Dynamic speed limit generation

• US 8,930,124 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ferreira, Jhony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/014,501
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/119, 701/121
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A method and system for generating a dynamic speed limit is provided. The method includes dynamically receiving, from vehicles currently in motion on a roadway, a dynamically changing data stream comprising data comprising parameters associated with the vehicles. Speed limits, recommended lane assignments, and velocity ranges for the vehicles are dynamically defined. The speed limits, the recommended lane assignments, and the velocity ranges are transmitted to and presented by each associated vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dynamically receiving, by a computer processor of a computing system from a plurality of vehicles currently in motion on a roadway, a dynamically changing data stream comprising data comprising parameters associated with said plurality of vehicles, wherein said computing system comprises a centralized computing system associated with a specified geographical region;

analyzing, by said computer processor, said data;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, speed limits for said plurality of vehicles;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, recommended lane assignments for said plurality of vehicles, wherein each recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments specifies a recommended lane of travel on said roadway for each said vehicle;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on each said recommended lane of travel and said speed limits, velocity ranges for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said recommended lane assignments; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to each said vehicle, an associated speed limit of said speed limits, an associated recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments, and an associated velocity range of said velocity ranges, wherein each said vehicle presents each said associated speed limit, each said associated recommended lane assignment, and each said associated velocity range to an associated driver of each associated vehicle of said plurality of vehicles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters comprise specifications, classes, and weight verses power ratios for each said vehicle, and wherein said parameters further comprise current climatic conditions and a maintenance quality with respect to said roadway.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of vehicles are located within a specified geographical perimeter associated with said specified geographical region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each velocity range said velocity ranges comprises a minimum speed and a speed limit of said speed limits with respect to an associated recommended lane assignment and an associated vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each said associated speed limit, each said associated recommended lane assignment, and each said associated velocity range generate an optimal traffic flow pattern for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said roadway.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said dynamically changing data stream comprises additional data comprising different parameters associated with said plurality of vehicles;

additionally analyzing, by said computer processor, said additional data;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said additionally analyzing, additional speed limits for said plurality of vehicles, said additional speed limits differing from said speed limits;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said additionally analyzing, additional recommended lane assignments for said plurality of vehicles, wherein each additional recommended lane assignment of said additional recommended lane assignments specifies a differing recommended lane of travel on said roadway for each said vehicle;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on each said additional recommended lane of travel and said additional speed limits, additional differing velocity ranges for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said recommended additional lane assignments; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to each said vehicle, a differing associated speed limit of said additional speed limits, a differing associated recommended lane assignment of said additional recommended lane assignments, and a differing associated velocity range of said additional differing velocity ranges, wherein each said vehicle presents each said differing associated speed limit, each said differing associated recommended lane assignment, and each said differing associated velocity range to said associated driver of each sad associated vehicle of said plurality of vehicles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said dynamically changing data stream is dynamically received via sensors and an on board computer located in each said vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by said computer processor, that a first vehicle of said plurality of vehicles has disabled communications with said computer processor;

receiving, by said computer processor in response to said determining that said first vehicle has disabled communications with said computer processor, identification data identifying said first vehicle; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to an authorized party, an alert indicating that said first vehicle is not in communication with said computer processor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in the computing system, said code being executed by the computer processor to implement;

said dynamically receiving, said analyzing, said dynamically defining said speed limits, said dynamically defining said recommended lane assignments, said dynamically defining said velocity ranges, and said transmitting.

10. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor implements a method comprising:

dynamically receiving, by said computer processor from a plurality of vehicles currently in motion on a roadway, a dynamically changing data stream comprising data comprising parameters associated with said plurality of vehicles, wherein said computing system comprises a centralized computing system associated with a specified geographical region;

analyzing, by said computer processor, said data;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, speed limits for said plurality of vehicles;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, recommended lane assignments for said plurality of vehicles, wherein each recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments specifies a recommended lane of travel on said roadway for each said vehicle;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on each said recommended lane of travel and said speed limits, velocity ranges for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said recommended lane assignments; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to each said vehicle, an associated speed limit of said speed limits, an associated recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments, and an associated velocity range of said velocity ranges, wherein each said vehicle presents each said associated speed limit, each said associated recommended lane assignment, and each said associated velocity range to an associated driver of each associated vehicle of said plurality of vehicles.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said parameters comprise specifications, classes, and weight verses power ratios for each said vehicle, and wherein said parameters further comprise current climatic conditions and a maintenance quality with respect to said roadway.

12. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of vehicles are located within a specified geographical perimeter associated with said specified geographical region.

13. The computing system of claim 10, wherein each velocity range said velocity ranges comprises a minimum speed and a speed limit of said speed limits with respect to an associated recommended lane assignment and an associated vehicle.

14. The computing system of claim 10, wherein each said associated speed limit, each said associated recommended lane assignment, and each said associated velocity range generate an optimal traffic flow pattern for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said roadway.

15. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said dynamically changing data stream comprises additional data comprising different parameters associated with said plurality of vehicles, and wherein said method further comprises:

additionally analyzing, by said computer processor, said additional data;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said additionally analyzing, additional speed limits for said plurality of vehicles, said additional speed limits differing from said speed limits;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said additionally analyzing, additional recommended lane assignments for said plurality of vehicles, wherein each additional recommended lane assignment of said additional recommended lane assignments specifies a differing recommended lane of travel on said roadway for each said vehicle;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on each said additional recommended lane of travel and said additional speed limits, additional differing velocity ranges for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said recommended additional lane assignments; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to each said vehicle, a differing associated speed limit of said additional speed limits, a differing associated recommended lane assignment of said additional recommended lane assignments, and a differing associated velocity range of said additional differing velocity ranges, wherein each said vehicle presents each said differing associated speed limit, each said differing associated recommended lane assignment, and each said differing associated velocity range to said associated driver of each sad associated vehicle of said plurality of vehicles.

16. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said dynamically changing data stream is dynamically received via sensors and an on board computer located in each said vehicle.

17. The computing system of claim 10, wherein said method further comprises:

determining, by said computer processor, that a first vehicle of said plurality of vehicles has disabled communications with said computer processor;

receiving, by said computer processor in response to said determining that said first vehicle has disabled communications with said computer processor, identification data identifying said first vehicle; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to an authorized party, an alert indicating that said first vehicle is not in communication with said computer processor.

18. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a computer processor of a computer system implements a method, said method comprising:

dynamically receiving, by said computer processor from a plurality of vehicles currently in motion on a roadway, a dynamically changing data stream comprising data comprising parameters associated with said plurality of vehicles, wherein said computing system comprises a centralized computing system associated with a specified geographical region;

analyzing, by said computer processor, said data;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, speed limits for said plurality of vehicles;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on results of said analyzing, recommended lane assignments for said plurality of vehicles, wherein each recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments specifies a recommended lane of travel on said roadway for each said vehicle;

dynamically defining, by said computer processor based on each said recommended lane of travel and said speed limits, velocity ranges for said plurality of vehicles with respect to said recommended lane assignments; and

transmitting, by said computer processor to each said vehicle, an associated speed limit of said speed limits, an associated recommended lane assignment of said recommended lane assignments, and an associated velocity range of said velocity ranges, wherein each said vehicle presents each said associated speed limit, each said associated recommended lane assignment, and each said associated velocity range to an associated driver of each associated vehicle of said plurality of vehicles.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said parameters comprise specifications, classes, and weight verses power ratios for each said vehicle, and wherein said parameters further comprise current climatic conditions and a maintenance quality with respect to said roadway.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said plurality of vehicles are located within a specified geographical perimeter associated with said specified geographical region.