HK1171554A - Traffic routing using intelligent traffic signals, gps and mobile data devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A traffic routing system reduces emissions from commuter and other traffic, eases congestion on roadways, and decreases transit time by use of communications among vehicles and traffic controls, such as traffic lights. In one aspect, a traffic light receives a signal that a vehicle is approaching and in response turns green to allow the vehicle to pass without impairment. In another aspect, a vehicle receives a signal to adjust a current rate of speed to arrive when a traffic signal allows vehicles to pass. In still another aspect, a combination of congestion, emergency traffic, roadwork and similar factors influence proposed routes sent to vehicles.

Description

Traffic routing using intelligent traffic signals, GPS and mobile data devices

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to traffic control systems and traffic routing.

Background

By helping commuters and other drivers select non-congested routes to their destinations, vehicle emissions can be significantly reduced, congestion can be limited, safety can be enhanced, and travel time can be reduced. Several solutions have been proposed in the past for informing drivers of traffic conditions and presenting them with suggested alternatives when congestion is found. For example, radio stations have been used for decades to identify congested areas and suggest alternative paths that drivers may wish to consider.

With the increasing popularity of GPS and handheld computing devices, particularly those connected to cellular networks or the internet, other methods have been employed, such as color coding a graphical representation of a map with routes to indicate the level of congestion.

Another approach to traffic congestion problems involves "intelligent" traffic signals. For example, railroad highway crossings have for decades employed traffic signals to help reduce the flow of traffic on the routes adjacent to the railroad highway crossing as trains approach. Moreover, certain systems have been installed that allow an emergency vehicle, such as a fire truck, to change the status of the lights from red to green, thereby enabling the emergency vehicle to quickly traverse the intersection subject to the signal rather than violating the signal.

In yet other areas, various attempts have been made to collect traffic information from drivers who, for example, carry GPS-enabled smart phones with them in their vehicles. Typically, such drivers do not find enough incentive to launch an application that will communicate their speed and location information to the remote traffic database and keep it running continuously.

There is no known method that fully integrates the technologies available to report traffic information to drivers and suggest routes based on that information, to communicate with traffic signals, and to collect traffic information from drivers.

Disclosure of Invention

Traffic routing systems include communication between vehicles and traffic controls, such as traffic lights. In one aspect, a traffic light receives a signal that a vehicle is approaching and in response turns green to allow the vehicle to pass unobstructed. In another aspect, the vehicle receives a signal to adjust the current velocity to arrive when the traffic signal allows the vehicle to pass. In yet another aspect, a combination of congestion, emergency traffic, road construction, accidents, weather, and similar factors affect the proposed route sent to the vehicle. In another aspect, the vehicle operator is presented with a display of the predicted status of the traffic light, the brightness of which changes as the prediction becomes more certain. In yet another aspect, the system changes the existing route based on a change in the predicted status of one or more traffic lights (e.g., due to an unexpected pedestrian request for a "walking" status of the traffic lights). By maintaining information of interest to the vehicle operator during the approach, the operator is provided with incentive to continue using the system in a continuous manner that allows real-time speed and location data of the vehicle to be collected for relevant traffic reporting and routing purposes.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a high-level block diagram of a computing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a user equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a traffic signal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer used as a user device, traffic signal, or controller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing improved traffic routing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing improved traffic routing using location-based technologies, such as GPS or cellular. Embodiments include one-way or two-way communication between traffic signals and drivers and between drivers and traffic databases. The driver is equipped with a user device that reports their location to a controller for at least one traffic signal and optionally also to the driver's destination. The controller controls the traffic signal to toggle the green and red lights, advantageously according to a desired effect on traffic conditions for vehicles passing through the controlled intersection. In one embodiment, the controller may also send information to the user device to suggest a fastest route to the driver's destination, a time until the traffic signal turns green or red, a suggested speed of travel to reach the controlled intersection when the light is green, and/or various other directions to improve traffic routing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. The system 100 includes a plurality of user devices 110A-110N coupled to a network 101. In various embodiments, user equipment 110 may comprise a computer terminal, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a wireless telephoneAn on-board computer, or various other user devices capable of connecting to network 101. In various embodiments, the communication network 101 is, for example, a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a wireless network, an intranet, or the internet. In one embodiment, user device 110 is available from apple IncA device programmed with a user downloadable application that provides one or more of the functions described herein.

