System and method for realtime community information exchange

• US 9,275,544 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Levine, Uri, Shinar, Amir, Shabtai, Ehud
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, JEFFREY ALAN
• Application Number:
  US14/279,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20140249735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.3, 701117-122, 701/422, 701/423, 701/482, 342454-458, 340/435, 340/988, 340/995.12, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• 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 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096805 where the transmitted instructions are used to compute a route
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

System and method for traffic mapping service are disclosed for allowing plurality of users having each a navigation device to transmit their locations to a server and optionally to signal to the server their requested destination. The system and method are further capable of calculating traffic parameters such as current traffic speed at a given road based on the momentary locations of the users. The system and method of the invention may also calculate and advise the users of preferred roads to take in order to arrive at the requested location with minimum delay.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server configured to;

receive location information from a set of navigation devices each navigation device of the set of navigation devices being associated with a member of a navigation service;

identify a first navigation device associated with a first member of the navigation service;

identify a current location of the first navigation device;

identify a destination for the first member;

identify a set of possible routes between the current location and the destination;

select a subset of navigation devices from the set of navigation devices based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are on one of the possible routes between the current location and the destination; and

send the location information received from the subset of navigation devices to the first navigation device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

identify an updated current location of the first navigation device; and

filter the subset of navigation devices based on whether the navigation devices of the group of navigation devices are continuing to follow at least one possible routes between the updated current location and the destination.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

identify an updated current location of the first navigation device; and

add one or more additional navigation devices to the subset of navigation devices based on whether the additional navigation devices are continuing to follow at least one possible route between the updated current location and the destination.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to select the subset of navigation devices further based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are within a certain distance of the current location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to select the subset of navigation devices further based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are advancing towards the current location and not the destination.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to select the subset of navigation devices further based on input received from the first member identifying one or more roads to be excluded from a route followed by the first navigation device to the destination.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to select the subset of navigation devices further based on input received from the first member identifying one or more roads to be included from a route followed by the first navigation device to the destination.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to send a traffic map for display at the first navigation device and information identify the location and movement of the navigation devices of the subset of navigation devices.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive traffic data from one of the navigation devices of the subset of navigation devices; and

determine a preferred route for the first navigation device to the destination based on the received traffic data.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to identify the destination by estimating the destination based on at least a direction of movement of the first navigation device, a current road corresponding to the current location, and historical tracks of the first member.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server, location information from a set of navigation devices each navigation device of the set of navigation devices being associated with a member of a navigation service;

identifying, by the server, a first navigation device associated with a first member of the navigation service;

identifying, by the server, a current location of the first navigation device;

identifying, by the server, a destination for the first member;

identifying, by the server, a set of possible routes between the current location and the destination;

selecting, by the server, a subset of navigation devices from the set of navigation devices based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are on one of the possible routes between the current location and the destination; and

sending the location information received from the subset of navigation devices to the first navigation device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying an updated current location of the first navigation device; and

filtering the subset of navigation devices based on whether the navigation devices of the group of navigation devices are continuing to follow at least one possible routes between the updated current location and the destination.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying an updated current location of the first navigation device; and

adding one or more additional navigation devices to the subset of navigation devices based on whether the additional navigation devices are continuing to follow at least one possible route between the updated current location and the destination.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the subset of navigation devices is further based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are within a certain distance of the current location.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the subset of navigation devices is further based on whether the navigation devices of the set of navigation devices are advancing towards the current location and not the destination.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the subset of navigation devices is further based on input received from the first member identifying one or more roads to be excluded from a route followed by the first navigation device to the destination.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the subset of navigation devices is further based on input received from the first member identifying one or more roads to be included from a route followed by the first navigation device to the destination.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending a traffic map for display at the first navigation device and information identify the location and movement of the navigation devices of the subset of navigation devices.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving traffic data from one of the navigation devices of the subset of navigation devices; and

determining a preferred route for the first navigation device to the destination based on the received traffic data.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the destination includes estimating the destination based on at least a direction of movement of the first navigation device, a current road corresponding to the current location, and historical tracks of the first member.