Traffic management via internet of things (IoT) devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11200799-B2
Application number	US-201616329465-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 14, 2021
Grant date	Dec 14, 2021

Abstract

An Internet of Things (IoT) technique for vehicular traffic management, including an IoT sensor to measure traffic data of vehicular traffic, a traffic analyzer to determine a traffic event based on the traffic data, and an IoT gateway to issue a response based on the traffic event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An Internet of Things (IoT) system for vehicular traffic management, comprising:
a group of IoT devices forming a mesh network, the group of IoT devices comprising transient IoT devices that are temporary members of the mesh network and permanent IoT devices comprising traffic lights, the group of IoT devices comprising an IoT sensor to measure traffic data of vehicular traffic including at least one vehicular IoT device of the transient IoT devices, the mesh network having a configuration that is reconfigured based on characteristics of the group of IoT devices and relationships between the transient IoT devices and permanent IoT devices, and at least one of the transient IoT devices or permanent IoT devices controllable based on the configuration of the mesh network, the mesh network being divided into operational cells throughout which the traffic lights are dispersed, the operational cells comprising a main operational cell;
a traffic analyzer operable for use with the mesh network, the traffic analyzer configured to determine a traffic event based on the traffic data; and
an IoT gateway operable for use with the mesh network, the IoT gateway configured to issue a response based on the traffic event, the response comprising timing instructions to the traffic lights to adjust timing of the traffic lights, at least one of the traffic lights disposed at a local intersection in one of the operational cells other than the main operational cell, the at least one of the traffic lights configured to reject the response in response to a predetermined condition being met and instead rely on a timing option determined by the one of the operational cells based on local traffic data at the local intersection.

2. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein:
the IoT sensor is configured to measure the traffic data of vehicular traffic at an intersection of streets, and
the traffic event comprises traffic flow.

3. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein:
the traffic event comprises a hazardous event, and
the response further comprises issuing a warning of the traffic event, the warning receivable by a wireless device in a vehicle.

4. The IoT system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first operational cell of the operational cells comprising the IoT sensor and the IoT gateway, the first operational cell disposed at a first intersection of streets, the IoT sensor to measure traffic data of vehicular traffic at the first intersection; and
a second operational cell of the operational cells communicatively coupled to the first operational cell, the second operational cell disposed at a second intersection of streets and comprising a second IoT sensor and a second IoT gateway, the second IoT sensor to measure traffic data of vehicular traffic at the second intersection,
wherein the traffic analyzer is configured to determine the traffic event based on the traffic data measured at the first intersection and the second intersection.

5. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein control communications to at least one specific resource in the mesh network occur without identification of a controller IoT device within the mesh network that transmits the control communications, the control communications configured to permit multiple IoT devices within the group of IoT devices to discover and control the at least one specific resource in response to failure of the controller IoT device.

6. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein:
the IoT gateway comprises at least one of the traffic lights.

7. The IoT system of claim 6 , wherein:
the IoT gateway is disposed in the main operational cell of the operational cells.

8. The IoT system of claim 7 , wherein:
each operational cell has at least one IoT sensor, and
each operational cell is configured to switch to default timing of traffic lights in the operational cell in response to a default event, the default event selected from a plurality of default events that comprise malfunction of the at least one IoT sensor, loss of connectivity to the main operational cell, and a last policy from the main operational cell indicates that the operational cell to rely on the default timing.

9. The IoT system of claim 7 , wherein the main operational cell is configured to switch among the operational cells based on the traffic event.

10. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein:
the IoT gateway comprises at least one of the at least one vehicular IoT device.

11. The IoT system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the IoT devices is configured to broadcast a Service Set Identifier (SSID) specific for the traffic event.

12. A method of traffic management via an Internet of Things (IoT) system, comprising:
measuring, via an IoT sensor, traffic data of vehicular traffic, the IoT sensor being one of a group of IoT devices forming a mesh network, the mesh network comprising transient IoT devices that are temporary members of the mesh network and permanent IoT devices comprising traffic lights, the group of IoT devices including at least one vehicular IoT device of the transient IoT devices, the mesh network having a configuration that is reconfigured based on characteristics of the group of IoT devices and relationships between the transient IoT devices and permanent IoT devices, and at least one of the transient IoT devices or permanent IoT devices controllable based on the configuration of the mesh network, the mesh network being divided into operational cells throughout which the traffic lights are dispersed, the operational cells comprising a main operational cell, at least one of the traffic lights disposed at a local intersection in one of the operational cells other than the main operational cell;
analyzing, via a computing device, the traffic data to determine a traffic event;
issuing, via an IoT gateway device, a response based on the traffic event;
adjusting timing of the traffic lights based on timing instructions in the response; and
rejecting, by the at least one of the traffic lights, the response in response to a predetermined condition being met and instead relying on a timing option determined by the one of the operational cells based on local traffic data at the local intersection.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the traffic data comprises traffic data of vehicular traffic at an intersection of streets, and
the traffic event comprises traffic congestion.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the traffic event comprises an accident, and
issuing the response further comprises issuing a warning of the traffic event to a wireless device in a vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
a first operational cell of the operational cells comprises the IoT sensor and the IoT gateway device,
the first operational cell disposed at a first intersection of streets, and
the method further comprises providing the traffic data from the first operational cell to a second operational cell of the operational cells disposed at a second intersection of streets.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
a first operational cell of the operational cells comprises the IoT sensor and the IoT gateway device,
the first operational cell disposed at a first intersection of streets,
the method further comprises receiving, at the first operational cell, additional traffic data regarding a second intersection of streets from a second operational cell of the operational cells disposed at the second intersection of streets, and
analyzing traffic data comprises analyzing the traffic data and the additional traffic data.

17. An IoT gateway device for

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Vrabete Bradut
• Yu Wen-Kuang
• Hsu Sam
• Wu Albert
• Lin Richard
• Lee Wilson Y

Classifications

• G08G1/017

  identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) · CPC title

• G08G1/081

  Plural intersections under common control · CPC title

• G08G1/0133

  for classifying traffic situation · CPC title

• G08G1/0145 Primary

  for active traffic flow control · CPC title

• G08G1/01

  Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled (G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence) · CPC title