Systems and Methods for Monitoring Roadways Using Magnetic Signatures

• US 20180182240A1
• Filed: 02/21/2018
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TollSense LLC
• Original Assignee: TollSense LLC
• Inventors: Baranga, Alex, Georgieff, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 10,672,266 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/02 taking into account a variable factor such as distance or time, e.g. for passenger transport, parking systems or car rental systems G07B15/06 takes precedence; taximeters G07B13/00; parking meters per se G07F17/24; car rental systems per se G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 are disclosed for using magnetic signatures at predetermined positions along a roadway to monitor traffic travelling along the roadway by comparing the predetermined magnetic signatures with magnetic signatures being dynamically and continuously measured by each vehicle as they travel along the roadway. Magnetometers incorporated into mobile devices or otherwise incorporated within the vehicle measure magnetic signatures for comparison to the predetermined magnetic signatures that form a connection graph or database of points that correspond to possible paths along a roadway. When a magnetic signature match is made, the system recognizes that the vehicle has passed a particular point on a roadway and forwards that information to the appropriate entity for further processing, analysis, or toll assessment.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway comprising:

means for measuring magnetic signatures of points along said roadway, means being located in said vehicle;

a non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon executed by a processor that transmits said magnetic signature measurements from said vehicle over a communications network; and

a server for receiving said transmitted magnetic signatures from said vehicle and comparing said received magnetic signature measurements with previously recorded magnetic signature measurements to determine the location of said vehicle along said roadway.

2. The system for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 1 wherein said means for measuring magnetic signatures is a magnetometer.

3. The system for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 1 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon executed by a processor records said magnetic signatures measurements.

4. The system for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 1 wherein said non-transitory computer readable medium with computer executable instructions stored thereon executed by a processor is activated after receiving a signal that said vehicle has crossed a geofence defining a geographic area including at least a portion of said roadway.

5. The system for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 1 further comprising a means for storing information relating to the location of said vehicle along said roadway.

6. A method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway comprising the steps of:

receiving magnetic signature measurements of points along said roadway from a vehicle travelling along said roadway;

comparing said magnetic signature measurements with previously recorded magnetic signature measurements to determine the location of said vehicle along said roadway; and

identifying a vehicle pathway using said comparison of said magnetic signature measurements with said previously recorded magnetic signature measurements.

7. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 6 further comprising the step of sending a signal to said vehicle to begin measuring magnetic signatures of points along said roadway.

8. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 7 wherein said signal is triggered when said vehicle crosses into an activated geofence.

9. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 7 wherein said signal is triggered when said vehicle by a beacon located along said roadway.

10. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 6 further comprising the step of initiating a toll collection process after said vehicle passes over a point demarcating the termination of a tollway.

11. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 6 further comprising the step of calculating the vehicle miles travelled for said vehicle for the said vehicle pathway.

12. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 11 further comprising the step of aggregating the total vehicle miles travelled for said vehicle during a specific time period.

13. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 6 further comprising the step of sending a marketing communication to an individual within said vehicle.

14. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 13 wherein the sending of said transmission of said marketing communication is triggered by a beacon located along said roadway.

15. The method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway of claim 6 further comprising the step of storing said vehicle pathway in a database to facilitate the assessment of toll charges.

16. A method for monitoring a vehicle travelling along a roadway comprising the steps of:

receiving magnetic signature measurements of points along said roadway from a vehicle travelling along said roadway;

comparing said magnetic signature measurements with previously recorded magnetic signature measurements to determine the location of said vehicle along said roadway;

calculating a toll based on the distance travelled by said vehicle on portion of said roadway subject to a toll as determined by said comparison of magnetic signature measurements demarcating the beginning and end points of said roadway subject to said toll; and

assessing said toll on operator of said vehicle.

17. The method for monitoring a vehicle traveling along a roadway of claim 16 further comprising the step of documenting said distance travelled by said vehicle on portion of said roadway subject to said toll and information relating to the date and time at which said vehicle travelled on portion of said roadway subject to said toll.

18. The method for monitoring a vehicle traveling along a roadway of claim 17 wherein step assessing said toll on operator of said vehicle comprises the step of providing said owner of said vehicle with information relating to the date and time at which said vehicle travelled on portion of said roadway subject to said toll.

19. The method for monitoring a vehicle traveling along a roadway of claim 16 further comprising the step of storing the assessed toll in an accounts receivable database.

20. The method for monitoring a vehicle traveling along a roadway of claim 16 wherein said operator of said vehicle is identified by the tollway application that is transmitting magnetic signature measurements of points along said roadway from a vehicle travelling along said roadway.