Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
  • G08G1/0104—Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
  • G08G1/0104—Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
  • G08G1/0108—Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions based on the source of data
  • G08G1/0112—Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions based on the source of data from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
  • G08G1/0104—Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
  • G08G1/0125—Traffic data processing
  • G08G1/0133—Traffic data processing for classifying traffic situation
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/065—Traffic control systems for road vehicles by counting the vehicles in a section of the road or in a parking area, i.e. comparing incoming count with outgoing count

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for collecting traffic information and an apparatus for using that method of traffic data collection, and more particularly a method and corresponding apparatus for collecting traffic information efficiently from moving cars on the road.
• traffic information is collected by means of a CCTV, traffic reporters and sensors, which are located on roads. This information is processed at a traffic control center and transmitted to all sorts of institutions or systems that provide traffic information.
• sensors such as point detectors or beacons have low accuracy in collecting traffic information, and the accuracy of traffic information is dependent on the locations of sensors. That is, traffic information collected in areas with few sensors has low accuracy.
• sensors are set up on every road where traffic information has to be collected.
• sensors have to be set up on newly constructed roads and there are high costs for maintenance to prevent damage to the sensors due to aging.
• Another method that has been proposed for collecting traffic information is to use a probe car. According to this method, when a probe car's position is reported to the traffic control center, the average velocity of the probe car is produced by correlating the probe car's reported position on the road at a given time with the probe car's last reported position.
• the disadvantages of this method are that an excessive amount of data must be processed at the traffic control center and a considerable number of probe cars are needed in order to improve the accuracy of produced average velocity.
• a primary object of the present invention is to provide a method for collecting traffic information that reduces installation costs and improves the accuracy of collected traffic information. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for collecting traffic information that effectively and accurately collects information although using a low bandwidth.
• a traffic information collection apparatus for collecting traffic information using a probe car, which comprises at least two scanning sensors located at a fixed distance on, at least, one side of said probe car for detecting vehicles in adjacent lanes, means for analyzing scanning sensors' output signals to produce a velocity of said vehicles in adjacent lanes, means for generating a traffic information in adjacent lanes by using the velocity of vehicles in adjacent lanes and means for transmitting the traffic information in adjacent lanes.
• the apparatus further comprises means for measuring a probe car's velocity, means for measuring a probe car's position and means for generating a traffic information for collection purposes by using the probe car's velocity, the probe car's position, and the traffic information in adjacent lanes, wherein said means transmits the traffic information for collection purposes.
• means for measuring the probe car's position is a global positioning system
• means for transmitting the traffic information in adjacent lanes can be a mobile phone such as PCS, TRS or cellular phone.
• information can be transmitted via the Internet.
• the traffic information in adjacent lanes can comprise the number of passing cars in adjacent lanes and velocity of those passing cars.
• the traffic information in adjacent lanes can comprise the number of passing cars in adjacent lanes and average velocity of those passing cars and can also comprise variance in average velocity of passing cars in adjacent lanes.
• a traffic information collection apparatus for collecting traffic information using a probe car, which comprises means for measuring the probe car's velocity and the probe car's position, at least one scanning sensor located on, at least, one side of said probe car, means for generating the traffic information in adjacent lanes by analyzing output signals of said scanning sensor, wherein the traffic information in adjacent lanes comprises at least data on velocity of said vehicles in adjacent lanes, means for generating the traffic information for collection purposes by using the probe car's velocity, the probe car's position, and the traffic information in adjacent lanes and means for transmitting the traffic information in an adjacent lanes .
• a traffic information collection method for collecting traffic information using a probe car which comprises the steps of: detecting vehicles in adjacent lanes by using at least two scanning sensors that are located at set intervals on, at least, one side of said probe car, producing a velocity of said vehicles in adjacent lanes by analyzing said scanning sensors' output signals, generating a traffic info ⁇ nation in adjacent lanes by using information about the velocity of said vehicles in adjacent lanes and transmitting the traffic information in adjacent lanes.
• the method further comprises the steps of: measuring a probe car's velocity, measuring a probe car's position, generating a traffic information for collection purposes by using the probe car's velocity, the probe car's position and the traffic information in adjacent lanes and transmitting the traffic information for collection purposes.
