Traffic Flow Model to Provide Traffic Flow Information

• US 20100228467A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Typhoon IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Wolfe, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality

Abstract

Examples of maintaining or querying a traffic database to generate a traffic flow model to provide traffic flow information and determine a per-lane route for a vehicle to travel are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a per-lane route for a vehicle to travel comprising:

querying a traffic database with a database query, wherein the database query identifies an indication of a start location and an end location for the vehicle to travel and also identifies an indication of a vehicle type, the traffic database to include traffic lane characteristics associated with a route between the start location and the end location;

receiving traffic flow information from the traffic database, wherein the traffic flow information is generated by the traffic database responsive to the database query using a traffic flow model, and the traffic lane characteristics to provide the traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location;

determining a per-lane route for the vehicle to travel in response to receiving the traffic flow information; and

presenting the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the start location and the end location for the vehicle to travel comprises the vehicle to prospectively travel over at least a portion of a road segment, the road segment including one or more traffic lanes.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the traffic flow model comprises the traffic flow model generated by implementing a traffic flow algorithm for each of the one or more traffic lanes, the traffic flow algorithm inputs to include at least a portion of the traffic lane characteristics and at least a portion of the query information.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the traffic database comprises one or more of periodically updated information and substantially fixed information, the substantially fixed information and the periodically updated information maintained for the one or more traffic lanes included in the road segment.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the substantially fixed information includes traffic lane restriction information and the periodically updated information includes information from at least one of a road sensor, a traffic lane alert report, traffic flow data reported from a vehicle that has traveled over the one or more traffic lanes, traffic flow data reported from a vehicle that is traveling over the one or more traffic lanes or a transition point delay time.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the traffic lane restriction information for the one or more traffic lanes comprises the traffic lane restriction information to include at least one of a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic lane, a speed limit, a height limit, a weight limit, a hazardous cargo prohibition, a seasonal closure, a noise limit or a tire-traction requirement.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the traffic database is further arranged to provide the traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location by providing traffic flow information that includes an indication of whether the vehicle is restricted from traveling in a traffic lane from among the one or more traffic lanes.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein determining the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel comprises determining the per-lane route based, at least in part, on the fastest travel time over one or more given traffic lanes from among the one or more traffic lanes.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein, the traffic database is further arranged to provide traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location by providing traffic flow information for the one or more traffic lanes that includes at least one of an indication of travel speeds obtained from the road sensor, an indication of a traffic lane alert from the traffic lane alert report, an indication of a travel speed from the traffic flow data reported from the vehicle that has traveled over the one or more traffic lanes, an indication of a travel speed from the traffic flow data reported from a vehicle that is traveling over the one or more traffic lanes, an indication of a transition point delay time or an indication of estimated total travel time through a traffic lane from among the one or more traffic lanes.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data base query further comprises an indication of at least one of a time of the query, a passenger status, a vehicle capability or a special allowance.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle capability includes at least one of height clearance, turning radius, four-wheel drive or tire-traction capable.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the special allowance includes at least one of a low emission vehicle, an alternative fuel vehicle or a vehicle transporting hazardous cargo.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein presenting the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel comprises presenting the per-lane route to a navigation system located with the vehicle and the navigation system to display the per-lane route.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel comprises determining the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel with a provider of a navigation service, wherein the provider is also configured to present the determined per-lane route for the vehicle to travel via turn-by-turn verbal guidance.

15. A traffic routing apparatus to provide a per-lane route for a vehicle to travel comprising:

a query manager including logic to send a query to a traffic database, the query to include information to indicate a start location and an end location for the vehicle to travel and to include an indication of a vehicle type, the traffic database to include traffic lane characteristics associated with a route between the start location and the end location, and also including logic to receive a reply from the traffic database, wherein the reply includes traffic flow information based on a traffic flow model that employs the query information and the traffic lane characteristics to provide the traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location; and

a per-lane route manager including logic to determine a per-lane route for the vehicle to travel in response to traffic flow information received from the reply and also including logic to present the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel.

16. A traffic routing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the start location and the end location for the vehicle to travel comprises the vehicle to prospectively travel over at least a portion of a road segment, the road segment including one or more traffic lanes.

