Predictive models of road reliability for traffic sensor configuration and routing

• US 7,948,400 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Srinivasan, Sridhar, Horvitz, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US11/771,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/934, 701/117, 701/118
• US Class Current: 340/934
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

Methods for decision making about sensor location/configuration for traffic sensing and routing are described. Construction of predictive models via machine learning that infer variance of road speeds, in general or for specific contexts (e.g., rush hours for a traffic system) occurs. The predictive models for road reliability are built from libraries of data about sensed variances and road segments. The datasets include information for road segments monitored by fixed sensors/moving probes, road segment properties, geometric relationships among road segments, and proximal resources. Road segments are labeled by the sensed variance seen in traffic speeds over similar contexts. A model is created that can apply estimates of the variance of the traffic speed for a segment, including non-sensed segments via generalization to non-sensed road segments. Methods are described for employing the predictive models of variance, along with demand and propagation models, to make decisions about configuration of sensors.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for valuation of relative utility of data associated with an arterial flow system, comprising:

at least one computer adapted to implement components comprising;

a flow system representation that describes probable flow for the flow system;

a valuation component that generates a utility value associated with a plurality of sensors, each sensor sensing flow in a respective section of a plurality of sections of the flow system based at least in part upon the flow system representation, the utility value is generated as a function of historical data and indicates a utility of sensor data associated with the section in detecting congestion for the flow system; and

a filter component that selectively communicates sensor data to at least one mobile device comprising a route planning system, the communicated sensor data comprising data from a subset of the plurality of sensors based on the utility value, the subset comprising multiple sensors selected by comparing utility values for sensors of the plurality of sensors to a threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a context analyzer component that analyzes contextual data for the flow system, the utility value is based at least in part upon the contextual data.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a section component that specifies the plurality of sections based upon at least one of geographical regions and sensor positions for the flow system; and

a data store component that maintains the plurality of sections.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a placement component that determines placement of at least a portion of the plurality of sensors based at least in part upon a projection of utility values associated with the portion.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor interface component that obtains the sensor data as collected by the plurality of sensors; and

a context analyzer component that analyzes contextual data associated with the plurality of sensors, the utility value is based at least in part upon the contextual data.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a user context component that adjusts the utility value based at least in part upon a user profile that includes at least one of user preferences and frequent user routes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter component selects the subset to include sensors of the plurality of sensors having a utility value above the threshold.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bottleneck identification component that identifies a location of a probable bottleneck;

a bottleneck indicator component that identifies a bottleneck indicator section indicative of a bottleneck; and

a route generating component that generates an alternate route based upon the probable bottleneck and the bottleneck indicator section.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a sensor analysis component that generates sensor analysis information by analyzing distribution of the sensor data in comparison to the utility value;

and

an output component that provides the sensor analysis information to an operator.

10. A method for determining utility of information for an arterial flow system, comprising:

with at least one processor;

receiving a request to generate valuations for the flow system;

obtaining a set of segments that define the flow system;

determining utility values of one or more segments of the set of segments, the utility values are a function of variances of sensor data associated with the one or more segments for monitoring the flow system,

selecting sensor data to provide to a remote route planning system based on the determined utility values;

receiving from the remote route planning system indications of limits on an amount of sensor data to provide to the remote route planning system; and

selecting sensor data to provide to the remote route planning system comprises selecting sensor data in accordance with the limits.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a prioritized list of the set of segments based at least in part upon the utility values.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the method further comprises;

receiving the sensor data collected by a plurality of sensors;

identifying correspondence between the sensor data and the set of segments; and

selecting sensor data to provide to a remote route planning system based on the determined utility values comprises filtering the sensor data based at least in part upon the relative utility values of the set of segments corresponding to the sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

analyzing context associated with the sensor data; and

adjusting the utility values corresponding to the sensor data as a function of the context.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting sensor data to provide to a remote route planning system based on the determined utility values comprises:

receiving the sensor data for the flow system;

analyzing a distribution of sensor data corresponding to the set of segments with regard to the utility values of the one or more segments;

identifying a subset of the set of segments based upon the analysis of the sensor data and the utility values; and

providing the identified subset of segments to an operator.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a probable bottleneck in the flow system;

identifying one or more bottleneck indicative segments corresponding to sensor data indicative of the bottleneck;

generating a route that includes one or more alternate routes, selection of the one or more alternate routes is based at least in part upon the one or more bottleneck indicative segments; and

providing the route to a user.

16. A method for determining utility of information for an arterial flow system, comprising:

with at least one processor;

receiving a request to generate valuations for the flow system;

obtaining a set of segments that define the flow system;

determining utility values of one or more segments of the set of segments, the utility values are a function of variances of sensor data associated with the one or more segments for monitoring the flow system,

selecting sensor data to provide to a remote route planning system based on the determined utility values, the selecting comprising;

receiving the sensor data for the flow system;

analyzing a distribution of sensor data corresponding to the set of segments with regard to the utility values of the one or more segments;

identifying a subset of the set of segments based upon the analysis of the sensor data and the utility values; and

providing the identified subset of segments to an operator.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating a prioritized list of the set of segments based at least in part upon the utility values.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the method further comprises;

receiving the sensor data collected by a plurality of sensors;

identifying correspondence between the sensor data and the set of segments; and

selecting sensor data to provide to a remote route planning system based on the determined utility values comprises filtering the sensor data based at least in part upon the relative utility values of the set of segments corresponding to the sensor data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

analyzing context associated with the sensor data; and

adjusting the utility values corresponding to the sensor data as a function of the context.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying a probable bottleneck in the flow system;

identifying one or more bottleneck indicative segments corresponding to sensor data indicative of the bottleneck;

generating a route that includes one or more alternate routes, selection of the one or more alternate routes is based at least in part upon the one or more bottleneck indicative segments; and

providing the route to a user.