Method and system for mapping traffic predictions with respect to telematics and route guidance applications

• US 7,103,470 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Josef Mintz
• Original Assignee: Josef Mintz
• Inventors: Mintz, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behncke, Christine M.
• Application Number:
  US10/467,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/118, 701/209, 701/210, 340/934
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A method is provided for predicting load of traffic of vehicles that are travelling according to non reference route plan, provided with Dynamic Route Guidance capability of their PMMS, in a Forward Time Interval related Route Segment and according to a predetermined protocol between mobile systems and a non mobile system platform of a SODMS. Using mobile units, a traffic prediction query is receiving according to a predetermined differential traffic load match process. A match process is performed by each of the mobile units and, according to a match, a predetermined response procedure is enabled, wherein a response procedure in each mobile unit uses a predetermined random process to select an allocated slot in which to transmit a predetermined signal, which provides an improved way to predict traffic in conjunction with off line database statistics, preferably with such that are being adaptively corrected by prior data and method to predict traffic which do not include, or lack sufficient erratic traffic information.

Claims

1. A method for use in predicting load of traffic, the method comprising:

estimating by a mapping system a number of vehicles traveling according to a non-reference route and predicted to deviate from a reference route at a route segment related to a forward time interval, based on a value corresponding to a number of responses generated by one or more match processes corresponding to said vehicles, wherein estimating comprises;

performing a predetermined differential traffic load match process by said one or more match processes corresponding to said vehicles in response to a traffic prediction update of a traffic prediction system; and

enabling a predetermined response procedure based on a predicted deviation of a vehicle in relation to said route segment related to said forward time interval.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein estimating a deviation in said load of traffic comprises estimating said deviation in relation to database statistics.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising updating database statistics according to a result of estimating said deviation.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein updating comprises adaptively correcting prior data which lacks sufficient erratic traffic information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein estimating said deviation comprises estimating said deviation in relation to at least one response that meets the following criteria:

the vehicle is not expected to be on said route segment at said forward time interval according to the reference route of the vehicle; and

the vehicle is expected to be on said route segment at said forward time interval according to a planned non reference route in use by the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein estimating said deviation comprises estimating said deviation in relation to at least one response that meets the following criteria:

the vehicle is expected to be on said route segment at said forward time interval according to the reference route of the vehicle; and

the vehicle is not expected to be on said route segment at said forward time interval according to a planned non reference route in use by the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving the traffic prediction update by at least one unit corresponding to at least one vehicle having route guidance capability.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

performing by one or more units corresponding to said vehicles a give-up process according to which if a unit identifies predicted traffic congestion along a planned route of the vehicle, and if the unit determines that the vehicle has one or more alternative routes, then the unit modifies the planned route of the vehicle to an alternative route with a-priori lower priority, according to a predetermined cost.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

based on traffic alleviation resulting from the give-up process, and based on a predetermined criterion, modifying by the unit the route plan of the vehicle associated therewith to an alternative route having a higher priority.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

iteratively receiving traffic prediction information and performing said give-up process, according to a predetermined cost.

11. The method of claim 8, comprising:

iteratively receiving traffic prediction information and performing said give-up process, according to a predetermined cost, until an equilibrium is reached.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising:

performing the response procedure by a vehicle-related mobile unit by transmitting a signal to the mapping system over at least one allocated communication slot selected according to a predetermined procedure.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

differentially predicting by the mapping system non-expected traffic on the route segment in relation to the forward time interval, according to a number of response procedures corresponding to a number of vehicles that meet the following criteria;

the vehicle is not expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval in relation to its reference route; and

and according the non reference route of the vehicle, the vehicle is expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

differentially predicting by the mapping system expected traffic which deviates from the route segment in relation to the forward time interval, according to a number of response procedures corresponding to the number of vehicles that meet the following criteria;

the vehicle is expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval in relation to its reference route; and

according to the non reference route of the vehicle, the vehicle is not expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein reference routes conform with consistent traffic.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein non reference routes affect known traffic statistics as a result of deviation from reference routes.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at lease some of said vehicles are equipped with mobile units capable of receiving traffic updates, performing a match process, and transmitting a response to the mapping system through a communication platform.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein estimating comprises estimating a deviation in said load of traffic in relation to a proportion of a number of allocated communication slots occupied by transmitted response signals to a number of allocated communication slots not occupied by transmitted response signals.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein enabling a predetermined response procedure comprises transmitting one or more predetermined signals by said mobile units.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein estimating comprises estimating a deviation in said load of traffic in relation to energy bursts received from said mobile units in allocated communication slots occupied by transmitted response signals.

