 |
Claims  |
|
|
What is claimed is:
1. A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of mobile
users connected to a network, comprising:
(a) a plurality of traffic monitors, each said traffic monitor comprising
at least a detector and a transmitter, said detector providing a signal
including data representative of vehicular movement and said transmitter
transmitting said signals;
(b) a receiver, remotely located from said transmitter, that receives said
signals transmitted by said traffic monitors; and
(c) a computer system interconnected with said receiver and said network;
(d) a mobile user station connected to a global positioning system
receiver, a display, and a communicating device; and
(e) said computer system, in response to a request for traffic information
from one of said mobile user stations, providing in response thereto to
said one of said mobile user stations traffic information representative
of said signals transmitted by said traffic monitors;
(f) wherein said traffic information transmitted by said computer system is
displayed graphically on said display; and
(g) wherein said computer system has a map database, and said computer
system, in response to said request for information, transmits map
information representative of a portion of said map database, and said map
information representative of said map database is displayed graphically
together with said traffic information.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein said traffic information is displayed
together with a video image.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein said traffic information is displayed with
a text message.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein said traffic detector detects vehicular
speed.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said transmitters
transmits directly to said receiver.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said transmitters
transmits to another traffic monitor.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said traffic monitors
includes a video camera.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said detector is a video camera.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein said user provides latitude and longitude
information to said computer system.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer system selects said traffic
information to provide to said mobile user station based on a signal
received from said global positioning system receiver.
11. The system of claim 10 wherein said computer system maintains a traffic
information database containing data representative of traffic at a
plurality of locations and updates said traffic information database in
response to signals received from said mobile user station.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein said mobile user station displays both
the location of said mobile user station and traffic information
graphically on said display.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said mobile user station has an input
mechanism to select a mode in which traffic information is shown on said
display.
14. A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of mobile
users connected to a network, comprising:
(a) a plurality of vehicles, each said vehicle comprising at least a mobile
user station, a global positioning system receiver and a transmitter, said
mobile user station providing a signal including data representative of a
location of said mobile user station and at least one of a speed of said
vehicle and an identification code of said mobile user station and said
transmitter transmitting said signal;
(b) a receiver that receives said signals transmitted by said user
stations; and
(c) a computer system interconnected with said receiver and said network,
said computer system, in response to a request for information from one of
said mobile user stations, providing in response thereto to said one of
said mobile user stations information representative of said signals
transmitted by said mobile user stations;
(d) wherein said vehicle further comprises a display and said information
transmitted by said computer system is displayed graphically on said
display; and
(e) wherein said computer system has a map database, and said computer
system, in response to said request for information, transmits information
representative of a portion of said map database, and said information
representative of said map database is displayed graphically.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein said computer system maintains a traffic
information database containing information representative of traffic at a
plurality of locations and updates said traffic information database in
response to signals received from stationary traffic monitors.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein said computer system screens data
provided by said mobile user stations to determine before updating said
traffic information database.
17. The system of claim 14 wherein the location of said one of said mobile
user stations is displayed graphically on said display together with said
traffic information provided by said computer system.
18. The system of claim 17 wherein said location of said vehicle is shown
at a point on said display regardless of movement of said vehicle.
19. The system of claim 17 wherein said displayed location of said vehicle
depends on said location of said vehicle, so that the displayed location
changes as the vehicle's location changes.
20. The system of claim 14 wherein said mobile user station has an input
mechanism to select different modes of displaying traffic information on
said display.
21. A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of mobile
users connected to a network, comprising:
(a) a plurality of mobile user stations, each mobile user station being
associated with a display, a global positioning system receiver and a
communicating device to allow each of said mobile user stations to send
and receive signals;
(b) a computer system interconnected with another communicating device and
a network, said computer system being capable of sending and receiving
signals to and from said mobile user stations;
(c) said computer system including a map database and a traffic information
database, said traffic information database containing data representative
of traffic at a plurality of locations;
(d) at least one of said mobile user stations providing a request to said
computer system for information together with a respective geographic
location of said one of said mobile user stations, and in response
thereto, said computer system providing to said one of said mobile user
stations information representative of selected portions of said map
database and selected portions of said traffic information database based
on said respective geographic location of said one of said mobile user
stations; and
(e) said one of said mobile user stations displaying graphically on said
display information representative of said selected portions of said map
database and said selected portions of said traffic information database.
22. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer system is connected to a
plurality of traffic monitors, and said traffic information database
contains data derived from said traffic monitors.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein said computer system updates said
traffic information database based on data received from said mobile user
stations.
24. The system of claim 23 wherein said computer system compares data from
said mobile user stations with said data derived from said traffic
monitors before updating said traffic information database.
25. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer system updates said
traffic information database based on data received from said mobile user
stations.
26. The system of claim 21 wherein said map database contains longitude and
latitude information for locations within said database.
27. The system of claim 26 wherein said traffic information database and
map database are integrated using said longitude and latitude information.
28. The system of claim 27 wherein each said mobile user station provides
longitude and latitude information to said computer system.
29. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer system transmits
information which is displayed as an information banner on said display.
30. The system of claim 21 wherein said mobile user stations each have an
input mechanism for selecting the mode of displaying information on said
display.
31. The system of claim 21 wherein said location of said one of said mobile
user stations is displayed graphically.
32. The system of claim 31 wherein said displayed location of said one of
said mobile user stations changes based on movement of said mobile user
station.
33. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer system screens data
provided by said mobile user stations to determine whether said data
corresponds to actual traffic conditions.
34. The system of claim 21 wherein said computer system compares data
provided from said one of said mobile user stations with said map database
before updating said traffic information database. |
|
 |
|
 |
Claims |
|
|
|
Description |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for providing traffic
information, and more particularly a system for providing traffic
information to a plurality of mobile users connected to a network.
Commuters have a need for information relating to the congestion and
traffic which they may encounter on a commute over a road, a highway, or a
freeway. Unfortunately, the prior art methods of providing traffic
information to commuters do not allow commuters to evaluate the extent to
which there is congestion on a highway on which the commuter may wish to
travel.
One known method of providing traffic information consists of radio
reports. A radio station may broadcast traffic reports, such as from a
helicopter that monitors traffic conditions over portions of a freeway.
Unfortunately, these reports are usually intermittent in nature.
Accordingly, to hear the report, the commuter must be listening to the
radio station at the time the report is being broadcast on the radio.
Further, the extent of the information provided is severely limited to
broad generalizations. For example, the information provided during the
broadcast may be limited to the area being currently viewed by the
reporter, or the information may be based on a previous view at a prior
time of another portion of the freeway. Some broadcasts may include
multiple observers of different portions of the freeway, yet these systems
also provide incomplete information relating to overall traffic patterns.
In addition, the information provided is vague, subjective, and usually
limited to broad generalities relating to traffic flow.
Another known traffic information system is provided by television
broadcasts. In these systems, television stations may mount video cameras
pointed at certain portions of a freeway, or may broadcast video images
from a helicopter. The television station may periodically broadcast
traffic reports and include in the traffic report a view of different
portions of the freeway from the video cameras. Again, this system
provides little useful information to a commuter. The commuter must be
watching the broadcast at the time the information is being transmitted.
However, by the time the commuter actually gets into his vehicle and
enters a potentially congested area, the traffic may have changed.
Further, the information provided is limited to those areas where the
traffic is being monitored and may consist of stale information. Often the
video image is limited to a small portion of the road, and shows traffic
flowing in a single direction.
Yet another method to provide traffic information is to provide a website
that is accessible using the Internet that contains traffic information.
While these types of systems have the advantage of providing more up to
date information, these systems typically provide a map for a large area.
Thus, for a person commuting in a car, the system displays traffic
information for many areas not of interest to the commuter. In addition,
these types of systems require manipulation by the commuter to find the
relevant traffic information. For example, while the map may allow the
commuter to zoom in on a particular area, the user must provide inputs to
the system to instruct the system to zoom in on a particular area.
