

comparison of speed information in the one or more transmit or receive traffic information messages and a recent speed of the mobile communication device;

intervals of receipts of one or more recent receive traffic information messages;

new local road condition severity;

distances between the mobile communication device and mobile communication devices generating the one or more receive traffic information messages.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the filtering function reduces traffic related parameter information in response to at least one of the following:

comparison of speed information in the one or more transmit or receive traffic information messages and a recent speed of the mobile communication device;

intervals of receipts of one or more recent receive traffic information messages;

new local road condition severity;

distances between the mobile communication device and mobile communication devices generating the one or more receive traffic information messages.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more receive traffic information messages from mobile communication devices associated with the traffic group, wherein each receive traffic information message includes at least one traffic related parameter; and

preparing a local traffic report using the receive traffic information messages

10. A method used in a mobile communication device for communicating traffic information, comprising:

associating with a traffic group that corresponds to a traffic region;

receiving one or more receive traffic information messages from mobile communication devices associated with the traffic group, wherein each receive traffic information message includes at least one traffic related parameter; and

preparing a local traffic report using the receive traffic information messages

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

presenting the local traffic report on a human output modality.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the traffic report includes at least one of 1) a location of the mobile communication device, 2) an average travel time within the traffic region and 3) a new local road condition.

13. A communication device, comprising:

a transmitter;

a processing system controlled by programmed instructions that executes a traffic information generation function that operates in conjunction with the transmitter to associate the communication device with a traffic group that corresponds to a traffic region;

wherein the traffic information generation function determines at least one traffic related parameter of the mobile communication device while operating within the traffic region; and

wherein the traffic information generation function operates in conjunction with the transmitter to transmit to the traffic group a transmit traffic information message that includes the at least one traffic related parameter.

14. The communication device according to claim 13, further comprising a memory coupled to the processing system that stores a traffic group database from which the traffic group may be selected.

15. The communication device according to claim 13, further comprising one or more sensors whose outputs are coupled to the processing system, wherein the at least one traffic parameter is derived from one or more of the sensor outputs and includes at least one of a location of the mobile communication device, an average speed of the mobile communication device, a maximum speed of the mobile communication device, a minimum speed of the mobile communication device, an average acceleration of the mobile communication device, a time related to the at least one traffic parameter, and a new local road condition.

16. The communication device according to claim 13, further comprising

a radio receiver coupled to the processing system that receives one or more receive traffic information messages from mobile communication devices associated with the traffic group, wherein each receive traffic information message includes at least one traffic related parameter;

and

a traffic information rendering function executed by the processing system that prepares a local traffic report using the receive traffic information messages.