High resolution encoding and transmission of traffic information

A method of increasing geospatial resolution of traffic information, comprising:

• obtaining a location interval from a traffic data provider;
• subdividing the location interval into a fixed number of sub-segments;
• granularly describe traffic data on each sub-segment;
• and
• transmit the traffic data to a user over one of a satellite based transport medium, and a data communications network.

The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of:

• said traffic data includes one or more of speed, traffic flow, speed and traffic flow, incidents and construction events,
• the location interval includes lane elements,
• the location interval includes lane elements that are designated as one or more of:
• (i) main roadbed, (ii) HOV or other express, (iii) right hand junction lane, (iv) left hand junction lane, and (v) exit only lane, or
• the location interval includes lane elements that are designated by a color or other visual iconographic scheme.

The method of claim 52, wherein at least one of:

• (i) the traffic data includes speed buckets for all road classes,
• (ii) the traffic data includes speed buckets for all road classes, and the speed buckets provide one of 5 mph and 10 mph granularity,
• (iii) the traffic data is transmitted over an SDARS broadcast service to at least a plurality of vehicles,
• (iv) the traffic data includes flow vectors,
• (v) the traffic data includes flow vectors, and the flow vectors organize speed and flow data at the linear level, or
• (vi) the traffic data includes flow vectors, the flow vectors organize speed and flow data at the linear level, wherein a linear comprises a continuous stretch of roadway or a ramp with the same functional class along its length.

A method for delivering traffic information to a user, comprising:

• obtaining a set of location intervals from a traffic data provider;
• for each location interval in the set;
• subdivide the location interval into a fixed number of sub-segments, and
• obtain traffic data for each sub-segment;
• aggregate the traffic data from all the sub-segments of all the location intervals in the set;
• process the aggregated traffic data into a defined flow vector format;
• transmit the flow vectors for a defined geographical area to a user over one of a satellite based transport medium, and a data communications network.

A system, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• a display;
• and
• memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
• obtain a set of location intervals from a traffic data provider;
• for each location interval in the set;
• subdivide the location interval into a fixed number of sub-segments, and
• obtain traffic data for each sub-segment;
• aggregate the traffic data from all the sub-segments of all the location intervals in the set;
• process the aggregated traffic data into a defined flow vector format;
• transmit the flow vectors for a defined geographical area to a user over one of a satellite based transport medium, and a data communications network.