However, a commuter who is actively driving cannot operate a computer and
drive at the same time. In addition, these systems may rely on manual
entry of data received from subjective traffic reports and/or traffic
sensors. Thus this method may additionally suffer from added cost due to
manual labor, incorrect entry of data, and slow response to quickly
changing traffic conditions.
Fan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,577, disclose a system for processing
position and travel related information through a data processing station
on a data network. In particular, Fan et al. teach the use of a GPS
receiver to obtain a measured position fix of a mobile unit. The measured
position fix is reported to the data processing station which associates
the reported position with a map of the area. Typically, the measured
position of the mobile unit is marked and identified by a marker on the
map. The area map is then stored in the data processing station and made
available for access by authorized monitor units or mobile units. An
authorized monitor unit may request a specific area map. This permits
shipping companies to monitor the location of their fleet and permits the
mobile units to identify their current location in relation to a map,
which is particularly suited for the application of navigation to a
particular destination. In addition, Fan et al. teach that the measured
position data transmitted from the mobile units may be used to calculate
the speeds at which the vehicles travel. The collective speed data from
the mobile units is then available for use by the monitor units, such as
those at the shipping company, to route the vehicles away from traffic
congestions and diversions. In this manner, the dispatcher at the shipping
company, to which Fan et al. teaches the data is available to, may use the
collective speed data to decide which vehicles to contact in order to
reroute them.
Westerlage et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,097,377 and 5,987,377, disclose a
system for determining an expected time of arrival of a vehicle equipped
with a mobile unit.
Zijderhand, U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,117, discloses a method of collecting
traffic information to determine an origin-destination matrice without
infringing upon the privacy of the users.
Mandhyan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,645, is related to monitoring movement
of traffic along predetermined routes, where individual moving elements
can move with a high degree of discretion as to speed except when
congestion, accident or the like limit speeds. Mandhyan et al. uses the
deployment of calibrant vehicles for collecting and reporting information
which describes vehicle speeds actually being experienced along the routes
of interest where the data are processed statistically as a function of
the time of day. The output provides baseline data against which
observations at a particular time, category, weather, event, and location
can be compared, to identify the existence of abnormal conditions, and to
quantify the abnormality. To determine abnormal conditions, Mandhyan et
al. teach the use of probe vehicles. In particular, Mandhyan et al. is
applicable to monitoring the flow of motor vehicles along roads which are
subject to delays of sufficient frequency and severity that correction
action or dissemination of information announcing a delay are economically
desirable. Unfortunately, the use of probe vehicles may be expensive and
the relevancy of the data is limited to the availability of the probe
vehicles.
Lappenbusch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,298, disclose a traffic information
system having servers that makes traffic data, images, and video clips
available to a user interface on client devices. Lappenbusch et al.
envision that the client devices are personal or desktop computers,
network computers, set-top boxes, or intelligent televisions. The user
interface includes a road map showing a plurality of road segments that a
user can interactively select. Vehicular speed information is provided to
the system from traffic sensors monitoring the traffic. In addition, the
user interface has a road image area that changes as the user selects
different road segments to show recent images of a currently selected road
segment. Unfortunately, the system taught by Lappenbusch et al. is
complicated to operate and requires significant user interaction to
provide relevant data, which is suitable for such "stationary" traditional
computing devices.