• the traffic information in adjacent lanes comprises the number and velocity of passing cars in adjacent lanes, or comprises the number and average velocity of passing cars in adjacent lanes average along with variance in the average velocity of those passing cars.
• the traffic information collection method comprises the Steps of: measuring the probe car's velocity and position; detecting vehicles in an adjacent lane by using at least one scanning sensor located on the side of the probe car; generating information on vehicles in an adjacent lane by analyzing the output signals of the scanning sensors (where the adjacent lane's traffic information comprises at least data on the velocity of adjacent vehicles); generating traffic information for collection purposes by using the probe car's velocity and position together with information about traffic in an adjacent lane; and transmitting the traffic information for collection purposes.
• a traffic information collection method for collecting traffic information using a probe car which comprises the steps of: measuring the probe car's velocity and the probe car's position, detecting vehicles in adjacent lanes by using at least one scanning sensor that is located on, at least, one side of said probe car, generating the traffic information in adjacent lanes vehicle by analyzing output signals of said scanning sensors, wherein the traffic info ⁇ nation in adjacent lanes vehicles comprises at least data on velocity of said vehicles in adjacent lanes, generating the traffic information for collection purposes by using information on the probe car's velocity, the probe car's position and the traffic info ⁇ nation in adjacent lanes and transmitting the traffic information for collection purposes.
• a program storage medium readable by a data processor and having instructions executable by the data processor for performing the method is provided.
• FIG la and lb are schematic representations of the traffic information collection apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG 2 is a flow chart showing the method for collecting traffic information according to the prefe ⁇ ed embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG 3 illustrates the method for detecting data on vehicles in an adjacent lane;
• FIG 4 is a detailed view of the pulse signals generated by scanning sensors CI and
• FIG 5 is a detailed view of the pulse signals generated by scanning sensors C3 and C4 when a vehicle B overtakes the probe car P in the right adjacent lane;
• FIGS 6a and 6b illustrate the case that the probe car P drives in the rightmost lane of road;
• FIG 7 illustrates the method for detecting data on a vehicle C that drives in the opposite direction when the probe car P drives in the leftmost lane (that is, the first lane of the road);
• FIG 8 is a flow chart showing the method for collecting traffic information in an adjacent lane according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG 9 is a flow chart showing the scanning sensors' detection routine according to the prefe ⁇ ed embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG 10 is a flow chart showing the scanning sensors' detection routine according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIGS 11a to llf are detailed views of pulse signals generated by the scanning sensors
• FIG 12 is a drawing illustrating the statistical processing concept according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG 13a illustrates the data format of traffic information for collection purposes according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention
• FIG 13b illustrates another format of data on cars in the left and right adjacent lanes that is shown in the field depicted in FIG 13a.
• the basic method for collecting traffic information is a method for collecting traffic information by the use of a traffic data collection device, which device is connected to a cellular phone and GPS. According to the basic method for collecting traffic information, the traffic data collection device produces the vehicle's velocity and the GPS provides the vehicle's position. The traffic data collection device generates traffic information collected by a vehicle, which comprises the vehicle's velocity and position, and transmits this information to the traffic control center by use of a cellular phone.
• Vehicle- collected traffic information further comprises data on the vehicle's direction of moment that indicates whether the vehicle is moving forwards or backwards.
• the vehicle's velocity is measured by the use of sensors mounted on the vehicle, and it is also statistically produced by reference to the vehicle's position at different times.
• vehicle-collected traffic information comprises data on the vehicle's status (for example, parked or stopped) as additional data for increasing the accuracy of traffic information. Also, the vehicle-collected traffic information is transferred to the traffic control center by a transfer order from the base station, or the traffic data collection device transfers it through a communication link that it sets up by itself.
• the basic method for collecting traffic information has the limitation that it can only collect data on the velocity, position and status of the vehicle that has the traffic information collection device (referred to as the data-collecting vehicle or probe car).
• the basic method for collecting traffic information has disadvantages in that a heavy investment is needed at an early stage in order to increase the amount of traffic information collected enough to achieve a satisfactory level of accuracy in that information.
