TRAFFIC DATA COLLECTION IN A NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM

• US 20110125392A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: HAO, Jack Jianxiu
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A server device collects traveling speed data from a first mobile device when the first mobile device is located within an area of potential traffic congestion; and records or updates a congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected traveling speed data, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion. The server device receives, from a second mobile device, a request for traffic information, where the request includes information identifying a current geographic location of the second mobile device and a destination geographic location to which the second mobile device plans to travel; and provides information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the second mobile device to permit the second mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more server devices, comprising:

collecting, by the one or more server devices, real-time geographic location and traveling speed data from a plurality of mobile devices when the plurality of mobile devices is located within an area of potential traffic congestion;

recording or updating, by the one or more server devices, a congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected geographic location and traveling speed data, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion;

receiving, from a particular mobile device, a request for traffic information, where the request includes information identifying a current geographic location of the particular mobile device and a destination geographic location to which the particular mobile device plans to travel;

identifying, by the one or more server devices, the area of potential traffic congestion based on the current geographic location and the destination geographic location; and

providing, by the one or more server devices, information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the particular mobile device to permit the particular mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.

2. The method of claim 1, where collecting the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data includes:

providing an instruction to one of the plurality of mobile devices, where the instruction includes at least one of;

an instruction that identifies whether the one of the plurality of mobile devices is to report the geographic location and traveling speed data,

an instruction that identifies when the one of the plurality of mobile devices is to report the geographic location and traveling speed data in the future,

an instruction that identifies a frequency at which the one of the plurality of mobile devices is to report the geographic location and traveling speed data, or

an instruction that identifies when, in the future, the one of the plurality of mobile devices is to contact the one or more sever devices regarding reporting the geographic location and traveling speed data, and

receiving the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data from the one of the plurality of mobile devices in response to the instruction.

3. The method of claim 1, where collecting the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data includes:

receiving, from one of the plurality of mobile devices, the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data only when the one of the plurality of mobile devices is traveling below a speed limit of a roadway on which the one of the plurality of mobile devices is traveling.

4. The method of claim 1, where collecting the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data includes:

providing, to one of the plurality of mobile devices, information regarding the area of potential traffic congestion; and

receiving, from the one of the plurality of mobile devices, the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data, associated with the one of the plurality of mobile devices, when the one of the plurality of mobile devices determines that the one of the plurality of mobile devices is located within the area of potential traffic congestion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting, from a mobile device that is separate from the plurality of mobile devices, real-time geographic location and traveling speed data, as collected data;

determining whether the mobile device is located within the area of potential traffic congestion;

recording or updating the congestion factor associated with the area of potential traffic congestion based on the collected data when the mobile device is located within the area of potential traffic congestion; and

discarding the collected data when the mobile device is not located within the area of potential traffic congestion.

6. The method of claim 1, where collecting the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data includes:

providing an instruction to one of the plurality of mobile devices, where the instruction indicates when the one of the plurality of mobile devices is to report the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data, and

receiving the real-time geographic location and traveling speed data from the one of the plurality of mobile devices in response to the instruction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the potential area of traffic congestion based on previously collected geographic location and traveling speed data, where the previously collected geographic location and traveling speed data indicates that multiple mobile devices were traveling below a speed limit of a roadway in the potential area of traffic congestion.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the potential area of traffic congestion based on historical information regarding previously identified areas of traffic congestion.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing information regarding the area of potential traffic congestion, the stored information including the congestion factor associated with the area of potential traffic congestion and at least one of;

an identifier that uniquely identifies the area of potential traffic congestion,

a location identifier that identifies a geographic location of the area of potential traffic congestion, or

a description that describes traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion; and

transmitting the stored information to the particular mobile device.

10. One or more server devices, comprising:

means for collecting real-time traveling speed data from a first mobile device when the first mobile device is located within an area of potential traffic congestion;

means for recording or updating a congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected traveling speed data, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion;

means for receiving, from a second mobile device, a request for traffic information, where the request includes information identifying a current geographic location of the second mobile device and a destination geographic location to which the second mobile device plans to travel;

means for identifying the area of potential traffic congestion based on the current geographic location and the destination geographic location; and

means for providing information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the second mobile device to permit the second mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.

11. The one or more server devices of claim 10, where the means for collecting the real-time traveling speed data includes:

means for receiving, from the first mobile device, the real-time traveling speed data only when the first mobile device is traveling below a speed limit of a roadway on which the first mobile device is traveling.

