METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING DATA TO A TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVER

• US 20100036595A1
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Tengler, Steven C., Coy, Dean, Johnson, Richard A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A method for transmitting data to a traffic information server includes obtaining, at a mobile vehicle, data including at least one of a vehicle speed and a vehicle location at a then-current time, and determining whether the data is redundant. Determining whether the data is redundant may be accomplished by at least one of comparing the data with other data previously transmitted to the traffic information server from an other mobile vehicle or determining whether the data falls within an expected range for a predetermined time interval. The method further includes transmitting the data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from the mobile vehicle if the data is determined to be non-redundant. Also disclosed herein is a system to perform the method.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data to a traffic information server, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a mobile vehicle, data including at least one of a vehicle speed and a vehicle location at a then-current time;

determining whether the data is redundant by at least one of;

comparing the data with other data previously transmitted to the traffic information server from an other mobile vehicle;

or

determining whether the data falls within an expected range for a predetermined time interval; and

transmitting the data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from the mobile vehicle if the data is determined to be non-redundant.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to comparing the data with the other data previously transmitted to the traffic information server, the method further comprises communicating the data obtained at the then-current time from the mobile vehicle to the other mobile vehicle.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the data is communicated from the mobile vehicle to the other mobile vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the data is not transmitted to the traffic information server if a predetermined number of mobile vehicles transmitted substantially the same data to the traffic information server within a predefined period of time before the then-current time.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data is a vehicle speed, and wherein the expected range is determined from:

a posted speed limit for a specific road segment;

or a historical speed for the specific road segment based on a day, a time of day, a week, a month, a year, or combinations thereof.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the historical speed is determined from a traffic pattern model based on a compilation of actual speeds of a plurality of mobile vehicles traveling on the specific road segment at the time of day, or on the day, week, month, or year, or combinations thereof.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data further includes at least one of:

information transmitted at periodic time stamps for a predetermined time interval, a number of mobile vehicles traveling on a specific road segment at the then-current time, at least one environmental condition detected by a sensor of the mobile vehicle, road conditions detected by a sensor of the mobile vehicle, or combinations thereof.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from precipitation conditions, external lighting conditions, fog conditions, or combinations thereof.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data transmitted from the mobile vehicle to the traffic information server includes information related to a lane of a road segment that the vehicle is traveling in.

10. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mobile vehicle is a hub vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, at the hub vehicle, data including at least one of the vehicle speed and the vehicle location from a plurality of other vehicles; and

transmitting, from the hub vehicle to the traffic information server, the data for at least one of the plurality of other vehicles if the data is determined to be non-redundant.

11. A method for transmitting data to a traffic information server, the method comprising:

transmitting data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from a first mobile vehicle;

communicating other data from a second mobile vehicle to the first mobile vehicle;

comparing the other data received from the second mobile vehicle with the data transmitted from the first mobile vehicle; and

transmitting the other data, via a wireless communication system, to the traffic information server from the second mobile vehicle if the other data is different from the data transmitted from the first mobile vehicle.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein communicating the other data from the second mobile vehicle to the first mobile vehicle is accomplished via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

13. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the other data is not transmitted to the traffic information server if a predetermined number of mobile vehicles transmitted substantially the same data to the traffic information server within a predefined period of time after obtaining, via the second mobile vehicle, the other data.

14. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the data and the other data transmitted from the first and second mobile vehicles, respectively, to the traffic information server includes information related to a lane of a road segment that the first and second mobile vehicles are traveling in.

15. A traffic information system, comprising:

a first mobile vehicle configured to obtain data including at least one of a vehicle speed and a vehicle location at a then-current time;

means for determining whether the data is redundant, wherein the means for determining is configured to;

compare the data with other data from a second mobile vehicle;

or

determine if the data falls within an expected range for a predetermined period of time; and

a traffic information server in selective operative communication with the first and second mobile vehicles and configured to receive a transmission including the data if the data is determined to be non-redundant.

16. The traffic information system as defined in claim 15, further comprising a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system configured to communicate the data from the first mobile vehicle to the second mobile vehicle, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication system being in operative communication with the means for comparing the data with the other data.

17. The traffic information system as defined in claim 15 wherein the data is the vehicle speed, and wherein the expected range is based on a posted speed limit for a specific road segment or a historical speed for the specific road segment.

18. The traffic information system as defined in claim 17 wherein the historical speed is determined from a traffic pattern model based on a compilation of actual speeds of a plurality of mobile vehicles traveling on the specific road segment at a specific time of day, or on a specific day, week, month, or year, or combinations thereof.

19. The traffic information system as defined in claim 15 wherein the data further includes at least one of:

information transmitted at periodic time stamps for a predetermined time interval, a number of mobile vehicles traveling on a specific road segment at the then-current time, at least one environmental condition detected by a sensor of the first mobile vehicle, road conditions detected by a sensor of the first mobile vehicle, or combinations thereof.

20. The traffic information system as defined in claim 19 wherein the at least one environmental condition is selected from precipitation conditions, external lighting conditions, fog conditions, or combinations thereof.

21. The traffic information system as defined in claim 15 wherein the data from the first mobile vehicle to the traffic information server includes information related to a lane of a road segment that the first mobile vehicle is traveling in.