Centralized facility and intelligent on-board vehicle platform for collecting, analyzing and distributing information relating to transportation infrastructure and conditions

• US 7,421,334 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoom Information Systems
• Original Assignee: Zoom Information Systems
• Inventors: Dahlgren, Nicoline, Chao, Tah Wei, Kadlec, Anthony, Dahlgren, Darwin, Dahlgren, Dean, Fritsch, Michael R., Pellegrino, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/818,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20050065711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

An on-board intelligent vehicle system includes a sensor assembly to collect data and a processor to process the data to determine the occurrence of at least one event. The data may be collected from existing standard equipment such as the vehicle communication bus or add-on sensors. The data may be indicative of conditions relating to the vehicle, roadway infrastructure, and roadway utilization, such as vehicle performance, roadway design, roadway conditions, and traffic levels. The detection of an event may signify abnormal, substandard, or unacceptable conditions prevailing in the roadway, vehicle, or traffic. The vehicle transmits an event indicator and correlated vehicle location data to a central facility for further management of the information. The central facility sends communications reflecting event occurrence to various relevant or interested users. The user population can include other vehicle subscribers (e.g., to provide rerouting data based on location-relevant roadway or traffic events), roadway maintenance crews, vehicle manufacturers, and governmental agencies (e.g., transportation authorities, law enforcement, and legislative bodies).

Claims

1. In an environment where a plurality of in-use vehicles each defining a respective vehicle environment are traveling in a roadway network, a method for use in association with a user vehicle from said plurality of vehicles, said method comprising the steps of:

the user vehicle environment collecting data generated within the user vehicle environment;

the user vehicle environment processing the collected data to determine the occurrence of at least one event;

the user vehicle environment generating at least one event indicator upon determination of event occurrence;

causing the communication of information including the at least one event indicator from the user vehicle environment to at least one other vehicle, said causing step further includes the steps of;

identifying any vehicle satisfying a relevance criteria in connection with the at least one event indicator; and

facilitating communication of the information including the at least one event indicator from the user vehicle environment to at least said one identified vehicle, said information being indicative of rerouting.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifying step further includes the step of:

comparing a location indicator of the user vehicle correlated to the at least one event indicator to data indicating a current or expected travel route or to information indicative of a travel itinerary for a respective vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the relevance criteria employed in the identifying step involves determining a correlation between a location indicator of the user vehicle associated with the at least one event indicator and data indicating a current or expected travel route for a respective vehicle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further includes the step of:

for at least one vehicle identified as satisfying the relevance criteria, the at least one identified vehicle generating navigational information being indicative of rerouting based on the communication received from the user vehicle environment.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication of information from the user vehicle environment to at least one other vehicle further includes information relating to at least one of:

(i) user vehicle operation, (ii) user vehicle behavior, (iii) roadway condition, (iv) roadway travel safety, (v) roadway capacity, and (vi) traffic condition.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication of information from the user vehicle environment to at least one other vehicle includes a location indicator of the user vehicle correlated to the at least one event indicator.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, in regard to any respective vehicle receiving the communication from the user vehicle environment, further includes the step of:

the recipient vehicle environment processing the received communication to determine relevance of the at least one event indicator to ongoing travel of the recipient vehicle.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further includes the step of:

the recipient vehicle environment generating navigational information, in response to an affirmative relevance determination.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected data relating to at least one of:

(i) vehicle performance, (ii) vehicle operation, (iii) vehicle behavior, (iv) roadway condition, (v) roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity, (vii) roadway design, (viii) traffic condition, and (ix) traffic control feature.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the occurrence of an event signifying at least one of:

(i) abnormal or substandard vehicle performance, (ii) abnormal or substandard vehicle operation, (iii) abnormal or substandard vehicle behavior, (iv) abnormal or substandard roadway condition, (v) risk to roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity exceeding acceptable levels, (vii) deficient roadway design, (viii) traffic condition exceeding acceptable levels, and (ix) inadequate, malfunctioning or missing traffic control feature.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing step further includes the steps of:

providing predetermined reference data;

comparing the collected data to the reference data; and

determining whether at least one event has occurred, using the data comparison.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the providing step further includes the step of:

storing the predetermined reference data in the user vehicle environment.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the reference data includes geospatial roadway information.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the reference data includes roadway feature information and corresponding location information.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further includes the step of:

the vehicle environment associating a location indicator of the vehicle to the at least one event indicator, the association forming part of the communication.

