METHOD FOR PREDICTING A TRAVEL TIME FOR A TRAFFIC ROUTE

• US 20140088871A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Triangle Software LLC (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gueziec, Andre
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for predicting a travel time for a traffic route is disclosed. The traffic route comprises one or more road segments. A predicted travel time for each of those segments is calculated based, in part, on traffic speed data for each of the one or more road segments. A total travel time is then calculated for the route, the total travel time including a predicted travel time for each of the one or more road segments.

Claims

1. A method for predicting a travel time for a traffic route, comprising:

associating real-time traffic speed data with historical speed data to generate combined traffic speed data for a plurality of road segments during a particular time interval, wherein the plurality of road segments comprise at least a beginning point and a destination;

receiving from a user a preferred arrival time for the destination;

determining a predicted travel time for the plurality of road segments based on a plurality of travel patterns and the traffic speed data, wherein the predicted travel time includes a total travel time for each of the plurality of road segments;

generating a departure time based on the predicted travel time and the preferred arrival time;

receiving information in real-time from at least one user traversing at least one of the plurality of road segments relating to changes in the plurality of travel patterns;

automatically updating the predicted travel time in response to changes in the plurality of travel patterns and traffic speed data;

generating an updated departure time based on the updated predicted travel time; and

sending an alert to a user with a recommended departure time for an on-time arrival at the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a traffic model of the plurality of road segments, wherein the traffic model is based on the traffic speed data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the traffic model is color-coded based on a density of traffic on each of the plurality of road segments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is sent to the user by way of text message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is sent to the user by way of email.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is sent to the user when the difference between the updated recommended departure time and the original departure time exceeds a user-defined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is sent to the user when the updated predicted travel time exceeds a user-defined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating an alternate traffic route that has a predicted travel time that is shorter than the updated predicted travel time.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending an alert to the user with a recommended departure time for an on-time arrival at the destination using the alternate traffic route.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the alternate traffic route is presented to the user in the form of text.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the alternate traffic route is presented to the user in the form of a map.