Apparatus and method for transmitting traffic-related data in road traffic

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10255472-B2
Application number	US-201615074051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 20, 2015
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for transmitting traffic-related data in road traffic include transmitting the traffic-related data in the form of dynamically generated QR codes from a transmission or display device to a mobile unit hosted by at least one vehicle, and wherein the mobile unit hosted by the vehicle is designed likewise to transmit dynamically generated QR codes. The mobile unit may include an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or a smartphone, tablet, or similar device positioned for visibility through a vehicle window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for communicating traffic-related data, comprising:
a mobile device disposed within or on a vehicle and configured to receive a dynamically generated QR code representing traffic-related data, and to transmit dynamically generated QR codes representing traffic-related data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display device arranged on a traffic infrastructure device configured to dynamically generate a QR code representing traffic-related data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone.

4. The system of claim 1 , the mobile device comprising a camera mounted to the vehicle for optical capture of the QR codes.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises a tablet computer.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises at least one display mounted within the vehicle configured for visual display of the dynamically generated QR codes.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second mobile device disposed within or on a second vehicle and configured to receive a dynamically generated QR code from the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.

9. A method for communicating traffic-related data to a vehicle, comprising:
receiving QR codes dynamically generated and varying in response to the traffic-related data from a display by a camera of a vehicle; and
transmitting dynamically-generated QR codes from a vehicle display, the dynamically-generated QR codes varying in response to the traffic-related data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the dynamically-generated QR codes from the vehicle display to a traffic infrastructure device.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving comprises receiving the dynamically-generated QR codes by a smartphone within the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the dynamically-generated QR codes by an OLED display mounted in the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the dynamically-generated QR codes to another vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving comprises receiving dynamically-generated QR codes transmitted by a display of a second vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving comprises receiving dynamically-generated QR codes transmitted by a traffic infrastructure device.

16. A vehicle system comprising:
a camera;
a display; and
a processor coupled to the camera and the display and configured to receive dynamically generated QR codes that do not include an encoded URL from the camera representing traffic data and to dynamically generate QR codes that do not include an encoded URL representing traffic data to the display, wherein the dynamically generated QR codes comprise patterns that change in response to the traffic data.

17. The vehicle system of claim 16 wherein the camera is mounted on a front of a vehicle.

18. The vehicle system of claim 16 wherein the camera receives dynamically generated QR codes from a traffic infrastructure device.

19. The vehicle system of claim 16 wherein the display is mounted in a vehicle.

20. The vehicle system of claim 16 wherein the camera and the display comprise a smartphone wirelessly linked to a vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Gussen Uwe
• Arndt Christoph
• Stefan Frederic
• Petri Frank

Classifications

• G08G1/0112 Primary

  from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD] · CPC title

• H04N23/00

  Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof · CPC title

• G08G1/096783 Primary

  where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element · CPC title

• G06K7/1447 Primary

  extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code · CPC title

• G06K7/00

  Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, {e.g. for reading patterns} (methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion G06K1/00; pattern recognition G06F18/00; arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding G06V10/00; character recognition, recognising digital ink or document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00) · CPC title