In-vehicle traffic congestion information system
AssigneeFarradyne Systems, Inc.
InventorRoy L. Sumner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The In-Vehicle Traffic Congestion Information System (ICI system) consists of a technique to provide real-time traffic congestion data to drivers of suitably equipped vehicles. The ICI system includes apparatus for gathering and formatting data at a central location, transmitting the data to vehicles, processing data in the vehicles and presenting it to the drivers. The ICI system design provides inputs for a wide range of data sources at a central location where, through a data fusion process, information from a range of sources may be accumulated and aggregated into a single congestion level data value for each section of road. In the vehicles, a range of options may be available for presenting relevant congestion data to the driver including text, voice and map displays.
Claims29
An in-vehicle traffic congestion information system comprising:
- central system for receiving raw traffic congestion data and transmitting at least one localized traffic congestion value, said central system comprising:
- congestion data input means for inputting raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source;
- central processing means, coupled to said congestion data input means, for receiving said raw traffic congestion data and converting said raw traffic congestion data into at least one localized traffic congestion value indicative of a level of traffic congestion for a predetermined section of roadway and assigning a score indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source to said at least one traffic congestion value, selecting a traffic congestion value for a predetermined section of roadway from said at least one traffic congestion data source determined to have a highest score to produce a selected traffic congested value for a predetermined section of roadway;
- and
- communication means, coupled to said central processing means, for transmitting said selected traffic congestion value, and
- a vehicle mounted system for receiving said selected traffic congestion value and outputting a user message, said vehicle mounted system comprising:
- receiver means for receiving said selected traffic congestion value,
- vehicle mounted processing means, coupled to said receiver means, for determining the location of the vehicle, determining if said selected traffic congestion value for said section of roadway is within a predetermined area defined by the location of the vehicle and converting said selected traffic congestion value into at least one user message if said selected traffic congestion value for said section of roadway is within a predetermined area defined by the location of the vehicle, and
- reporting means, coupled to said vehicle mounted processor means, for reporting said at least one user message to a user.
A central system for receiving raw traffic congestion data and transmitting at least one localized traffic congestion message, said central system comprising:
- congestion data input means for inputting raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source,
- central processing means, coupled to said congestion data input means, for receiving said raw traffic congestion data and outputting at least one localized traffic congestion value indicative of a level of traffic congestion for a predetermined section of roadway and assigning a score indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source to said at least one traffic congestion value, selecting a traffic congestion value for a predetermined section of roadway from said at least one traffic congestion data source determined to have a highest score to produce a selected traffic congested value for a predetermined section of roadway, and
- communication means, coupled to said central processing means, for transmitting said selected traffic congestion value.
A vehicle mounted system for receiving a selected traffic congestion value and outputting a user message, said vehicle mounted system comprising:
- receiver means for receiving said selected traffic congestion value,
- vehicle mounted processing means, coupled to said receiver means, for determining the location of the vehicle, determining if said selected traffic congestion value for said section of roadway is within a predetermined area defined by the location of the vehicle and converting said selected traffic congestion value into at least one user message if said selected traffic congestion value for said section of roadway is within a predetermined area defined by the location of the vehicle, and
- reporting means, coupled to said vehicle mounted processor means, for reporting said at least one user message to a user.
A method of collecting, processing, transmitting and reporting traffic congestion data comprising the steps of:
- collecting raw traffic congestion data from at least one source of traffic congestion information,
- processing said raw traffic congestion data from at least one source of traffic congestion information to produce at least one traffic congestion value indicative of a level of traffic congestion for a predetermined section of roadway,
- assigning a score indicative of the reliability of said at least one source of traffic congestion information to said at least one traffic congestion value,
- selecting the traffic congestion value for a predetermined section of roadway from a source of traffic congestion information determined to have a highest score,
- determing whether said selected traffic congestion value for a particular section of roadway exceeds a predetermined threshold,
- formatting said traffic congestion value into at least one traffic congestion message for said particular section of roadway if said selected traffic congestion value for said particular section of roadway exceeds said predetermined threshold,
- transmitting said traffic congestion message,
- receiving said traffic congestion message in a vehicle,
- determining the location of the vehicle,
- forming at least one user message from at least one received localized traffic congestion message if said section of roadway is within a predetermined area defined by the location of the vehicle, and
- reporting said user message to said user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.