Real time vehicle guidance and traffic forecasting system
First Claim
1. A system for real time vehicle guidance and forecasting travel times under, the system comprising:
- central traffic unit (CTU), mobile guidance units (MGU), and communication system (COS).
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Accused Products
Abstract
Real time vehicle guidance by central traffic unit is provided by a system which includes a central traffic unit, a plurality of vehicles equipped with mobile guidance units, and communication system based on GSM/GPS technology. The central traffic unit maintains the perpetually updated database of travel times for all sections of roads, while mobile guidance units include mobile cell phone handset units located in mounting receptacles (and used for determining their present position) and communicatively linked to the central traffic unit computer server. Mobile guidance units also comprise smart card capable to detect when a mobile cell phone unit is located in the mounting receptacle. All vehicles in which mobile cell phone units are so located can be used as probe vehicles. The central traffic unit uses those probe vehicles as antennas by tracking their positions for creating and maintaining a network of real time traffic load disposition in various geographical areas. To be able to detect a bottleneck situation when it arises and to estimate a current travel time for a corresponding section of road, the central traffic unit maintains a list of probe vehicles that have recently exited that section. If the times those vehicles have spent on the section differ considerably from a regular travel time stored in the database, the central traffic unit uses statistical tools for forecasting the future travel time along this section. In response to a request from a driver for a route update from his present position to a desired destination communicated via mobile phone to the central traffic unit, the central traffic unit calculates the desired fastest route by utilizing both the regular travel times along segments of roads and predicted current travel times calculated by using information collected from probe vehicles. By appropriately combining those travel times, the central traffic unit calculates the fastest route based on the most updated information on traffic load disposition. Thereafter the route is communicated to the corresponding mobile guidance unit for displaying it on the computer screen and/or communicating it to the driver by voice. Moreover, the guidance system allows the driver to enter alternative time schedules for the same destination and receive alternative travel time estimates reflecting different estimated travel times along the roads at different times. Additionally, the central traffic unit can relate to the driver new and updated information on current traffic jams, slow-down bottleneck situations, etc. in a
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21 Claims
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1. A system for real time vehicle guidance and forecasting travel times under, the system comprising:
central traffic unit (CTU), mobile guidance units (MGU), and communication system (COS). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A mobile unit for use with system which includes central traffic unit (CTU), mobile guidance units (MGU), and communication system (COS) for real time vehicle guidance and forecasting travel times under, the mobile unit comprising:
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mobile unit with hybrid telecommunications and GPS capabilities connected to an existing mobile telecommunications network and utilizing a GPS receiver for accurate positioning;
a mobile phone telematics protocol (MPTP) connection to the a mobile telecommunications network server for real time position update;
a mounting receptacle for holding mobile cell phone handset units;
a sensor to identify when a mobile cell phone handset unit is located in the mounting receptacle;
said mobile guidance units having a capability of accepting voice queries and transmit navigation commands; and
said mobile guidance units containing computational units for storing route information and displaying in on the display unit. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for real time vehicle guidance and forecasting travel times under, the method comprising:
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providing central traffic unit (CTU), mobile guidance units (MGU), and communication system (COS);
connecting the central traffic unit to telecommunications operator base stations and to the mobile guidance units via the communication system;
using said central traffic unit for determination of location and for communication with MGUs via the communication system by utilizing wireless telephone technology;
using said central traffic unit and the GPS location data, for achieving maximum feasible precision in determining MGU positions. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification