OTREC-RR-10-16

This project pursued implementation and testing of a Bluetooth (BT) travel time data collection system, including comprehensive testing of all components. Two different BT-based systems were installed. The first, composed of two DCUs, was installed on a corridor in Salem, OR. Extensive testing was done here, including collection of travel time samples. A second system of five DCUs was installed along 99W in Tigard, OR. Very limited data was collected here due to lack of network connectivity. Six different antenna types were characterized using the two DCU BT-based data collection system. The result of the characterization tests showed that vertically polarized antennas with gains between 9 and 12 dBi are good candidates to support a BT-based system. Travel time samples were also collected with this system. The results indicate that a trade-off exists between the number of samples obtained and the accuracy of the samples, most likely due to differences in coverage areas provided by the different antennas.