Method and system of utilizing satellites to transmit traffic congestion information to vehicles

• US 7,026,958 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Riley, Richard T., Lim, Samuel, Wainfan, S. Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N.
• Application Number:
  US10/704,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.13, 340/995.1, 340/995.2, 340/995.21, 340/995.27, 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A method and system for collecting and distributing vehicle traffic congestion information is disclosed. The method and system optionally involves deploying probe vehicles or other data sources for collecting and transmitting detailed traffic information which describes vehicle speeds actually being experienced along the routes of interest and transmitting all this information into a central computer at a central traffic data station, where the data are processed.

Claims

1. A system for communicating traffic information to a mobile user, comprising:

a traffic information station for aggregating and transmitting aggregated traffic information of segments of a road network;

an uplink communicator for transmitting said aggregated traffic information;

at least one satellite for receiving said aggregated traffic information from said uplink communicator and transmitting the received aggregated traffic information;

a receiver for receiving said transmitted aggregated traffic information from said at least one satellite;

a navigation system for receiving said transmitted aggregated traffic information, processing said traffic information and delivering to a driver interface to permit said mobile user to receive the navigation system for reporting traffic congestion information at said segments of said road network; and

a system for collecting traffic information in segments of a road network and wireless transmission of the traffic information, the system comprising;

a plurality of receiving station spaced apart along said segments of said road network for receiving measured speed and location information and transmitting the measured speed and location information to said traffic information station;

a tracking device installed on each of a plurality of probe vehicles for detecting and transmitting measured speed and location information for said each probe vehicle;

a transmitter coupled to said tracking device for transmitting said measured speed and location information to a respective one of said plurality of receiving stations of the traffic congestion existing at a particular location; and

wherein said traffic information station receives and stores said measured speed and location information from the receiving station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said driver interface includes an audio messager for producing audio user messages of said traffic congestion information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said driver interface includes a text display for displaying user text messages of said traffic congestion information.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said driver interface includes a map display for displaying said traffic congestion information in graphic form superimposed over a freeway map.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a best route information to offer advice to faster route options to said mobile user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said best route information is visually displayed.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said best route information is generated by audio.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said tracking device further comprises:

a processor for receiving the measured speed and location information of said each probe vehicle and determining actual values and expected values of characteristic driving profile properties;

a comparator for comparing said actual values and said expected values of said characteristic driving profile properties and determining a difference between said actual values and said expected values;

a memory device including decision criteria; and

wherein said transmitter for transmitting said measured speed and location information to the respective one of said plurality of receiving stations which in turn transmits to said traffic information station when said difference between said actual values and said expected values is determined to be a significant deviation from said expected values based on said decision criteria in said memory device.

9. A system for communicating traffic congestion information, comprising:

a plurality of receiving stations spaced apart along segments of a road network;

a tracking device installed on each of a plurality of probe vehicles which detects and transmits measured speed and location information for said each probe vehicle;

a transmitter coupled to said tracking device which transmits said measured speed and location information to a respective one of said plurality of receiving stations of the traffic congestion existing at a particular location; and

a central traffic congestion information station which receives and stores said measured speed and location information for the particular location of the receiving station.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said tracking device further comprises:

a processor for receiving the measured speed and location information of said each probe vehicle and determining actual values and expected values of characteristic driving profile properties;

a comparator for comparing said actual values and said expected values of said characteristic driving profile properties and determining a difference between said actual values and said expected values;

a memory device including decision criteria; and

said transmitter for transmitting said measured speed and location information to the respective one of said plurality of receiving stations which in turn transmits to said central traffic congestion information station when said difference between said actual values and said expected values is determined to be a significant deviation from said expected values based on said decision criteria in said memory device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said transmitter includes a power wireless transmitter.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless transmitter is a low-power wireless transmitter.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said central traffic congestion information station generates aggregated traffic congestion information from the measured speed and location information.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising;

an uplink communicator which transmits said aggregated traffic congestion information from said central traffic congestion information station;

at least one satellite having a digital transponder which receives said aggregated traffic congestion information from said uplink communicator and transmits the aggregated traffic congestion information;

a radio receiver which receives said transmitted aggregated traffic congestion information from said at least one satellite; and

a navigation system which receives and report said transmitted aggregated traffic congestion information.

15. A method of communicating traffic congestion information, comprising the steps of:

transmitting locally measured traffic congestion information to a central traffic congestion information station via a receiving station;

receiving aggregated traffic congestion information;

processing said locally measured traffic congestion information and determining actual values and expected values of characteristic driving profile properties;

comparing said actual values and said expected values of said characteristic driving profile properties and determining a difference between said actual values and said expected values;

providing a memory including decision criteria; and

transmitting said measured traffic congestion information to said central traffic station via said receiving station when said difference between said actual values and said expected values is determined to be a significant deviation from said expected values based on said decision criteria in said memory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said transmitting step is performed by a wireless transmitter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a low-power wireless transmitter.

18. A system for communicating traffic congestion information, comprising:

a plurality of receiving stations spaced apart along segments of a road;

a tracking device installed on each of a plurality of probe vehicles which detects and transmits measured speed and location information for said each probe vehicle;

a transmitter coupled to said tracking device which transmits said measured speed and location information to a respective one of said plurality of receiving stations; and

a central traffic congestion information station which receives and stores said measured speed and location information from the receiving station.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said tracking device further comprises:

a processor for receiving the measured speed and location information of said each probe vehicle and determining actual values and expected values of characteristic driving profile properties;

a comparator for comparing said actual values and said expected values of said characteristic driving profile properties and determining a difference between said actual values and said expected values;

a memory device including decision criteria; and

said transmitter for transmitting said measured speed and location information to the respective one of said plurality of receiving stations according to a comparison between the difference and the decision criteria.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said central traffic congestion information station generates aggregated traffic congestion information from the measured speed and location information.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

an uplink communicator which transmits said aggregated traffic congestion information from said central traffic congestion information station;

at least one satellite having a digital transponder which receives said aggregated traffic congestion information from said uplink communicator and transmits the aggregated traffic congestion information;

a radio receiver which receives said transmitted aggregated traffic congestion information from said at least one satellite; and

a navigation system which receives and report said transmitted aggregated traffic congestion information.