Method and system for developing traffic messages

• US 6,990,407 B1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: McGrath, Timothy, Groth, Eric, Mbekeani, Lumumba
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/668,738
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/118, 701/119, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A method for developing traffic messages for broadcast is disclosed. Data indicating a plurality of traffic conditions on a road network are obtained. For each of the traffic conditions, the data provides a start location at which the traffic condition begins and an end location at which the traffic condition ends. For each of the traffic conditions, a road length from the start location to the end location is determined. The traffic conditions are assigned a priority based upon the road lengths. The data indicating the traffic conditions are transmitted in the assigned priority as a plurality of traffic messages.

Claims

1. A method for developing traffic messages comprising:

obtaining data on a computing platform indicating a plurality of traffic conditions on a road network, for each of said traffic conditions said data provides a start location at which said traffic condition begins and an end location at which said traffic condition ends;

for each of said traffic conditions, determining a road length from said start location to said end location;

assigning a priority to said traffic conditions based upon said road lengths; and

transmitting said data indicating said traffic conditions in said assigned priority as a plurality of traffic messages.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

an end user computing platform receiving said traffic messages and processing said traffic messages in said assigned priority.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting comprising:

selecting a subset of said traffic conditions, wherein said traffic conditions of said select subset having higher assigned priority than said traffic conditions not selected; and

transmitting said subset of said traffic as a plurality of traffic messages.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting comprising:

transmitting said data indicating said traffic conditions having higher assigned priority more frequently than data indicating said traffic conditions having lower assigned priority.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining an event description for each of said traffic conditions; and

considering said event descriptions when assigning said priority.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a duration for each of said traffic conditions; and

considering said durations when assigning said priority.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each of said traffic conditions, identifying a road type on which said traffic condition is located; and

considering said road types when assigning said priority.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a direction affected for each of said traffic conditions; and

considering said directions when assigning said priority.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

for each of said traffic conditions, identifying whether a priority location reference code is located within said traffic condition; and

considering said identified priority location reference codes when assigning said priority.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether one of said traffic conditions is co-located or connected with another of said traffic conditions; and

considering said co-locations or connections when assigning said priority.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using a plurality of predetermined range of road length categories;

for each of said traffic conditions, determining which road length category said road length of said traffic condition belongs;

changing said assigned priority of said traffic conditions within each of said road length categories based upon considering traffic condition information, wherein said traffic condition information includes at least one of;

a type of traffic condition, a road type on which said traffic condition is located, a priority location is located within said traffic condition, a direction affected by said traffic condition, a duration of said traffic condition and co-location or connection with another of said traffic conditions.

12. A method for developing traffic messages comprising:

obtaining data indicating a plurality of traffic conditions on a road network, for each of said traffic conditions said data provides a start location reference code representing a location at which said traffic condition begins, an end location reference code representing a location at which said traffic condition ends and an event description;

ranking said traffic conditions into a prioritized order based upon considering at least one of;

a road length affected by said traffic condition, an importance of said event description, a road type on which said traffic condition is located, a priority location is located within said traffic condition, a direction affected by said traffic condition and co- location or connection with another of said traffic conditions;

transmitting said data indicating said traffic condition in said order as a plurality of traffic messages.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising assigning a weighting factor to at least one of:

said road length, said importance of said event description, said road type, said priority location, said direction and said co-location or said connection.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising an end user computing platform receiving said traffic messages and processing said traffic messages in said prioritized order.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein a number of traffic messages transmitted is less than a total number of said traffic conditions.