SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING ARTERIAL ROADWAY THROUGHPUT

• US 20140288810A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetroTech Net Inc.
• Original Assignee: MetroTech Net Inc.
• Inventors: Donovan, Steve, Kotscher, Christian, Brimer, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for calculating the health of an intersection, including lane-level impacts, using traffic data obtained from the intersection.

Claims

1. A system for calculating health of an intersection comprising:

(i) a detector configured to obtain traffic data relating to a first intersection;

(ii) a processor communicatively connected to the detector; and

(iii) a storage device communicatively connected to the processor,

wherein the storage device stores the traffic data obtained from the detector, and

wherein the processor executes computerized instructions to calculate the health of the first intersection using the traffic data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of an inductive loop, a video image processor, a microwave sensor, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency tag, an ultrasonic sensor and a global positioning system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the traffic data is selected from the group consisting of traffic volume, traffic speed, traffic location, time of day, traffic direction, location of the first intersection and any combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the location of the first intersection comprises data related to the location selected from the group consisting of country, region, state, metro area, county, neighborhoods, cities, streets, latitude/longitude and any combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes computerized instructions to transmit the calculated health of the first intersection to a receiving unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes computerized instructions to transmit an alert based on the calculated health of the first intersection to a receiving unit.

7. The system of claim 5 or 6, wherein the receiving unit is the internet.

8. The system of claim 5 or 6, wherein the receiving unit is a remote device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote device is a cellular phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a global positioning system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the traffic data used for calculating the health of the first intersection is real-time traffic data.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes computerized instructions to forecast the impact to the health of a second intersection using the traffic data obtained from the first intersection.

12. A method for calculating the health of an intersection comprising:

(i) receiving traffic data relating to a first intersection from a detector;

(ii) storing the traffic data in a storage unit; and

(iii) calculating, through a computer, the health of the first intersection using the traffic data.

13. The method claim 12, wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of an inductive loop, a video image processor, a microwave sensor, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency tag, an ultrasonic sensor and a global positioning system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the traffic data is selected from the group consisting of traffic volume, traffic speed, traffic location, time of day, traffic direction, location of the first intersection and any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the location of the first intersection comprises data related to the location selected from the group consisting of country, region, state, metro area, county, neighborhoods, cities, streets, latitude/longitude and any combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the calculated health of the first intersection to a receiving unit.

17. The method claim 12, further comprising transmitting an alert based on the calculated health of the first intersection to a receiving unit.

18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the receiving unit is the internet.

19. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the receiving unit is a remote device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the remote device is a cellular phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a global positioning system.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the traffic data used for calculating the health of the first intersection is real-time traffic data.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising forecasting the impact to the health of a second intersection using the traffic data obtained from the first intersection.

23. A method for providing traffic navigation assistance comprising:

(i) receiving traffic data relating to an intersection from a detector;

(ii) storing the traffic data in a storage unit;

(iii) calculating, through a computer, the health of the intersection using the traffic data;

(iv) determining route options for a vehicle based on the calculated health of the intersection; and

(v) transmitting the route options to a receiving unit.

24. The method claim 23, wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of an inductive loop, a video image processor, a microwave sensor, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency tag, an ultrasonic sensor and a global positioning system.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the traffic data is selected from the group consisting of traffic volume, traffic speed, traffic location, time of day, traffic direction, location of the intersection and any combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the location of the intersection comprises data related to the location selected from the group consisting of country, region, state, metro area, county, neighborhoods, cities, streets, latitude/longitude and any combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving unit is the internet.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving unit is a remote device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the remote device is a cellular phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a global positioning system.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the traffic data used for calculating the health of the intersection is real-time traffic data.

31. A method for providing traffic safety alerts comprising:

(i) receiving traffic data relating to an intersection from a detector;

(ii) storing the traffic data in a storage unit;

(iii) calculating, through a computer, the health of the intersection using the traffic data;

(iv) determining if the calculations of the health of the intersection meet or exceed a pre-determined safety alert level; and

(v) responsive to determining that the calculations of the health of the intersection meet or exceed the pre-determined safety alert level, transmitting a safety alert to a receiving unit.

32. The method claim 31, wherein the detector is selected from the group consisting of an inductive loop, a video image processor, a microwave sensor, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency tag, an ultrasonic sensor and a global positioning system.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the traffic data is selected from the group consisting of traffic volume, traffic speed, traffic location, time of day, traffic direction, location of the intersection and any combination thereof.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the location of the intersection comprises data related to the location selected from the group consisting of country, region, state, metro area, county, neighborhoods, cities, streets, latitude/longitude and any combination thereof.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiving unit is the internet.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the receiving unit is a remote device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the remote device is a cellular phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, or a global positioning system.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the traffic data used for calculating the health of the intersection is real-time traffic data.

39. A method for providing intersection planning data comprising:

(i) receiving traffic data relating to an intersection from a detector;

(ii) storing the traffic data in a storage unit;

(iii) calculating, through a computer, the health of the intersection using the traffic data;

(iv) determining if the calculations of the health of the intersection fall below, meet or exceed a pre-determined level for the intersection; and

(v) responsive to determining that the calculations of the health of the intersection fall below, meet or exceed the pre-determined level, taking an action on the planning of the intersection.

40. A method for providing land value data comprising:

(i) receiving traffic data relating to an intersection from a detector;

(ii) storing the traffic data in a storage unit;

(iii) calculating, through a computer, the health of the intersection using the traffic data;

(iv) analyzing the calculated health of the intersection; and

(v) using the analysis to determine land value of an area around the intersection.