WIRELESS BEACON DEVICES PROVIDING CROSSWALK MANAGEMENT THROUGH COMMUNICATION DEVICE CONNECTIONS

• US 20160110998A1
• Filed: 10/16/2014
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Todasco, Michael Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,483,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services

Abstract

There are provided systems and methods for wireless beacon devices providing crosswalk management through communication device connections. A user may travel with a device, such as a communication device, that includes a communication module that may utilize specialized hardware features to establish short range wireless communications with nearby wireless beacons. The wireless beacons may be established at or nearby crosswalk locations. The beacon may provide the aforementioned communication services with the communication device and be utilized to triangulate a position, path of travel, and speed of travel of the user. Calendar, travel route, and other information for the user may also be determined using the beacons. Thus, a crosswalk signal may be changed in anticipation of the user crossing. Further, if the user requires additional time to cross based on triangulating the user'"'"'s location in the crosswalk, the signal may be further changed based on the user'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a crosswalk management module comprising at least one hardware processor that accesses first check-in information comprising a first connection between a first communication device for a first user and a first wireless beacon associated with a crosswalk location, determines information about a road the first user is crossing or want to cross using the first check-in information, and determines a setting for a crosswalk signal at the crosswalk location using the first check-in information and the information about the road;

a database, stored to a non-transitory memory, comprising the first check-in information for the first communication device; and

a communication module that receives the first check-in information, stores the first check-in information to the database, and communicates the setting to affect at least the crosswalk signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first connection uses one of near field communication, radio communication, infrared communication, Bluetooth communication, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, WiFi communication, and LTE Direct communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication module further communicates the setting to the first communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first check-in information further comprises one of a schedule for the first user and a travel route for the first user, and wherein the setting comprises a change of the crosswalk signal to minimize a wait for the first user at the crosswalk location when waiting to cross the road.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first check-in information comprises status information for the first user, and wherein the setting comprises an amount of time to allow the first user to cross the road based on the status information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the status information comprises at least one of an age of the first user, a handicap status of the first user, at least one additional user travelling with the first user, a child or ward accompanying the first user, and an average walk speed or time of the first user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wireless beacon is range limited to connect to communication devices located within the road at the crosswalk location, wherein the crosswalk signal regulates pedestrian traffic crossing the road, and wherein the setting changes at least one of the crosswalk signal and a traffic signal regulating automotive traffic travelling on the road.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the database further comprises traffic information for at least one of the road and the users utilizing the crosswalk location, and wherein the crosswalk management module further determines the setting using the traffic location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the traffic information comprises a road closure at or nearby at least one of the road and the crosswalk location.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the setting is further communicated to a device associated with a vehicle nearby the crosswalk location and travelling on the road.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication module further receives second check-in information comprising at least one second connection between the first communication device and at least one second wireless beacon, wherein the crosswalk management module further determines a location for the first user within the road using the first connection and the at least one second connection and determines an adjustment to the setting using the location, and wherein the communication module communicates the adjustment to the crosswalk signal

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjustment provides additional time for the crosswalk signal to allow the first user to cross the road.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the check-in information comprises identification information for a second user travelling with the first user, and wherein the setting is further determined using the identification information.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication module further receives second check-in information comprising a second connection between a second communication device for a second user and the first wireless beacon at a time after the communication module receives the first check-in information, wherein the crosswalk management module determines an additional time to allow the second user to cross the road using the second check-in information, and wherein the communication module communicates the additional time to the crosswalk signal.

15. A method comprising:

accessing, by a crosswalk management module executed using at least one hardware processors, check-in information comprising a connection between a plurality of user devices and at least one wireless beacon device established at or nearby a crosswalk, wherein each of the plurality of user devices is associated with one user of a plurality of users;

determining, by the crosswalk management module, whether the plurality of users are crossing or waiting to cross the crosswalk using the check-in information;

determining, by the crosswalk management module, a crossing signal for a crosswalk signal device using the determination of whether the plurality of users are crossing or waiting to cross the crosswalk; and

communicating, via a communication module, the crossing signal to the crosswalk signal device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining, by the crosswalk management module, a traffic pattern using the check-in information for the plurality of users; and

communicating, via the communication module, the traffic pattern to at least one merchant.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the check-in information further comprises at least one of a travel route for at least one of the plurality of users, a schedule for at least one of the plurality of users, and an address associated with at least one of the plurality of users.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein prior to the determining the traffic signal, the method further comprises:

accessing, by the crosswalk management module, traffic information for a road associated with the crosswalk,

wherein the crossing signal is further determined using the traffic information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the traffic information comprises at least one of road closures, street work, street maintenance, traffic accidents, and safety alerts.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable modules which, in response to execution by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

accessing, by a crosswalk management module executed using at least one hardware processors, check-in information comprising a connection between a user device for a user and at least one wireless beacon device associated with a crosswalk having a crosswalk signal device;

determining, by the crosswalk management module, a direction the user is travelling using the check-in information;

generating, by the crosswalk management module, a crossing signal for a crosswalk signal device using the direction; and

communicating, via a communication module, the crossing signal to the crosswalk signal device.