# US 2018/0322779 A1 · Determination of an average traffic speed > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0322779 A1 - Document ID: US20180322779A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/030,305 - Filed: 2018-07-09 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-06 - Assignees: HERE Global B.V. - Applicants: HERE Global B.V. - Inventors: Mark Pundurs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180322779A1 ## CPC - G08G 1/052: with provision for determining speed or overspeed {(speed measuring in general G01P)} - G08G 1/0112: {from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]} - G08G 1/0129: {for creating historical data or processing based on historical data} - G08G 1/0141: {for traffic information dissemination} - G08G 1/091: {Traffic information broadcasting (broadcasting communication H04H)} - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract Navigation devices, services, and methods are provided for determining an average traffic speed for a path segment using probe data from a plurality of navigation devices. The method for determining an average traffic speed may include retrieving probe data from a plurality of navigation devices, each navigation device traveling over at least a portion of a defined path segment for at least a portion of a defined time interval, wherein the probe data for each navigation device comprises an instantaneous velocity of the navigation device. The method may further include calculating a total distance traveled and a total time traveled by the plurality of navigation devices over the path segment and within the time interval using the instantaneous velocities from the retrieved probe data. The average traffic speed may then be determined based on the calculated total distance traveled and total time traveled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining an average traffic speed from a plurality of navigation devices, the method comprising: receiving probe data, by a processor, from the plurality of navigation devices; identifying a path segment having a starting location and an ending location; identifying a time interval having a staring time and an ending time; wherein probe data for each of the plurality of navigation devices corresponds to at least a portion of the path segment for at least a portion of the time interval, and the probe data for each navigation device comprises an instantaneous velocity; calculating, by the processor, a total distance traveled by the plurality of navigation devices and a total time traveled by the plurality of navigation devices over the path segment and within the time interval using the instantaneous velocities from the probe data; determining, by the processor, the average traffic speed for the path segment and time interval based on the calculated total distance traveled and the total time traveled; and outputting the average traffic speed for the path segment and time to a device other than the plurality of navigation devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the probe data for each of the plurality of navigation devices further comprises a geographic location and a timestamp associated with the geographic location and the instantaneous velocity, and wherein the calculating of the total distance traveled and the total time traveled is based on the geographic locations and the timestamps from the probe data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment includes only a beginning of the partial navigation path at the starting location of the path segment or only a beginning of the partial navigation path at a starting time of the time interval. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment includes only an ending of the partial navigation path at the ending location of the path segment or only an ending of the partial navigation path at the ending time of the time interval. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating the total distance traveled and the total time traveled comprises computing an expectation value for an average distance traveled and an average time traveled based on a uniform probability distribution in location and time across the path segment and the time interval. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the expectation value is computed using historical probe data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, over a connected network, the determined average traffic speed to the device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the starting location, the ending location, the starting time, or the ending time is provided by an end-user computing device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the path segment is at least 100 meters and the time interval is at least one minute. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed by a process are configured to perform a method for determining and transmitting an average traffic speed from a plurality of navigation devices, the method comprising: providing a path segment having a starting location and an ending location; providing a time interval having a staring time and an ending time, wherein the path segment and time interval are defined by an end-user computing device in communication with a processor; retrieving probe data, by the processor, from the plurality of navigation devices, each navigation device traveling over at least a portion of the path segment for at least a portion of the time interval, wherein the probe data for each navigation device comprises an instantaneous velocity of the navigation device, a geographic location of the navigation device, and a timestamp associated with the geographic location and the instantaneous velocity; calculating, by the processor, a total distance traveled and a total time traveled by the plurality of navigation devices over the path segment and within the time interval using the instantaneous velocities of the plurality of navigation devices; determining, by the processor, the average traffic speed for the path segment and time interval based on the calculated total distance traveled and the total time traveled; and transmitting, over a connected network, the determined average traffic speed to the end-user computing device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the end-user computing device is associated with an autonomous vehicle or a highly automated vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the probe data for the plurality of navigation devices does not include complete travel over the path segment. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for determining an average traffic speed from a plurality of navigation devices, the apparatus comprising: at least one memory configured to store probe data collected at the plurality of navigation devices, each navigation device traveling over at least a portion of a path segment for at least a portion of a time interval, wherein the path segment comprises a starting location and an ending location and the time interval comprises a starting time and an ending time, and wherein the probe data for each navigation device comprises an instantaneous velocity of the navigation device, a geographic location of the navigation device, and a timestamp associated with the geographic location and the instantaneous velocity; and a controller configured to calculate a total distance traveled and a total time traveled by the plurality of navigation devices over the path segment and within the time interval using the instantaneous velocities of the plurality of navigation devices and determine the average traffic speed for the path segment and time interval based on the calculated total distance traveled and the total time traveled. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a communication interface configured to transmit, over a connected network, the determined average traffic speed to an end-user computing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment and time interval that includes only a beginning of the partial navigation path at the starting location of the path segment. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment and time interval that includes only a beginning of the partial navigation path at the starting time of the time interval. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment and time interval that includes only an ending of the partial navigation path at the ending location of the path segment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the probe data from at least one navigation device having a partial navigation path within the path segment and time interval that includes only an ending of the partial navigation path at the ending time of the time interval. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the calculating the total distance traveled and the total time traveled comprises computing an expectation value for an average distance traveled and an average time traveled based on a uniform probability distribution in location and time across the path segment and the time interval. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the end-user computing device provides a message for an autonomous vehicle or a highly automated vehicle in response to the average traffic speed for the path segment.