The system 100 also includes a plurality of traffic signals 130A-130N that are connected to the network 101 and the at least one controller 120. In one embodiment, the traffic signals 130A-130N are all traffic signals for all controlled intersections in the local area. In one embodiment, the controller 120 controls the operation of all traffic signals 130A-130N in the system. Alternatively, one controller 120 may control a subset of all traffic signals 130A-130N, and the other controllers may control some or all of the remaining traffic signals. In yet another embodiment, the system 100 does not control any traffic lights.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a user equipment 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user device 110, when operating in the system 100, is located in the vehicle along with the driver. The user equipment 110 includes a GPS receiver 111, a user interface 112, and a controller interaction module 113.

The GPS receiver 111 of the user equipment 110 is used to identify the precise location of the user equipment 110 from GPS satellite system signals received at the user equipment 110. Suitable GPS receivers are commonly found in handheld computing devices, such as cellular telephones, onboard navigation systems, and other electronic devices. The GPS receiver 111 determines the location of the user device 110 for communication to the controller 120. Alternatively, cellular signals or other well-known location determination techniques may be used to determine the location of the user device 110. For simplicity, the location discussed herein is determined from GPS signals, but in alternative embodiments GPS signals, cellular signals, or other techniques may be employed.

User interface 112 of user device 110 allows a user to enter information into user device 110 and display information to the user. For example, the user may enter a desired destination into the user interface 112 of the user device 110. The user interface 112 may display directions or routes to travel to reach the desired destination. The user interface 112 may also display other information related to GPS signals received by the GPS receiver 111, received from the controller 120, or from other sources, such as the current speed, approaching traffic signals, and light status of approaching traffic signals, etc.

The controller interaction module 113 of the user equipment 110 manages communication between the user equipment 110 and the controller 120. Specifically, the controller interaction module 113 transmits the location information determined by the GPS receiver 111 to the controller 120 and receives a message regarding a controller of the user device 110 regarding traffic, a navigation route, a traffic signal, and the like.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a traffic signal 130 according to an embodiment of the invention. The traffic signal 130 includes a signal module 131 and a controller interaction module 134.

The signal module 131 processes instructions for switching traffic lights on and off and processes instructions regarding the timing of the cycling of lights (e.g., from green to red and back to green, or from green to yellow and back to red and back to green in other cases). The signal module 131 may be programmed with a set of default rules based on the timing of the lamp rotation at a time of day, day of week, etc. In one embodiment, these default rules are subject to change based on instructions received from controller 120. In other embodiments, the controller 120 instructs the signal module 131 of the traffic signal 130 with respect to each change in lamp status. In yet another embodiment, the controller 120 does not affect the operation of the traffic signal.

The controller interaction module 134 of the traffic signal 130 manages communication between the controller 120 and the traffic signal 130. Specifically, in one embodiment, the controller interaction module 134 receives instructions from the controller 120 and passes them to the signal module 131 for controlling the state of the lamp. (in another embodiment, controller 120 does not send instructions for controlling the status of the lamps.) in some embodiments, controller interaction module 134 sends a report to controller 120 regarding the updated status of the lamps of traffic signal 130.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the controller 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The controller includes a user device interaction module 123, a traffic signal interaction module 124, a traffic module 125, a routing module 126, a traffic signal instruction module 127, and a database 129.

The user device interaction module 123 of the controller 120 manages communication with the user device 110 from the controller side. The user device interaction module 123 receives location information and optionally destination information from the controller interaction module 113 of the user device 110 and sends traffic, routing or traffic signal related information to the user device 110 via the user device interaction module 123. Similarly, the traffic signal interaction module 124 of the controller manages communication with the traffic signal 130 from the controller side. In various embodiments, traffic signal interaction module 124 may send instructions to traffic signal 130 and may receive status updates regarding the status of the lights of traffic signal 130.

