TRAFFIC ANALYSIS SYSTEM USING WIRELESS NETWORKING DEVICES

• US 20150057913A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FLIR Commercial Systems Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Acyclica, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Benhammou, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,349,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level

Abstract

A traffic monitoring system (400) includes a network of geographically distributed sensors (401-403). The sensors (401-403) provide raw or preprocessed data to a processing system (405) based on received long range wireless signals (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, or 5.9 GHz spectrum). The processing system (405) can then implement any of various algorithms to calculate traffic parameters taking into account the range of communication between the source and the sensor. The inputs to these algorithms include a first contacts, last contacts, maximum range, minimum range, median of contacts, average of contacts, maximum strength, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method for use in monitoring traffic on a traffic network, said traffic network including a plurality of geographically distributed sensors:

monitoring packetized data communications associated with sources on said traffic network, said packetized data communications comprising a stream of data packets wherein an individual packet includes identification information for indentifying a source of said individual packet;

operating a first sensor and second sensor of said geographically distributed sensors to provide, to a processor system, first and second sensor information, respectively, based on said packetized data communications;

receiving said first sensor information and said sensor information at said processor system;

processing at said processor system said first sensor information and said second sensor information so as to indentify at least a first data packet from said first sensor and a second data packet from said second sensor, said first data packet from said first sensor and said second data packet from said second sensor associated with a first source and to determine first traffic information based at least in part on said first and second packets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said packetized data communications comprise long range wireless signals.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein long range wireless signals comprise data transmissions on the 2.5 GHz, 5.8 GHz, or 5.9 GHz spectrum.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying comprises filtering said packetized data communication to include only requests.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first sensor information and said second sensor information include a time of identification of said identified packetized data communications associated with said first source.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first sensor information and said second sensor information include a MAC address of said identified packetized data communications associated with said first source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first and said second sensor information includes a value of said identified packetized data communications associated with said first source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said first traffic information includes a travel time of said first source between said first sensor and said second sensor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on a first of said time of identification of said MAC address by said first sensor and a first of said time of identification of said MAC address by said second sensor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on a last of said time of identification of said MAC address by said first sensor and a last of said time of identification of said MAC address by said second sensor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on a first of said time of identification of said MAC address by said first sensor and a last of said time of identification of said MAC address by said second sensor.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on a last of said time of identification of said MAC address by said first sensor and a first of said time of identification of said MAC address by said second sensor.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on said time of identification of said MAC address by said first sensor associated with a maximum value of said RSSI and said time of identification of said MAC address by said second sensor associated with a maximum value of said RSSI.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said travel time is based on the rate of change of said RSSI value at said first source or said second source.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said first traffic information over a dedicated short range communications network associated with said geographically distributed sensors.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a report comprising of said first traffic information.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting traffic control devices associated with said roadway network on the basis of said first traffic information.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

querying said report for said first traffic information associated with a transit event or a area of interest.

19-25. -25. (canceled)

26. An apparatus for use in a system of monitoring vehicle traffic on a roadway network comprising:

a plurality of geographically distributed sensors within one or more roadway networks, wherein each sensor is configured to detect the presence of a long range wireless signal within the roadway network, each sensor comprising;

a local processing engine, executable by a processor of said sensor, that is configured to monitor packetized data communications associated with vehicles on said roadway network;

a client, executable by said processor of said sensor;

a central processing server communicatively interconnected to said plurality of geographically distributed sensors, the central processing server comprising;

a sensor information engine, executable by a processor of said central processing server, that is configured to indentify at least a first data packet from said sensor associated with a first source;

a traffic analysis engine, executable by said processor of said central processing server, that is configured to calculate a travel time of said first source between said sensor and a second sensor of said plurality of geographically distributed sensors; and

a first database, accessible by said processor of said central processing server, that is configured to store packetized data communications associated with said first source;

wherein said client is operable to transmit said monitored packetized data communications to said central processing server.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said local processing engine is configured to indentify at least a first data packet from said sensor associated with a first source.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said local processing engine is configured to calculate the speed of said first source.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each sensor is associated with a unique geographical identifier.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said plurality of sensors are distributed throughout a roadway intersection.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said traffic analysis engine is configured to calculate a travel time delay through and across said roadway intersection.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said local processing engine is configured to count identified packetized data communications associated with distinct sources.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said sensor information is configured to identify packetized data communication associated only with probe requests associated with long range wireless signals.

34. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first database is configured to store information specifying a time of identification of said identified first data packet associated with said first source.

35. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first database is configured to store information specifying a MAC address of said identified first data packet associated with said first source.

36. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said first database is configured to store information specifying a RSSI value of said identified first data packet associated with said first source.