Running time estimation apparatus, running data relay apparatus, and running time estimation system

• US 7,577,514 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakaoka, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/392,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence

Abstract

A running time estimation system according to the present invention is provided with a receiver for receiving running data including a plurality of time and position data having a predetermined time and a vehicle position of different vehicles at the predetermined time by use of a wireless communication system, a running data processor for generating running time estimation data in which the received running data is associated with road information from which a position and a length of a road can be determined, and a running time estimation unit for calculating a running time between designated positions by using the generated running time estimation data.

Claims

1. A running time estimation apparatus installed in a vehicle to estimate a running time between designated positions, comprising:

a running data receiver configured to receive running data including a plurality of time and position data having a predetermined time and a vehicle position of different vehicles at the predetermined time by use of a wireless communication system;

a running time estimation data generator configured to generate running time estimation data in which the running data received by the running data receiver is associated with road information from which a position and length of a road can be determined; and

a running time calculator configured to calculate a running time between the designated positions by using the running time estimation data generated by the running time estimation data generator, wherein, if the designated positions include a gap section which is a section of the road having no association with the running data in the running time estimation data, the running time calculator estimates a running time of the gap section by using the running data placed before and after the gap section.

2. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the running data further includes a running speed history indicating changes of a running speed of the different vehicles between a first predetermined time and a second predetermined time which is later than the first predetermined time.

3. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the running time calculator estimates a running time of a gap section which is a section of the road having no association with the running data in the running time estimation data by using the running speed history included in the running data placed before and after the gap section when the gap section is included between the designated positions.

4. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the running data further includes identification information for identifying the different vehicles.

5. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the running time estimation data generator overwrites an existing running data with new running data when, in the road information, the new running data including the vehicle position which is overlapping with the vehicle position of the existing running data that has been already associated with the road information is newly received.

6. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the running time calculator estimates a running time between the designated positions by using a determined time corresponding to the designated position which is determined based on a plurality of the time and position data included in the running time estimation data when the designated position does not match the vehicle position included in the running time estimation data.

7. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a running data relay unit configured to relay the running data received by the running data receiver to a different vehicle by use of the wireless communication system.

8. The running time estimation apparatus of claim 7, wherein the running data relay unit determines whether or not the running data is relayed based on a latest position of the different vehicle included in the running data received by the running data receiver and a distance between the different vehicle and the vehicle which is calculated from a position of the vehicle at the time of receiving the running data.

9. A running time estimation system including a running data relay apparatus, and a running time estimation apparatus for estimating a running time between designated positions, which are installed in a vehicle, wherein the running data relay apparatus comprises:

a running data generator configured to generate running data including a plurality of time and position data having a predetermined time and a vehicle position of the vehicle at the predetermined time; and

a running data transmitter configured to transmit the running data generated by the running data generator by use of a wireless communication system, and

the running time estimation apparatus comprises;

a running data receiver configured to receive the running data by use of the wireless communication system;

a running time estimation data generator configured to generate running time estimation data in which the running data received by the running data receiver is associated with road information from which a position and length of a road can be determined; and

a running time calculator configured to calculate a running time between the designated positions by using the running time estimation data generated by the running time estimation data generator,

wherein, if the designated positions include a gap section which is a section of the road having no association with the running data in the running time estimation data, the running time calculator estimates a running time of the gap section by using the running data placed before and after the gap section.