• the present invention provides a method for collecting traffic information that requires fewer probe cars than the basic method for collecting traffic information. That is, through the use of the proposed method and apparatus for collecting traffic information, the number of probe cars that are needed to collect the same quality of traffic information can be remarkably reduced and the initial investment in a traffic information system can be dramatically decreased.
• FIGS la and lb are schematic representations of the traffic information collection apparatus according to the prefe ⁇ ed embodiment of the present invention.
• the traffic information collection apparatus 100 comprises a traffic information device 110, an axle sensor 120, and a scanning sensor 130.
• the traffic information device also comprises a transmitter 116, a position-measuring component 118, a primary memory 112, and a secondary memory 114.
• the axle sensor 120 is for measuring the velocity of the vehicle mounted with a traffic information collection apparatus
• the scanning sensor 130 is for measuring the velocity of a vehicle in an adjacent lane.
• the primary memory 112 in the traffic information device 110 stores all the measured data related to traffic info ⁇ nation, and the secondary memory 114 stores processed data to be transmitted to the traffic control center, which processed data is traffic information for collection purposes.
• the data related to traffic information comprises the probe car's position, the probe car's velocity, the number of cars in adjacent lanes, the average velocity of those cars, and variance in their velocity.
• the transmitter 116 transmits traffic information for collection purposes to the traffic control center. The transmission of traffic information for collection purposes is executed at fixed periods, or at the order of the traffic control center. Also, the transmitter 116 monitors whether the communication channel is open or not so that transmissions can be made whenever possible.
• the position-measuring component 118 in the traffic information device 110 measures the probe car's position.
• the traffic data collection apparatus further comprises a PCS (Personal Communication System) 140 and GPS (Global Positioning System) 150.
• PCS Personal Communication System
• GPS Global Positioning System
• the PCS 140 may comprise a TRS phone, cellular phone, or a similar device.
• the traffic information device 110 and the PCS 140 have the function of interfacing with each other. That is, traffic information for collection purposes is transmitted by the PCS 140 and transferred to the traffic control center through a mobile communications network.
• the GPS 150 is a device for measuring a probe car's position.
• the GPS 150 as an external device connected to the traffic information device 110, the traffic information device 110 and the GPS 150 have the function of interfacing with each other.
• FIG 2 is a flow chart showing the method for collecting traffic information according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Step 202 the traffic information device 110 measures data related to traffic information, and in Step 204 the measured data related to traffic information is stored in the primary memory 112. Subsequently, in Step 206, the data related to traffic information is analyzed and processed, and in Step 208 traffic information for collection purposes is generated. In Step 210. immediately upon being generated, traffic information for collection purposes is transmitted to the traffic control center; or, once it is stored in secondary memory 114, transmission is executed at need.
• FIG 3 illustrates the method for detecting the data on vehicles in adjacent lanes.
• the scanning sensors CI, C2, C3 and C4 are located on the sides of the probe car.
• the scanning sensors CI, C2, C3 and C4 can be light sensors that emit light and receive it, or ultrasonic (supersonic) sensors.
• Scanning sensors CI and C2 are located, at fixed distance "d,” on the right side of the probe car.
• scanning sensors C3 and C4 are located, at fixed distance "d,” on the left side of the probe car.
• the distance between sensors CI and C2 is the same as that between sensors C3 and C4, but the distance between the sensors on each side of the probe car can also be different.
• the height that the scanning sensors are located at is preferably higher than the highest point of the probe car's wheels.
• the reason for this is that the detection-ratio of sensors is higher due to the higher reflexivity of car bodies above the wheels.
• Atonies Inc.'s BA2M-DDT can be used as a scanning sensor and can be placed on the inside join of a car door. Still referring to this concrete example, results in detecting cars in adjacent lanes have shown that it is possible to detect cars in adjacent lanes at a distance of 5 meters from the probe car. Also, brightly colored cars are more easily detected than those with dark colors because their reflexivity is many times higher. Also, in the case of the present embodiment, by modulating the emitted signal and received signal, and detecting whether both modulated signals are synchronous, confusion of signals can be reduced.
