Method and apparatus for notifying device users of a bottleneck status

• US 9,460,617 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Beaurepaire, Jerome, Tuukkanen, Marko Tapio
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, SHARDUL D
• Application Number:
  US14/264,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20150310739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/400, 455/456.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• 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 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• 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 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An approach is provided for alerting device users engaged in various modes of travel they are creating a bottleneck. A notification platform causes, at least in part, a detection of movement pattern information associated with at least one device and at least one neighboring device. The notification platform also processes the movement pattern information to determine that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck to a movement of the at least one neighboring device. The notification platform also causes, at least in part, a presentation of at least one message to the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof regarding the at least one potential bottleneck.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, at least in part, a detection of movement pattern information associated with at least one device and at least one neighboring device based, at least in part, on the at least one neighboring device dynamically switching between a longer range wireless connectivity and a shorter range wireless connectivity, wherein when the at least one device is initially detected by the at least one neighboring device via the longer range wireless connectivity but later is capable of being detected via the longer range wireless connectivity and the shorter range wireless connectivity, determining that the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device are moving towards each other;

processing and/or facilitating a processing of the movement pattern information to determine that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck to a movement of the at least one neighboring device; and

causing, at least in part, a presentation of at least one message to the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof regarding the at least one potential bottleneck.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the at least one neighboring device based on at least one grouping range, at least one grouping geometry, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing and/or facilitating a processing of the movement pattern information to determine a speed of movement, a direction of movement, a timing of movement, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device; and

determining the at least one potential bottleneck based, at least in part, on a difference in the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the timing of movement, or a combination thereof between the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement pattern information is associated with a walking movement, vehicle movement, an ad-hoc movement, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining contextual information associated with at least one environment associated with the movement pattern information,

wherein the determination that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck is based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, a narrowness of a travel path, a presence of an obstruction, a presence of an alternate path for passing, or a combination thereof.

7. The method claim 5, wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, a speed limit, a geometry of the at least one environment, a geometry of a vehicle, or a combination thereof, the method further comprising:

determining one or more criteria for selecting the at least one neighboring device based, at least in part, on the speed limit, the geometry of the at least one environment, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a calculation of at least one recommended action, at least one recommended alternate travel path, at least one recommended overtaking point, at least one expected duration of the at least one potential bottleneck, at least one recommended movement speed, or a combination thereof to avoid the at least one potential bottleneck,

wherein the at least one recommended action, the at least one recommended alternate travel path, the at least one recommended overtaking point, the at least one expected duration of the at least one potential bottleneck, the at least one recommended movement speed, or a combination thereof is presented in the at least one message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a triggering of the presentation of the at least one message based, at least in part, on one or more travel management criteria, one or more received complaints, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, an enabling, a disabling, or a combination thereof of at least one function associated with the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the at least one potential bottleneck.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

cause, at least in part, a detection of movement pattern information associated with at least one device and at least one neighboring device based, at least in part, on the at least one neighboring device dynamically switching between a longer range wireless connectivity and a shorter range wireless connectivity, wherein when the at least one device is initially detected by the at least one neighboring device via the longer range wireless connectivity but later is capable of being detected via the longer range wireless connectivity and the shorter range wireless connectivity, determining that the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device are moving towards each other;

process and/or facilitate a processing of the movement pattern information to determine that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck to a movement of the at least one neighboring device; and

cause, at least in part, a presentation of at least one message to the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof regarding the at least one potential bottleneck.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the at least one neighboring device based on at least one grouping range, at least one grouping geometry, or a combination thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the movement pattern information to determine a speed of movement, a direction of movement, a timing of movement, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device; and

determine the at least one potential bottleneck based, at least in part, on a difference in the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the timing of movement, or a combination thereof between the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the movement pattern information is associated with a walking movement, vehicle movement, an ad-hoc movement, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine contextual information associated with at least one environment associated with the movement pattern information,

wherein the determination that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck is based, at least in part, on the contextual information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, a narrowness of a travel path, a presence of an obstruction, a presence of an alternate path for passing, or a combination thereof.

17. The An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contextual information includes, at least in part, a speed limit, a geometry of the at least one environment, a geometry of a vehicle, or a combination thereof, the apparatus further comprising:

determine one or more criteria for selecting the at least one neighboring device based, at least in part, on the speed limit, the geometry of the at least one environment, or a combination thereof.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

cause, at least in part, a detection of movement pattern information associated with at least one device and at least one neighboring device based, at least in part, on the at least one neighboring device dynamically switching between a longer range wireless connectivity and a shorter range wireless connectivity, wherein when the at least one device is initially detected by the at least one neighboring device via the longer range wireless connectivity but later is capable of being detected via the longer range wireless connectivity and the shorter range wireless connectivity, determining that the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device are moving towards each other;

process and/or facilitate a processing of the movement pattern information to determine that the at least one device represents at least one potential bottleneck to a movement of the at least one neighboring device; and

cause, at least in part, a presentation of at least one message to the at least one device, the at least one neighboring device, or a combination thereof regarding the at least one potential bottleneck.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the at least one neighboring device based on at least one grouping range, at least one grouping geometry, or a combination thereof.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the movement pattern information to determine a speed of movement, a direction of movement, a timing of movement, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device; and

determine the at least one potential bottleneck based, at least in part, on a difference in the speed of movement, the direction of movement, the timing of movement, or a combination thereof between the at least one device and the at least one neighboring device.