Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-05-08
Le, Thanh Cong (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S422100, C455S456500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230011
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for acquiring traffic data in which a mobile communication system is used, said communication system being used both for the transmission of information and for the purpose of position determination.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Methods for acquiring traffic data which make use of stationary acquisition sensor systems are known. Furthermore, first approaches have been published in respect of mobile traffic data acquisition by means of expensive devices in the vehicle, for example with the assistance of digital maps.
WO-A-95/25830 discloses a position finding system for a mobile station of a cellular mobile radio network, the position of the mobile station being determined by the evaluation of information which characterizes cells, and propagation delay measurements.
GB-A-2 273 424 discloses a method for carrying out a hand-off in a cellular mobile radio system, in which case, using information which characterizes cells and is received by the mobile station, the location of the mobile station and thus the instant for a cell changeover are estimated and the hand-off is initiated when the cell boundary is reached.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to minimize the outlay in the vehicle and, in particular, to specify a cost-effective solution for mass-market applications.
What is advantageous about the invention is the fact that very little outlay has to be implemented in the terminals in order to achieve a result which is attractive for mass-market applications.
The object of the present invention is achieved by providing a method for acquiring traffic data from vehicles equipped with at least one decentralized unit having at least one function for mobile communication, a function for obtaining time information and a function for data storage, and at least one central unit with control functions and processing functions assigned to a plurality of decentralized units. The method consists of the steps of receiving and evaluating, by the decentralized unit, information characterizing cells of a mobile radio network, technical radio information and transmission information, and recording time stamp information and information characterizing a cell changeover.
The method of the present invention further includes the steps of communicating, to a central station, data gathered in the decentralized units, assigning the communicated data, using the information characterizing the cells and radio coverage information relating to the cells, to geographical information about a routing network, and performing a reconstruction of a route of the vehicle.
The method of the present invention also includes the step of evaluating, with aid of the reconstructed route, the time stamp information from data records communicated to the central station, so as to determine variables characterizing traffic flow on routes.
The method of the present invention also includes the step of communicating to a central station via a mobile communication system, data recorded in the decentralized units.
REFERENCES:
patent: 196 04 084 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 2273424 (1994-06-01), None
patent: WO 96/25830 (1996-08-01), None
Guenther Bernd
Kuenzel Roland
Cong Le Thanh
Cooper & Dunham LLP
DeTeMobil Deutsche Telekom MobilNet GmbH
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