Traffic information system

An information collecting apparatus, used in a traffic information system comprising said information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information including information relating to traffic and a center apparatus for creating synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said information collecting apparatus, said information collecting apparatus comprising:

• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data;
• manual information entering means for manually entering environmental information to be transmitted to said center apparatus, said environmental information representing environmental circumstances;
• and
• a first transmitter for transmitting a signal representing individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means, an identification code relating to said information collecting apparatus, and the environmental information entered by said manual information entering means.

A traffic information system comprising an individual information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information relating to the travel of the vehicle and a center apparatus for creating traffic information in a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said individual information collecting apparatus, wherein

• said individual information collecting apparatus comprises
• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data,
• a storage device for storing an identification code of said individual information collecting apparatus or the vehicle carrying the individual information collecting apparatus,
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means and the identification code stored in said storage device at least twice at a predetermined time interval,
• a first receiver for receiving the traffic information transmitted from said center apparatus, and
• a reporting device for reporting the traffic information received by said first receiver, and
• said center apparatus comprises
• a second receiver for receiving the individual information transmitted from said first transmitter in said individual information collecting apparatus,
• information processing means for creating the traffic information in a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information received at least twice by said second receiver, and
• second transmitting means for transmitting the traffic information created by said information processing means to said individual information collecting apparatus.

An information collecting apparatus, used in a traffic information system comprising said information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information relating to the travel of the vehicle and a center apparatus for creating traffic information in a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said information collecting apparatus, comprising:

• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data;
• a storage device for storing an identification code of said information collecting apparatus or the vehicle carrying the information collecting apparatus;
• and
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means and the identification code stored in said storage device at least twice at a predetermined time interval.

A traffic information system comprising an individual information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information including information relating to traffic and a center apparatus for creating synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said individual information collecting apparatus, wherein

• said individual information collecting apparatus comprises
• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data,
• a radar for projecting an electromagnetic wave into a predetermined range, receiving its reflected wave, and creating environmental information representing environmental circumstances of said vehicle on the basis of a received wave signal,
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means and the environmental information created by said radar,
• a first receiver for receiving the synthesis information transmitted from said center apparatus, and
• a reporting device for reporting the synthesis information received by said first receiver, and
• said center apparatus comprises
• a second receiver for receiving said individual information transmitted from said first transmitter in said individual information collecting apparatus,
• information processing means for creating the synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of said individual information received by said second receiver, and
• second transmitting means for transmitting the synthesis information created by said information processing means to said individual information collecting apparatus.

An information collecting apparatus, used in a traffic information system comprising said information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information including information relating to traffic and a center apparatus for creating synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said information collecting apparatus, comprising:

• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data;
• a radar for projecting an electromagnetic wave into a predetermined range, receiving its reflected wave, and creating environmental information representing environmental circumstances of said vehicle on the basis of a received wave signal;
• and
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means and the environmental information created by said radar.

A traffic information system comprising an individual information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information, including information relating to traffic, and a center apparatus for creating synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said individual information collecting apparatus, wherein said individual information collecting apparatus comprises:

• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data,
• a sensor for sensing information representing natural environmental circumstances, including one of a road surface circumstance and a weather circumstance, based on a physical amount sensed from outside said vehicle,
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means and the information sensed by said sensor,
• a first receiver for receiving the synthesis information transmitted from said center apparatus, and
• a reporting device for reporting the synthesis information received by said first receiver, and wherein
• said center apparatus comprises:
• a second receiver for receiving said individual information transmitted from said first transmitter in said individual information collecting apparatus,
• information processing means for creating the synthesis information relating to said region within said predetermined range on the basis of said individual information received by said second receiver, and
• second transmitting means for transmitting the synthesis information created by said information processing means to said individual information collecting apparatus.

An information collecting apparatus, used in a traffic information system comprising said information collecting apparatus, which is to be used on a vehicle, for collecting individual information, including information relating to traffic, and a center apparatus for creating synthesis information relating to a region within a predetermined range on the basis of the individual information transmitted from said information collecting apparatus, said information collecting apparatus comprising:

• position sensing means for measuring at least a position to produce position data;
• a sensor for sensing information representing natural environmental circumstances, including one of a road surface circumstance and a weather circumstance, based on a physical amount sensed from outside the vehicle;
• and
• a first transmitter for transmitting individual information including the position data produced by said position sensing means, an identification code relating to said information collecting apparatus, and the information sensed by said sensor.

A method for collecting and synthesizing traffic information, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an individual information collecting apparatus, suitable for use on a vehicle;
• (b) storing an identification code corresponding to said individual information collecting apparatus;
• (c) manually entering environmental information into said individual information collection apparatus;
• (d) transmitting information, including environmental information and said identification code, to a center apparatus;
• (e) creating traffic information, using said center apparatus, on the basis of the transmitted information;
• and
• (f) transmitting the traffic information to said individual information collecting apparatus for reporting the traffic information.