Patent Application
20060187889
The present invention describes a method and system of extracting useful information from the location data record of a wireless device, available at Position Determination System (PDS) in a wireless network such as CDMA, GSM, UMTS, Wi-Fi and other current and future networks. The location data may include Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Velocity and Direction of the Object. The information extracted and derived from this data is broadly related to, but not limited to:
The current invention also describes a system and protocol of conveying this information to other systems that can use this information along with data form other sources, if any, for providing additional services.
Many techniques are currently available to gather vehicular traffic data. The data is then used to computationally estimate travel time and path from start to destination location. The data is also used to actuate traffic control device, detect congestion, queuing as well as crashes and breakdowns on the roadway. This data is also used for highway planning and maintenance by Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and other public agencies. The performance of such a collective systems is based on reliability and accuracy of the collected vehicular traffic data.
Various types of loop detectors have been used for several years and are the backbone of the traffic management and data collection systems today. Inductive Loop Detector (ILD) is the most common technology used on freeways and arterial roadways to collect real-time data on vehicle presence, vehicle speed and vehicle length. Another technique utilizes the microwave radars to collect traffic information on the highways and other roadways.
Yet another method, which is not in extensive use, requires use of GPS enabled vehicles that are driven around the free ways and their position and speed is reported back to the central server for computation.
One of the major disadvantages of the existing methods is scalability. The loop detector and the microwave radar techniques require deployment of expensive special purpose devices for gathering the traffic information and then relaying this information back to the central server for archiving and processing. Similarly, additional vehicles and drivers are need for the method using GPS enabled vehicles.
Also, the current method does not provide a way to extract or derive Demographic behavioral and trending information.
One of the goals of current invention is to provide globally scalable and cost effective method of detecting vehicular traffic information. The information can then be provided to other systems to provide numerous useful services.
The use of next generation wireless communication and data services is increasing. Location based services are gaining increasing popularity both in the US and internationally. All the major network providers are deploying infrastructure to facilitate calculation of location of a wireless device. At the minimum, the location data generally include Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Velocity and Direction of the object carrying a wireless device. It can also include additional data to specifically identify a wireless device. Depending on the type of network and services provided, the estimated location of a wireless device can have accuracy of as low as, 5 m to 500 m.
It is noted that the network service provider also keeps records of the location estimation data for a particular device for billing and other purposes. The current invention is proposing to use this raw data to extract and derive useful information.
The current invention is proposing to extracted information that is broadly related to:
(1) Vehicular traffic information
(2) Demographic behavioral and trending information
The current invention is also proposing a method to deliver the processed information to the other systems that can use this information to improve the performance of their services.
One of the goals of current invention is to provide globally scalable and cost effective method of detecting vehicular traffic information. The information can then be provided to other systems to provide numerous useful services. The subsequent description is divided in to the following parts.
(1) Data Retrieval from various PDS in a wireless network
(2) Processing and storage of normalized information
(3) Information presentation and dispatch
Data Retrieval from Various PDS in a Wireless Network
In a wireless network, PDS and its equivalent, records a result of location estimate for a given wireless device. The current invention is proposing that the network providers allow access to this data. A standardize protocol to transfer this information to Unit I (Data Retrieval Processing and Storage System) can be agreed upon which will provide, at the minimum, Time, Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Velocity. In order to preserve privacy and identity of the bearer of the wireless device, pseudo identification can be provided instead of real identification of the wireless device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous methods can be used to transfer this raw data from PDS to Unit I.
Processing and Storage of Normalized Information
Once the data is transferred to Unit I, either in real time or near real time, it can apply commonly known and new algorithms to aggregate the data and computationally derive information related to vehicular speed on a particular segment of a road. When a statistically significant set of such data is available, on one or more segment of road or roads in a region, a complete real time traffic model can be generated. The model of real time vehicular traffic information can be stored in Unit J (Processed Information Storage System).
When enough raw data is available, the Pseudo Identifier can be used to generate a collective model of individual and group behavior of Objects in a particular region. The following set of information can be derived from this raw data:
(1) Time to reach work from home
(2) Distance traveled from work to home
(3) Percentage of people traveling outside of region for work
(4) Percentage of people traveling to the region for work
(5) Popular shopping mall in the region
(6) Peak hours at the shopping malls or grocery stores in a region
The word “work” above is referenced to mean any location that individual spends time at during the normal business hour. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous current and historic information can be extracted and derived from this data.
Information Presentation and Dispatch
Unit K (Information Presentation and Dispatch System) provides the interface to other systems that can use the information stored in Unit J. It is envisioned to provide the following three interfaces:
(1) P1—Vehicular Traffic Information Dispatch
In order to facilitate generation of location estimation data, the current invention is also proposing a software application that resides on a wireless device. It does the following:
As a corollary, the current invention is also proposing a Location Enabled Remote Sensor System. In this system any type of sensor can be equipped with Location Estimation capability using GPS or the method provided by wireless network providers as described above. The sensor can then append location data to the information it normally sense. This combined information can then optionally be sent to a Central System for further analysis and storage, using private or public network. The Central System can then accordingly actuate and control the related system components. The Central System can also create a real time model of all the Sensors and present it visually on a digital map.
While the present invention has been described with respect to a single preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations there from. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
First Written Record
The invention was first conceived and recorded on Mar. 17, 2004. A scan of the paper record is provided as