Smith, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,827, disclose a system to alleviate
the need for sophisticated route guidance systems, where the commuter has
a positioning system as well as a map database in a car. A central
facility receives and stores current traffic information for preselected
commuter routes from various current traffic information sources, such as
local police authorities, toll-way authorities, spotters, or sensors
deployed on the road ways to detect traffic flow. To achieve the
elimination of sophisticated route guidance systems a portable device
receives a travel time only for preselected commuter routes from the
central facility. In this manner, Smith, Jr. et al. teach that each user
receives only the traffic information that is relevant to the user's
preselected commuter routes. If desired, the preselected commuter routes
may be presented as a set of route segments, where each of the segments is
coded to indicate commute time. In response, the user may choose an
alternative route known by him that is different from any preselected
commuter routes. Smith, Jr. et al. further suggest that a GPS enabled
portable unit for transmitting a present position of the portable device
to the central facility such that the central facility uses each present
position to calculate at least a portion of the current travel
information. By matching multiple positions of the portable device with
known positions on the preselected route and measuring the time between
two consecutive matched positions the central facility can obtain
up-to-the minute traffic information to be used in broadcasting future
travel times to other users of preselected commuter routes. Unfortunately,
the system taught by Smith, Jr. et al. requires the user to define a set
of preselected commuter routes for each route to be traveled, which may be
difficult if the user is unfamiliar with the area. In addition, Smith, Jr.
et al. teach that the user should select alternative routes that are known
to the user, presumably if the commute time of the preselected commuter
routes are too long, which is difficult if the user is not already
familiar with the area.
Pietzsch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,039, disclose a system for dynamic
monitoring of the total traffic in a stretch of road equipped with
monitoring and information-provision system, as well as warnings to
drivers, and hence the possibility of regulating the traffic. The system
does not require that the vehicles be equipped with appropriate sensors
and transmitting equipment.
Akutsu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,374, disclose a vehicle traveling
guidance system that includes data providing devices laid on a road and a
vehicle. The vehicle includes a data transmitter for sending a data
providing device traveling data of the vehicle when the vehicle passes
over the vicinity of the data providing device and a data receiver for
receiving data sent from the data providing device. The traveling data may
include vehicle pass time or vehicle pass time and speed. The data
providing devices laid on the road include a receiver for receiving the
traveling data from the vehicle and a transmitter for sending other
passing vehicles the traveling data. A control center communicating
through the data providing devices laid on the road can use the received
traffic data from the vehicles to predict the occurrence of traffic
congestion based on the pass time and speed of a vehicle. It is assumed
that at a certain point, vehicles were traveling smoothly at a certain
time and the speed of each vehicle has decreased drastically at the next
time. In this case it is expected that traffic congestion will occur in
the vicinity of that point. Therefore, smooth travel can be achieved by,
for example, communicating to each vehicle data etc. indicating bypasses
in order not to worsen traffic congestion. Therefore, a vehicle operator
can gain knowledge of the traveling state of a vehicle which has already
passed over that point and adjust travel considering traffic flow.
While all of the above systems provide some degree of traffic information
for a commuter, nevertheless the above systems do not provide an efficient
method of collecting and presenting objective traffic information to a
commuter. What is desired, therefore, is a system for providing traffic
information which allows a commuter to obtain information at any time
desired by the commuter, that provides information relating to a plurality
of points along a road, that provides information relating to different
traffic levels, that provides information that is particularly relevant to
the commuter, and that provides the information in an easily understood
format that may be easily utilized by a commuter while driving.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by
providing a system for providing traffic information to a plurality of
users connected to a network. In a first aspect the present invention
provides a system comprised of a plurality of traffic monitors, each
comprising at least a traffic detector and a transmitter, the traffic
detector generating a signal in response to vehicular traffic and the
transmitter transmitting the signal. The system also includes a receiver
that receives the signals from the traffic monitors. A computer system is
connected to the receiver and is also connected to the network. The
computer system, in response to a request signal received from one of the
users, transmits in response thereto information representative of the
signals transmitted by the traffic monitors.
In a second separate aspect of the invention, a system provides traffic
information to a plurality of users connected to a network. Traffic is
detected at each of a plurality of locations along a road and a signal is
generated at each of the locations representative of the traffic at each
of the locations. Each of the signals is transmitted from each of the
plurality of locations to a receiver. These signals are sent from the
receiver to a computer system. The computer system receives a request from
one of the users for traffic information. In response to the request, the
computer system transmits information representative of the traffic at
each of the plurality of locations to the user.
