Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-15
2003-11-25
Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
C701S118000, C701S119000, C701S201000, C701S208000, C340S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06654681
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining relevant traffic information and for dynamic optimization of a route of vehicles pertaining to a self-organizing traffic guidance system in accordance with the preambles of claims
1
and respectively, and in particular to a method for a self-organizing system for traffic guidance, signaling traffic disturbances and extraction of statistical data, as well as to a method for efficient, purposeful dissemination of third data in an information network under formation.
Previous methods or devices for traffic guidance to a large extent rely on an external, fixedly installed traffic detection or on central information processing, respectively.
In order to increase the rate of vehicles passing through a particular traffic section and thus to increase the mean velocity of the vehicles in particular in the event of an elevated traffic volume, conventional traffic guidance systems have already been fixedly installed along traffic sections particularly that are subject to particularly intense utilization such as, for example, heavily frequented highways etc. The like conventional, fixedly installed traffic guidance systems possess a multiplicity of detection devices detecting, for example, traffic density, the velocity of the flow of vehicles, the environmental conditions such as, e.g., temperature or fog, etc., and by means of the respective detection signals control vehicle traffic along the predetermined amended documents section with the aid of indicator panels, such that a uniform traffic flow having a maximum possible velocity is created.
One drawback in such conventional traffic guidance systems is their fixed installation along a predetermined road section, resulting in extraordinarily high purchasing costs. In addition, such a fixedly installed traffic guidance system only has low flexibility as it exclusively controls or guides traffic in relatively short sections.
In order to enhance flexibility, U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,086 proposes a communication system between a multiplicity of vehicles, wherein signals and information are transmitted in accordance with the respective running conditions of the vehicle via a a transmitter/receiver unit with the aid of electromagnetic radio waves.
Moreover from U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,544 a device and a method for signalling local traffic disturbances are known, wherein the vehicle data or running conditions of the vehicle such as, e.g., the speed, the route and the direction are mutually transmitted via communication means. Transmission of the respective data to another vehicle is herein achieved in an indirect manner by way of an oncoming automobile.
A method and apparatus in accordance with the preambles of claims 1 and 58, respectively, is known from DE-A-40 34 681.
In the former traffic guidance systems, the vehicle data are either detected in a locally limited area by fixedly installed equipment and are only available locally, or they are detected in a large area by a plurality of mobile means, but are relayed with such a low degree of efficiency as to also be only available locally, wherein the planning or optimization of a route of vehicles beyond a local area with consideration of traffic-relevant quantities of the entire travelling distance is not supported. It is, however, not known to dynamically obtain relevant traffic information.
The invention is therefore based on the object of furnishing a method and apparatus for dynamically obtaining relevant traffic information, wherein relevant traffic information is created in a second location which may be at any distance whatsoever from a first location, and is efficiently relayed to the first location.
In accordance with the invention, this object is attained through the measures and features of claims 1 and 58.
Further advantageous developments are the subject matters of the dependent claims.
The method of the invention for dynamically obtaining relevant traffic information and for dynamic optimization of a route of a first vehicle pertaining to at least one self-organizing traffic information system and traffic guidance system to which further vehicles pertain, includes the following steps performed by the first vehicle: creating own data on the basis of at least one of on-board sensors and other information sources in the first vehicle; emitting data that are relevant for the first vehicle or for other, corresponding to a broadcast; receiving data transmitted by other vehicles; storing data obtained from at least one of received and own data; creating and transmitting inquires concerning data which may be furnished by other vehicles, corresponding to a request; and relaying of received data by re-transmission of these data in a processed or unprocessed form, corresponding to a replication.
Thus the method according to the invention in principle allows for an autonomous, self-organizing traffic information network in which the participating vehicles at the same time generate, distribute, bundle and utilize the required information.
The method operates in a particular scale-invariant manner, i.e. fractal-hierarchical manner, so that with respect to the type of processing and with respect to the communication volume—at least with regard to dynamic route optimization and signalling of traffic disturbances which constitutes a safety aspect—it is not of importance what order of distances is aimed at.
The method is operable on highway networks just like in a street network of a large city.
In particular the communication volume scales well, i.e. “<n*log n”, with the overall number of participating vehicles and the surface of the area.
Despite the fundamental autonomy of the system, however, centrally generated information may also smoothly be routed into the system, and information may also be extracted from the system, e.g. for statistics purposes, and compiled centrally.
An enormous advantage in terms of costs, optimum efficiency, a high degree of failure safety and at the same time a bundled increased value as well as a unified user interface are thus achieved in comparison with existing methods. At a high degree of implementation, this system may in addition be used as a safety system.
Besides, the network formed through the instant method also offers an extremely efficient platform for the transmission of third data up to mobile telephony. It is even readily possible to enhance effectivity of the resulting communication network through utilization or smooth integration of a backbone line network.
In particular the method and apparatus of the instant invention might have the following further features.
Inquiries might be answered, partly answered, relayed and/or partly relayed, corresponding to a response and a replication.
Answering inquiries and/or handing on inquiries and other data are performed by vehicles having a suitable/optimum information status or having a favorable/optimum current position for relaying, whereby an optimization of answering and relaying is achieved.
In steps [a] and [d] of the method, travel history data are additionally created by the vehicles, whereby the significance of the data is increased.
In steps [b] and [c] of the method, a source group of vehicles associated with the first vehicle are designated for receiving data from respective vehicles; herein the data may be stored, accumulated and preprocessed in the receiving vehicles for the purpose of generating source data for the subsequent steps, corresponding to a first source formation.
In preprocessing the source data, mean velocities, maximum velocities, traffic density measures, backup sensitivities, bundled up-to-dateness measures and/or bundled relevance measures may be calculated, corresponding to a second source formation.
Designation of the group of vehicles is performed by designating an adjustable transmitting field strength or transmitting range of the first vehicle, thereby defining a first transmitting range.
The adjustable transmitting field strength is controlled such that on th
Kiendl Robert
Schmidt Günter
Blakely & Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
Camby Richard M.
Definiens AG
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