• va represent respectively the velocity of a car in the left adjacent lane, the probe car P's velocity and the velocity of a car in the right adjacent lane.
• the car in the adjacent lane is same as the probe car's velocity. If the relative velocity is less
• the sensors that are installed on the probe car can be image detector (video) types of sensors or velocity-gun types of sensors. In those cases, it is sufficient to install one sensor on each side of the probe car. Also it is preferable to locate sensors on corners of the probe car rather than on its sides. Also, in order to improve accuracy, it is possible to locate more than 2 sensors on each of the right and left corners.
• FIG 4 is a detailed view of the pulse signal generated by scanning sensors CI and C2 when the probe car P overtakes Vehicle A in the left adjacent lane.
• S-Cl is a pulse detected by scanning sensor CI
• S-C2 is a pulse detected by scanning sensor C2.
• pulse S-Cl is activated to a "HIGH” level
• pulse S-C2 is subsequently activated to a "HIGH” level as well
• tfl is the time when the rising edge of pulse S-Cl is detected
• tbl is the time when the rising edge of pulse S-C2 is detected
• FIG 5 is a detailed view of the pulse signals generated by scanning sensors C3 and C4 when Vehicle B in the right adjacent lane overtakes the probe car P.
• pulse S-C4 is activated to a "HIGH” level
• pulse S-C3 is activated to a "HIGH” level also.
• tb2 is the time when the rising edge of pulse S-C4 is detected
• tf2 is the time when the rising edge of pulse S-C3 is detected.
• FIGS 6a and 6b illustrate the case that the probe car P drives in the rightmost lane of the road.
• the distance between scanning sensors C3 and C4 is preferably shorter than the distance between the sensors and electric poles, streetlamps or pedestrians.
• the pulses generated by the scanning sensors to determine distances when the probe car P passes by electric poles, streetlamps, trees and pedestrians are shown in FIG 6b.
• street furniture can be treated as a car having 0 velocity.
• pulses being generated for street furniture can be treated as noise so as to improve the accuracy of data related to traffic information.
• FIG 7 illustrates the method for detecting data on Vehicle C, which is moving in the opposite direction when the probe car P drives in the leftmost lane (that is, in the first lane of the road).
• Car C running in the opposite direction passes scanning sensors CI and C2 in succession. Accordingly, pulse S-Cl generated by scanning sensor CI reaches a "HIGH” level, and then pulse S-C2 generated by scanning sensor C2 reaches a "HIGH” level in succession.
• pulse S-Cl generated by scanning sensor CI reaches a "HIGH” level
• pulse S-C2 generated by scanning sensor C2 reaches a "HIGH” level in succession.
• tf2 denotes the rising-edge time of pulse S-C2.
• the velocity of the car moving in the opposite direction can be produced as follows:
• FIG 8 is a flow chart showing the method for collecting information about traffic in an adjacent lane according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Step 802 the data collection period is determined. In the case that the data collection period is fixed in advance, Step 802 can be omitted. In Step 802
• Step 804 during a fixed collection period, the scanning sensor detection routine is executed. To check the end of the collection period, a falling method can be used.
• Step 806 the real velocity is produced, and effective data and null data are selected.
• to select effective data and null data in Step 806 is to nullify data about pedestrians, trees or street furniture.
• the statistical process can be carried out with consideration to diverse driving patterns on the road.
• Step 808 the statistical process for other data related to traffic information can be executed.
• FIG 9 is a flow chart showing the detection routine of scanning sensors in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Step 902 the first signal is generated by a sensor and detected, which signal is a rising edge generated by a front sensor or rear sensor (that is, a sensor located on the front or rear side of the probe car).
• Step 904 the second signal is generated by a sensor and detected.
• the detection routine proceeds to Step 908; otherwise, it proceeds to Step 906.
• Step 906 the expiration of a fixed time is checked. In accordance with the result, Step 906 and Step 904 may be repeated, or the detection routine may proceed to Step 908 if the second signal is generated by a sensor in a fixed time; otherwise the routine proceeds to Step 912.
