System and method for improved traffic flow reporting using satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) and vehicle communications, navigation and tracking system

• US 8,725,398 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Marko, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAUCHAINE, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US13/468,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33.7, 701/33.8, 701/33.9, 701/119, 701/117, 701/118, 701/32.3, 701/409, 340/425.5, 340/670, 340/936, 700/90, 700/304
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• 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

Systems and methods are provided for improved traffic flow reporting (e.g., system bandwidth conservation and timely traffic flow updates) using in-vehicle devices, service hub, and communications system for transmitting aggregated traffic flow data to the vehicles. In-vehicle devices store data relating to monitored segments of roadways (e.g., segment identifiers or location codes and designated range(s) of speed), and send messages to the hub when current vehicle speed is not within a selected range designated for the current segment of roadway where the vehicle is located. Vehicles can be configured to send messages based on various criteria. A selected vehicle or group of vehicles can be commanded to send a message to the hub. The hub provides updated traffic flow data based on the messages to the communications system for transmission to the vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of providing traffic flow information comprising:

storing, at a vehicle, location data that corresponds to different segments of roadways over which traffic flow is monitored;

receiving, at a vehicle, a signal comprising multiplexed programming channels and traffic flow information, the traffic flow information comprising traffic data relating to a reported speed range for vehicles traveling on respective ones of the segments of roadways;

determining, at the vehicle, its current position data;

determining, at the vehicle, if its current position data is within one of the segments by comparing its current position data with the location data in the stored location data;

determining, at the vehicle, its current vehicle speed;

if the vehicle is determined to be traveling within one of the segments, then determining if its current vehicle speed is within the reported speed range for that segment;

generating, at the vehicle, a message reporting its current vehicle speed for transmission to a traffic flow information processor when its current vehicle speed is not within the reported speed range for that segment; and

controlling the vehicle to not send a message reporting its current vehicle speed when its current vehicle speed is within the reported speed range for that segment.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles, further comprising transmitting a command that requests a selected group of the plurality of vehicles to respond with respective messages.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising transmitting a message responding to the command from at least one of the selected vehicles to a traffic data hub configured to compile traffic information.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the command requests a message relating to a condition unrelated to the reported speed range for the segment in which the vehicle is traveling.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selected vehicles respond with a message at a selected time.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the command requests that vehicles satisfying one or more selected criteria respond with a message.

7. A computer-implemented method of providing traffic flow information comprising:

storing, at a vehicle, location data that corresponds to different segments of roadways over which traffic flow is monitored;

receiving, at a vehicle, traffic flow information comprising traffic data relating to a reported speed range for vehicles traveling on respective ones of the segments of roadways;

determining, at the vehicle, its current position data;

determining, using the computer at the vehicle, if its current position data is within one of the segments by comparing its current position data with the location data in the stored location data;

determining, at the vehicle, its current vehicle speed;

if the vehicle is determined to be traveling within one of the segments, then determining if its current vehicle speed is within the reported speed range for that segment; and

generating, at the vehicle, a message reporting its current vehicle speed for transmission to a traffic flow information processor when its current vehicle speed is not within the reported speed range for that segment.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising controlling the vehicle to not send a message reporting its current vehicle speed when its current vehicle speed is within the reported speed range for that segment.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles, and further comprising receiving the traffic flow information when it is broadcast to the plurality of vehicles.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising receiving a signal that is broadcast to the plurality of vehicles and comprises multiplexed programming channels and the traffic flow information.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles, further comprising receiving, at the vehicle, a command to respond with a message.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising transmitting the message responding to the command to a traffic data hub configured to compile traffic information.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the command requests a selected group of the plurality of vehicles to respond with respective messages.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the command requests a message relating to a condition unrelated to the reported speed range for the segment in which the vehicle is traveling.

15. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vehicle is one of a plurality of vehicles, further comprising transmitting commands to selected ones of the vehicles to respond with a message.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the selected vehicles respond with a message at a selected time.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the command requests a message indicating a condition unrelated to the reported speed range for the segment in which the vehicle is traveling.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the command requests that vehicles satisfying one or more selected criteria respond with a message.