Wireless highway guide

• US 6,967,592 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Do, Phuc Ky, Bell, Kevin H., Maximilien, Eugene Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/405,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/906, 340/917, 340/919, 701/207, 701/209, 701/210, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A method and system for providing travel guidance for transportation vehicles traveling on a highway system that comprises highway transceivers (HTs) with limited range placed at selected intervals along the highway. Each transportation vehicle has an automobile transceiver (AT) for receiving and transmitting information using a communication protocol. The HTs have a limited transmission range. The AT may be programmed to selectively present information received from the HTs to a passenger in an automobile. The ATs may also receive information from other transportation vehicles equipped with an AT. The HTs may receive information from all of the transceivers or other transmitters, for example, a GPS satellite transmitter. The HTs may also transmit information to traffic signal units about numbers of vehicles in its transmission pattern.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to transportation vehicles traveling on a highway system comprising the steps of:

placing one or more highway transceivers having a communication protocol at one or more selected locations along said highway system, wherein said one or more highway transceivers broadcast highway information pertinent to travel on said highway system using said communication protocol;

placing a first automobile transceiver having said communication protocol in a first transportation vehicle;

programming said first automobile transceiver to present first selected highway information to a passenger in said first transportation vehicle;

receiving first transmitted information from said one or more highway transceivers and generating said first selected highway information from said first transmitted information; and

modifying a traveling option for said first transportation vehicle in response to said first selected highway information, wherein said one or more highway transceivers transmit traffic information to a proximate traffic light unit having said communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

programming said first automobile transceiver to present second selected highway information to a passenger in said first transportation vehicle;

receiving second transmitted information from a second automobile transceiver in a second transportation vehicle and generating said second selected highway information from said second transmitted information; and

modifying a traveling option for said first transportation vehicle in response to said second selected highway information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first automobile transceiver has a limited automobile transceiver range sufficient for locating said first automobile transceiver relative to said second automobile transceiver.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said one or more highway transceivers receive said second transmitted information from said second automobile transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said one or more highway transceivers has a limited highway transceiver range sufficient for locating a particular highway transceiver relative to a proximate automobile transceiver.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first automobile transceiver has a limited automobile transceiver range sufficient for locating said first automobile transceiver relative to a particular highway transceiver.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first automobile transceiver receives on-board automobile sensor signals corresponding to operation of said first transportation vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said traveling option is modified in response to said highway information and sensor signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said highway information comprises exits to take from said highway system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more highway transceivers receive geographical positioning system (GPS) position data to establish their location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein rights to broadcast information from said one or more highway transceivers are licensed to selected customers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said highway transceiver broadcasts advertising information entered into said highway transceiver by a subscribing advertiser within said selected customers.

13. A system for providing guiding information to transportation vehicles traveling on a highway system comprising:

one or more highway transceivers having a communication protocol at one or more selected locations along said highway system, wherein said one or more highway transceivers broadcast highway information pertinent to travel on said highway system using said communication protocol;

a first automobile transceiver having said communication protocol in a first transportation vehicle;

circuitry for programming said first automobile transceiver to present selected highway information to a passenger in said first transportation vehicle;

circuitry for generating said selected highway information in said first transportation vehicle from first transmitted information received from a proximate one of said highway transceivers; and

means in said first transportation vehicle for presenting said selected highway information to a passenger in said first transportation vehicle, wherein said one or more highway transceivers transmit traffic information to a proximate traffic light unit having said communication protocol.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein rights to broadcast information from said one or more highway transceivers are licensed to selected customers.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving second transmitted information from a second automobile transceiver in a second transportation vehicle and generating said selected highway information from said second transmitted information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said first automobile transceiver has a limited automobile transceiver range sufficient for locating said first automobile transceiver relative to said second automobile transceiver.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said one or more highway transceivers receive said second transmitted information from said second automobile transceiver.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of said one or more highway transceivers has a limited highway transceiver range sufficient for locating a particular highway transceiver relative to a proximate automobile transceiver.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first automobile transceiver has a limited automobile transceiver range sufficient for locating said first automobile transceiver relative to a particular highway transceiver.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said first automobile transceiver receives on-board automobile sensor signals corresponding to operation of said first transportation vehicle.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein traveling options are modified in response to said highway information and sensor signals.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said highway information comprises exits to take from said highway system.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein said one or more highway transceivers receive geographical positioning system (GPS) position data to establish their location.

24. An automobile transceiver residing in a transportation vehicle comprising:

a digital processor;

a storage unit coupled to said digital processor;

a presentation unit coupled to said digital processor;

a user interface unit coupled to said digital processor;

an antenna;

receiver circuitry coupled to said antenna and to said digital processor; and

transmitter circuitry coupled to said antenna and to said digital processor, wherein said digital processor is programmed to transmit information via a highway transceiver to a receiver in a traffic light unit controlling travel of a transportation vehicle on a highway proximate to said highway transceiver.

25. The automobile transceiver of claim 24, wherein said digital processor is programmed to present selected highway information received by said receiver circuitry from said highway transceiver proximate to a highway on which said transportation vehicle is traveling.

26. The automobile transceiver of claim 24, wherein said digital processor is programmed to transmit information pertinent to travel on a highway on which said transportation vehicle is traveling to said highway transceiver proximate to said highway.

27. A highway transceiver comprising:

a digital processor;

an information storage unit coupled to said digital processor;

an antenna;

receiver circuitry coupled to said antenna and to said digital processor; and

transmitter circuitry coupled to said antenna and to said digital processor, wherein said digital processor is programmed to transmit information to a receiver in a traffic light unit controlling travel on a highway of a transportation vehicle proximate to said highway transceiver.

28. The highway transceiver of claim 27, wherein said digital processor is programmed to transmit highway information to a receiver in a transportation vehicle traveling on a highway proximate to said highway transceiver.