IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,682,744
Granted Patent B2
US 12,682,744 · App. 18/613,272 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Traffic congestion detection system

Inventors: Yusuke Yamaura (Meguro-ku, JP); Tatsuya Sonobe (Shinagawa-ku, JP); Yasumasa Kobayashi (Edogawa-ku, JP); Shintaro Fukushima (Bunkyo-ku, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G08G1/0133G06V20/58G08G1/0112G08G1/0141G08G1/0145G06V2201/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,682,744
App. No.
18/613,272
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A traffic congestion detection system including a server device, the server device includes at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to perform commands: acquiring pieces of traveling data from a plurality of vehicles; generating first traffic congestion detection information based on at least part of the acquired pieces of traveling data; acquiring image information on a surrounding image for at least one vehicle out of the plurality of vehicles; determining whether to use the image information for traffic congestion detection based on a confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information; generating second traffic congestion detection information by using the acquired image information when the determining the image information is to be used for the traffic congestion detection; and generating third traffic congestion detection information based on the second traffic congestion detection information.

Claims (19)

1 . A traffic congestion detection system comprising a server device, the server device includes at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to perform commands comprising:

acquiring pieces of traveling data from a plurality of vehicles;

generating first traffic congestion detection information based on at least part of the acquired pieces of traveling data;

acquiring image information on a surrounding image for at least one vehicle out of the plurality of vehicles;

determining whether to use the image information for traffic congestion detection based on a confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information;

reducing a resolution of the surrounding image in a case where the confidence level is lower than a first threshold confidence level but within a first range of confidence levels from the first threshold confidence level as compared to a resolution of the surrounding image in a case where the confidence level is lower than the first threshold confidence level by a greater amount than the first range of confidence levels;

generating second traffic congestion detection information by using the acquired image information with the reduced resolution when determining the image information is to be used for the traffic congestion detection; and

generating third traffic congestion detection information based on the second traffic congestion detection information.

2 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including generating the second traffic congestion detection information by using image information with image specifications changed based on the confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information.

3 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including generating the second traffic congestion detection information by using image information selected based on the confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information.

4 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including generating the third traffic congestion detection information based on the first traffic congestion detection information and the second traffic congestion detection information.

5 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 4 , wherein the server device further includes a communication unit configured to distribute traffic congestion information based on the third traffic congestion detection information to a plurality of vehicles.

6 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including acquiring the image information on the surrounding image for the at least one vehicle when determining to use the image information for the traffic congestion detection.

7 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including:

changing image specifications related to the image information based on the confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information; and

acquiring the image information on the surrounding image for the at least one vehicle with the image specifications changed.

8 . The traffic congestion detection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform commands, including:

selecting at least one vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles based on the confidence level related to the first traffic congestion detection information; and

acquiring image information on a surrounding image for the at least one vehicle selected.