16. A system for use in an environment where a plurality of in-use vehicles each defining a respective vehicle environment are traveling in a roadway network, said system comprising:

a facility;

at least one vehicle environment including a respective vehicle on-board system comprising;

a data system, the data system being operably configured to collect data generated within the respective vehicle environment,

a processor, the processor being operably configured to process the data to determine the occurrence of at least one event, the processor being operably configured further to generate at least one event indicator upon a determination of event occurrence;

a communication unit, the communication unit being operatively coupled to at least one of the data system and the processor, the communication unit being operably configured to send a communication to the facility including the at least one event indicator; and

a means to generate navigational information, in response to a communication received from said facility including information indicative of rerouting;

said facility being operably configured (i) to process any communication received from a respective vehicle environment to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to any other vehicle, and (ii) to communicate information to any vehicle associated with the relevance determination, the facility communication including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the received vehicle communication.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the facility further includes:

a means to compare location information pertaining to the respective vehicle associated with a received vehicle communication to data indicative of a current or expected travel route for at least one other vehicle.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the facility further includes:

a means to determine a correlation between location information pertaining to the respective vehicle associated with a received vehicle communication and data indicative of a current or expected travel route for at least one other vehicle.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the communication of information from the vehicle environment to said facility includes information relating to at least one of:

(i) user vehicle operation, (ii) user vehicle behavior, (iii) roadway condition, (iv) roadway travel safety, (v) roadway capacity, and (vi) traffic condition.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the data system further includes:

a sensor assembly.

21. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the data system being operably configured further to collect data from at least one communication bus of the vehicle environment.

22. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the data system being operably configured further to collect data from standard vehicle equipment.

23. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the vehicle on-board system further includes:

a module, the module being operably configured to associate a location indicator of the vehicle to at least one of the collected data and the processing results.

24. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the vehicle on-board system further includes:

a data storage, the data storage containing predetermined reference data.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the processor being operably configured further (i) to compare the collected data to the reference data, and (ii) to determine whether at least one event has occurred, using the data comparison.

26. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the reference data includes geospatial roadway information.

27. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the reference data includes roadway feature information and corresponding location information.

28. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the vehicle on-board system further includes:

a means to render the processing results into a form perceptible to an occupant of the vehicle environment.

29. The system as recited in claim 28, wherein the rendering means further includes a display.

30. A method for use in an environment where a plurality of vehicles are traveling in a roadway network, each vehicle defining a respective vehicle environment, said method comprising the steps of:

at least one vehicle environment collecting data generated within the respective vehicle environment, the at least one vehicle environment respectively processing the respective collected data to determine the occurrence of at least one event;

the at least one vehicle environment respectively generating at least one respective event indicator upon a determination of event occurrence;

processing the at least one event indicator generated by the at least one vehicle environment to determine relevance of the at least one event indicator to maintenance of the roadway network and rerouting of the vehicle;

identifying each event indicator associated with a respective determination of relevance;

causing the transmittal of a communication to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority in reference to at least one identified event indicator, the communication including information indicative of the respective identified event indicator and a location indicator of the vehicle environment associated therewith; and

formulating a maintenance work program in reference to a portion of the roadway network associated with the location indicator of the vehicle environment associated with a respective identified event indicator.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, further includes the step of:

causing the dispatch of a maintenance crew to a portion of the roadway network associated with the location indicator of the vehicle environment associated with a respective identified event indicator.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, further includes the step of:

issuing a communication including information indicative of a respective event indicator determined to be relevant and a location indicator for the respective vehicle environment associated therewith, the communication issuing to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority.

33. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the collected data relating to at least one of:

(i) vehicle performance, (ii) vehicle operation, (iii) vehicle behavior, (iv) roadway condition, (v) roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity, (vii) roadway design, (viii) traffic condition, and (ix) traffic control feature.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the occurrence of an event signifying at least one of:

(i) abnormal or substandard vehicle performance, (ii) abnormal or substandard vehicle operation, (iii) abnormal or substandard vehicle behavior, (iv) abnormal or substandard roadway condition, (v) risk to roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity exceeding acceptable levels, (vii) deficient roadway design, (viii) traffic condition exceeding acceptable levels, and (ix) inadequate, malfunctioning or missing traffic control feature.

35. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the relevance determination made by the processing step in respect of a respective event indicator being formulated to ascertain whether the respective event indicator being indicative of the need for maintenance to be performed to the roadway network.

36. A system for use in an environment where a plurality of in-use vehicles each defining a respective vehicle environment are traveling in a roadway network, said system comprising:

first means for collecting data generated within at least one vehicle environment; and

second means for processing the collected data to determine the occurrence and location of at least one event relevant to at least one maintainable feature of the roadway network and create a maintenance work program formulated in response to said event and location.

37. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein said second means further includes:

means for respectively generating at least one respective event indicator upon a respective determination of event occurrence.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, further includes:

means for causing the transmittal of a communication to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority in reference to at least one respective event indicator, the communication including information indicative of the respective event indicator and a location indicator of the vehicle environment associated therewith.

39. The system as recited in claim 36, wherein the relevance determination performed by said second means in reference to a respective event being formulated to determine whether the respective event is indicative of the need for maintenance to be performed to the roadway network.

40. A system for use in an environment where a plurality of in-use vehicles each defining a respective vehicle environment are traveling in a roadway network, said system comprising:

a facility;

at least one vehicle environment including a respective vehicle on-board system comprising;

a data system, the data system being operably configured to collect data generated within the respective vehicle environment,

a processor, the processor being operably configured to process the data to determine the occurrence of at least one event, the processor being operably configured further to generate at least one event indicator upon a determination of event occurrence, and

a communication unit, the communication unit being operatively coupled to at least one of the data system and the processor, the communication unit being operably configured to send a communication to the facility including the at least one event indicator;

said facility being operably configured (i) to process any communication received from a respective vehicle environment to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to roadway maintenance, and (ii) to communicate information to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority in reference to a processed communication determined to be relevant, the facility communication including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the relevant received vehicle communication and potential rerouting of roadway network.

41. The system as recited in claim 40, wherein the vehicle on-board system further includes:

a module, the module being operably configured to associate a location indicator of the vehicle to at least one of the collected data and the processing results.

42. A method for use in association with a vehicle traveling on a roadway, the vehicle defining an environment, said method comprising the steps of:

the vehicle environment collecting data generated within the vehicle environment and from other vehicle environments; and

the vehicle environment processing the collected data to determine the occurrence of at least one event and generate navigational information indicative of rerouting, wherein the processing step further includes the steps of;

providing predetermined reference data;

comparing the collected data to the reference data; and

determining whether at least one event has occurred using the data comparison and wherein the reference data includes roadway feature information and corresponding location information.

43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the collected data relating to at least one of:

(i) vehicle performance, (ii) vehicle operation, (iii) vehicle behavior, (iv) roadway condition, (v) roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity, (vii) roadway design, (viii) traffic condition, and (ix) traffic control feature.

44. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the occurrence of an event signifying a data value falling outside an allowable level or range.

45. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the occurrence of an event signifying at least one of:

(i) abnormal or substandard vehicle performance, (ii) abnormal or substandard vehicle operation, (iii) abnormal or substandard vehicle behavior, (iv) abnormal or substandard roadway condition, (v) risk to roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity exceeding acceptable levels, (vii) deficient roadway design, (viii) traffic condition exceeding acceptable levels, and (ix) inadequate, malfunctioning or missing traffic control feature.

46. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the providing step further includes the step of:

storing the predetermined reference data in the vehicle environment.

47. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the reference data includes geospatial roadway information.

48. The method as recited in claim 42, further includes the step of:

the vehicle environment associating a location indicator of the vehicle to at least one of the collected data and the processing results.

49. The method as recited in claim 48, further includes the step of:

the vehicle environment communicating at least one of the collected data, the processing results, and the vehicle location indicator associated therewith to a location apart from the vehicle environment.

50. The method as recited in claim 48, further includes the step of:

the vehicle environment communicating at least one of the collected data, the processing results, and the vehicle location indicator associated therewith to at least one other vehicle.

51. The method as recited in claim 42, further includes the step of:

communicating the processing results in perceptible form to an occupant of the vehicle environment.

52. The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the communicating step further includes the step of:

displaying the processing results.

53. A vehicle on-board system for use with a vehicle, the vehicle defining an environment, said system comprising:

a data system, the data system being operably configured to collect data generated within the vehicle environment and from other vehicle environments;

a processor, the processor being operably configured to process the data to determine the occurrence of at least one event and generate navigation information indicative of rerouting; and

a data storage, the data storage containing predetermined reference data, wherein the reference data includes roadway feature information and corresponding location information.

54. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the data system further includes:

a sensor assembly.

55. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the data system being operably configured further to collect data from at least one communication bus of the vehicle.

56. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the data system being operably configured further to collect data from standard vehicle equipment.

57. The system as recited in claim 53, further includes:

a module, the module being operably configured to associate a location indicator of the vehicle to at least one of the collected data and the processing results.

58. The system as recited in claim 57, further includes:

a communication unit, the communication unit being operatively coupled to at least one of the data system, the processor, and the module.

59. The system as recited in claim 58, wherein the communication unit being operably configured to send a communication to a location apart from the vehicle environment, the communication including at least one of the collected data, the processing results, and the vehicle location indicator associated therewith.

60. The system as recited in claim 58, wherein the communication unit being operably configured to send a communication to at least one other vehicle, the communication including at least one of the collected data, the processing results, and the vehicle location indicator associated therewith.

61. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the collected data relating to at least one of:

(i) vehicle performance, (ii) vehicle operation, (iii) vehicle behavior, (iv) roadway condition, (v) roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity, (vii) roadway design, (viii) traffic condition, and (ix) traffic control feature.

62. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the processor having at least one functionality operably configured to determine the occurrence of at least one event signifying at least one of:

(i) abnormal or substandard vehicle performance, (ii) abnormal or substandard vehicle operation, (iii) abnormal or substandard vehicle behavior, (iv) abnormal or substandard roadway condition, (v) risk to roadway travel safety, (vi) roadway capacity exceeding acceptable levels, (vii) deficient roadway design, (viii) traffic condition exceeding acceptable levels, and (ix) inadequate, malfunctioning or missing traffic control feature.

63. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the processor being operably configured further (i) to compare the collected data to the reference data, and (ii) to determine whether at least one event has occurred, using the data comparison.

64. The system as recited in claim 53, wherein the reference data includes geo spatial roadway infrastructure information.

65. The system as recited in claim 53, further includes:

a means to render the processing results into a form perceptible to an occupant of the vehicle environment.

66. The system as recited in claim 65, wherein the rendering means further includes a display.

67. A method for use in association with a plurality of vehicles each defining a respective environment, the plurality of vehicles traveling in a roadway environment, said method comprising the steps of:

a central facility operably receiving a respective communication from at least one vehicle environment, each respective vehicle communication comprising (i) at least one event indicator indicative of the occurrence of an event relating to the associated vehicle environment, and (ii) a location indicator indicative of the location of the vehicle;

the central facility processing a communication received from a respective vehicle environment and generating navigation information indicative of rerouting, wherein the processing step further includes, in respect of each received communication, the steps of;

determining whether the received communication contains information having relevance to any other vehicle; and

communicating information to any vehicle associated with the relevance determination, the communicated information including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the received vehicle communication, wherein the determining step further includes the step of;

comparing the location indicator of the vehicle associated with the received communication to roadway travel information of another vehicle; and

identifying, based on the comparison results, any vehicle associated with a respective comparison result satisfying a specified criteria; and

formulating, in respect of each identified vehicle, a rerouting plan for the identified vehicle, based on roadway travel information associated therewith and the location indicator of the vehicle associated with the respective received communication.

68. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein the processing step further includes the step of:

determining a relevance of the vehicle communication to at least one user application.

69. The method as recited in claim 68, further includes the step of:

issuing a communication to a user associated with an affirmative relevance determination.

70. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein the issued communication includes information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the respective relevant vehicle communication and the location indicator of the vehicle associated therewith.

71. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein the processing step further includes, in respect of each received communication, the step of:

determining whether the received communication contains information having relevance to maintenance of the roadway environment.

72. The method as recited in claim 71, further includes the step of:

communicating information to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority associated with an affirmative relevance determination, the communicated information including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the received vehicle communication and a location indicator of the vehicle environment associated therewith.

73. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein the processing step further includes, in respect of each received communication, the step of:

determining whether the received communication contains information having relevance to at least one functionality of the respective vehicle environment associated therewith.

74. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein the processing step further includes, in respect of each received communication, the step of:

determining whether the received communication contains information having relevance to at least one of traffic-related measure and roadway infrastructure.

75. A system for use in association with a plurality of vehicles each defining a respective environment, the plurality of vehicles traveling in a roadway environment, said system comprising:

a communication network; and

a central facility, said central facility being operably configured to enable communication with at least two vehicle environments via said communication network;

said central facility being operably configured to receive a respective communication from at least one vehicle environment, each respective vehicle communication comprising;

(i) at least one event indicator indicative of the occurrence of an event relating to the associated vehicle environment, and (ii) a location indicator indicative of the location of the vehicle;

said central facility being operably configured to process a communication received from a respective vehicle environment and generating navigational information indicative of rerouting, wherein said central facility being operably configured further, in respect of each received communication, (i) to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to any other vehicle, and (ii) to communicate information to any vehicle associated with the relevance determination, the communicated information including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the received vehicle communication, and wherein said central facility being operably configured further to compare the location indicator of the vehicle associated with the received communication to roadway travel information of another vehicle, and wherein said central facility being operably configured further (i) to identify, based on the comparison results, any vehicle associated with a respective comparison result satisfying a specified criteria, and (ii) to formulate, in respect of each identified vehicle, a rerouting plan for the identified vehicle, based on roadway travel information associated therewith and the location indicator of the vehicle associated with the respective received communication.

76. The system as recited in claim 75, wherein said central facility being operably configured further to determine a relevance of the vehicle communication to at least one user application.

77. The system as recited in claim 76, wherein said central facility being operably configured further to issue a communication to a user associated with an affirmative relevance determination.

78. The system as recited in claim 77, wherein the issued communication includes information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the respective relevant vehicle communication and the location indicator of the vehicle associated therewith.

79. The system as recited in claim 75, wherein said central facility being operably configured further, in respect of each received communication, to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to maintenance of the roadway environment.

80. The system as recited in claim 79, wherein said central facility being operably configured further to communicate information to an appropriate roadway maintenance entity or responsible transportation authority associated with an affirmative relevance determination, the communicated information including information indicative of the at least one event indicator associated with the received vehicle communication and a location indicator of the vehicle environment associated therewith.

81. The system as recited in claim 75, wherein said central facility being operably configured further, in respect of each received communication, to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to at least one functionality of the respective vehicle environment associated therewith.

82. The system as recited in claim 75, wherein said central facility being operably configured further, in respect of each received communication, to determine whether the received communication contains information having relevance to at least one of traffic-related measure and roadway infrastructure.