Method and apparatus for providing estimated patrol properties and historic patrol records

• US 10,748,076 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2017
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steve Dabell
• Original Assignee: Steve Dabell
• Inventors: Dabell, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Worden, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US15/692,094
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• 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 1/0137 for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• 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

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to provide a predictive traffic law enforcement profiler apparatus and method which incorporates a means to determine current location, time, velocity and also incorporates a means to utilize a database derived from historic traffic law enforcement records, crowd sourced records and historical traffic data and also incorporates a predictive processing means to provide historic traffic law enforcement records and estimates of enforced speed limits and enforcement profiles, patrol locations and schedules of traffic law enforcement to a driver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing properties of traffic law enforcement within a region comprising:

a database comprising records of properties of traffic law enforcement for at least said region, wherein said records of properties of traffic law enforcement comprise one or both of patrol location and patrol schedule, and wherein said records of properties of traffic law enforcement are derived by analysis of properties from one or both of (a) records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement, and (b) records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement;

a predictive processor configured to;

(a) retrieve all or a portion of said records of properties of traffic law enforcement, said records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement, and/or said records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement, at least within said region, from said database, and (b) to determine all or a portion of said properties of traffic law enforcement by filtering and/or analyzing said all or said portion of said retrieved records;

an indicator configured to present said properties of traffic law enforcement at least within said region; and

a user control, configured to be operated by a user and further configured to control one or more of (a) what data is gathered, stored, and/or filtered within said database for possible analysis by said predictive processor, (b) a scope and/or output of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor utilizing said retrieved records within said database, (c) aspects of presentation of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor via said indicator, (d) aspects of presentation of said properties of traffic law enforcement via said indicator, and (e) boundaries, range, and/or size of said region.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS);

wherein said GPS is configured to determine a location;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to determines said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said location and said region; and

wherein said indicator is further configured to presents said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said location and said region.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS);

wherein said GPS is configured to determine one or more of a time and a date;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to determine said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said time and said date; and

wherein said indicator is further configured to presents said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said time and said date.

4. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS);

wherein said GPS is configured to determine a direction of travel;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to determine said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to said direction of travel;

wherein said indicator is further configured to presents said properties of traffic law enforcement relative to said direction of travel.

5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said derived properties from said records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement and/or said records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement comprise one or more members of the group comprising:

vehicle direction, vehicle speed, vehicle location, vehicle type, vehicle color, encounter or issue time, and citation or encounter type.

6. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said records of properties of traffic law enforcement further comprise one or more members of the group comprising:

estimated enforced speed limit, posted speed limit, real time location of traffic law enforcement, estimated speed trap enforced location, estimated speed limit enforcement by aircraft location, estimated speed camera enforced location, estimated red light camera enforced intersection, histogram of violation speed, histogram of enforced traffic laws, location citation density, location patrol intensity, enforcement austerity, enforcement leniency, records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement, and records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said database further comprises a map of a roadway system for at least said region;

wherein said properties of traffic law enforcement further comprise one or more members of the group comprising;

estimated enforced speed limit, posted speed limit, real time location of traffic law enforcement, estimated speed trap enforced location, estimated speed limit enforcement by aircraft location, estimated speed camera enforced location, estimated red light camera enforced intersection, histogram of violation speed, histogram of enforced traffic laws, location citation density, location patrol intensity, enforcement austerity, enforcement leniency, records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement, and records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement;

wherein said indicator further comprises a display configured to present said map of said roadway system for at least said region; and

wherein said display is further configured to indicates any or all of said properties of traffic law enforcement on said map of said roadway system for at least said region.

8. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein said database further comprises one or more traffic flow databases each comprising one or more real time and/or historic records of traffic flow for at least said region, accessed via said network;

wherein said records of traffic law enforcement further comprise an enforced speed limit;

wherein said database further comprises a map of a roadway system for at least said region;

wherein said indicator further comprises a display configured to present said map of said roadway system for at least said region;

wherein said user control is further configured to accept route guidance inputs from said user;

wherein said route guidance inputs comprise at least a starting location and a destination location contained within said map of said roadway system for at least said region;

wherein said predictive processor further comprises one or more routing algorithms configured to determine a fastest route from among one or more possible routes utilizing said records of traffic law enforcement and/or said real time and/or historic traffic flow along said one or more possible routes; and

wherein said indicator is further configured to present any combination of said one or more possible routes, inclusive of said determined fastest route, via said display.

9. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein said database comprises one or more records only accessible via said network; and

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to utilize said network to;

store in said database one or more records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement provided by said user via said user control, and/or retrieve from said database one or more of said records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement.

10. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein one or both of said predictive processor and said database are in operable communication, via said network, with at least one physically separate additional predictive processor and/or at least one physically separate additional database;

wherein at least one server comprises a combination of said at least one physically separate additional predictive processor and said at least one physically separate additional database; and

wherein said predictive processor, either alone or in coordination with said at least one physically separate additional predictive processor of said server, is further configured to utilize said network to;

(a) store in said at least one physically separate additional database of said server one or more records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement provided by either or both of said user via said user control and/or other users of other substantially similar and network-compatible apparatuses via other associated additional user controls, and (b) derive one or more real time patrol locations from said one or more records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement stored in said at least one physically separate additional database of said server.

11. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein said network enables communication with one or more servers each comprising a server database and a server predictive processor, wherein each server database comprises additional records of properties of traffic law enforcement for at least said region, and wherein said additional records of properties of traffic law enforcement for at least said region comprises one or more additional records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement and/or additional records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement for at least said region; and

wherein said predictive processor and/or one or more of said server predictive processors at least partly derive one or more real time patrol locations from real time said additional records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement and/or said additional records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement for at least said region.

12. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein said network enables communication with one or more servers each comprising a server database, wherein each server database comprises additional records of properties of traffic law enforcement for at least said region;

wherein said additional records of properties of traffic law enforcement comprises one or more real time patrol locations

at least partly derived from additional records of issued citations of traffic law enforcement and/or additional records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement;

wherein said additional record of properties of traffic law enforcement are derived from and/or comprises one or more members of the group comprising;

vehicle direction, vehicle speed, vehicle location, vehicle type, vehicle color, encounter or issue time, violation speed, and citation or encounter type;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to provide a filtered record of historic traffic law enforcement by retrieving through said network, any said additional records of properties of traffic law enforcement from said server database matching any combinations of vehicle direction, vehicle location, vehicle type, vehicle color, encounter or issue time, violation speed, and citation or encounter type; and

wherein said indicator is further configured to presents a representation of said filtered record of historic traffic law enforcement and/or said one or more real time patrol locations.

13. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a network;

wherein the network enables operable communication with a traffic flow database configured to store one or more traffic flow database records comprising historic and/or real time traffic volume and/or traffic velocity for at least said region;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to determine enforced speed limit austerity relative to said historic and/or real time traffic volume and/or traffic velocity by filtering all or a portion of said one or more traffic flow database records for at least said region from said traffic flow database accessed via said network.

14. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) configured to determine, a location at any particular time,

wherein the predictive processor is further configured to determine one or more of a speed and direction utilizing changes in said location over time;

wherein said properties of traffic law enforcement further comprise one or more members of the group comprising;

estimated enforced speed limit, posted speed limit, real time location of traffic law enforcement, estimated speed trap enforced location, estimated speed limit enforcement by aircraft location, estimated speed camera enforced location, estimated red light camera enforced intersection, histogram of violation speed, histogram of enforced traffic laws, location citation density, location patrol intensity, enforcement austerity, and enforcement leniency;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to determine one or both of (a) when said location is within a distance threshold and/or a time threshold to a patrol location, and/or (b) when said one or more of said speed and direction is in violation of at least one of said properties of traffic law enforcement given said location; and

wherein said indicator is further configured to present a notification of one or more of (a) and/or (b) occurring.

