Providing dynamic routing alternatives based on determined traffic conditions

• US 9,755,850 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elizabeth B. Stolfus
• Original Assignee: Elizabeth B. Stolfus
• Inventors: Stolfus, Elizabeth B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worden, Tommy
• Application Number:
  US14/698,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• 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 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/43 with synchronous transmission, e.g. time division multiplex [TDM], slotted rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/247 using M:N active or standby paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/122 by diverting traffic away from congested entities

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are provided to determine traffic conditions along a traffic path and dynamically present one or more entities with at least one alternate route. The alternate route is determined based on a number of entities along the traffic path and available routing points adjacent to the traffic conditions. The alternate route may be configured to optimize traffic for an entire traffic system rather than only optimizing traffic for receivers of the alternate routes. Data relating to the alternate routes presented to the entities can be tracked. This data may be used to evaluate an effectiveness of the routing decisions made. Effectiveness can be measured in cost and time saved or spent. Information, such as the data, determinations of the data, and/or even effectiveness of alternate routes, can be distributed to one or more parties. Distribution of the information may be associated with a tiered cost structure.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically routing vehicles away from a pathway in a traffic system and increasing a flow of vehicular traffic for the traffic system after detecting turbulence along the pathway, comprising:

separating, via a processor, a traffic system into paths including nodes along each path;

tracking, via the processor and a plurality of roadside traffic monitoring devices disposed along each path, a traffic flow for vehicles traveling between adjacent nodes along each path in the traffic system;

receiving, from a first roadside traffic monitoring device associated with a first path in the traffic system, information indicating a decrease in traffic flow at a point along the first path;

determining, via the processor and based on the decrease in traffic flow at the point along the first path, the decrease in traffic flow corresponds to a turbulence in the traffic system;

determining, via the processor, a first alternate route off the first path and around the point along the first path for a first group of vehicles traveling along the first path at a first distance from the point along the first path;

determining, via the processor, a different second alternate route off the first path and around the point along the first path for a second group of vehicles traveling along the first path at a second further distance from the point along the first path, wherein the first alternate route and the second alternate route are determined based on an optimized traffic flow for an entirety of the traffic system;

sending, via the processor, first traffic control instructions to a first set of roadside traffic control devices disposed along the first path adjacent to the first group of vehicles, wherein the first traffic control instructions cause the first set of roadside traffic control devices to render modified indications configured to facilitate movement of a majority of the first group of vehicles as a first platoon along the first alternate route; and

sending, via the processor, second traffic control instructions to a second set of roadside traffic control devices disposed along the first path adjacent to the second group of vehicles, wherein the second traffic control instructions cause the second set of roadside traffic control devices to render modified indications configured to facilitate movement of a majority of the second group of vehicles as a second platoon along the second alternate route.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

separating, via the processor, the first path into two or more adjacent sections, wherein each section of the two or more sections defines a length of the first path between adjacent traffic nodes; and

determining, via the processor and based on information received from at least one of the plurality of roadside traffic monitoring devices, a number of all vehicles traveling in each section of the two or more sections.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first alternate route off the first path and around the point, further comprises:

determining, via the processor, an assumed destination along the first path for the first group of vehicles, wherein the assumed destination is based on common travel information between each vehicle in the first group of vehicles, and wherein the assumed destination is not based on an origin and destination from a driving direction application; and

determining, via the processor and based on the assumed destination, available alternate route nodes around the point along the first path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the first alternate route off the first path and around the point, further comprises:

executing, via the processor, at least one transportation theory algorithm based on at least one of, the number of all vehicles traveling in each section of the two or more sections, the assumed destination for the first group of vehicles, and the available alternate route nodes around the point along the first path, wherein a result of the at least one transportation theory algorithm executed by the processor includes the first alternate route.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the first alternate route off the first path and around the point, further comprises:

monitoring, via the plurality of roadside traffic monitoring devices in the traffic system, traffic flow at available alternate route nodes; and

assigning, via the processor and based on the traffic flow at the available alternate route nodes, vehicles traveling at substantially similar speeds within a predetermined distance of one another to the first group.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, via the processor, that the traffic flow at the available alternate route nodes is decreasing; and

determining, via the processor, at least one different alternate route for vehicles in groups that have not been provided with the first alternate route.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, via the processor and across a wireless communication network, first routing directions to a communication device associated with a user of a vehicle in the first group of vehicles simultaneously with sending the first traffic control instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the decrease in traffic flow corresponding to a turbulence in the traffic system includes predicting, via the processor, at least one of an accident, traffic congestion, traffic path construction, and traffic path surface irregularity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, via the processor, information about the one or more entities in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the information includes whether the first group of vehicles followed the first traffic control instructions and first alternate route; and

determining, via the processor, an effectiveness of the first alternate route on improving the traffic flow for the first path and the traffic system.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