The traffic module 125 receives location information (and in some embodiments, speed) from the user device interaction module 123 identifying the location of the user device 110 and stores this information in the database 129. The traffic module 125 may also store information about traffic conditions from other sources, such as other users with user devices 110, traffic services, news reports, etc. The traffic module 125 may also receive data regarding events that are likely to affect traffic, such as construction projects, emergency vehicle activities, and the like. The traffic module analyzes the received traffic data to determine current traffic conditions and, in some embodiments, predicted future traffic conditions, and the traffic module 125 may report the traffic conditions to the user device 110 through the user device interaction module 123.

The routing module 126 combines the information communicated to the controller 120 regarding the location of the user device 110 and optionally its destination, and the traffic conditions assessed by the traffic module 125 to prepare routing instructions for the user device 110. In some embodiments, the assessment includes observed traffic conditions, predictive analysis, or both. The routing module 126 may also take into account the status and timing of the traffic signals 130 to recommend routes and speeds that allow the driver to spend less time waiting for a red light or to be favorable and provide a predicted speed for all or a portion of the recommended routes.

In embodiments where the controller 120 affects traffic signals, the traffic signal instruction module 127 combines information communicated to the controller 120 about the location of the user device 110 and optionally its destination, with traffic conditions assessed by the traffic module 125 to prepare instructions as to when to turn the lights on and off and the proper timing of the light cycles. The traffic signal instructions module 127 may also be programmed with a rule set for constraints. For example, emergency response vehicles may be given the privilege to reach their destination without interruption by stop lights. Other constraints may include a maximum limit on the duration of the lights, a maximum number of cars waiting for the lights to change, relative timing or synchronization between the lights, etc. In one embodiment, another constraint is the presence of one or more other vehicles that are routed and tracked by the system 100. For example, it may be known that since the system 100 is routing vehicles on a known path and knowing the location of the vehicle, the tracked vehicle will trigger the proximity sensor of the lights and cause it to cycle.

A single database 129 is shown in fig. 4, which is internal to the controller 120. However, in other embodiments, the database 129 may include multiple data stores, some or all of which may be remote from the controller 120. For example, the data stores may be located somewhere on network 101 as long as they communicate with controller 120. The database 129 is used to store user device locations, traffic conditions, alternative navigation routes and maps, traffic signal information including location and traffic signal instructions, and any other data used by the controller for purposes such as analysis or communication with the user device 110 or traffic signal 130.

Fig. 5 is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example of a computer 500 for use as the user device 110, the controller 120, or the traffic signal 130, according to an embodiment of the present invention. At least one processor 502 is shown coupled to a chipset 504. The chipset 504 includes a memory controller hub 550 and an input/output (I/O) controller hub 555. Memory 506 and graphics adapter 513 are coupled to memory controller hub 550, and a display device 518 is coupled to graphics adapter 513. A storage device 508, keyboard 510, pointing device 514, and network adapter 516 are coupled to an I/O controller hub 555. Other embodiments of the computer 500 have different architectures. For example, in some embodiments, the memory 506 is coupled directly to the processor 502.

The storage device 508 is a computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard disk drive, a compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), DVD, or a solid state memory device. The memory 506 holds instructions and data used by the processor 502. Pointing device 514 is a mouse, trackball, or other type of pointing device and, in some embodiments, is used in combination with keyboard 510 to input data to computer system 500. Graphics adapter 513 displays images and other information on display device 518. In some embodiments, the display device 518 includes a touch screen that can be used to receive user inputs and selections. Network adapter 516 couples computer system 500 to network 101. Some embodiments of computer 500 have different components and/or other components than those shown in fig. 5.

Computer 500 is adapted to execute computer program modules for providing the functionality described herein. As used herein, the term "module" refers to computer program instructions and other logic for providing the specified functionality. Accordingly, a module may be implemented in hardware, firmware, and/or software. In one embodiment, program modules comprised of executable computer program instructions are stored in the storage device 508, loaded into the memory 506, and executed by the processor 502.