17. A traffic routing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the traffic flow model comprises the traffic flow model generated by the query manager'"'"'s logic implementing a traffic flow algorithm for each of the one or more traffic lanes, inputs to the traffic flow algorithm to include at least a portion of the traffic lane characteristics and at least a portion of the query information.

18. A traffic routing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the logic for the per-lane route manager to determine the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel comprises logic configured to determine the per-lane route based, at least in part, on the fastest travel time over one or more given traffic lanes from among the one or more traffic lanes.

19. A traffic routing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the query manager and the per-lane route manager comprises the query manager and the per-lane route manager resident in a navigation system located with the vehicle.

20. A system to provide a per-lane route for a given vehicle to travel comprising:

a query manager including logic to send a query, the query to include information to indicate a start location and an end location for the given vehicle to travel and a characteristic of the given vehicle, and also including logic to receive a reply to the query, wherein the reply includes traffic lane characteristics associated with a route between the start location and the end location responsive to the query;

a traffic database manager including logic to receive the query and generate the reply to the query using a traffic database, wherein the traffic database includes traffic lane characteristics associated with one or more routes for a vehicle to travel, the traffic lane characteristics to be based on one or more of substantially fixed information and periodically updated information, wherein the logic of the traffic database manager is arranged to generate the reply to the query by applying a traffic flow model to the query information and traffic lane characteristics associated with a route between the start location and the end location, wherein the traffic flow model generates traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location; and

a per-lane route manager including logic to determine a per-lane route for the given vehicle to travel in response to receiving the traffic flow information and to provide the per-lane route for the given vehicle to travel.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the route between the start location and the end location comprises at least a portion of a road segment, the road segment including one or more traffic lanes.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the traffic flow model comprises the traffic flow model generated by the database manager'"'"'s logic implementing a traffic flow algorithm for each of the one or more traffic lanes, inputs for the traffic flow algorithm to include at least a portion of the traffic lane characteristics and at least a portion of the query information.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the logic for the per-lane route manager to determine the per-lane route for the given vehicle to travel comprises logic configured to determine the per-lane route based, at least in part, on the fastest travel time over one or more given traffic lanes from among the one or more traffic lanes.

24. A system according to claim 20, wherein the query manager and the per-lane route manager comprises the query manager and per-lane route manager resident in a navigation system located with the given vehicle.

25. A system according to claim 20, wherein the query manager and the per-lane route manager are both included in a provider of a navigation service, wherein the provider of the navigation service is further configured to present the per-lane route for the given vehicle to travel.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein to present the per-lane route comprises turn-by-turn verbal guidance via an audio output located with the given vehicle.

27. A system according to claim 20, wherein the substantially fixed information include traffic lane restriction data, and wherein the periodically updated information includes data from a road sensor.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein the traffic lane restriction data comprises the traffic lane restriction data to include at least one of a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) traffic lane, a speed limit, a height limit, a weight limit, a hazardous cargo prohibition, a seasonal closure, a noise limit or a tire-traction requirement.

29. A computer program product comprising a signal bearing medium having instructions for presenting a per-lane route for a vehicle to travel, which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

query a traffic database with a database query, wherein the database query identifies an indication of a start location and an end location for the vehicle to travel and also identifies an indication of a vehicle type, the traffic database to include traffic lane characteristics associated with a route between the start location and the end location;

receive traffic flow information from the traffic database, wherein the traffic flow information is generated by the traffic database responsive to the database query using a traffic flow model, and the traffic lane characteristics to provide the traffic flow information for the route between the start location and the end location;

determine a per-lane route for the vehicle to travel in response to receiving the traffic flow information; and

present the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel.

30. A computer program product according to claim 29, wherein the start location and the end location for the vehicle to travel comprises the vehicle to prospectively travel over at least a portion of a road segment, the road segment including one or more traffic lanes.

31. A computer program product according to claim 30, wherein to determine the per-lane route for the vehicle to travel comprises to determine the per-lane route based, at least in part, on the fastest travel time over one or more given traffic lanes from among the one or more traffic lanes.