Harvesting Traffic Information From Mobile Devices

• US 20130332056A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Ronald K., Dere, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,430,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for collecting the information from the mobile devices for producing real-time traffic data is provided. The process ensures that the collection of data from a mobile device to be non-intrusive to the user of the mobile device by using only communication channels that are already open and by using only Global Positioning System (GPS) data from an application that is already running on the mobile device. The mobile device will participate in the data collection only if its battery power is above certain threshold level or if its battery is currently being charged. The method will not let a mobile device participate in the data collection process if the mobile device has already provided more than a threshold amount of data to the traffic data collection during a particular period of time. The method let only mobile devices that are moving beyond certain speed to participate.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing a program for collecting real-time traffic information from a mobile device, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying, at the mobile device, an open data communication channel;

identifying an application currently executing on the mobile device that produces global position (GPS) data;

transmitting traffic data derived from the produced GPS data to a traffic server by using the identified open data communication channel.

2. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for terminating the transmission of the traffic data when the mobile device does not have sufficient battery level;

3. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for terminating the transmission of the traffic data when the mobile device is not plugged into a power source.

4. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for terminating the transmission of the traffic data when the mobile device has already provided more than a maximum amount of data to the traffic server over a particular interval of time.

5. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for terminating the transmission of the traffic data when the mobile device has continuously transmitted traffic data for over a particular period of time.

6. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for terminating the transmission of the traffic data when the mobile device is traveling below a minimum speed.

7. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the traffic data comprises at least one of speed, position, and direction information of the mobile device.

8. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for transmitting traffic data comprises a set of instructions for accumulating data over a particular window of time

9. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions for transmitting traffic data comprises a set of instructions for periodic transmission of the accumulated data.

10. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for suspending the periodic transmission when the mobile device is conducting a voice call.

11. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for suspending the periodic transmission when strength of signal received by the mobile device is weaker than a threshold.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a global positioning (GPS) module for detecting positions of the mobile device;

a data accumulation module for accumulating traffic data based on the detected positions of the mobile device; and

a connection control module for determining when to transmit the accumulated traffic data.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the connection control module transmits the accumulated traffic data when the mobile device is running an application that uses the GPS module.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the connection control module transmits the accumulated traffic data when the mobile device has an open data communication channel.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the data accumulation module accumulates the traffic data over a particular window of time.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the connection control module does not transmit the accumulated traffic data unless the mobile device is moving above a minimum speed.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the mobile device further comprises a motion sensor, wherein the connection control determines whether to transmit accumulated data based on a motion type detected by the motion sensor.

18. A method for providing real-time traffic data, the method comprising:

receiving speed and position data transmitted by a plurality of mobile devices, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices transmits its speed and position data by using an existing data communication channel;

generating real-time traffic data derived from the received speed and position data; and

providing the generated real-time traffic data to subscribing devices.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the existing data communication is being used by an application running on the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the speed and position data of the mobile device is based on GPS data generated by the application running on the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices is plugged in or has sufficient battery level.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein each mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices is moving faster than a minimum speed.

23. A method for collecting real-time traffic data from a mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying, at the mobile device, an active communication channel;

determining whether to participate in real-time traffic data collection by using the identified active communication channel.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising identifying an application currently executing on the mobile device that produces global position (GPS) data.

25. The method of claim 24, where determining whether to participate in real-time traffic data collection is based on a type of the identified application.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether to participate in real-time traffic data collection is based the geographical location of the mobile device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether to participate in real-time traffic data collection is based on whether the mobile device is plugged in or is at sufficient battery level.