The type of computer 500 used by the entities of fig. 1 may vary depending on the embodiment and the processing power used by the entities. For example, user device 110, which is a PDA, typically has limited processing power, a small display 518, and may lack a pointing device 514. Rather, controller 120 may include multiple blade servers that work together to provide the functionality described herein.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing improved traffic routing. In step 601, current locations (and, in some embodiments, current speeds) are received from user devices 110 in a plurality of vehicles. User device 110 may use GPS or other signals to ascertain the current location and communicate it to controller 120, e.g., via network 101. In some embodiments, the user's destination may also be communicated from the user device 110 to the controller 120.

In step 603, traffic conditions are determined in response to the received location of the user device 110. In some cases, traffic conditions are also determined in response to other sources of traffic information, such as traffic websites, traffic services, and the like. In one embodiment, road construction and emergency vehicle activity are also considered in determining traffic conditions. In one embodiment, the system 100 provides predictive modeling of expected traffic speeds based on various sources of information provided to the system 100.

In step 605, optionally, traffic signals are controlled in response to the determined traffic conditions. For example, commands are issued from the controller 120 to the individual traffic signals 130 to switch them on and off or to adjust the timing of the lamp cycles to alleviate congestion identified in the traffic situation.

In step 607, the vehicle is routed according to the controlled traffic signal. For example, the controller 120 may send route information or speed information to the user device 110 to enable a driver of a vehicle in which the user device 110 is located to avoid red lights and/or avoid congested areas if the driver complies with instructions from the controller 120 regarding the route information or speed information.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described above that provide systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media that provide improved traffic routing using location-based technologies, such as GPS. The embodiment of the invention has the advantages that:

1. better synchronization of the driver and the traffic lights. Thus, people can spend less time waiting for traffic lights. In addition, better synchronization results in the driver being able to maintain a more stable speed and avoid sudden accelerations and decelerations caused by stops at traffic lights. Reduced acceleration/deceleration while driving results in increased kilometers of gasoline per gallon of cars and reduced carbon emissions. Better synchronization of drivers and traffic lights brings tangible benefits to everyone, including drivers who do not use user device 110, because embodiments of the present invention avoid traffic congestion and generally improve traffic volume. Thus, helping a small number of drivers using user devices 110 to proceed unobstructed would also help to relieve the traffic burden on the remaining drivers.

2. Improved ability to clear roads for emergency responders. Not only can the traffic lights be notified that an emergency response vehicle is approaching in order to block the intersection to avoid an accident, but the appropriate lights can be turned green to alleviate congestion in the path of the emergency response vehicle. At the same time, non-emergency traffic is routed elsewhere, so that there is less contention with the emergency vehicle when it reaches the intersection.

3. Improved ability to support public transportation. Traffic lights can be preferably managed to support buses, trams and trains to avoid having these mass transit vehicles wait for traffic lights. Additionally, cars may be managed to avoid having to wait for trains or other mass transit vehicles.

4. Load balancing for busy periods. Traffic lights and signals to drivers can be managed to balance traffic between several known traffic bottlenecks or public routes, such as multiple bridges across a single river and major corridors entering and exiting a city area.

5. The drivers are synchronized with each other. In one particular embodiment, the driver is guided between multiple routes based on characteristics of the vehicle, the driver, or the desired destination. For example, all trucks are directed to one aisle and all cars are directed to another aisle. This helps to avoid the inconvenience of car and truck drivers travelling on the same route. That is, trucks reduce the visibility of the road by smaller cars, and the longer acceleration time of the truck can be irritating to car drivers. The shorter braking distance of a car compared to a truck increases the risk of collision when both travel on the same route. Also, truck drivers tend to travel near other trucks to save fuel by pulling (draft off) each other. As another example, everyone on route a route is exited at least 5 miles later, while everyone on route B is exited within 5 miles. This may improve the flow of traffic through the congested area.

6. Prediction and avoidance of congestion. Drivers may be routed around the congestion area, thus relieving the congestion. This results in less travel time and lower carbon emissions.

7. Improved traffic monitoring. The results of accurate traffic monitoring can be used in many applications, such as planning new roads and improving infrastructure, or coordinating the timing of construction projects on the infrastructure to reduce impact on drivers.

