Method and apparatus for collecting traffic information

A method for collecting traffic information comprising:

• a link information transmitting step of installing a position transmitting device at a starting point and an ending point of a link of the entire road, and transmitting position information on the link, distance information from the starting point to the ending point of the link and timeinformation to probe vehicles;
• an information receiving/classifying step of receiving a transmission signal of a corresponding position while traveling on the road, and classifying the position information, the distance information and the time information of the link;
• a travel information transmitting step of detecting a starting point and an ending point of the link on the basis of the position information of the link, obtaining a travel time, a travel distance and a travel speed in the link on the basis of the classified time information and distance information obtained by traveling from the starting point to the ending point of the link as detected, and transmitting the same;
• a traffic information managing step of receiving and systematically storing the travel information on the probe vehicle by links, computing a representative value for the stored travel information of each link, and recognizing and managing traffic flow information on the entire road;
• receiving the signal through an antenna from the position transmitting device, and classifying the position information and the intensity of the received signal and outputting the same;
• digitizing the intensity of the signal as classified by the receiving module;
• measuring a travel distance of the probe vehicle according to a proportional expression of the number of the pulse inputted from the travel distance detector and a circumference of a wheel of the probe vehicle;
• measuring time required for the probe vehicle to travel in the link;
• computing a travel time, the travel distance and the travel speed of the link on the basis of the position information classified by the receiving module, the digital value according to the intensity of the signal and the measured distance and time;
• and
• modulating the information related to the travel time, the travel distance and the travel speed of the link obtained by a microprocessor and transmitting the same through the antenna to a communication relay unit.

An apparatus for collecting traffic information comprising:

• a position transmitting device installed at a starting point and an ending point of a link of the entire road and transmitting position information with a suitable intensity to a probe vehicle traveling in the link;
• a radio frequency terminal unit mounted in the probe vehicle traveling in the link for receiving position information, detecting a travel distance and a travel time required for the probe vehicle to travel in the link according to the received position information, and computing a travel speed to transmit it to a public network;
• a communication relay unit for receiving the travel information of each link as collected by the probe vehicle while traveling in the link and relaying the same;
• a service center for obtaining average values of the travel distance, the travel time and the travel speed of each link as relayed through the communication relay unit, and managing the traffic flow information on the entire road;
• wherein the radio frequency terminal unit includes
• a receiving module for receiving the signal through the antenna from the position transmitting device, and classifying the position information and the intensity of the received signal and outputting the same;
• an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the intensity of the signal as classified by the receiving module;
• a travel distance detector for measuring a travel distance of the probe vehicle and generating a pulse in proportion to the travel distance;
• a travel time detector for measuring time required for the probe vehicle to travel in the link;
• a second microprocessor for computing a travel time, a travel distance and a travel speed of the link on the basis of the position information classified by the receiving module, the digital value according to the intensity of the signal and the measured distance and time;
• and
• a second transmission module for modulating the information related to the travel time, the travel distance and the travel speed of the link obtained by the second microprocessor and transmitting the same through the antenna to the communication relay unit.