VEHICLE OPERATION BY LEVERAGING TRAFFIC RELATED DATA

• US 20100070128A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Michael S. B.
• Application Number:
  US12/210,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070128A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A platform is provided for receiving traffic related data collected from a network of sensors and forwarding traffic related data to on-vehicle technologies. The on-vehicle technologies include hardware and software components and are configured to enable motorists to make informed decisions on operation of their vehicles regarding fuel economy and road safety. The on-vehicle technologies may also be enabled to automatically adjust vehicle operation parameters such as automatic turning off and on of the engine at a stop light based on traffic related data received from the platform.

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for improving vehicle operation based on traffic related data, the method comprising:

receiving traffic related data collected from a plurality of sensors at traffic signaling locations;

analyzing the received data;

determining a relevant portion of the analyzed data for a particular on-vehicle technology; and

transmitting the relevant portion of the analyzed data to the on-vehicle technology through a wireless medium such that the on-vehicle technology is enabled to perform one of the following;

adjusting a vehicle operating parameter automatically and alerting a driver of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle operating parameter manually.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic related data includes information associated with an intersection comprising one or more from a set of:

traffic signaling status information, traffic signaling timing information, vehicle presence information, pedestrian presence information, and possible vehicle presence information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the vehicle operating parameter automatically includes at least one from a set of:

shutting off engine in response to determining a prolonged red light exceeding a predefined threshold, turning on the engine at a predefined time prior to traffic signal turning green, reducing vehicle speed employing an engine brake, and adjusting a fuel injection amount.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the driver of the vehicle includes providing one or more of the following:

an audio alert, a visual alert, and a tactile alert, the alerts indicating one or more from a set of;

a need to turn off engine in response to an expected prolonged red light exceeding a predefined threshold, a need to turn on the engine at a predefined time prior to traffic signal turning green, a need to reduce vehicle speed in anticipation of an upcoming red light, a need to reduce the vehicle speed in anticipation of a pedestrian crossing an upcoming red light, and a need to reduce the vehicle speed in anticipation of another vehicle potentially running an upcoming red light.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant portion of the analyzed data is transmitted to the on-vehicle technology through one or more of the following:

a short range wireless network, a wide area wireless network, and a cellular communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the on-vehicle technology to perform its tasks based on additional data received from an auxiliary data source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the auxiliary data source includes at least one application from a set consisting of:

a Global Positioning Service (GPS) application, a cellular communication application, and a digital traffic radio application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a start location and a destination location for the vehicle;

computing recommended routes based on fuel economy and road hazards between the start location and the destination location; and

enabling the on-vehicle technology to provide a report to the driver on the recommended routes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the relevant portion of the analyzed data is also determined based on the received start and destination locations.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the recommended alternate routes are computed employing one of:

a branch-and-bound algorithm, a progressive improvement algorithm, and a heuristic algorithm.

11. A system for improving vehicle operation based on traffic related data, the system comprising:

a server and an information management framework, the server configured to execute the information management framework and further configured to;

receive traffic signaling status, traffic timing, and intersection status information associated with a plurality of intersections from at least one data source application;

analyze the received information;

determine a relevant portion of the analyzed information for a subscribing on-vehicle technology;

report the relevant portion of the analyzed information to the subscribing on-vehicle technology through one or more of the following;

a short range wireless network, a wide area wireless network, and a cellular communication network; and

the subscribing on-vehicle technology configured to;

receive the relevant portion of the analyzed information;

determine a vehicle operating parameter associated with fuel economy and road safety; and

perform one or more of the following;

adjust the vehicle operating parameter automatically and alert a driver of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle operating parameter manually.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subscribing on-vehicle technology includes at least one application executed on one of the following:

a vehicle-mount computing device and a portable computing device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the subscribing on-vehicle technology is configured to detect vehicle operation through one of the following:

coupling to an on-vehicle computer and receiving a user indication of in-vehicle use.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein adjustment of the vehicle operating parameter automatically and alerting the driver of the vehicle to adjust the vehicle operating parameter manually is based on one or more from a set of:

a speed and a distance of a detected vehicle at an upcoming intersection, a braking capability of the driver'"'"'s vehicle, and a braking capability of the detected vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the information management framework is configured to analyze the received information in order to determine a need for the driver to perform at least one from a set of:

turning off engine in response to an expected prolonged red light, turning on the engine at a predefined time prior to traffic signal turning green, reducing vehicle speed in anticipation of an upcoming red light, reducing the vehicle speed in anticipation of a pedestrian crossing an upcoming red light, reducing the vehicle speed in anticipation of another vehicle potentially running an upcoming red light, and selecting an alternate route in response to a fuel economy and road hazard analysis of potential routes.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the signaling status and traffic timing information are received from a network of traffic light sensors and controllers, and the intersection status information is received from a network of intersection sensors comprising one or more of the following:

optical sensors, in-road loop antenna sensors, laser based sensors, and radar based sensors.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computing device to perform actions, the actions comprising:

receiving traffic related data collected from at least one data source application associated with a plurality of sensors at traffic signaling locations;

receiving a start location and a destination location for a vehicle from an on-vehicle technology;

determining a relevant portion of the data for the on-vehicle technology;

analyzing the relevant portion of the data, wherein the analysis includes filtering and interpretation of the data to determine a significance of the relevant portion of the data for the vehicle; and

transmitting the analyzed data to the on-vehicle technology through a wireless medium such that the on-vehicle technology is enabled to perform tasks comprising at least one from a set of;

adjusting a fuel efficiency related vehicle operating parameter automatically, providing an alert to a driver of the vehicle regarding an adjustment of the fuel efficiency related vehicle operating parameter, providing an alert to the driver of the vehicle regarding a potential road hazard at an upcoming intersection, and providing a suggested alternate route between the start and destination locations based on at least one of fuel economy computation and road hazard computation.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the on-vehicle technology is enabled to perform the tasks based on one or more of the following:

receiving the analyzed data and receiving instructions in addition to the analyzed data.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one data source application is part of a municipality managed system communicating with one or more third party hosted platforms for facilitating dissemination of the traffic related data to subscribing on-vehicle technologies.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more third party hosted platforms are further configured to provide additional data to the subscribing on-vehicle technologies including at least one from a set of:

mapping data, traffic conditions data, and weather conditions data.