8. And accurate real-time traffic information, including city streets. Accurate traffic information is useful for trip planning and commuting. Real-time traffic conditions may be used as input to various other scheduling systems to ensure on-time participation in meetings, activities, and the like. For example, based on traffic conditions on any given day, a warning clock may be programmed to wake a person 30 minutes before he needs to go to work in order to arrive on time.

The above discussion presents a system in which there is two-way communication between the vehicle and the traffic system. In other embodiments, even simpler one-way communications are used. Specifically, a location-aware user device 130 in a vehicle, such as a smartphone, sends a message to the traffic signal 130 indicating that the vehicle is approaching the traffic signal 130 from a particular direction, and may also transmit the vehicle's destination. If appropriate, the traffic system 130 alters its operation to allow the vehicle to pass with minimal deceleration. As a specific example, consider, for example, a person manufactured by appleProvided by the above-mentionedA smart phone such as a device. Such devices are location-aware and are easily programmed by software applications to perform various functions. In one particular embodiment, the software application directs the device to periodically send its location and optionally the destination of the vehicle to a particular site, such as controller 120, via the internet. Depending on the vehicle's position and direction of travel, the controller 120 then sends a signal to the traffic signal 130 indicating that the traffic is approaching from a particular direction. If appropriate (e.g., during late nights with little expected traffic), the traffic signal 130 then changes the state of its lights to allow the vehicle to pass without stopping.

Such one-way communications can also be effectively used in an environment including multiple vehicles with user devices 110. For example, the controller 120 can compare the number of eastbound/westbound vehicles and the number of northbound/southbound vehicles at a particular intersection and cause the traffic signal 130 to adjust the rotation of its lights accordingly.

One-way communication in other coaching (i.e., coaching of vehicles from traffic signals) may also be effective. For example, a software application on user device 110 may obtain an indication from traffic signal 130 via controller 120 that the light has just turned red and will not turn green again within one minute. If the intersection is not visible to the driver, for example because the journey is rough or on a curve, the driver can be informed with this information, without the need to quickly approach the intersection, since the vehicle can only wait for a green light anyway. Thus, safety can be enhanced when approaching a "blind spot" or other dangerous intersection. In addition, knowing the turn of the traffic signal beyond a certain distance can help drivers schedule their arrival at the controlled intersection to arrive at exactly the green light. Thus, drivers can reduce the time they spend waiting for a red light.

In one particular embodiment, users are motivated to keep their devices in active operation en route rather than just at the beginning of a trip. This is beneficial to all users of the system, as the more users "active" in the system (e.g., having suitable applications operating on their user devices 110), the more information that may be gathered from such users regarding traffic information at various locations. Using the iPhone example, not only would the user obtain updated information, but the system may also obtain evolving information from the user, such as traffic speed for the user's location, for example, if the "application (app)" implementing the system remained open during transit.

To provide such an incentive, the user interface of the application running on the user device 110 provides updated information during travel. In one particular embodiment, the predicted status of the light that the user is approaching is presented to the user differently depending on the certainty of the prediction. For example, when the prediction is relatively uncertain, the visual display of the predicted state of the lamp may start in a relatively dark color and increase in brightness with increasing certainty. As yet another example, a change in the predicted state of the lights may be notified to the user through audio and visual messaging, and the suggested route may likewise change instantaneously if the originally preferred route now appears to be less preferred due to the change in the predicted state of one or more lights.

In some embodiments, traffic data collected from the user devices 110 over a period of time is stored in the database 129 and further processed by the controller 120 to determine or refine routes suggested by the routing module 126. In one particular embodiment, vehicle speed information collected over a period of time is used to determine the presence of a stop sign previously unknown to the system. Knowing where such stop signs are located allows the system to add appropriate delay when considering a route that includes intersections with those stop signs. Similarly, over a long period of time, it may be apparent that no user device 110 traverses a given portion of a map road. Such data may indicate that the road is planned but not built, that the road has been closed, or that the road is unavailable for some other reason. Based on such collected data, such road segments are disregarded as available suggested routes in some routing modules 126. Conversely, location and speed data from the user device 110 may indicate that new roads have been built that are not on the base map loaded into the database 129, and if there is sufficient vehicle usage on such routes, the routing module 126 assumes that such paths are available for the proposed route, even if not mapped.