• Step 908 it is determined whether the first and second signals are generated by the same sensor; and, if all the signals are generated by the same sensor, the detection routine is finished. As explained above, objects between the sensors are regarded as not being vehicles so as to nullify data related to the non-vehicular objects. If the result of Step 908 is negative, the detection routine proceeds to Step 910 to produce the relative and real velocity of the car in the adjacent lane, and it then proceeds to Step 914.
• Step 912 the real velocity of the car in the adjacent lane is regarded as the probe car's velocity, and the detection routine proceeds to Step 914.
• Step 914 if the real velocity RV of the car in the adjacent lane is over the positive threshold TH1, the detection routine proceeds to Step 916. If the real velocity RV of the adjacent car is between minus threshold -TH2 and positive threshold THl, the detection routine proceeds to Step 918. And, in the case that the adjacent car's real velocity RV is below minus threshold -TH2, the detection routine proceeds to Step 920.
• Step 916 the number of cars with a velocity over 0 is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• Step 918 the number of stopped cars is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• Step 920 the number of cars with a velocity less than 0 is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• FIG 10 is a flow chart showing the scanning sensors' detection routine according to another prefe ⁇ ed embodiment of the present invention. It is preferable to execute the above routine for cars in the left and right adjacent lanes respectively.
• the signals generated by sensors CI and C2 which sensors are located on the left side of the probe car, are described. However, it is easy for one skilled in the art to expect the same detection routine to be applicable to sensors located on the left side of the probe car.
• Step 1002 the rising-edge time tf and dropping-edge time tf of the front pulse S-Cl are detected, which pulse is generated by left-front scanning sensor CI; and the rising-edge time tb and dropping-edge time tb ' of the rear pulse S-C2 are detected, which pulse is generated by the left-rear scanning sensor C2.
• Detected tf, tf , tb, tb ' are stored in sequence.
• the rising edges and dropping edges, which are detected in pulse S-Cl and pulse S-C2 are stored in memory, such as in FIFO, in the time sequence that they were detected.
• Step 1004 the rising-edge time tf and dropping-edge time tf of front pulse S- Cl, and the rising-edge time tb and dropping-edge time tb ' of the rear pulse S-C2 are inputted to the detection routine.
• Step 1006 it is determined whether the rising-edge time tf of the front pulse S-Cl goes ahead of the rising-edge time tb of the rear pulse S-C2. According to the determination, if tf goes ahead of tb, the detection routine proceeds to Step 1008, and otherwise it proceeds to Step 1012.
• Step 1008 it is determined whether the dropping-edge time tf of the front pulse S-Cl goes ahead of the rising-edge time tb of the rear pulse S-C2. According to the determination, if tf goes ahead of tb, the detection routine proceeds to Step 1010. It is the same as the case is illustrated in FIG lie and FIG lie. In this case, tf and tf are generated by an object with a width narrower than the distance between the sensors, so tf and tf are neglected; and in Step 1010, the rising-edge time tf and dropping-edge time of the next front pulse are inputted to the detection routine. And then, Step 1006 is executed once again.
• Step 1006 and Step 1008 which Steps are executed with tf(i), ft ' (i), tb(j) and tb ' (j), tf(i), ft ' (i) are neglected.
• Step 1006 is executed with tf(i+l), ft ' (i+l), tb(j) and tb ' G). If the check result of Step 1008 is negative, the detection routine proceeds to Step 1016. This case is same as the case shown in FIG 11a.
• Step 1006 it is determined whether the dropping-edge time tb ' of the rear pulse goes ahead of the rising-edge time tf of the front pulse. As a result of the determination, if tb ' goes ahead of tf, the detection routine proceeds to Step 1014, and otherwise it proceeds to Step 1016.
• Step 1014 this case is same as tf(i), ft ' (i), tbG) and tb ' G) in FI G lid or FIG llf.
• tbG+1) and tb ' G+1) are inputted, and Step 1006 is executed with tf(i), ft ' (i), tbG+1) and tb'
• Step 1012 if the result of Step 1012 is negative, it is same as the case of tf(i), ft'(i), tbG+1) and tb ' G+1) in FIG lib or FIG llf.