12. The one or more server devices of claim 10, where the means for collecting the real-time traveling speed data includes:

means for providing, to the first mobile device, information regarding the area of potential traffic congestion, and

means for receiving, from the first mobile device, the real-time traveling speed data, associated with the first mobile device, when the first mobile device determines that the first mobile device is located within the area of potential traffic congestion.

13. The one or more server devices of claim 10, where the means for collecting the real-time traveling speed data includes:

means for providing an instruction to the first mobile device, where the instruction indicates when the first mobile device is to report the real-time traveling speed data, and

means for receiving the real-time traveling speed data from the first mobile device in response to the instruction.

14. One or more server devices, comprising:

at least one memory device to store a congestion factor associated with an area of potential traffic congestion, where the congestion factor identifies an amount of traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion; and

at least one processor device, connected to the at least one memory device, to;

collect real-time traveling speed data from a first mobile device when the first mobile device is located within an area of potential traffic congestion,

update the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, based on the collected traveling speed data,

receive, from a second mobile device, a request for traffic information, and

provide, in response to the request, information regarding the congestion factor, associated with the area of potential traffic congestion, to the second mobile device to permit the second mobile device to generate navigational directions based on the congestion factor.

15. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where, when collecting the real-time traveling speed data, the at least one processor device is to:

provide an instruction to the first mobile device, where the instruction includes at least one of;

an instruction that identifies whether the first mobile device is to report the real-time traveling speed data,

an instruction that identifies when the first mobile device is to report the real-time traveling speed data in the future,

an instruction that identifies a frequency at which the first mobile device is to report the real-time traveling speed data, or

an instruction that identifies when, in the future, the first mobile device is to contact the one or more sever devices regarding reporting the real-time traveling speed data, and

receive the real-time traveling speed data from the first mobile device in response to the instruction.

16. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where, when collecting the real-time traveling speed data, the at least one processor device is to:

receive, from the first mobile device, the real-time traveling speed data only when the first mobile device is traveling below a speed limit of a roadway on which the first mobile device is traveling.

17. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where, when collecting the real-time traveling speed data, the at least one processor device is to:

provide, to the first mobile device, information regarding the area of potential traffic congestion, and

receive, from the first mobile device, the real-time traveling speed data when the first mobile device determines that the first mobile device is located within the area of potential traffic congestion.

18. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where, when collecting the real-time traveling speed data, the at least one processor device is to:

provide an instruction to the first mobile device, where the instruction indicates when the first mobile device is to report the real-time traveling speed data, and

receive the real-time traveling speed data from the first mobile device in response to the instruction.

19. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where the at least one processor device is further to:

identify the potential area of traffic congestion based on previously collected traveling speed data, where the previously collected traveling speed data indicates that multiple mobile devices were traveling below a speed limit of a roadway in the potential area of traffic congestion.

20. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where the at least one processor device is further to:

identify the potential area of traffic congestion based on historical information regarding previously identified areas of traffic congestion.

21. The one or more server devices of claim 14, where the at least one memory device is further to:

store information regarding the area of potential traffic congestion, the stored information including the congestion factor associated with the area of potential traffic congestion and at least one of;

an identifier that uniquely identifies the area of potential traffic congestion,

a location identifier that identifies a geographic location of the area of potential traffic congestion, or

a description that describes traffic congestion associated with the area of potential traffic congestion.

22. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor to;

receive, from one or more servers, information regarding one or more areas of traffic congestion,

determine whether the mobile device is located within one of the one or more areas of traffic congestion,

determine traveling speed data of the mobile device when the mobile device is located within one of the one or more areas of traffic congestion, and

report, to the one or more servers, the traveling speed data only when the mobile device is located within one of the one or more areas of traffic congestion.

23. The mobile device of claim 22, further comprising:

a display; and

where the processor is further to;

receive, from a user, information regarding a destination geographic location to which the user desires navigational directions,

send a request for traffic congestion data to the one or more servers, the request including information identifying a current geographic location of the mobile device and the destination geographic location,

receive traffic congestion data, associated with an area of traffic congestion of the one or more areas of traffic congestion, from the one or more servers,

calculate a shortest path between the current geographic location and the destination geographic location based on the traffic congestion data,

generate navigational directions based on the calculated shortest path, and

present the navigational directions on the display.

24. The mobile device of claim 22, where the processor is further to:

determine whether the mobile device is traveling at or above a speed limit of a roadway on which the mobile device is traveling, and

provide no traveling speed data to the one or more servers when the mobile device is traveling at or above the speed limit even when the mobile device is located within one of the one or more areas of traffic congestion.