In some embodiments, the system 120 also uses other detailed collected real-time information from the user device 110. Real-time average vehicle speed from other vehicles, historical average vehicle speed, change in vehicle speed over time, deviation from the speed of other vehicles on the same route (indicating aggressive or conservative driving patterns) for a given user's vehicle speed, and best/worst case speed data are all used as inputs to the system 120 to predict the time that a vehicle corresponding to a particular user device 110 will take to traverse a particular segment of a possible path.

As one example, by collecting data, the system 100 may determine that a particular road segment is subject to a 25mph speed limit during a particular time and subject to a 40mph speed limit at other times, such as indicating a school zone with a flashing reduced speed limit flag to invoke a lower limit during times when children are present. Moreover, the system 100 determines that some users tend to be conservative and drive according to the 25mph flag regardless of whether the lights flash, while other users only slow down when the lights flash. For those users who are slowed down all the time, the system 100 routes them based on the lower desired speed regardless of the actual speed limit; while for other users they are routed based on the expectation that they will actually meet the actual speed limit at the time. The speed limit may be changed based on the time of day, type of vehicle (truck or car), construction activity, etc. In some embodiments, the system 100 detects patterns of collected data that indicate such changes, and considers them to determine routes and estimate transit times.

In certain embodiments, the system 100 adaptively makes such segmentations when collecting data suggests that segmenting the route into smaller segments will result in a more accurate estimate of travel time. For example, the system 100 may begin by considering an entire street as a road segment, but data collected over time may indicate that there is a school zone that affects some portion of the road. In response, the system 100 divides the road into 3 segments so that people leaving the road before entering the school zone do not have to follow a reduced speed limit that would affect drivers passing through the school.

Further extending this example, school bus routes typically significantly slow traffic, but only for a small portion of the time of day. By collecting information from the user device 110 over a period of time, the system 100 can infer which days to school, at particular known times, certain routes that would otherwise have a higher average speed would be congested. During those times, it is preferable to avoid approaching or following the course of the school bus. Performing such routing not only improves transit time, but also improves safety by reducing the number of collision points between the vehicle and the child's boarding and alighting.

Other factors that may be considered for such correlations include rush hour, difference in traffic on weekdays/weekends, major sporting events or gatherings, holiday shopping hours, passage of trucks or commuter carts, ferry, radar speed enforcement, and the like. A particular advantage of using data collected from the user device 110 for this purpose is that the correlations and the temporal changes in estimated road segment transit times need not be calculated for all road segments, but only for those showing significant time-dependent changes. Thus, the processing requirements of the system 100 are significantly reduced compared to a system configured to make temporary predictions for all road segments.

In some instances, an external data source is used in place of or in addition to the acquired data described above. For example, in one embodiment, a significant periodic change in observed traffic at a particular location triggers the system 100 to search external data sources (such as through a location-based internet search) to determine the cause of such a change, such as the presence of a school, rail crossing or stadium, a notice of road construction for a period of time, or a public warning that the road is seasonal only and not maintained in the winter. In such embodiments, the system 100 is programmed to search for information related to the observed data and that can be used to predict future transit times. In an exemplary embodiment, if the system 100 determines through a location-based search that the school is located in a location where there is a large variation in transit times, the system 100 then searches the internet for school schedules and extracts information about which days the school is open, enabling the system to predict when traffic is likely to slow in the vicinity of the school.

The present invention has been described in particular detail with respect to several possible embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced in other embodiments. The particular naming of the components, capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features may have different names, formats, or protocols. Further, the system may be implemented via a combination of hardware and software, as described, or entirely in hardware elements. Also, the particular division of functionality between the various system components described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory; functions performed by a single system component may instead be performed by multiple components, and functions performed by multiple components may instead be performed by a single component.

Some portions of the above description may be presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Moreover, it has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or function names.

Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "determining" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems.

The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored on a computer readable medium that is accessible to the computer and executed by a computer processor. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), Random Access Memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Moreover, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.

In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for enablement and best mode of the present invention.

