Apparatus and system for monitoring and managing traffic flow

• US 20140278026A1
• Filed: 03/16/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Warren Taylor
• Original Assignee: Donald Warren Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Donald Warren
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• 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 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

An apparatus and system for monitoring and managing traffic flow. The system includes a plurality of remote sensor devices arranged in a plurality of vehicles, a plurality of remote communication devices arranged along one or more roadways and in communication with the plurality of remote sensor devices, a central server, a network interface in communication with the central server and the plurality of remote communication devices over a network, and a shared database in communication with the central server. The central server is configured to receive traffic data from the plurality of remote sensor devices over the network, update traffic data in the shared database, periodically calculate an optimal traffic flow for one or more of vehicles traveling along the one or more roadways based on the updated traffic data, and transmit timing adjustments over the network to one or more traffic light intersections based on the optimal traffic flow calculations. The network interface is configured to send and receive traffic data, wherein the traffic data includes vehicle location information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and managing traffic flow, the system comprising:

a plurality of remote sensor devices arranged in a plurality of vehicles;

a plurality of remote communication devices arranged along one or more roadways and in communication with the plurality of remote sensor devices;

a central server;

a network interface in communication with the central server and the plurality of remote communication devices over a network, the network interface being configured to send and receive traffic data, wherein the traffic data includes vehicle location information;

a shared database in communication with the central server;

wherein the central server is configured to;

receive traffic data from the plurality of remote sensor devices over the network;

update traffic data in the shared database;

periodically calculate an optimal traffic flow for one or more of vehicles traveling along the one or more roadways based on the updated traffic data; and

transmit timing adjustments over the network to one or more traffic light intersections based on the optimal traffic flow calculations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of remote communication devices comprise an RFID and a GPS module.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product further comprises a fifth computer code for providing the traffic data to one or more remote computers over the network.

3. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for monitoring and managing traffic flow, the computer program product comprising:

a first computer code for receiving traffic data from a plurality of remote communication devices arranged along one or more roadways and in communication with a plurality of remote sensor devices arranged in a plurality of vehicles over a network, wherein each of the plurality of remote sensor devices comprise an RFID and a GPS module;

a second computer code for updating traffic data in a shared database;

a third computer code for periodically calculating an optimal traffic flow for one or more of vehicles traveling along the one or more roadways based on the updated traffic data; and

a fourth computer code for transmitting timing adjustments over the network to one or more traffic light intersections based on the optimal traffic flow calculations.