Crowd-Sourced Travel Data Collection via Distributed Vehicle Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicular and transportation systems face impairments due to unforeseen events like accidents and traffic congestion, as vehicle operators often lack real-time information about these events, leading to compounded congestion.
Innovation Solution
A system for gathering and publishing real-time travel data, including event classification, location, and sensor data, using a global map server that consolidates information from multiple sources, including vehicles and users, to provide timely and accurate updates to operators, law enforcement, and transportation services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If vehicle operators rely on traditional traffic information sources, then information availability is limited, but system complexity and data verification requirements increase when implementing crowd-sourced data collection
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data collection function across multiple independent vehicles and users rather than relying on a centralized information source. Each vehicle operator independently collects and reports traffic events, dividing the information gathering task across numerous distributed nodes in the transportation network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables vehicles to perform multiple functions: normal transportation and simultaneous traffic data collection. The same vehicle operators who are already using the roadways also become data collectors, eliminating the need for dedicated monitoring infrastructure and making the transportation system itself serve dual purposes.
2Reliability
If crowd-sourced data from multiple sources is collected, then data comprehensiveness improves, but data verification and validation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where collected traffic data is shared with the network and can be verified by other participants. Multiple reports of the same traffic event from different sources reinforce each other, allowing the system to identify and validate accurate information through communal verification rather than centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges data from multiple independent sources and uses consensus building to validate information. When multiple vehicle operators report the same traffic event or condition, the data is combined and validated through this convergence, reducing verification complexity by relying on agreement among independent observers rather than complex individual validation protocols.
3Adaptability or versatility
If real-time travel data is published to multiple entities, then information utility increases, but communication infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing communication infrastructure and standard data exchange protocols as intermediaries to distribute traffic information. Rather than building dedicated communication networks, the patent leverages existing cellular, wireless, and internet infrastructure to relay data between vehicle operators and information consumers, reducing infrastructure complexity while maintaining broad information utility.
Data Source
AI summary
Travel data may be gathered and published on a global map for use by various entities. The travel data may be captured by one or more vehicle computing devices, such as those associated with the operation and/or control of a vehicle. The vehicle computing devices may receive input from one or more sensors, and may identify and/or classify an event and/or areas of interest based on the input. The vehicle computing devices may then send travel data to the global map server for publication. Additionally or alternatively, the travel data may be captured by one or more user devices. The user devices may be configured to receive travel data, such as via a user interface, and to send the travel data to the global map server for publication. The global map server may consolidate and publish the travel data on a global map.