Traffic notification system for reporting traffic anomalies based on historical probe vehicle data

• US 20070213922A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Dao, Son, Johnson, Richard, Dai, Xiaowen, Van Buer, Darrel
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,948 B2
• 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: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A system and method for determining and communicating a traffic anomaly at a point to at least one receiving vehicle includes a traffic information center and at least one probe device. Each probe device is configured to determine and store within an on-board database a current value of a condition at the point during each of a plurality of trips, so as to build a history of condition values. The probe device is further configured to compare the current value to the historic values during each trip, and selectively transmit notification of an anomalous value to the center.

Claims

1. A traffic information system for determining and communicating a traffic anomaly to at least one receiving vehicle, said system comprising:

a traffic information center configured to determine and transmit an alert to at least one receiving vehicle; and

at least one probe device communicatively coupled to the center, and configured to determine a current value of a traffic condition at a point during each of a plurality of trips, and store the current values in an on-board database, so as to build a history of condition values;

said at least one probe device being further configured to compare each current value to the history of condition values, so as to determine a condition discrepancy during each trip, and transmit a notification to the center, only when the discrepancy is greater than a pre-determined discrepancy threshold,

said center being further configured to generate the alert based upon the notification.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1,

said probe device being configured to store the current value only upon receipt of a command from a user, so as to selectively build the history.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of current values for a plurality of points are periodically determined during a trip.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said period interval is between 1 to 10 seconds.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality of condition discrepancies are determined and compared to the threshold over a period window, and the notification is transmitted when each discrepancy is greater than the threshold.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the probe device is a probe vehicle, the center transmits the alert to a plurality of receiving vehicles that includes the probe vehicle, and the probe vehicle is further configured to sequentially receive the alert, determine a subsequent current value and discrepancy, compare the subsequent discrepancy to the alert, so as to determine a condition alert status, and to suppress a subsequent transmission of the notification depending upon the condition alert status, during a trip.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center is further configured to cooperatively determine the alert based upon a plurality of notifications from a plurality of probe devices.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condition discrepancy is determined as a function of the absolute difference between the current value and the average of the historic values.

9. They system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the condition discrepancy is determined as a function of the statistical deviation of the historic values.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each probe device is a probe vehicle, and configured to determine at least one condition parameter selected from the group consisting of a general time, general location, general heading, the day of the week, current or expected weather conditions, and the occurrence of a construction, accident, or sporting event.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the speed of the probe vehicle at the general time, general position, and heading is determined.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the discrepancy threshold is fifteen miles-per-hour.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the probe vehicle includes a GPS receiver, the center and probe vehicle are cooperatively configured to locate the point relative to a map database, and the center is further configured to communicate the alert only to the receiving vehicles located within a predetermined area relative to the point.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an intermediary probe station is communicatively coupled to the probe device and center, and configured to receive the notification from the device and transmit it towards the center.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each probe device is a probe vehicle, and the probe station is configured to communicate with a plurality of probe vehicles using SMS communication.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each probe device is a probe vehicle, and the probe station is configured to communicate with a plurality of probe vehicles using a DSRC system.

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center is communicatively coupled to said at least one receiving vehicle and probe device by broadcast technology or through cellular data channels.

18. A traffic information system for determining and communicating a traffic anomaly to a remote location, said system comprising:

at least one probe device configured to determine a current value of a condition at a point, during each of a plurality of trips, and store the current values in an on-board database, so as to build a history of condition values,

said at least one probe device being further configured to compare the current value to the history of condition values, so as to determine a condition discrepancy during each trip, and transmit a notification to the remote location, only when the discrepancy is greater than a pre-determined discrepancy threshold; and

a monitoring device located at the remote location, communicatively coupled to the probe device, and configured to generate a humanly perceptible signal upon receipt of the notification.

19. A traffic control system for communicating a traffic anomaly to at least one receiving vehicle upon a link, said system comprising:

a traffic information center including a map database presenting a plurality of pre-defined links; and

at least one probe vehicle communicatively coupled to the center, and configured to determine a current value of a condition at a point, during each of a plurality of trips, and store the current values in an on-board database, so as to present a history of condition values,

said at least one probe vehicle being further configured to compare the current value to the history of condition values, so as to determine a condition discrepancy during each trip, and transmit a notification to the center, only when the discrepancy is greater than a pre-determined discrepancy threshold,

said center being further configured to generate an alert based upon the notification, to determine the position of the point upon the map database, and to transmit the alert to said at least one receiving vehicle, when said position is located within a predetermined area relative to the link.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the probe vehicle is configured to autonomously suppress the transmission of the notification, when the position is within a predetermined traffic interruption zone.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the zone is autonomously determined by the probe vehicle, and is based on the standard of deviation of the historic values.

22. The system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the probe vehicle is further configured to suppress the determination of the current value, only when the position is within the zone and a predetermined action is performed.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the predetermined action is the application of a minimum brake force, actuation of a turn signal, or the minimum rotation of the steering wheel.

24. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the probe vehicle stores a copy of the map database, determines the position of the point relative thereto, and transmits the notification and the current relative position to the center, when the discrepancy is greater than the pre-determined discrepancy threshold.