Intelligent transportation system

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile node in a vehicle for communications in a transportation network, the mobile node comprising:

a first processor;

a first memory;

a first communication device configured to send and receive one or more messages; and

a first set of instructions executable by the first processor for:

a. extracting a location of an event from a first message;

b. making a first determination by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the mobile node; and

c. sending a second message based on the first determination; and

a stationary node for communications in the transportation network, the stationary node comprising:

a second processor;

a second memory;

a second communication device configured to send and receive one or more messages; and

a second set of instructions executable by the second processor for:

a. receiving the second message;

b. extracting a location of an event from the second message;

c. making a second determination at least in part by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the stationary node;

d. making a third determination as to whether a third message should be sent based on the second determination.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said geographic characteristic of the mobile node is at least one of a position of the mobile node, a velocity of the mobile node, and a direction of the mobile node.

3. The system of claim 1 , said first set of instructions further comprising instructions for:

a. sending the second message.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile node is attached to a vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle network interface, said instructions further comprising instructions for:

making a third determination as to as to whether information extracted from the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold; and

a. if the information surpasses the threshold, sending a communications directive via said vehicle network interface.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a position sensor, wherein the position sensor comprises an external navigation system, and further wherein the second message includes a position of the mobile node.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first message includes at least one of:

directional information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be repeated;

range information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon;

time information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon; and

target receiver information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message is intended for reception.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second message includes at least one of:

directional information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be repeated;

range information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon;

time information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message should be acted upon; and

target receiver information, whereby a message recipient may determine if the message is intended for reception.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications directive includes a command for the vehicle to maintain a specified distance from at least one other vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications directive includes a command for the vehicle to change lanes.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third node configured to operate as a dynamic virtual avoidance marker that provides an alert concerning a hazard condition associated with the second node, said alert provided in the first message that is sent to the mobile node.

12. A system, comprising:

a mobile node in a vehicle for communications in a transportation network, the mobile node comprising:

a first processor;

a first memory;

a first communication device configured to send and receive one or more messages; and

a first set of instructions executable by the first processor for:

a. receiving a first message from said communication device;

b. making a determination as to whether information extracted from the first message surpasses a predetermined threshold, thereby determining a significance of the first message;

c. if the information surpasses the threshold, creating a second message;

d. if the information surpasses the threshold, providing at least one command to a controller in the vehicle to cause the vehicle to perform at least one of altering the vehicle's direction and altering the vehicle's speed; and

sending the second message based on the first determination; and

a stationary node for communications in the transportation network, the stationary node comprising:

a second processor;

a second memory;

a second communication device configured to send and receive one or more messages; and

a second set of instructions executable by the second processor for:

a. receiving the second message;

b. extracting a location of an event from the second message;

c. making a second determination at least in part by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the stationary node;

d. sending a third message based at least in part on the second determination.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the determination of significance is based on a geographic characteristic of the node.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the determination of significance is based at least in part on the relative position of the node to at least one second node.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second message includes at least one of position information, directional information, range information, time information, warning information, map information, text information, and traffic condition information.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the message sent includes target receiver information, whereby a second node may determine if the message is intended for reception.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving a first message in a mobile node;

extracting a location of an event from the first message;

making a first determination by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the node;

making a second determination as to whether a second message should be sent based on the first determination; based on the first determination, providing at least one command to a controller in the vehicle to cause the vehicle to perform at least one of altering the vehicle's direction and altering the vehicle's speed;

sending the second message from the mobile node to a stationary node;

receiving the second message in the stationary node;

extracting a location of an event from the second message;

making a second determination at least in part by comparing the location of the event to a geographic characteristic of the stationary node; and

sending a third message based at least in part on the second determination.