Method and system for detecting a moving vehicle within a predetermined area

• US 8,618,956 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Bragagnini, Andrea, Alessio, Elisa, Turolla, Maura Santina, Manzueto, Roberta
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/452,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20100203834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,378 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/539.13, 340/10.1, 455/422, 455/426, 455/456, 455/99, 455/41.2, 455/404.2, 705/4, 713/176, 342/450, 342/457
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

The system allows a reliable and automatic detection of moving vehicles and advantageously also identification of the moving vehicles. A WPAN node device (advantageously a ZigBee node device) is installed on a vehicle to be detected when the vehicle is moving. Three WPAN node devices (advantageously three ZigBee node devices) are installed on the ground. One of the three WPAN node devices has a wide radio coverage area and acts as an “exciter” of the vehicle WPAN node device. Another one of the three WPAN node devices has a wide radio coverage area and acts as the “parent” of the vehicle WPAN node device. A further one of the three WPAN node devices has a narrow radio coverage area and acts as a “detector” of the vehicle WPAN node device. The three radio coverage areas are sized and located so that a moving vehicle to be detected enters the area of the “exciter” before entering the area of the “parent” and before entering the area of the “detector”. After detection, the system provides for sending information to a fourth WPAN node device present in a user mobile telephone terminal.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a moving vehicle within a predetermined area by means of at least a first wireless personal area network node device and a second wireless personal area network node device and a third wireless personal area network node device,

wherein said moving vehicle carries a vehicle wireless personal area network node device,

wherein said first wireless personal area network node device and said second wireless personal area network node device and said third wireless personal area network node device belong to one wireless personal area network,

wherein said first wireless personal area network node device covers a first area and said second wireless personal area network node device covers a second area corresponding to said predetermined area and said third wireless personal area network node device covers a third area, said first and second and third areas being sized and located so that a vehicle to be detected enters said first area before entering said third area and before entering said second area, comprising the steps of:

A) when entering said first area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device discovers said wireless personal area network through said first wireless personal area network node device and prepares for joining said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device, wherein said preparing comprises reducing a stand-by period of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device;

B) when entering said third area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device joins said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device;

C) when entering said second area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device transmits information to said second wireless personal area network node device; and

D) when leaving said wireless personal area network, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device leaves through said third wireless personal area network node device;

wherein a transceiver of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device is continuously operative from starting step B until ending step D, whereby the detection of said moving vehicle within said predetermined area corresponds at least to the reception of said information by said second wireless personal area network node device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information transmitted at step C comprises vehicle identification information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless personal area network is a ZigBee network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said preparing for joining by said vehicle wireless personal area network node device at step A comprises joining and afterwards leaving said wireless personal area network through said first wireless personal area network node device, and wherein said joining by said vehicle wireless personal area network node device at step B comprises joining again said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein after step A and before step B, said first wireless personal area network node device transmits to said third wireless personal area network node device information relating to the identity of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle wireless personal area network node device periodically exits a stand-by mode and looks for a network through a transceiver having an intermittent operation.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a transceiver of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device is continuously operative from starting step A until ending step D.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one sensor is provided for detecting vehicles within said second area and is connected to said second wireless personal area network node device in order to transmit vehicle detection signals thereto, whereby the detection of said moving vehicle within said predetermined area corresponds additionally to the reception of a vehicle detection signal by said second wireless personal area network node device from said sensor.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, during the time between step C and step D, a wireless personal area network node device of said wireless personal area network transmits to said vehicle wireless personal area network node device information to be used by the vehicle or to be provided to a user.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said wireless personal area network node device is said second wireless personal area network node device that transmits said information through said third wireless personal area network node device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle wireless personal area network node device, after leaving said wireless personal area network, associates with a user mobile telephone terminal.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said information is forwarded to a user mobile telephone terminal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said mobile telephone terminal comprises a wireless personal area network node device and receives said information from said vehicle wireless personal area network node device through a wireless personal area network connection.

14. A system for detecting moving vehicles within a predetermined area comprising:

a first wireless personal area network node device capable of covering a first area and belonging to a wireless personal area network;

a second wireless personal area network node device capable of covering a second area belonging to said wireless personal area network, said second area corresponding to said predetermined area;

a third wireless personal area network node device capable of covering a second area belonging to said wireless personal area network; and

a vehicle wireless personal area network node device capable of being carried by a vehicle,

said first and second and third areas being sized and located so that a vehicle to be detected enters said first area before entering said third area and before entering said second area, and

said wireless personal area network node devices capable of being arranged so that;

when said vehicle enters said first area, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device discovers said wireless personal area network through said first wireless personal area network node device and prepares for joining said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area node device, wherein said preparing comprises reducing a stand-by period of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device;

when said vehicle enters said third area, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device joins said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device,

when said vehicle enters said second area, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device transmits information to said second wireless personal area network node device, and

when leaving said wireless personal area network, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device leaves through said third wireless personal area network node device,

wherein a transceiver of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device is continuously operative from entering said third area to leaving said wireless personal area network, whereby the detection of said moving vehicle within said predetermined area corresponds at least to the reception of said information by said second wireless personal area network node device.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said first and second areas are sized and located so that a vehicle to be detected enters said first area before entering said second area.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said second and third areas are sized and located so that a vehicle to be detected exits said second area before exiting said third area.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said wireless personal area network node devices are ZigBee node devices.

18. The system according to claim 14, further comprising at least one sensor capable of being located and arranged to detect vehicles within said second area and connected to said second wireless personal area network node device in order to transmit vehicle detection signals thereto.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said third wireless personal area network node device is capable of being located at a location covered by both said first and second wireless personal area network node devices.

20. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a user mobile telephone terminal provided with a wireless personal area network node device, wherein said vehicle wireless personal area network node device, after leaving said wireless personal area network, is capable of associating with said user mobile telephone terminal to communicate information received by said second wireless personal area network node device.

21. A method for detecting a moving vehicle within a predetermined area by means of at least a first wireless personal area network node device and a second wireless personal area network node device and a third wireless personal area network node device,

wherein said moving vehicle carries a vehicle wireless personal area network node device,

wherein said first wireless personal area network node device and said second wireless personal area network node device and said third wireless personal area network node device belong to one wireless personal area network,

wherein said first wireless personal area network node device covers a first area and said second wireless personal area network node device covers a second area corresponding to said predetermined area and said third wireless personal area network node device covers a third area, said first and second and third areas being sized and located so that a vehicle to be detected enters said first area before entering said third area and before entering said second area, comprising the steps of:

A) when entering said first area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device discovers said wireless personal area network through said first wireless personal area network node device and prepares for joining said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device;

B) when entering said third area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device joins said wireless personal area network through said third wireless personal area network node device;

C) when entering said second area with said vehicle, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device transmits information to said second wireless personal area network node device, wherein said preparing comprises reducing a stand-by period of said vehicle wireless personal area network node device; and

D) when leaving said wireless personal area network, said vehicle wireless personal area network node device leaves through said third wireless personal area network node device;

wherein said wireless personal area network node device is said second wireless personal area network node device that transmits said information through said third wireless personal area network node device; and

wherein, during the time between step C and step D, a wireless personal area network node device of said wireless personal area network transmits to said vehicle wireless personal area network node device information to be used by the vehicle or to be provided to a user,

whereby the detection of said moving vehicle within said predetermined area corresponds at least to the reception of said information by said second wireless personal area network node device.