Crowd-Sourced Vehicle Traffic Image Exchange System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for reporting road traffic conditions, such as television and radio broadcasts, and vehicle navigation systems, fail to provide real-time and specific traffic information to drivers, often relying on outdated images and infrequent updates, limiting drivers' ability to make informed route decisions.
Innovation Solution
A crowd-sourced system that uses image sensors on vehicles to capture and transmit real-time traffic condition images, coupled with vehicle location and operating data, through a wireless network, allowing drivers to request and receive current images of specific road segments, enabling them to anticipate and navigate through traffic congestion or construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If television and radio broadcasts are used to report traffic conditions, then traffic information can be provided to drivers, but the information is not real-time and updates are infrequent
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables vehicles to automatically capture and transmit their own traffic condition images without requiring manual reporting. Each vehicle acts as a self-service node, autonomously recording images with GPS coordinates and timestamps, and uploading them to the network for other drivers to access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where traffic images captured by vehicles are immediately uploaded to the network and made available to other drivers in real-time. This continuous feedback mechanism ensures that traffic information is constantly updated and reflected across the network without delay.
2Area of stationary object
If stationary cameras are used at key intersections, then traffic conditions can be monitored, but the coverage is limited and images are not continuously updated
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static stationary cameras to dynamic mobile imaging units mounted on vehicles. These mobile units continuously move through the traffic network, capturing images from multiple locations and perspectives, thereby expanding coverage area and ensuring continuous updates of traffic conditions throughout the day.
3Area of stationary object
If helicopter traversal is used to capture traffic images, then broad coverage can be achieved, but the system is expensive and not continuously operational
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes vehicles serve multiple functions: they continue their normal transportation purpose while simultaneously acting as mobile traffic monitoring and reporting units. The image capture devices mounted on vehicles utilize the vehicles' existing movement and infrastructure, eliminating the need for dedicated expensive surveillance platforms like helicopters.
4Loss of information
If current vehicle navigation systems are used, then road maps and intersections can be displayed, but actual current traffic conditions are not shown
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides drivers with advance notice of upcoming traffic conditions by displaying captured images and GPS coordinates of road segments ahead. This preliminary information allows drivers to make informed route decisions before reaching problematic areas, saving time by avoiding congestion rather than reacting to it after arrival.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method for crowd sourcing current traffic conditions using an image sensor on a vehicle to record traffic conditions at the vehicle location, date and time stamp the images, and transmit the images along with selected vehicle operating conditions and vehicle coordinates through a network to a central crowd sourcing traffic condition control. The control stores the images and, upon receiving an image request from a vehicle, transmits traffic condition images to the requesting vehicle through the network for a specified roadway segment. A vehicle opted-in to the control can select another opted-in vehicle to have an image taken by the any selected vehicle of a desired road location. The control handles the exchange of a request and an image between the requesting vehicle and the selecting vehicle to enable an instantaneous image of a desired road location to be displayed in the requesting vehicle.