Method and system for monitoring vehicular traffic using a wireless communications network

• US 6,690,292 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 21ST CENTURY GARAGE LLC
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadows, Vernon, Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/587,801
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/905, 340/933, 340/990, 340/995, 340/910, 340/937, 701/117, 701/118, 701/119, 455/412
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A traffic monitoring system that provides vehicular traffic information is described. A plurality of motion sensors for detecting speed of traffic information are placed along one or more roadways. The motion sensors transmit the detected information over a wireless network at periodic intervals. The information is received and communicated to a database, which is accessible for providing speed of traffic information detected by a selected portion of the motion sensors. Users can request and receive traffic information through mobile communications units such as mobile cellular telephones, personal display assistants, or interactive pagers, or through an internet connection. Traffic information can be combined with mapping and routing information to determine optimal commuting routes.

Claims

1. A traffic monitoring system for providing vehicular traffic information, comprising:

a plurality of motion sensors for detecting speed of traffic information along one or more roadways and transmitting the detected information; and

a database for receiving and storing the detected speed of traffic information transmitted by the plurality of motion sensors,

wherein at least a subset of motion sensors transmit the detected information in programmed periodic intervals, variable according to time, such that motion sensors transmit more frequently during time intervals of historically high traffic volume, and

wherein the database is accessible for providing speed of traffic information detected by a selected portion of the motion sensors.

2. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one mobile communications unit for accessing the database through a mobile communications link to receive traffic information for a specified geographical location.

3. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensors are spaced a distance apart along roadways to measure the speed of traffic at different points along roadways.

4. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein different motion sensors transmit the detected information in different periodic intervals from each other, such that motion sensors that are located along roadways having historically highly variable traffic conditions transmit detected information in comparatively shorter periodic intervals.

5. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the motions sensors are powered by solar cells with rechargeable batteries or by batteries.

6. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensors transmit the detected information over a wireless network.

7. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein the wireless network includes a plurality of cell towers for transmitting and receiving radio frequency information within respective cell sites, and the motion sensors transmit the detected information to the respective regional cell tower.

8. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 7, wherein the wireless network is a paging network for transmission of pages of the detected information by the motion sensors.

9. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the database maintains the detected information transmitted by each motion sensor arranged according to the roadway in which the speed of traffic is detected and the location of the sensor on the roadway.

10. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein each database record includes a field indicating the time at which the database record was updated.

11. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein each database record includes a field indicating whether the speed of traffic detected by the respective sensor is normal.

12. The traffic monitoring system according to claim 9, wherein each database record includes a field indicating a qualitative assessment of the speed of traffic most recently detected by the respective sensor, based upon a history of previous readings detected by the sensor.

13. A motion sensor for monitoring the flow of vehicular traffic along a roadway, comprising:

a central processing unit;

a transmitter; and

a motion sensing detector,

wherein at periodic intervals that vary according to the time of day, the motion sensor transmits speed of traffic information detected by the detector on a wireless network to a central database.

14. The motion sensor according to claim 13, wherein the motion sensor is an interactive pager.

15. A method for providing vehicular traffic information according to a specified traffic request, comprising the steps of:

receiving speed of traffic information transmitted by a plurality of motion sensors located along one or more roadways corresponding to the specified traffic request, wherein motion sensors transmit at periodic intervals that vary according to the time of day;

storing the traffic information in a database;

determining the traffic information corresponding to the specified traffic request; and

communicating the traffic information.

16. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 15, wherein the traffic information request is transmitted and the traffic information is received over a mobile cellular telephone.

17. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

determining at least one geographical route for travelling from a starting location to a destination location over navigable roadways;

mapping at least one geographical route; and

overlaying the traffic information along with the at least one geographical route,

wherein the specified traffic request includes the starting location and destination location.

18. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 17, wherein the starting location included in the specified traffic request is automatically determined by a GPS system.

19. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 15, wherein the motion sensors transmit the traffic information at periodic intervals over a wireless network.

20. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 15, wherein the traffic information is communicated over a wireless network.

21. The method for providing vehicular traffic information according to claim 15, wherein the traffic information is communicated to a Internet-capable browser through an Internet communications link.

22. A method for transmitting vehicular traffic information from a motion sensor located along a roadway to a centralized database over a wireless communications network, wherein the motion sensor includes a memory for storing at least one speed measurement, comprising the steps of:

detecting an updated speed measurement along the roadway in the motion sensor;

calculating a difference value between the updated speed measurement and a previous speed measurement stored in the motion sensor memory;

transmitting the difference value to the centralized database; and

replacing the previous speed measurement with the updated speed measurement,

wherein updated speed measurements are detected upon periodic intervals.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the periodic intervals vary according to the time of day or day of week.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the periodic intervals vary according to the time of day and day of week.

25. A method for transmitting vehicular traffic information from a motion sensor located along a roadway to a centralized database over a wireless communications network, wherein the motion sensor includes a memory for storing at least one speed measurement, comprising the steps of:

detecting an updated speed measurement along the roadway in the motion sensor;

calculating a difference value between the updated speed measurement and a previous speed measurement stored in the motion sensor memory; and

if an absolute value of the difference value is greater than a threshold value stored in the motion sensor, then

transmitting the difference value to the centralized database; and

replacing the previous speed measurement with the updated speed measurement,

wherein updated speed measurements are detected upon periodic intervals.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the threshold value varies according to the time of day or day of week.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the threshold value varies according to the time of day and day of week.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the period intervals vary according to the time of day or day of week.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the period intervals vary according to the time of day and day of week.