modifying, via the processor, operational conditions for traffic flow in the traffic system, wherein modifying operational conditions includes altering an output from one or more traffic control devices in the traffic system, and wherein the traffic control devices include one or more of road signs, traffic lights, adaptive traffic signals and variable speed limit signs.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein sending the first routing directions to a communication device associated with a user of a vehicle in the first group of vehicles further comprises:

determining, via the processor, a first position of the communication device along the traffic path relative to the point;

determining, via the processor, the first position of the communication device is in the first group of vehicles.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sending, via the processor and across the wireless communication network, second routing directions to a communication device associated with a user of a vehicle in the second group of vehicles simultaneously with sending the first or second traffic control instructions.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving at a processor, information defining a traffic flow for each path in a traffic system, wherein the information is received in near real-time from roadside traffic monitoring devices disposed along each path and from communication devices associated with vehicles traveling along at least one path in the traffic system,

determining, via the processor and based on the information received, a disruption in traffic flow at a point along a first path in the traffic system;

determining, via the processor, possible exit traffic nodes along the first path and before the point of the disruption;

determining, via the processor and based on the information received, a location and number of vehicles traveling along the first path adjacent to the point of the disruption;

determining, via the processor and based on the disruption and the location and number of the vehicles traveling along the first path, alternative routing for presentation to the vehicles traveling along the first path, wherein the alternative routing includes instructions configured to distribute routing of the vehicles traveling along the first path from at least one exit traffic node of the determined possible exit traffic nodes around the disruption according to an optimal traffic flow for an entirety of the traffic system, wherein the alternative routing is determined without requiring a destination for the vehicles traveling along the first path; and

sending, via the processor and across a communication network, at least one alternative route of the alternative routing to a communication device associated with a vehicle traveling along the first path, wherein the at least one alternative route is configured to be rendered by a graphical user interface of the communication device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the alternative routing for presentation to the entities, further comprises:

determining, via the processor, path sections between the possible exit traffic nodes along the first path, wherein each path section of the path sections represents a shortest distance between two adjacent nodes in the possible exit traffic nodes that is capable of receiving traffic;

determining, via the processor, a first vehicle is in a first path section in the first path;

determining, via the processor, a second vehicle is in the first path section in the first path; and

determining, via the processor, a first alternative route for providing to the first vehicle in the first path section in the first path and a second alternative route for providing to a second vehicle in the first path section in the first path, wherein the first and second alternative routes include different routing instructions and a common exit node from the first path.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein no other nodes exist between the two adjacent nodes.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the alternative routing for presentation to the entities, further comprises:

determining, via the processor, an assumed destination for the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein the assumed destination is based on a speed of travel and/or a direction of travel for the first vehicle and the second vehicle, wherein the assumed destination is identical for the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and

determining available alternate route nodes off the first path for routing the first vehicle and the second vehicle around the disruption to the determined assumed destination for the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the different routing instructions include providing different paths for the first vehicle and the second vehicle having different alternate route nodes except for the common exit node and a node associated with the determined assumed destination for the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the optimal traffic flow for the traffic system includes increasing at least one of a travel time and travel distance for one or more of the first and second alternative route, the optimal traffic flow providing a distribution of traffic flow in the traffic system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

sending, via the processor and across the communication network, traffic control instructions to a first roadside traffic control device disposed along the first path in the first path section, wherein the first traffic control instructions cause the first roadside traffic control device to render indications configured to accept all rerouted vehicles in the first path section off the first path via the common exit node.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, information defining a traffic flow for a first path in a traffic system, wherein the information is received in near real-time from roadside traffic monitoring devices disposed along the first path;

determining, via the processor and based on the information received, a disruption in traffic flow at a point along a first path in the traffic system;

determining, via the processor, possible exit traffic nodes along the first path and before the point of the disruption;

determining, via the processor and based on the information received, a location and number of vehicles traveling along the first path adjacent to the point of the disruption;

determining, via the processor, an age and/or driving style associated with a driver of each of the vehicles traveling along the first path;

assigning, via the processor, a first set of the vehicles traveling along the first path with drivers having similar first ages and/or driving styles to a first routing group;

assigning, via the processor, a second set of the vehicles traveling along the first path with drivers having similar second ages and/or driving styles to a second routing group, wherein the first ages and/or driving styles are different from the second ages and/or driving styles;

determining, via the processor, a first alternative route for presentation to the first set of vehicles in the first routing group;

determining, via the processor, a different second alternative route for presentation to the second set of vehicles in the second routing group, wherein the first alternative route and the second alternative route are determined based on an optimized traffic flow for an entirety of the traffic system;

sending, via the processor and across a communication network, instructions including the first alternative route to communication devices associated with the first set of vehicles in the first routing group, wherein the instructions cause graphical user interfaces of the communication devices associated with the first set of vehicles to display the first alternative route; and

sending, via the processor and across the communication network, instructions including the second alternative route to communication devices associated with the second set of vehicles in the second routing group, wherein the instructions cause graphical user interfaces of the communication devices associated with the second set of vehicles to display the second alternative route, wherein the first and second alternative routes include different travel paths from one another.