VIRTUAL TRAFFIC SENSORS

• US 20090287402A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Susan S., Liu, Kungwel, Smith, Merlin J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,899 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

Techniques are described for virtual traffic sensors (VTS). In an implementation, an electronic device provides a variety of functionality including at least functionality to determine position. The electronic device may be further configured to ascertain locations of one or more virtual traffic sensors. In at least some embodiments, locations of virtual traffic sensors are determined by the electronic device using a variety of VTS criteria. Using a determined position, the electronic device may detect proximity to the virtual traffic sensors. The electronic device may collect traffic related data when in proximity to the one or more virtual traffic sensors. The electronic device may then communicate the collected traffic data over a suitable network connection to a service provider.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing;

a position module operable via the processor to determine a position of the electronic device using one or more position determining techniques; and

a traffic module operable via the processor to;

ascertain a location for one or more virtual traffic sensors that logically define geographic locations at which traffic data is to be collected;

detect proximity to said one or more virtual traffic sensors using the determined position; and

collect traffic data for communication to a service provider responsive to detecting proximity to said one or more virtual traffic sensors.

2. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a satellite navigation receiver to enable receiving of signal data from a plurality of satellites, wherein the position module determines the position based upon the signal data received via the satellite navigation receiver.

3. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured as a portable navigation device.

4. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a communication module to provide the collected traffic data over a network to the service provider.

5. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to communicate the collected traffic data wirelessly from the device.

6. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein collecting traffic data comprises creating a traffic log for communication to the service provider when a network connection is available.

7. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an interface configured to operably couple the electronic device to a computing device through which the collected traffic data is communicated to the service provider.

8. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication of the collected traffic data to the service provider occurs substantially in real time.

9. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ascertaining includes determining locations for said one or more virtual traffic sensors (VTS) at the electronic device based upon VTS criteria communicated to the electronic device by the service provider.

10. An electronic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the VTS criteria includes:

route characteristic criteria;

delay criteria; and

traffic trend criteria.

11. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ascertaining includes determining a location for at least one said virtual traffic sensor (VTS) based upon a pre-defined location that is communicated to the electronic device by the service provider.

12. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is operable to receive defined locations of the one or more virtual traffic sensors (VTS) over a network from the service provider.

13. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ascertaining includes:

referencing map data according to a position determined through the position module;

determining characteristics of a route using the referenced map data, and

locating the one or more virtual traffic sensors (VTS) along the route based upon the determined characteristics of the route.

14. An electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the determined position is provided by the service provider

15. A method comprising:

storing in an electronic memory data describing a plurality of virtual traffic sensors to logically define geographic locations at which traffic data is collected by an electronic device;

collecting traffic data responsive to detecting proximity to the plurality of virtual traffic sensors using the electronic device; and

communicating the collected traffic data from the electronic device to a service provider.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

obtaining criteria to define the locations of the plurality of virtual traffic sensors over a network from the service provider; and

ascertaining the locations of the plurality of virtual traffic sensors according to the criteria.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the criteria includes:

route characteristic criteria;

delay criteria; and

traffic trend criteria.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the ascertaining includes determining a location for at least one said virtual traffic sensor based upon a pre-defined location that is communicated to the electronic device by the service provider.

19. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the ascertaining includes:

referencing map data according to a position of the electronic device;

determining characteristics of a route using the referenced map data, and

locating the one or more virtual traffic sensors along the route based upon the determined characteristics of the route.

20. A method as recited in claim 15, further including redefining the location of one or more of the virtual traffic sensors.

21. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining a position of the electronic device using one or more position determining techniques; and

comparing the determined position to the logically defined geographic locations of the plurality of virtual traffic sensors to perform the detecting proximity.

22. A method comprising:

defining a set of criteria for locations of a plurality of virtual traffic sensors;

communicating the set of the criteria over a network to one or more devices to enable the devices to identify the location of the virtual traffic sensors;

receiving traffic data collected by the one or more devices at one or more of the virtual traffic sensor locations;

determining traffic conditions based upon the received traffic data; and

providing traffic services to the one or more devices based upon the determined traffic conditions.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein:

defining the set of criteria includes maintaining a database of pre-defined locations for virtual traffic sensors; and

communicating the set of criteria includes communicating the pre-defined locations to the one or more devices.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the criteria includes route characteristics.

25. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the criteria includes a time of day and a day of the week.