Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-25
2002-12-03
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
C701S119000, C340S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06490519
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for providing route guidance to vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Navigation systems which compute a route for a vehicle designed to bring the vehicle from its current location to a desired location are known.
A document entitled “DynaMIT:Task C Report”, posted at MIT website its.mit.edu/projects/dta/Taskc, describes a traffic assignment system and notes, inter alia, that “In an (ideal) system . . . where there is two-way communication between the traffic control center and every vehicle in the network, perfect information about the vehicle location and possibly its origin and destination, can be obtained. While such perfect systems are possible in the future, most existing surveillance systems are limited to vehicle detectors located at critical points in the network. The information provided by these traffic sensors therefore must be used to infer traffic flows, queue lengths, incidents, etc., at all locations of the network.”
Another document discussing pertinent technology and entitled “DynaMIT:DYnamic network assignment for the management of information to travellers” is posted at its.mit.edu/projects/dta/dynamit.
Traffic flow theory is a field in which experts endeavor to generate theoretical models of traffic flow in order to make predictions which are helpful in developing services and resources which will best serve traffic requirements. State of the art traffic flow theory is described in “Transportation Research Board's Revised Special Report”, “Traffic Flow Theory”, available at tfhrc.gov/its/tft/tft/. Development and verification of traffic flow models conventionally do not collect or utilize transmission from mobile communication devices residing in the vehicles within the traffic under investigation.
The Nokia 5100 and 6100 mobile phone series display their own current status, including an “in vehicle” status.
The disclosures of all publications mentioned in the specification and of the publications cited therein are hereby incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved route guidance system.
There is thus provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a traffic monitoring system including traffic data collection apparatus operative to collect location data from a plurality of users of mobile communication devices, and a traffic data filter operative to analyze the location data arriving from the plurality of users and to reject location data which is not traffic data.
Preferably, the traffic data filter includes a traffic element identifier operative to identify traffic elements within the plurality of users by analyzing the location data arriving from the plurality of users.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location data includes a sequence of at least one time-stamped locations.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the traffic data filter is operative to accept, as traffic data, the location data arriving from users who have identified themselves as traffic elements.
Also provided, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a traffic monitoring system including location collection apparatus operative to collect location data from at least a traffic population including a multiplicity of traffic elements, the multiplicity of traffic elements including a plurality of users of mobile communication devices, a location data analyzer operative to analyze the location data and to derive traffic information therefrom, and a traffic information disseminator operative to provide at least some of the traffic population with the traffic information.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location data analyzer is operative to derive, for at least one traffic element, at least a portion of a road route followed by the traffic element.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location data defining the location of a mobile communication device at time t is based on an identification of a mobile communication cell serving the mobile communication device at time t.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location data defining the location of a mobile communication device at time t is based only on an identification of a mobile communication cell serving the mobile communication device at time t.
Also provided, in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a traffic monitoring method including collecting location data from a plurality of users of mobile communication devices, and analyzing the location data arriving from the plurality of users and rejecting location data which is not traffic data.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method also includes rejecting location data indicating a too-large discrepancy between a current location of a vehicle and its stored previous locations.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes a user location database storing, for each mobile communication device from which readings have been received, the ID of that device and each of the readings received, each with its own time-stamp.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes a road traffic database storing, for at least one road, velocity profiles computed for that road, each profile being stored with its own time-stamp.
Also provided, in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a traffic monitoring system for monitoring traffic including a population of users bearing a multiplicity of mobile communication devices, the system including a mobile communication network interface receiving, from at least one communication network serving the multiplicity of mobile communication devices, and storing, location information characterizing at least some of the multiplicity of mobile communication devices, and a traffic monitor operative to compute at least one traffic-characterizing parameter on the basis of the location information.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the traffic monitor is also operative to display the at least one traffic-characterizing parameter.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mobile communication devices include cellular communication devices served by at least one cellular communication network including a plurality of base stations each serving a cell including a portion of a geographical area.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location information includes indications of cells serving at least some of the multiplicity of mobile communication devices.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes a road database storing locations of roads in a geographical area.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system also includes a road database storing locations of roads in a geographical area, wherein the traffic monitor is operative to deduce, based on at least one indication of a cell in which a mobile communication device is located, a road which the mobile communication device is believed to be taking.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the traffic monitor is operative, based on an indication that an individual mobile communication device is travelling through a cell sequence including at least one cell, to differentiate a first road portion along which the individual mobile communication device is travelling, from a second road portion falling along the same cell sequence, along which the mobile communication device is not travel
Lapidot Dror
Silverberg Jonathan
Abelman ,Frayne & Schwab
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Decell, Inc.
Pipala Edward
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