IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,530,312
Granted Patent B2
US 9,530,312 · App. 14/618,064 · Granted Dec 27, 2016

Method and apparatus for crowd-sourced traffic reporting based on projected traffic volume of road segments

Inventors: Fling Tseng (Ann Arbor, MI); Kwaku O. Prakah-Asante (Commerce Township, MI); Dimitar Petrov Filev (Novi, MI); Shane Elwart (Ypsilanti, MI); Jianbo Lu (Northville, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
G08G1/096766G08G1/0112
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,530,312
App. No.
14/618,064
Granted
Dec 27, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to project monitoring needs for a road segment. The processor is further configured to contact one or more vehicles traveling on the road segment during a time of monitoring need. The processor is additionally configured to instruct a first number, determined based on a projected monitoring need, of contacted vehicles to being monitoring and reporting traffic data for the road segment.

Claims (35)

1. A system comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a vehicle route;

determine monitoring needs, based on projected traffic volume of road segments for the road segments along the vehicle route; and

assign a vehicle monitoring task to the vehicle when the vehicle reaches certain road segments, based on the determined monitoring needs.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle monitoring task includes taking a snapshot of traffic when the vehicle reaches a given road segment.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle monitoring task includes continuously monitoring traffic, for some period of time, while the vehicle is traveling on a given road segment.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

monitor traffic for a given road segment while the vehicle is traveling on the given road segment; and

if an observed deviance in real traffic versus projected traffic for the given segment is past a threshold, adjust the vehicle monitoring task based on the observed deviance.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing increased monitoring.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing decreased monitoring.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing initiating monitoring.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing ceasing monitoring.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a computer, vehicle monitoring needs, based on projected road segment traffic volume, for segments along a received vehicle route; and

assigning a vehicle with a monitoring task when the vehicle reaches certain road segments, based on the determined monitoring needs.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring task includes taking a snapshot of traffic when the vehicle reaches a given road segment.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the monitoring task includes continuously monitoring traffic, for some period of time, while the vehicle is traveling on a given road segment.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

monitoring traffic for a given segment while the vehicle is traveling on the given segment; and

if an observed deviance in real traffic versus projected traffic for the given segment is past a threshold, adjusting the vehicle monitoring task based on the observed deviance.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing increased monitoring.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing decreased monitoring.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing initiating monitoring.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adjustment of the vehicle monitoring task includes instructing ceasing monitoring.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a vehicle route;

determining monitoring needs, based on projected traffic volume of road segments, for segments along the vehicle route; and

assigning a vehicle with a monitoring task when the vehicle reaches certain road segments, based on the determined monitoring needs.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the monitoring task includes taking a snapshot of traffic when the vehicle reaches a given road segment.

19. The storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the monitoring task includes continuously monitoring traffic, for some period of time, while the vehicle is traveling on a given road segment.

20. The storage medium of claim 17 , the method further comprising:

monitoring traffic for a given segment while the vehicle is traveling on the given segment; and

if an observed deviance in real traffic versus projected traffic for the given segment is past a threshold, adjusting the vehicle monitoring task based on the observed deviance.

Continuity (2)
Division 13795032 · Mar 12, 2013
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