Traffic light control using destination information in calendar data of a user device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9129525-B2
Application number	US-201313955046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2015
Grant date	Sep 8, 2015

Abstract

Traffic light control using destination information in calendar data of a user device includes storing calendar data including destination information in a plurality of user devices in a community. A next step includes obtaining the calendar data by a community authority coordinator operable to communicate with the user devices through a community network. A next step includes controlling at least one traffic light in the community in response to the destination information. Optionally, the traffic light can be controlled in response to time, date, location, route, and number of vehicles, to alleviate future road congestion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for traffic light control using destination information in calendar data of a user device, the system comprising:
a plurality of user devices from multiple users, operable to store calendar data, wherein the calendar data stored on each of the plurality of user devices comprises a future destination, a date, and a time;
a community authority coordinator (CAC) operable to communicate with the user devices through a community network and obtain the calendar data; and
a traffic management controller coupled to the CAC and operable to receive instructions from the CAC to control at least one traffic light in a community in response to the future destinations, dates, and times stored on the plurality of user devices.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one user device is a smart phone.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the calendar data includes date and time information for when a user is to reach the destination indicated in the calendar, and wherein the at least one traffic light is also controlled in response to the date and time information.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one traffic light is also controlled in response to the number of user devices indicating the same date, time, and destination information.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traffic light to be controlled is near the destination.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traffic light to be controlled is along a route from known locations of user vehicles to the destination.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an authority network, wherein the CAC compares a request for traffic light control from a requesting device against a list of authorized requesting devices from the authority network before allowing the request.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traffic light is also controlled in response to authority vehicles.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the traffic management controller is operable to revert to a failsafe operating mode when abnormal conditions are detected.

10. A method for traffic light control using destination information in calendar data of a user device, the method comprising:
obtaining calendar data from multiple users by a community authority coordinator (CAC), wherein the calendar data is stored on a plurality of user devices, and wherein the CAC is operable to communicate with the user devices through a community network, and wherein the calendar data obtained from each of the plurality of user devices comprises a future destination, a date, and a time; and
controlling at least one traffic light in the community in response to the future destinations, dates, and times stored on the plurality of user devices.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one user device is a smart phone.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein storing the calendar data includes date and time information for when a user is to reach the destination indicated in the calendar, and wherein controlling includes also controlling the at least one traffic light in response to the date and time information.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein controlling includes also controlling the at least one traffic light in response to the number of user devices indicating the same date, time, and destination information.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one traffic light in the controlling step is near the destination.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one traffic light in the controlling step is along a route from known locations of user vehicles to the destination.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising authorizing a request for traffic light control from a requesting device.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein controlling includes also controlling the at least one traffic light in response to authority vehicles.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein controlling includes reverting to a failsafe operating mode when abnormal conditions are detected.

Assignees

• Motorola Solutions Inc
• Motorola Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Frish Amiram
• Serfaty Salomon

Classifications

• G08G1/07 Primary

  Controlling traffic signals · CPC title

• G08G1/095

  Traffic lights · CPC title