LIVE TRAFFIC VIEW

• US 20140222324A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Muetzel, Ronald, Roesch, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US13/758,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140222324A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A traffic condition detection system is provided for accessing traffic detection units and obtaining traffic data from the accessed traffic detection units. By analyzing the obtained traffic data, an end to a traffic congestion pattern may be estimated.

Claims

1. A method for determining a traffic condition by a multi-media module installed on a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a user input;

determining an intended route for the vehicle based on the user input;

accessing a traffic detection unit located at a first location along the intended route;

obtaining traffic data from the traffic detection unit; and

analyzing the traffic data to determine a traffic condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic detection unit is a road sensor that measures a speed of a vehicle passing by the road sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises determining a congestion traffic condition does not occur at the first location when the speed of a predetermined number of vehicles detected by the road sensor is above a predetermined speed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic detection unit is a road sensor that measures a rate at which vehicles pass by the road sensor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises determining a congestion traffic condition does not occur at the first location when the rate at which vehicles pass as detected by the road sensor is below a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic detection unit is a traffic camera that records a traffic condition on a road.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises processing video data that is recorded by the traffic camera and determining a congestion traffic condition does not occur within a field of view of the traffic camera when a rate at which vehicles detected from the processed video data pass within the field of view of the camera exceeds a predetermined rate.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises processing video data that is recorded by the traffic camera and determining a congestion traffic condition does not occur within the field of view of the camera when a density of vehicles detected from the processed video data within the field of view of the camera falls below a predetermined density.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises processing video data that is recorded by the traffic camera and determining a congestion traffic condition does not occur within the field of view of the camera when a speed at which vehicles detected from the processed video data pass within the field of view of the camera exceeds a predetermined speed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic detection unit is a GPS device that detects a location and speed of the GPS device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein obtaining traffic data comprises obtaining vehicle speed data of vehicles located within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, and

wherein analyzing the traffic data comprises processing the vehicle speed data and determining a congestion traffic condition occurs within the predetermined distance from the vehicle when the vehicle speed data indicates a speed of vehicles within the predetermined distance of the vehicle are below a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a traffic detection unit at a second location along the intended route when a congestion traffic condition is detected based on the traffic data obtained from the traffic detection unit located at the first location.

13. A method for processing a request for a traffic condition, the method comprising:

receiving the request for a traffic condition from a multi-media module installed on a vehicle;

determining a location of the vehicle;

receiving a user input, and determining an intended route for the vehicle based on the user input;

accessing a traffic detection server, and obtaining traffic data from the traffic detection server;

analyzing the traffic data in order to determine a traffic condition detected by the traffic detection server, and

transmitting the determined traffic condition to the multi-media module.

14. A multi-media module for locating an end to a traffic congestion pattern, the multi-media module comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine an intended route for the user based on the user input;

access a traffic detection unit located at a first location along the intended route, and obtain traffic data from the traffic detection unit;

analyze the traffic data in order to determine a traffic condition detected by the traffic detection unit, and

present the determined traffic condition.

15. The multi-media module of claim 14 further comprising an interface configured to receive a user'"'"'s input, the interface in communication with the processor.

16. The multi-media module of claim 14, wherein the obtained traffic data comprises video data recorded by a traffic camera within a field of view of the traffic camera, and

wherein the processor is configured to analyze the video data to determine whether a congestion traffic condition occurs within the field of view of the traffic camera.

17. The multi-media module of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine a congestion traffic condition does not occur within the field of view of the traffic camera when a rate at which vehicles detected from the video data pass within the field of view of the traffic camera surpasses a predetermined rate.

18. The multi-media module of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine a congestion traffic condition does not occur within the field of view of the traffic camera when a speed at which vehicles detected from the video data pass within the field of view of the traffic camera surpasses a predetermined speed.

19. The multi-media module of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to determine a congestion traffic condition does not occur within the field of view of the traffic camera when a density of vehicles detected from the video data within the field of view of the traffic camera falls below a predetermined density.

20. The multi-media module of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to access a traffic detection unit located at a second location along the intended route when a congestion traffic condition is detected at the first location based on the traffic data obtained from the traffic detection unit located at the first location.