The present invention is well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over a wide variety of topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks includes storage devices and computers that are communicatively coupled to different computers and storage devices over a network such as the internet.

Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention.

Claims (47)

1. A traffic communication system, comprising:

a traffic signal having a plurality of states;

a traffic signal subsystem operatively connected to the traffic signal and configured to receive a notification from the traffic signal of when the traffic signal is in each of the plurality of states and to generate a prediction therefrom; and

a routing subsystem configured to receive the prediction from the traffic signal subsystem and, in response to the prediction, determine a proposed route and transmit the proposed route to a first user device.

2. The traffic communication system of claim 1, further comprising a traffic data subsystem configured to receive traffic data including speed and location from a second user device, wherein the traffic data subsystem is configured to process the traffic data and communicate with the routing subsystem in response to the traffic data.

3. The traffic communication system of claim 2, wherein the routing subsystem is further configured to determine the proposed route in response to the traffic data.

4. The traffic communication system of claim 1, wherein the routing subsystem is further configured to transmit, to the first user device, an indication of which state the traffic signal will be in upon user arrival, in response to the prediction.

5. The traffic communication system of claim 4, wherein the first user device is configured to provide a visual display in response to the indication, the visual display including a measure of certainty.

6. The traffic communication system of claim 5, wherein the measure of certainty is color intensity.

7. The traffic communication system of claim 4, wherein the first user device is configured to provide an audible presentation in response to the indication.

8. The traffic communication system of claim 7, wherein the audible presentation includes a measure of certainty.

9. The traffic communication system of claim 1, wherein the traffic signal subsystem is configured to generate an updated prediction after generating the prediction, and the routing subsystem is configured to receive the updated prediction from the traffic signal subsystem and, in response to the updated prediction, determine a revised route and transmit the revised route to the first user device.

10. The traffic communication system of claim 1, further comprising a traffic data subsystem configured to receive traffic data including at least one of congestion data, emergency vehicle data, construction data, accident data, and weather data, wherein the traffic data subsystem is configured to process the traffic data and communicate with the routing subsystem in response to the traffic data.

11. The traffic communication system of claim 1, further comprising a traffic signal instruction module communicatively coupled with the routing subsystem, the traffic signal instruction module configured to instruct the traffic signal to enter a selected one of the plurality of states responsive to a time of arrival at the traffic signal.

12. The traffic communication system of claim 1, wherein the routing subsystem is further configured to transmit a suggested speed in response to operation of the traffic signal.

13. The traffic communication system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional traffic signal operatively connected to the traffic signal subsystem and configured to provide at least one additional status notification to the traffic signal subsystem, the traffic signal subsystem configured to generate at least one additional prediction from the at least one additional status notification, the routing system configured to determine the proposed route in response to the at least one additional prediction.

14. The traffic communication system of claim 2, wherein the first user device is also the second user device.

15. The traffic communication system of claim 2, wherein the first user device is the same as the second user device.

16. The traffic communication system of claim 1, wherein the routing subsystem is further configured to determine the proposed route in response to traffic-related information, the traffic-related information including at least one of: stop signs, time of day, time of week, time of year, school operations, sporting events, gatherings, speed enforcement operations, holidays, train operations, bus operations, unmapped roads, closed roads, unfinished roads, driver aggressiveness, historical average speed, historical speed deviations, best observed speed, worst observed speed, and temporary changes in legal speed limits.

17. A user routing device, comprising:

a computer readable medium storing a program, the program comprising instructions to:

transmitting a routing request to a transportation system;

receiving a proposed route from the traffic system, the proposed route responsive to an operational state of a traffic signal;

indicating a predicted one of the operating states to the user based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal; and

a processor configured to communicate with the computer readable medium and execute the program.

18. The user routing device of claim 17, wherein the program further comprises instructions to:

determining traffic information from the user device, the traffic information including a location and a speed; and

transmitting the traffic information to the traffic system.

19. The user routing device of claim 17, wherein the program further comprises instructions to: indicating the user to accelerate or decelerate in response to the predicted one of the operating states based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal.

20. The user routing device of claim 17, wherein the program further comprises instructions to: a measure of certainty that indicates to the user with respect to the predicted one of the operating states based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal.

