Traffic analysis based on historical global positioning system data

• US 20110153183A1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Traffic B.V. (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Wuensch, Gregor, Cohn, Nicholas David, Schurr, Ingo
• Granted Patent: US 11,288,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096855 where the output is provided in a suitable form to the driver details on I/O arrangements for onboard navigation computers G01C21/36
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A method of analyzing traffic by a system includes receiving sequential location measurements from users of the system, mapping the received sequential location measurements to a digital map and determining traffic information for a first time period based on mapped sequential location measurements corresponding to the first time period. A system may include a database configured to store sequential location measurements received from users of the system and a processor configured to extract sequential location measurements from the database and determine traffic information for a first period based on the extracted sequential location measurements. The sequential location measurements include periodic times and associated coordinates.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing traffic by a system, the method comprising:

receiving sequential location measurements from users of the system;

mapping the received sequential location measurements to a digital map; and

determining traffic information for a first time period based on mapped sequential location measurements corresponding to the first time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequential location measurements are anonymous.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining includes.

extracting sequential location measurements for a previous second period that corresponds to the first time period, and

determining traffic information based on the extracted sequential location measurements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequential location measurements are Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the GPS data includes time and latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving sequential location measurements includes,

receiving the GPS data periodically.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining traffic information includes,

determining an estimated travel time from a first location to a second location for the first time period based on mapped sequential location measurements received from at least one user of the system traveling from a first location to a second location, wherein

the first location and second location are included in the received mapped sequential location measurements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining traffic information includes,

determining an estimated intersection usage for the first time period based on mapped sequential location measurements received from at least one user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequential location measurements are collected by a navigation device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the navigation device is any one of a personal navigation device, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant and an in vehicle device.

11. A computer readable medium, when run on a computing device, configured to instruct the computing device to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A system comprising:

a database configured to store sequential location measurements received from users of the system, the sequential location measurements including periodic times and associated coordinates; and

a processor configured to extract sequential location measurements from the database and determine traffic information for a first period based on the extracted sequential location measurements.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to extract sequential location measurements for a previous second period that corresponds to the first time period, and determine traffic information based on the extracted sequential location measurements.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sequential location measurements are Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the GPS data includes time and longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the GPS data is received periodically.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine an estimated travel time from a first location to a second location for the first time period based on mapped sequential location measurements received from at least one user of the system traveling from a first location to a second location, wherein

the first location and second location are included in the received mapped sequential location measurements.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine an estimated intersection usage for the first time period based on mapped GPS data received from at least one user.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the sequential location measurements are anonymous.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the sequential location measurements are collected by a navigation device.