21. The method according to claim 19, comprising randomly selecting at least one allocated communication slot for transmitting said at least one signal.

22. The method according to claim 19, comprising transmitting the at least one signal if the vehicle is not on a reference route of the vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 19, comprises comprising transmitting the at least one signal if the vehicle is not on a default route of the vehicle.

24. The method according to claim 19, comprising receiving said traffic prediction update by a mobile unit having a capability of a potential mobile mapping system.

25. The method of claim 19, comprising:

responding to said traffic prediction update through a slot-oriented discrimination mapping system.

26. A system for use in predicting load of traffic, the system comprising:

a computation platform to estimate a number of vehicles traveling according to a non-reference route and predicted to deviate from a reference route at a route segment related to a forward time interval based on a value corresponding to a number of responses generated by one or more predetermined response procedures corresponding to said vehicles; and

at least one unit associated with at least one of said vehicles, respectively, the unit able to perform a predetermined differential traffic load match process in response to a traffic prediction update of said system, and to enable a predetermined response procedure based on a predicted deviation of a vehicle in relation to said route segment related to said forward time interval.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one unit is has route guidance capability.

28. A method comprising:

differentially predicting non expected traffic on a route segment in a forward time interval, based on a number of response procedures corresponding to a number of vehicles that are not expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval in relation to reference routes of the vehicles, wherein said vehicles are expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval according to non reference routes of said vehicles, wherein predicting comprises;

in response to a traffic prediction update, performing a predetermined differential traffic load match process between a route plan of a vehicle and a reference rout of the vehicle according to traffic prediction;

if, according to the match process, the vehicle plans to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval, and according to a reference route of the vehicle the vehicle is not planned to use the route segment in the forward time interval, then enabling a predetermined response procedure according to a prediction of a respective traffic increase effect on the route segment in the forward time interval.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein performing the predetermined differential traffic load match process comprises performing the predetermined differential traffic load match process by a vehicular unit.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein enabling the response procedure comprises enabling the response procedure by a vehicle equipped with a unit having a capability to communicate through a communication platform with a mapping system.

31. The method of claim 28, comprising:

performing by one or more units corresponding to said vehicles a give-up process according to which if a unit identifies predicted traffic congestion along a planned route of the vehicle, and if the unit determines that the vehicle has one or more alternative routes, then the unit modifies the planned route of the vehicle to an alternative route with a-priori lower priority, according to a predetermined cost.

32. A method comprising:

differentially predicting expected traffic which deviates from a route segment in a forward time interval, based on a number of response procedures corresponding to a number of vehicles that are expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval in relation to reference routes of the vehicles, wherein said vehicles are not expected to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval according to non reference routes of said vehicles, wherein predicting comprises;

in response to a traffic prediction update, performing a predetermined differential traffic load match process between a route plan of a vehicle and a reference rout of the vehicle according to traffic prediction;

if according to the match process the vehicle plans to pass through the route segment in the forward time interval, and according to the reference route of the vehicle the vehicle is not planned to use the route segment in the forward time interval, then enabling a predetermined response procedure according to a prediction of a respective traffic decrease effect on the route segment in the forward time interval.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein performing the predetermined differential traffic load match process comprises performing the predetermined differential traffic load match process by a vehicular unit.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein enabling the response procedure comprises enabling the response procedure by a vehicle equipped with a unit having a capability to communicate through a communication platform with a mapping system.

35. The method of claim 32, comprising:

performing by one or more units corresponding to said vehicles a give-up process according to which if a unit identifies predicted traffic congestion along a planned route of the vehicle, and if the unit determines that the vehicle has one or more alternative routes, then the unit modifies the planned route of the vehicle to an alternative route with a-priori lower priority, according to a predetermined cost.