Precision traffic indication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9697731-B2
Application number	US-201414159167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 20, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Precision traffic flow indication may involve receiving device data over a period of time representing a plurality traffic flow readings associated with a road involving a plurality of subsections. Calculating traffic flows and determining road subsections having similar traffic flows may also be involved. Also, indicating a different traffic flow level for a first subsection and a second subsection of road may be involved.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving mobile device data over a period of time from a plurality of mobile devices associated with a length of road comprising a plurality of subsections of road;
calculating, by at least one processor, from the mobile device data, a number of mobile device readings per subsection of the length of road and a difference between traffic flow of a first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road;
determining whether the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection is above a probe quantity threshold;
determining whether the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection is above the probe quantity threshold;
determining whether the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road is above a variance threshold;
in response to the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, indicating a different traffic flow level for the first subsection of the length of road than the second subsection of the length of road; and
in response to the number of mobile device readings for the first subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, the number of mobile device readings for the second subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, merging the first subsection and the second subsection into composite section, wherein subsequent traffic determinations are calculated for the composite section rather than the first subsection and the second subsection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the length of road is a Traffic Message Channel (“TMC”) established length of a road for reporting traffic levels.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein traffic flow levels are indicated using a plateaued threshold reporting scheme involving the use of graphics for characterizations of traffic flow, and indicating the different traffic flow level comprises using different graphics for the first subsection and the second subsection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein traffic flow is calculated using the following equation:

F
=

S
observed

S

free
⁢

⁢
flow

,

wherein F is the traffic flow, S observed is an average speed determined using the mobile device data, and S free flow is an expected speed of vehicles in free flow traffic conditions.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a traffic flow difference significance between the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road from a number of speed values determined using the mobile device data, and indicating the different traffic flow level when the number of mobile device readings per subsection is above the probe quantity threshold, the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road is above the variance threshold, and the traffic flow difference significance is above a significance threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the traffic flow difference significance is calculated using the following equation:

T
=

Δ
⁢

⁢

F

1
-
2

E

F
⁢

⁢
1

2

+

E

F
⁢

⁢
2

2

,

wherein T is the traffic flow difference significance between the first subsection and the second subsection, ΔF 1-2 is the difference in traffic flows between the first subsection and the second subsection, E F1 is an error of the traffic flow determination for the first subsection, and E F2 is an error of the traffic flow determination for the second subsection.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one other subsection of the plurality of subsections is a subsection having a length less than a length threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one other subsection is merged into the at least one composite subsection when a difference between traffic flow of the first or the second subsection of the length of road and the at least one other subsection is below the variance threshold.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed on a computer are operable to:
receive mobile device data over a period of time from a plurality of mobile devices associated with a length of road comprising a plurality of subsections of road;
calculate, from the mobile device data, a number of mobile device readings per subsection of the length of road and a difference between traffic flow of a first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road; and
indicate a different traffic flow level for the first subsection of the length of road than the second subsection of the length of road when the number of mobile device readings per subsection is above a probe quantity threshold and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and a second subsection of the length of road is above a variance threshold;
in response to the number of mobile device readings per subsection being above the probe quantity threshold, and the difference between traffic flow of the first subsection and the second subsection of the length of road being above the variance threshold, merge the first subsection and the second subsection into a composite section, wherein subsequent traffic determinations are calculated for the composite section rather than the first subsection and the second subsection.

10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the length of road is a Traffic Message Channel (“TMC”) establ

Assignees

• Here Global Bv

Inventors

• Bradley Corrine
• Fowe James Adeyemi
• Jackson Kyle
• Giurgiu Gavril
• Mccuiston Mitchell
• Stenneth Leon Oliver

Classifications

• G08G1/0112

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

• G08G1/0141 Primary

  for traffic information dissemination · CPC title

• G08G1/0133

  for classifying traffic situation · CPC title