• Step 1012 the relative velocity rv and real velocity RV are produced.
• rv and RV are produced as follows: rv
• Step 1018 if RV is over the positive threshold THl, the detection routine proceeds to Step 1020. If RV is between the minus threshold - TH2 and the positive threshold THl, the routine proceeds to Step 1022. If RV is below the minus threshold -THl, proceeds to Step 1024.
• Step 1020 the number of cars with a velocity over 0 is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• Step 1022 the number of stopped cars is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• Step 1024 the number of cars with a velocity below 0 is increased by 1 and their produced real velocity is stored.
• Step 1026 it is checked whether there remain tf(i), ft ' (i), tbG) an d tb'G). According to the results of the check, if tf(i), ft ' (i), tbG) and/or tb ' G) remain, the detection routine returns to Step 1004; otherwise, the routine is finished.
• FIG 12 is a drawing illustrating the statistical processing method in the present invention according to its second preferred embodiment.
• a horizontal axis represents real velocity and a vertical axis represents the number of cars.
• negative velocity is the velocity of cars traveling in the opposite direction
• positive velocity is the velocity of cars moving in the same direction as the probe car.
• Zero velocity is related to the velocity of cars moving in the same direction as the probe car, cars going in the opposite direction, or just signals that detected street furniture.
• the number of cars with positive velocity, negative velocity and zero velocity can be transferred at the same time; or, to reduce the transmission bandwidth, any one of them can be transferred.
• any number of cars is transferred, if the number of cars with negative velocity is not 0, it is preferable that the number of cars with negative velocity be transferred.
• the number of cars with negative velocity is 0 and the number of cars with positive velocity is not 0, it is preferable to transfer the number of cars with positive velocity.
• the number of cars with positive velocity and the number of cars with negative velocity are 0, the number of cars with zero velocity can be transferred.
• FIG 13a illustrates the data format of traffic info ⁇ nation for collection purposes according to the prefe ⁇ ed embodiment of the present invention.
• traffic information for collection purposes comprises the collection of information from the period field, the time field, the probe car's velocity field, the probe car's position field, and the data fields concerning cars in the left and right lanes adjacent to the probe car.
• the probe car's positional information comprises discerning road marks (for example, the street numbers for the road or section of road) and movement direction data.
• the "left adjacent-lane car data” field or “right adjacent-lane car data” field respectively comprises data on an "N" number of passing cars and the velocity of passing cars.
• "velocity of passing cars" is repeated as much as "the number of passing cars.”
• FIG 13b illustrates another format of the field for "left adjacent-lane vehicle data” and "right adjacent-lane vehicle data,” which is depicted in FIG 13a.
• the "left adjacent-lane car data” field and “right adjacent- lane car data” field respectively comprise data on an "N" number of passing cars, "variance in the velocity of passing cars,” and “the average velocity of passing cars.”
• the total amount of data to be transferred is reduced to less than the total amount of data contained in the "left adjacent-lane car data” field and the "right adjacent-lane car data” field in the above-mentioned format.
• the "left adjacent-lane car data" field and “right adjacent-lane car data” field can be merged into one field, and the format of the merged field can be the field depicted in FIG 13a or FIG 13b.
• traffic information for collection purposes further comprises "the probe car's status data" field.
• traffic information for collection purposes can be used for analyzing and processing traffic information about the road in a traffic control center.
• the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and diverse modifications of the present invention are possible to someone skilled in the art.
• data format it is especially easy for someone skilled in the art to reconstitute the format of the invention by changing the array of data fields.
• the present invention can dramatically reduce the initial investment required for constructing a system to provide a traffic information service by reducing the number of probe cars required for such a system. That is, because the present invention of a traffic information system and apparatus using a probe car can provide not only the probe car's velocity but also the velocity of adjacent cars, the initial investment cost of the system and the cost of collecting traffic information can be reduced.

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Citations (4)

• 1999
  • 1999-08-02 KR KR10-1999-0031742A patent/KR100414359B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-08-01 AU AU61871/00A patent/AU6187100A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-08-01 WO PCT/KR2000/000838 patent/WO2001009857A1/en active Application Filing

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