21. The user routing device of claim 17, wherein the proposed route is further responsive to the traffic system's ability to send a request to the traffic signal to enter one of the operational states at a desired arrival time at the traffic signal.

22. A traffic information collection system, comprising:

a routing subsystem responsive to traffic data, the traffic data including traffic light status data;

a plurality of user routing devices communicatively coupled with the routing subsystem and configured to receive recommended route information from the routing subsystem in response to the traffic data; and

a traffic database subsystem communicatively coupled with the plurality of user routing devices and configured to receive the traffic information from the plurality of user routing devices.

23. A computer-implemented method of communicating traffic information to a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a traffic signal subsystem operatively connected to a traffic signal, a notification of when the traffic signal is in each of a plurality of states and generating a prediction from the notification;

receiving, by a routing subsystem, the prediction; and

in response to the prediction, a proposed route is determined and the proposed route is transmitted to the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving traffic data including speed and location from a second vehicle and communicating the traffic data to the routing subsystem for use in determining the proposed route.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting, to the vehicle, an indication of which state the traffic signal will be in when the vehicle arrives at the traffic signal in response to the prediction.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the indication provides a measure of certainty.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the measure of certainty is expressed as color intensity.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the indication provides an audible presentation.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the auditory presentation comprises a measure of certainty.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising generating an updated prediction after generating the prediction, and determining a revised route and communicating the revised route to the vehicle in response to the updated prediction.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving traffic data, processing the traffic data, and communicating with the routing subsystem in response to the traffic data, the traffic data including at least one of congestion data, emergency vehicle data, construction data, accident data, and weather data.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising instructing the traffic signal to enter the selected one of the plurality of states in response to a time of arrival of the vehicle at the traffic signal.

33. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting a suggested speed to the vehicle in response to operation of the traffic signal.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising obtaining status information from at least one additional traffic signal, generating at least one additional prediction from the status information, and determining the proposed route in response to the at least one additional prediction.

35. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

collecting traffic-related information from a plurality of vehicles;

associating the traffic information;

forming an inference in response to the association; and

in response to the inference, determining the proposed route.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein the inference is the presence of at least one of: stop signs, schools, railroad crossings, buses, radar enforcement, arenas, unmapped roads, road construction, closed roads, unfinished roads, ferries, roads that follow multiple speed limits, degree of driver aggressiveness, and type of vehicle.

37. A traffic control method, comprising:

transmitting a route request from a user to a transportation system;

receiving a proposed route from the traffic system, the proposed route responsive to an operational state of a traffic signal; and

indicating a predicted operational state to the user based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

determining traffic information from a user device, the traffic information including a location and a speed; and

transmitting the traffic information to the traffic system.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising: indicating the user to accelerate or decelerate in response to the predicted operating state based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal.

40. The method of claim 37, further comprising: a measure of certainty that indicates the user with respect to the predicted operating state based on an estimated time of arrival at the traffic signal.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising: in response to a desired arrival time at the traffic signal, sending a request to the traffic signal to enter one of the operating states.

42. The method of claim 37, further comprising: in response to data collected from a plurality of vehicles, a state of a traffic-related feature is inferred, and in response to the inference, the proposed route is determined.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising: inferring a presence of a traffic-related feature in response to data collected from a plurality of vehicles, and indicating the predicted operating state in response to the inferring.

44. A computer-implemented method of obtaining traffic information, comprising:

providing, via a software application executing on a mobile user device, routing and traffic data regarding traffic signal conditions and other current parameters regarding traffic to a mobile user; and

obtaining the traffic information from the mobile user device via the software application.

45. A computer-implemented method of determining traffic-related information, comprising:

collecting speed and location information from a mobile user device via a software application over a period of time; and

correlating the speed and location information to infer the traffic-related information therefrom.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the traffic-related information includes presence of at least one of: stop signs, schools, convention and exhibition centers, ferries, railroad crossings, bus stops, unmapped roads, closed roads, unfinished roads, road construction operations, speed enforcement operations, and time varying speed limits.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising: a proposed route is determined in response to the inferred traffic-related information.