GPS-based traffic monitoring system

• US 20070005226A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Original Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Application Number:
  US11/239,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005226A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• 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 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system for a vehicle comprises a global positioning system (GPS) that selectively generates location and parking indication data when the vehicle is parked. A control module receives a transceiver that selectively wirelessly transmits data of the location and parking indication data from said GPS and transmits the location and parking indication data using a transmitter. A parking monitoring system located remotely from the vehicle receives the location and parking indication data from the vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles that generates parking status reports based on the location and parking indication data and selectively transmits the parking status reports to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle including;

a global positioning system (GPS) that selectively generates location and parking indication data when said vehicle is parked;

a transceiver that selectively wirelessly transmits data;

a control module that receives said location and parking indication data from said GPS and that transmits said location and parking indication data using said transmitter; and

a parking monitoring system located remotely from said vehicle that receives said location and parking indication data from said vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles, that generates parking status reports based on said location and parking indication data, and that selectively transmits said parking status reports to said vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a parking lot module associated with a parking lot that identifies an available number of parking spots in said parking lot; and

a parking lot transmitter that transmits parking lot data related to said available number of parking spots to said parking monitoring system.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a parking spot module associated with a parking spot that identifies a filled status of said parking spot; and

a parking spot transmitter that transmits parking spot data based on said filled status to said parking monitoring system.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said parking status reports are based in part on said parking lot data.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said parking reports are based in part on said parking spot data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said parking status report for said vehicle includes parking information related to parking spots within a predetermined distance of said vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said parking information includes a parking status for parking spaces on predetermined types of roads within a predetermined distance of at least one of said vehicle and another location selected by a user of said GPS.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said parking status includes at least one status type selected from the group consisting of vacant, filled, unknown, and leaving.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively receives location and vector data from said GPS when said vehicle is not parked and said transceiver transmits said location and vector data.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said control module transmits said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads and does not transmit said location and vector data using said transceiver when said vehicle is traveling on a second set of roads.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a remote traffic monitoring system that receives said vector and location data from said vehicle and other vehicles and that generates traffic reports based thereon.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said traffic reports include traffic speed information for traffic on at least one road of said first set of predetermined roads.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a service assistance system that communicates with said control module and that wirelessly communicates with a remote service assistance system.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said remote traffic monitoring system compares a speed of said vehicle on a first road to a first threshold and to an average traffic speed on said first road and selectively triggers contact with said vehicle using said remote service assistance system.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter control module said vector and location data on a periodic basis using said transceiver.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said control module monitors changes in direction of said vehicle and transmits said vector and location data using said transceiver when said vehicle changes direction greater than a direction change threshold.

17. The system of claim 9 wherein said control module monitors changes in speed of said vehicle and said vector and location data using said transceiver when said vehicle speed change is greater than a speed change threshold.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module transmitter selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transceiver when said vehicle ignition is turned off.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transceiver when said vehicle ignition is turned off and said vehicle is parked in a public parking spot.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said control module selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transceiver when said vehicle leaves a public parking spot.

21. A method comprising:

selectively generating location and parking indication data when a vehicle is parked;

selectively wirelessly transmitting said location and parking indication data; and

receiving said location and parking indication data from said vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles;

generating parking status reports based on said location and parking data; and

selectively transmitting said parking status reports to said vehicle.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

identifying an available number of parking spots in a parking lot; and

transmitting parking lot data related to said available number of parking spots to a remote parking monitoring system.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

identifying a filled status of a parking spot; and

transmitting parking spot data based on said filled status to a remote parking monitoring system.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said parking status reports are based in part on said parking lot data.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said parking reports are based in part on said parking spot data.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein said parking status reports for said vehicle includes parking information related to parking spots within a predetermined distance of said vehicle.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein said parking information includes a parking status for parking spaces on predetermined types of roads within a predetermined distance of at least one of said vehicle and another location selected by a user.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said parking status includes at least one status type selected from the group consisting of vacant, filled, unknown, and leaving.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

selectively generating location and vector data when said vehicle is not parked; and

transmitting said location and vector data.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

transmitting said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads; and

not transmitting said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a second predetermined set of roads.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising wirelessly receiving traffic reports from a remote traffic monitoring system.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said traffic reports include traffic speed information for traffic on at least one road of said first set of predetermined roads.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

comparing a speed of said vehicle on a first road to a first threshold and to an average traffic speed on said first road; and

selectively triggering contact with said vehicle using a remote service assistance system.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising transmitting said vector and location data on a periodic basis.

35. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

monitoring changes in direction of said vehicle; and

transmitting said vector and location data when said vehicle changes direction greater than a direction change threshold.

36. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

monitoring changes in speed of said vehicle; and

transmitting said vector and location data when said vehicle speed change is greater than a speed change threshold.

37. The method of claim 21 further comprising selectively transmitting parking indication and location data when said vehicle ignition is turned off.

38. The method of claim 21 further comprising selectively transmitting parking indication and location data when said vehicle ignition is turned off and said vehicle is parked in a public parking spot.

39. The method of claim 21 further comprising selectively transmitting parking indication and location data when said vehicle leaves a public parking spot.

40. A system comprising:

a vehicle including;

global positioning system (GPS) means for selectively generating location and parking indication data when said vehicle is parked;

transceiver means for selectively wirelessly transmitting data; and

control means for receiving said location and parking indication data from said GPS means and for transmitting said location and parking data using said transceiver means;

parking monitoring means located remotely from said vehicles for receiving said location and parking indication data from said vehicle and a plurality of other vehicles, for generating parking status reports based on said location and parking indication data, and for selectively transmitting said parking status reports to said vehicle.

41. The system of claim 40 further comprising:

parking lot means associated with a parking lot for identifying an available number of parking spots in said parking lot; and

parking lot transmitting means for transmitting parking lot data related to said available number of parking spots to said parking monitoring means.

42. The system of claim 40 further comprising:

parking spot means associated with a parking spot for identifying a filled status of said parking spot; and

parking spot transmitting means for transmitting parking spot data based on said filled status to said parking monitoring means.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein said parking status report is based in part on said parking lot data.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein said parking reports are based in part on said parking spot data.

45. The system of claim 40 wherein said parking status reports are said vehicle includes parking information related to parking spots within a predetermined distance of said vehicle.

46. The system of claim 40 wherein said parking information includes a parking status for parking spaces on predetermined types of roads within a predetermined distance of at least one of said vehicle and another location selected by a user of said GPS means.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein said parking status includes at least one selected from the group consisting of vacant, filled, unknown, and leaving.

48. The system of claim 40 wherein said means selectively generates location and vector data when said vehicle is not parked and said transceiver means transmits said location and vector data.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein said control means transmits said location and vector data using said transceiver means when said vehicle is traveling on a first set of predetermined roads and does not transmit said location and vector data when said vehicle is traveling on a second set of roads.

50. The system of claim 49 further comprising remote traffic monitoring means for remotely monitoring traffic, wherein said transceiver means wirelessly receives traffic reports from said remote traffic monitoring means.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein said traffic reports include traffic speed information for traffic on at least one of said first set of predetermined roads.

52. The system of claim 50 further comprising remote service assistance means for interfacing with a remote service assistance system.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein said remote traffic monitoring means compares a speed of said vehicle on a first road to a first threshold and to an average traffic speed on said first road and selectively triggers contact with said vehicle using said remote service assistance system.

54. The system of claim 48 wherein said control means transmits said vector and location data on a periodic basis.

55. The system of claim 48 wherein said control means monitors changes in direction of said vehicle and wherein said transmitting means transmits said vector and location data using said transceiving means when said vehicle changes direction greater than a direction change threshold.

56. The system of claim 40 wherein said control means monitors changes in speed of said vehicle and transmits said vector and location data using said transceving means when said vehicle speed change is greater than a speed change threshold.

57. The system of claim 40 wherein said control means selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transceiving means when said vehicle ignition is turned off.

58. The system of claim 40 wherein said control means selectively transmits parking indication and location data using said transceiving means when said vehicle ignition is turned off and said vehicle is parked in a public parking spot.

59. The system of claim 40 wherein said transceiver means selectively transmits parking indication and location data when said vehicle leaves a public parking spot.