Traffic Condition Estimation Using Public WLAN Access Points
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for estimating train arrival and departure times and passenger numbers in railway systems require high installation and development costs, and are difficult to deploy and operate quickly, especially since they rely on data from mobile terminals, which is not feasible for detecting all trains and stations simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A traffic condition estimation system that uses public wireless LAN access points to estimate train arrival and departure times and passenger numbers without gathering data from mobile terminals, by tracking connection times and locations of mobile devices to infer movement patterns and congestion levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are installed in trains and data is gathered through wireless communication, then real-time train operation information can be transmitted to passengers, but installation and development costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses public wireless LAN access points as intermediaries to collect mobile terminal data instead of installing sensors in trains. These access points serve as mediators that capture connection information from passengers' mobile devices, enabling train arrival/departure detection without direct train-mounted equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system leverages passengers' own mobile terminals and their inherent wireless connection behavior to collect data. Passengers inadvertently provide the necessary information through their mobile device connections to public WLAN access points, eliminating the need for dedicated sensing equipment.
2Measurement precision
If acceleration sensors in mobile terminals are used to detect train arrival and departure, then real-time detection is possible, but data from many passengers must be gathered and analyzed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential connection information (connection start time, access point ID, connection end time) from mobile terminal data, discarding unnecessary acceleration sensor data and other complex information. This simplifies the data processing requirements while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses public wireless LAN access points that serve multiple functions: providing internet service to passengers and simultaneously collecting train operation data. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate detection systems.
3Measurement precision
If high accuracy positioning is used to track passenger positions, then train arrival and departure times can be measured in real time, but at least one passenger must be detected per train
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the station into multiple zones with different access points (ticket gate area, platform areas, waiting areas). By monitoring connection patterns across these segmented zones, the system can detect train arrivals and departures even when passenger density varies, ensuring reliable detection coverage.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is provided a traffic condition estimation system, comprising: a processor that executes a program; and a storage device that stores the program, wherein a plurality of base stations of a wireless communication system are installed in a boarding/deboarding facility for use of a transportation means, wherein the storage device stores connection information including connection start locations and connection termination locations between terminals possessed by users of the transportation means and any of the plurality of base stations, and wherein the processor is configured to: extract, from the connection information, terminals for which the connection start locations and the connection termination locations differ from each other; and multiply a number of said extracted terminals by a predetermined first coefficient to estimate a number of people waiting in the boarding/ deboarding facility for use of the transportation means.