Method for predicting a travel time for a traffic route

• US 9,401,088 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2015
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pelmorex Canada Inc.
• Inventors: Gueziec, Andre
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/692,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/906, 340/907, 340/988, 340/995.13, 340/995.25, 701/117, 701/118, 701/119
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• 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: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096888 where input information is obtained using learning systems, e.g. history databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for predicting a travel time for a traffic route is disclosed. The traffic route comprises one or more road segments. A predicted travel time for each of those segments is calculated based, in part, on traffic speed data for each of the one or more road segments. A total travel time is then calculated for the route, the total travel time including a predicted travel time for each of the one or more road segments.

Claims

1. A system for predicting a travel time for a traffic route, comprising:

at least one data source that provides current data relating to traffic conditions for a plurality of road segments during a particular time interval;

at least one data source that provides past data relating to traffic conditions for the plurality of road segments during the particular time interval; and

a processor to execute instructions stored in memory to;

receive the current data and the past data from the data sources for the plurality of road segments during the particular time interval;

associate the current data and the past data relating to traffic conditions for the plurality of road segments during the particular time interval,

generate a combined data relating to traffic conditions for the plurality of road segments during the particular time interval, wherein the generation is based on the association of the current data and the past data,

determine a predicted travel time for a first travel route formed by the plurality of road segments between a departure location and an arrival location, wherein the predicted travel time is based on the combined data for the plurality of road segments for the particular time interval and any non-traffic event data that influences traffic conditions, and wherein the non-traffic event data is provided by at least one data source,

generate a first departure time based on the predicted travel times for the plurality of road segments, the first departure time corresponding to a user inputted preferred arrival time,

receive secondary current data relating to traffic conditions from at least one data source, the secondary current data differing from the current data previously received,

update the predicted travel time for the plurality of road segments based on the recently received secondary current data,

generate a second departure time, the second departure time updates the first departure time based on the updated predicted travel time; and

alert a user of the second departure time, wherein the second departure time facilitates the user arriving at the arrival location by the user inputted preferred arrival time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the non-traffic event data includes current weather conditions for the plurality of road segments at the particular time interval.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the non-traffic event data includes forecasts on weather conditions for the plurality of road segments at the particular time interval.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the secondary current data includes current weather conditions for the plurality of road segments at the particular time interval.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor further executes instructions to select a second travel route formed by the plurality of road segments between the departure location and an arrival location, the second travel route having a faster predicted travel time than the first travel route.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the selection of the second travel route is based on a difference between the first departure time and the second departure time exceeding a user-defined threshold.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor further executes instructions to alert the user of the selected second travel route.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the alert includes illustrating the second travel route on a map for the user to view.