Cooperative task execution in instrumented roadway systems

• US 9,877,088 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2014
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abuelsaad, Tamer E., Moore, Jr., John E., Singi, Rajeshkumar N., Wentworth, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALSECA, FRANKLIN D
• Application Number:
  US14/287,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 34087001, 34087002, 34087007, 455 111
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/47 using RFID associated with sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A method and system for relaying a sensor communication to a central monitoring system by utilizing a crowdsourcing model. The method includes: obtaining a registered device through crowdsourcing; registering the registered device into a central monitoring system; configuring the registered device to communicate with a plurality of road management sensors and with the central monitoring system; monitoring and gathering location information of the registered device by the central monitoring system; transmitting, via the central monitoring system, a request to gather a sensor communication from a sensor to the registered device; executing the request, via the registered device, by capturing the sensor communication emitted from the sensor, wherein the sensor communication is emitted using a passive radio-frequency identification tag; and relaying at least a part of the sensor communication from the registered device to the central monitoring system.

Claims

1. A method for relaying a sensor communication to a central monitoring system by utilizing a crowdsourcing model, the method comprising:

obtaining a registered device through crowdsourcing;

registering the registered device into a central monitoring system;

configuring the registered device to communicate with a plurality of road management sensors and with the central monitoring system;

monitoring location information of the registered device by the central monitoring system;

transmitting, via the central monitoring system, a request to gather a sensor communication from a sensor to the registered device;

executing the request, via the registered device, by capturing the sensor communication emitted from the sensor, wherein the sensor communication is emitted using a passive radio-frequency identification tag;

examining, by the registered device, the sensor communication to identify a relay point, different than the central monitoring system, to which the sensor communication is to be transmitted; and

relaying, by the registered device, to the relay point, the sensor communication and a location of the sensor, wherein the relay point determines a first central monitoring system to which the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication being indicative of a malfunction at the sensor, the relay point determines a second central monitoring system to which the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication not being indicative of the malfunction at the sensor, and wherein the determination of a destination central monitoring system for the sensor communication is further based on attributes of the sensor communication, a timestamp at which the sensor communication is captured, and the location of the sensor initiating the sensor communication so that the destination central monitoring system communicates with a corresponding repair crew to be dispatched to the sensor in case of malfunction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the passive radio frequency identification tag comprises a near-field communication tag.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the registered device comprises a vehicle capable of using wireless techniques.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the registered device comprises a mobile device capable of using wireless techniques.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor communication comprises at least one of:

location information, sensor status information, sensor communication timestamp information, and sensor communication destination information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request to gather the sensor communication from the sensor is based on the location information of the registered device monitored by the central monitoring system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request to gather the sensor communication from the sensor is based on route patterns of the registered device obtained by monitoring the location information of the registered device by the central monitoring system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

crediting a civilian who operates the registered device for relaying the sensor communication to the central monitoring system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the sensor is transmitted by the registered device based on a location of the registered device.

10. A method for relaying a sensor communication to a central monitoring system by utilizing a crowdsourcing model, the method comprising:

obtaining a registered device through crowdsourcing;

enrolling the registered device into a message carrier system;

configuring the registered device to communicate with a plurality of road management sensors and with a central monitoring system;

entering a predetermined proximity of a sensor with the registered device;

detecting a sensor communication emitted by a passive radio-frequency identification tag via the registered device, wherein the sensor communication pertains to a state of operation of the sensor;

capturing, by the registered device, the sensor communication, a geo-location, and a timestamp emitted from the sensor using a passive-frequency identification reader, and transmitting, by the registered device, the sensor communication for receipt by a relay point, different than the central monitoring system;

examining, by the relay point, the sensor communication, the geo-location, and the timestamp to determine a monitoring station in the central monitoring system for the sensor communication, wherein the relay point determines a first monitoring station from the central monitoring system to which the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication being indicative of a malfunction at the sensor, and the relay point determines a second monitoring station from the central monitoring system to which the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication not being indicative of the malfunction at the sensor; and

relaying the sensor communication, the geo-location, and the timestamp to one of the first monitoring station or the second monitoring station in the central monitoring system, which communicates with a corresponding repair crew to be dispatched to the sensor in case of malfunction.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the passive radio-frequency identification tag and passive-frequency identification reader tag comprise near-field communication devices.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the registered device comprises a vehicle capable of using wireless techniques having a roadway system application.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle does not examine the geo-location and timestamp, and wherein the roadway system application determines the monitoring station in the central monitoring system for the sensor communication based on attributes of the sensor communication.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the registered device comprises a mobile device capable of using wireless techniques.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising crediting the registered device in response to the central monitoring station receiving at least a part of the sensor communication response.

16. A system for relaying a sensor communication to a central monitoring system by utilizing a crowdsourcing model, the system comprising:

a memory;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; and

a module communicatively coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the module is configured to perform the steps of a method comprising;

receiving a transmission of the sensor communication from a registered device, the sensor communication emitted from a roadway sensor, wherein the sensor communication is emitted using a passive radio-frequency identification tag;

determining a first central monitoring station to which at least a part of the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication being indicative of a malfunction at the sensor, and determining a second central monitoring station to which the at least a part of the sensor communication is to be forwarded in response to the sensor communication not being indicative of the malfunction at the sensor, and, wherein the determination is further based on attributes of the sensor communication, and a location of the roadway sensor, and wherein the determination of a destination central monitoring system for the sensor communication is further based on a timestamp at which the sensor communication is captured, and the location of the roadway sensor initiating the sensor communication; and

relaying the at least a part of the sensor communication from the registered device to one of the first central monitoring station or the second central monitoring station of the central monitoring system, which communicates with a corresponding repair crew to be dispatched to the sensor in case of malfunction.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the passive radio frequency identification tag comprises a near-field communication tag.

18. The system according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring and gathering location information of the registered device by the central monitoring system;

transmitting, via the central monitoring system, to the registered device a request to gather a sensor communication from a sensor; and

executing the request, via the registered device, by capturing the sensor communication emitted from the sensor.

19. The system according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

capturing, by the registered device, a geo-location and a timestamp emitted from the roadway sensor using a passive-frequency identification reader; and

examining the sensor communication, the geo-location, and the timestamp to determine the monitoring station in the central monitoring system for the sensor communication.

20. The system according to claim 16, further comprising:

crediting the registered device for transmitting the sensor communication.