15. A method for providing properties of traffic law enforcement within a region utilizing a database, a predictive processor, an indicator, and a user control, comprising the steps of:

retrieving from said database, by said predictive processor, records of properties of traffic law enforcement comprising one or both of patrol locations and patrol schedules, wherein said records of properties of traffic law enforcement are derived from one or both of (a) records of issued traffic law enforcement citations, (b) records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement;

indicating said records of properties of traffic law enforcement within said region using said indicator; and

controlling, by said user control utilized by a user, one or more aspects of (a) what data is gathered, stored, and/or filtered within said database for possible analysis by said predictive processor, (b) a scope and/or outputs of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor utilizing said records within said database, (c) aspects of presentation of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor via said indicator, (d) aspects of presentation of said properties of traffic law enforcement via said indicator, and (e) boundaries, range, and/or size of said region.

16. Method of claim 15, further comprising the additional steps of:

utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine a location and/or a direction of travel;

retrieving from said database by said predictive processor said records of properties of traffic law enforcement relative to said location and/or said direction of travel; and

indicating said records of properties of traffic law enforcement relative to said location and/or said direction of travel as determined by said GPS, using said indicator.

17. Method of claim 15, further comprising the additional steps of:

utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine one or more of a time and a date;

retrieving from said database by said predictive processor said records of properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said time and said date; and

indicating said records of properties of traffic law enforcement relative to one or more of said time and said date as determined by said GPS, using said indicator.

18. Method of claim 15, further comprising the additional steps of:

utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine one or more of a time and a speed; and

indicating one or more of said time and/or said speed, using said indicator;

wherein said records of properties of traffic law enforcement further comprise one or more members of the group comprising;

estimated enforced speed limit, posted speed limit, real time location of traffic law enforcement, estimated speed trap enforced locations, estimated aircraft speed limit enforced locations, estimated speed camera enforced locations, estimated red light camera enforced intersections, histogram of citation speeds, histogram of enforced traffic laws, location citation density, location patrol intensity, enforcement austerity, enforcement leniency, and a traffic flow database providing one or more of historic and/or real time traffic volume and/or traffic velocity.

19. Method of claim 15, further comprising the additional steps of:

utilizing a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine a location at any given time;

utilizing the predictive processor to determine a direction and a speed based on changes in said location over time as determined by said GPS;

utilizing a network in real time to share said records of issued traffic law enforcement citations and/or said records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement with one or more external databases; and

determining one or more real time patrol locations with said predictive processor based on real time analysis of said records of issued traffic law enforcement citations and/or real time analysis of said records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement retrieved from one or more of said database and/or said one or more external databases.

20. An apparatus for providing records of historical traffic law enforcement comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) configured to determine a location and one or more of a direction, a time, and a speed;

a database comprising historical records derived from one or both of records of issued traffic law enforcement citations and records of crowd sourced encounters with traffic law enforcement;

wherein each said historical record comprises at least one member of the group consisting of;

citation direction, location, issue time, or type;

wherein said database further comprises records of properties of traffic law enforcement consisting of one or both of patrol locations and patrol schedules, and some or all of the group consisting of;

estimated enforced speed limit, estimated speed trap enforced location, estimated speed limit enforcement by aircraft location, estimated speed camera enforced location, estimated red light camera enforced intersection, histogram of violation speed, histogram of enforced traffic laws, location citation density, location patrol intensity, enforcement austerity, or enforcement leniency;

wherein said database further comprises a map of a roadway system;

a predictive processor configured to retrieve a filtered selection of said historical records from said database conforming to a specific citation type, issue time, location, and/or direction;

wherein said predictive processor is further configured to retrieve said records of properties of traffic law enforcement from said database;

an indicator configured to present said map of said roadway system for at least said location as determined by said GPS and a representation of any combination of said retrieved filtered historical records and said records of properties of traffic law enforcement; and

a user control, configured to be operated by a user and further configured to control one or more of (a) what data is gathered, stored, and/or filtered within said database for possible analysis by said predictive processor, (b) a scope and/or outputs of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor utilizing said retrieved records within said database, (c) aspects of presentation of any analysis conducted by said predictive processor via said indicator, and (d) aspects of presentation of said properties of traffic law enforcement via said indicator.