In a third separate aspect of the invention, a system provides traffic
information to a plurality of users connected to a network. The system
comprises a plurality of mobile user stations, each mobile user station
being associated with the display, a global positioning system receiver
and a communicating device to allow each of the mobile user stations to
send and receive signals. A computer system is interconnected with another
communicating device in the network. The computer system is capable of
sending and receiving signals to the mobile user stations using the other
communicating device in the network. The computer system maintains a map
database and a traffic information database. The traffic information
database contains information representative of traffic data at a
plurality of locations. At least one of the mobile user stations provides
a request to the computer system for information together with the
respective geographic location of the mobile user station. In response to
the request, the computer system provides to the mobile user station
information representative of selected portions of the map database and
selected portions of the traffic information database based on the
respective geographic location of the requesting mobile user station. The
mobile user station then displays graphically on the display information
representative of selected portions of the map database and selected
portions of the traffic information database.
The traffic information database may be derived from information obtained
from stationary traffic monitors, mobile user stations, or a combination
thereof. The mobile user station allows traffic information to be
displayed in a variety of manners. The display can also show graphically
the location of the car on the display. The user may select among
different modes for displaying traffic information on the display.
The various aspects of the present invention have one or more of the
following advantages. The present invention allows a commuter to obtain
traffic information at any time, without waiting for a report to be
broadcast. The present invention also allows detailed information relating
to traffic conditions based on measurements of the traffic, such as the
average vehicular speed or traffic density, to be supplied for a plurality
of locations along a road. The invention also allows the convenient
display of information in a readily understood form to the user, such as a
graphical display.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be
more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed
description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of a system for
providing traffic information.
FIG. 2 shows a front elevational view of an exemplary traffic monitor.
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary display for a user station.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile user
unit of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a partial electrical schematic for a traffic monitor of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is an alternative exemplary display.
FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of another is exemplary embodiment of a
series of traffic monitors along a road.
FIG. 8 shows another exemplary display for a user station.
FIG. 9 is a flow chart for a method of processing video data to yield
traffic information.
FIG. 10 is a flow chart for an alternative method of processing video data
to yield traffic information.
FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a road system having traffic
sensors and vehicles at different locations along the road.
FIG. 12 is a combined map and traffic information database representative
of the road system depicted in FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is an exemplary embodiment of a centered display.
FIG. 14 is an exemplary embodiment of an offset display.
FIG. 15 is an exemplary embodiment of a look ahead display.
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a mobile user station having alternative
mechanisms for inputting commands to the user station.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements,
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the system 10 for providing traffic
information to a plurality of user stations 52 connected to a network 50.
A plurality of traffic monitors 20 are arranged at spaced apart locations
along a road 12. The traffic monitors 20 measure traffic information by
detecting the speed (velocity) or frequency of vehicles traveling along
the road (freeway or highway) 12. For example, in one embodiment, the
traffic monitors 20 may detect. the speed of individual vehicles 14
traveling along the road 12. Alternatively, the traffic monitors 20 may
measure the frequency with which the individual vehicles 14 pass specified
points along the road 12.
FIG. 2 shows a front elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a
traffic monitor 20. The traffic monitor 20 has a detector 22 for measuring
or otherwise sensing traffic. FIG. 2 shows two different embodiments 22A
and 22B of a detector 22. The detector 22 may be any type of measuring
device which is capable of measuring or otherwise sensing traffic and
generating a signal representative of or capable of being used to
determine the traffic conditions. For example, the detector 22 could
measure the average speed of the vehicles (cars or trucks) 14 at locations
along the road 12, or it could measure the individual speed (velocities)
of each vehicle 14. The detector 22 may detect vehicle frequency, that is,
the frequency at which vehicles pass a certain point, or may measure
traffic flow, consisting of the number of vehicles passing a certain point
for a unit of time (e.g., vehicles per second). The detector 22 may use
any suitable technique to measure traffic conditions (data). For example,
in one embodiment, the detector 22A could employ radio waves, light waves
(optical or infrared), microwaves, sound waves, analog signals, digital
signals, doppler shifts, or any other type of system to measure traffic
conditions (data | | |
