System and method for analyzing traffic flow

1 . A central monitoring server for performing a method of analyzing traffic flow, the method comprising:

receiving a location report from each of a plurality of mobile devices, each location report identifying a current location and current speed for a corresponding mobile device;

identifying a particular street from a street mapping database using the current location identified in one or more location reports; and

storing one or more current speeds for the mobile devices so that each current speed is associated with the particular street in the street mapping database.

2 . The central monitoring server of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

storing the current speed in a separate database that is linked to the street mapping database.

3 . The central monitoring server of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the one or more current speeds associated with the particular street to a posted speed limit for the particular street.

4 . The central monitoring server of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a threshold amount for the particular street.

5 . The central monitoring server of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises:

identifying current speeds that are more than the threshold amount below the posted speed limit for the particular street.

6 . The central monitoring server of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises:

designating the particular street as having slow traffic if a preset number of current speeds for the particular street are more than the threshold amount below the posted speed limit for the particular street.

7 . A method for monitoring traffic flow, comprising:

receiving a message from each of a plurality of wireless devices, the messages identifying a speed and a location of the wireless device;

storing one or more wireless device speeds associated with a particular street, the particular street being identified using the location of one or more wireless devices; and

computing an observed speed limit for the particular street using the stored wireless device speeds.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

comparing the observed speed limit to a posted speed limit of the particular street; and

determining a road condition based on the comparison.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the road condition further comprises:

identifying if the observed speed limit is greater than the posted speed limit.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the road condition further comprises:

identifying if the observed speed limit is less than the posted speed limit.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the road condition further comprises:

identifying if the observed speed limit is less than the posted speed limit by at least a specified amount.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

marking the particular street in a street mapping database if the observed speed limit for the particular street is less than the posted speed limit by more than a specified amount.

13 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

averaging two or more of the stored wireless device speeds to compute the observed speed limit.

14 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing the observed speed limit for the particular street in response to a query.

15 . One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of estimating a speed limit on a street, comprising:

receiving current speed reports from wireless devices;

associating the wireless devices with a street;

computing an observed speed limit for the street using the current speed reports, wherein two or more of the current speed reports received within a specified period are averaged to compute the observed speed limit.

16 . The media of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving a current location report with each current speed report from the wireless devices; and

associating the current speed reports to the street using the current location report.

17 . One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method of identifying a location of a street, comprising:

receiving current location reports from wireless devices;

searching a street mapping database using location data in the current location reports;

identifying selected location data that does not correspond to streets in the street mapping database; and

analyzing the selected location data to identify geographic areas that correspond to streets that are not found in the street mapping database.

18 . The media of claim 17 , further comprising:

identifying a path between two existing streets in the street mapping database, the location of the path designated by the selected location data.

19 . The media of claim 18 , further comprising:

adding the path to the street mapping database as a new street.