Cell messaging process for an 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.
Claims15
In an in-vehicle traffic congestion information system, a method for cell messaging comprising the steps of:
- inputting raw traffic congestion data from at least one source of traffic congestion data,
- processing said raw traffic congestion data to produce a at least one traffic congestion data message indicative of a level of traffic congestion for a predetermined section of roadway and direction of travel,
- transmitting said at least one traffic congestion data message if the level of traffic congestion for said predetermined section of roadway and direction of travel exceeds a predetermined congestion level,
- receiving said at least one traffic congestion data message in a vehicle,
- determining the location and heading of the vehicle, and
- reporting said at least one traffic congestion data message if said section of roadway and direction of travel are within a predetermined area defined by the location and heading of the vehicle.
In an in-vehicle traffic congestion information system, a method of processing traffic congestion data comprising the steps of:
- inputting raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source;
- processing said raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source 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 traffic congestion data source to said at least one traffic congestion value;
- assigning a weighting factor to a score indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source, said weighting factor being a function of the traffic congestion value represented by each score;
- multiplying said score by said weighting factor to produce a weighted score;
- and
- 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 weighted score.
In an in-vehicle traffic congestion information system, a method of processing traffic congestion data comprising the steps of:
- inputting raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source;
- processing said raw traffic congestion data from at least one traffic congestion data source 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 traffic congestion data source to said at least one traffic congestion value;
- assigning a weighting factor to a score indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source, said weighting factor being a function of the traffic congestion value represented by each score;
- multiplying said score by said weighting factor to produce a weighted score;
- assigning an aging factor to said at least one traffic congestion data source, said aging factor indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source over a period of time;
- decrementing over a period of time as a function of said aging factor the weighted score indicative of the reliability of said at least one traffic congestion data source to produce a decremented weighted score;
- and
- selecting the traffic congestion value for a predetermined section of roadway from said at least one traffic congestion data source determined to have a highest decremented weighted score.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.