Decentralized vehicular traffic status system

• US 7,106,219 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: James W. Pearce
• Inventors: Pearce, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Application Number:
  US10/704,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 340 98-996, 382/104, 348/149, 701213-216, 701300-302
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A decentralized, mobile system for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status. A vehicle has a position determining device, a transceiver, and a local display and controller connected to a processor. The transceiver receives, transmits, and repeats local traffic and vehicle information, such as location, direction, and speed. The processor is programmed to execute processes including receiving messages, repeating received messages, transmitting messages, reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message, and displaying traffic status information based on the received data.

Claims

1. A mobile traffic unit for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status, comprising:

a position determining device;

a transmitter for sending a transmitted message;

a receiver for receiving a received message containing a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date;

a display unit presenting traffic status information;

a processor in communication with said position determining device, said transmitter, said receiver, and said display unit, said processor programmed to execute a process including receiving said received message, repeating said received message, transmitting said transmitted message, reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message, and displaying traffic status information, said position determining device, said transmitter, said receiver, said display unit, and said processor located in a vehicle; and

a control unit communicating with said processor, said processor programmed to execute a process for customizing attributes of said traffic status information.

2. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date.

3. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a repeat count, a unique originator identifier, a packet sequential identifier, a time, and a date.

4. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location and a vehicle speed, said vehicle speed capped at a speed limit for said vehicle location.

5. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said receiver receives said received message from a base station, said received message containing a traffic notice.

6. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said processor is programmed to execute a process for storing said received message in a database.

7. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said position determining device includes a global positioning system receiver.

8. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of receiving said received message includes determining whether said received message has already been received, storing said received message, and communicating with said process for repeating said received message.

9. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of repeating said received message includes determining if said received message is stale, determining if a repetition count exceeds a maximum packet repetition count, generating a random number and a local traffic RF density, and comparing the results to determine if said received message is to be repeated.

10. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of transmitting said transmitted message includes determining if there is a clear channel and sending said transmitted message to said transmitter.

11. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes constructing a message containing said vehicle data and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

12. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes acquiring said vehicle data, determining a road from a position determining device, determining whether a location and a time are sufficiently different from a previous location and a previous time to generate said vehicle message, generating said vehicle message to be transmitted, and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

13. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes generating said traffic status information to be displayed and communicating said traffic status information to said display unit.

14. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes building a map image, scanning a database, classifying and accumulating traffic data, and generating said traffic status information as a composite map image.

15. The mobile traffic unit of claim 1 further including a switch for disabling said mobile traffic unit, thereby providing privacy protection for a vehicle driver.

16. A mobile traffic unit for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status, comprising:

a global positioning system receiver;

a transmitter for sending a transmitted message;

a receiver for receiving a received message containing a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date;

a display unit presenting traffic status information; and

a processor in communication with said global positioning system receiver, said transmitter, said receiver, and said display unit, said processor programmed to execute a process including receiving said received message, repeating said received message, transmitting said transmitted message, reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message containing a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date, and displaying traffic status information by building a map image, scanning a database, classifying and accumulating traffic data, and generating said traffic status information as a composite map image, said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message including acquiring said vehicle data, determining a road from a position determining device, determining whether a location and a time are sufficiently different from a previous location and a previous time to generate said vehicle message, generating said vehicle message to be transmitted, and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

17. The mobile traffic unit of claim 16 wherein said process of receiving said received message includes determining whether said received message has already been received, storing said received message, and communicating with said process for repeating said received message.

18. The mobile traffic unit of claim 16 wherein said process of repeating said received message includes determining if said received message is stale, determining if a repetition count exceeds a maximum packet repetition count, generating a random number and a local traffic RF density, and comparing the results to determine if said received message is to be repeated.

19. The mobile traffic unit of claim 16 wherein said process of transmitting said transmitted message includes determining if there is a clear channel and sending said transmitted message to said transmitter.

20. The mobile traffic unit of claim 16 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes constructing a message containing said vehicle data and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

21. A mobile traffic unit for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status, comprising:

a means for acquiring vehicle data;

a means for transmitting said vehicle data;

a means for receiving a received message from a plurality of other vehicles;

a means for repeating said received message from said plurality of other vehicles;

a means for displaying traffic status information; and

a means for disabling said mobile traffic unit.

22. The mobile traffic unit of claim 21 further including a means for preventing self-incrimination.

23. At least one processor programmed to execute a process for reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status, the process comprising:

receiving a received message containing a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date;

repeating said received message;

transmitting a transmitted message;

reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message, said vehicle message including a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a repeat count, a uniclue originator identifier, a packet sequential identifier, a time, and a date; and

displaying traffic status information.

24. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date.

25. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle speed and a vehicle location, said vehicle speed limited to a speed limit for said vehicle location.

26. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of receiving said received message includes determining whether said received message has already been received, storing said received message, and communicating with said process for repeating said received message.

27. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of repeating said received message includes determining if said received message is stale, determining if a repetition count exceeds a maximum packet repetition count, generating a random number and a local traffic RF density, and comparing the results to determine if said received message is to be repeated.

28. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of transmitting said transmitted message includes determining if there is a clear channel and sending said transmitted message to said transmitter.

29. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes constructing a message containing said vehicle data and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

30. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes acquiring vehicle data, determining a road from a position determining device, determining whether a location and a time are sufficiently different from a previous location and a previous time to generate said vehicle message, generating said vehicle message to be transmitted, and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

31. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes generating said traffic status information to be displayed and communicating said traffic status information to said display unit.

32. The at least one processor of claim 23 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes building a map image, scanning a database, classifying and accumulating traffic data, and generating said traffic status information as a composite map image.

33. A computer readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method of reporting and monitoring vehicular traffic status, said method comprising:

receiving a received message containing a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date;

repeating said received message;

transmitting a transmitted message;

reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message, said vehicle message including a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a repeat count, a unique originator identifier, a packet sequential identifier, a time, and a date; and

displaying traffic status information.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location, a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a vehicle type, a time, and a date.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein said vehicle message includes a vehicle location and a vehicle speed, said vehicle speed limited to a speed limit for said vehicle location.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of receiving said received message includes determining whether said received message has already been received, storing said received message, and communicating with said process for repeating said received message.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of repeating said received message includes determining if said received message is stale, determining if a repetition count exceeds a maximum packet repetition count, generating a random number and a local traffic RF density, and comparing the results to determine if said received message is to be repeated.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of transmitting said transmitted message includes determining if there is a clear channel and sending said transmitted message to said transmitter.

39. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes constructing a message containing said vehicle data and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of reporting vehicle data through a vehicle message includes acquiring vehicle data, determining a road from a position determining device, determining whether a location and a time are sufficiently different from a previous location and a previous time to generate said vehicle message, generating said vehicle message to be transmitted, and communicating with said process for transmitting said transmitted message wherein said transmitted message is said vehicle message.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes generating said traffic status information to be displayed and communicating said traffic status information to said display unit.

42. The method of claim 33 wherein said process of displaying said traffic status information includes building a map image, scanning a database, classifying and accumulating traffic data, and generating said traffic status information as a composite map image.