System and method for measuring traffic flow
US6973319B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 2001 |
| Grant date | Dec 6, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 11, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W64/006
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the vehicular traffic flow includes a position monitor in a telecommunications network which assembles and processes position data from mobile telephones to determine traffic flow. The position of each mobile telephone within the system is determined at intervals and the likely route and speed determined with reference to a stored road atlas. The traffic flow is predominantly determined from data received from mobile telephone handsets which have requested traffic information. These handsets are likely to be travelling in vehicles, thereby giving greater accuracy to the traffic flow measurement. In addition, the mobile telephone handsets requesting traffic information are reconfigured to provide more accurate data, such as by broadcasting update signals at a greater rate than usual.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.