Traffic data acquistion system and method

• US 20050231393A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Clark, Robert E. Berger
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Clark, Robert E. Berger
• Inventors: Clark, Richard L., Berger, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US10/519,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231393A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.130
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A device, system, and method for providing real-time traffic information to a user is disclosed. In various embodiments, a wireless transmitter sends traffic information to a portable device that can receive and display the traffic information on a map of the display. Various roadway condition indicators may be used to convey the type and severity of roadway conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a portable wireless device to receive traffic information from a wireless transmitter; and

a display to display the traffic information on a map.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the traffic information corresponds to at least one of the following:

a paging transmission, a frequency modulation sub-carrier radio transmission, an amplitude modulation radio transmission, a short wave radio transmission, a microwave transmission, a satellite transmission, a Wireless Application Protocol transmission, a bluetooth transmission, a packet-based transmission, a digital transmission, a Global System for Mobile Communications transmission, a Time Division Multiple Access transmission, a Code-Division Multiple Access transmission, an Advance Mobile Phone Service transmission, a Personal Communications Service transmission, and a Short Message Service transmission.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

at least one of a static map and a scrolling map.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

a roadway condition indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, comprising:

multiple roadway condition indicators, each one simultaneously relating to a different direction of traffic flow on the same roadway.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the roadway condition indicator comprises:

at least one of a color, an icon, and a text message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display comprises:

an input.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the input comprises:

at least one of a directional input, a scroll input, a zoom input, a color input, a “

save altered map”

input, a “

set history save data”

input, and a “

create best route”

input.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mounting device to releasably couple the apparatus to a vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication port to enable communication between the apparatus and at least one of an in-vehicle computer system, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand-held computer, a single-board computer, an input device, a storage device, a display, and a peripheral device.

11. A system comprising:

a wireless transmitter to transmit traffic information;

a portable wireless device to receive the traffic information from the wireless transmitter; and

a display to display the traffic information on a map.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the traffic information corresponds to at least one of the following:

a paging transmission, a frequency modulation sub-carrier radio transmission, an amplitude modulation radio transmission, a short wave radio transmission, a microwave transmission, a satellite transmission, a Wireless Application Protocol transmission, a bluetooth transmission, a packet-based transmission, a digital transmission, a Global System for Mobile Communications transmission, a Time Division Multiple Access transmission, a Code-Division Multiple Access transmission, an Advance Mobile Phone Service transmission, a Personal Communications Service transmission, and a Short Message Service transmission.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the display comprises:

at least one of a static map and a scrolling map.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the display comprises:

a roadway condition indicator.

15. The system of claim 14, comprising:

multiple roadway condition indicators, each one simultaneously relating to a different direction of traffic flow on the same roadway.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the roadway condition indicator comprises:

at least one of a color, an icon, and a text message.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the display comprises:

an input.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the input comprises:

at least one of a directional input, a scroll input, a zoom input, a color input, a “

save altered map”

input, a “

set history save data”

input, and a “

create best route”

input.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a mounting device to releasably couple the apparatus to a vehicle.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a communication port to enable communication between the apparatus and at least one of an in-vehicle computer system, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a hand-held computer, a single-board computer, an input device, a storage device, a display, and a peripheral device.

21. A method comprising:

receiving traffic information on a portable wireless device; and

displaying the traffic information on a map on a display of the wireless device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

prior to displaying, updating a database associated with the portable device with the traffic information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying comprises:

indicating a roadway condition on the map.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein indicating comprises:

indicating multiple roadway conditions, each one simultaneously relating to a different direction of traffic flow on the same roadway.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein indicating comprises:

assigning at least one of a color, an icon, and a text message to a roadway condition to be indicated.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

manipulating the display with an input.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein manipulating comprises:

actuating at least one of a directional input, a scroll input, a zoom input, and a color input.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

saving traffic information and a time and date associated with the saved traffic information.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

creating a route based on the saved traffic information and time and date associated with the saved traffic information.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

releasably coupling the portable wireless device to a vehicle.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a text message to a user on a network.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting the traffic information to the portable wireless device via a wireless transmission.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

at least one of enabling the device to display traffic information and disabling an ability of the device to display traffic information.

34. A machine-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving traffic information on a portable wireless device; and

displaying the traffic information on a map on a display of the wireless device.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein displaying comprises:

indicating a roadway condition on the map.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein indicating comprises:

indicating multiple roadway conditions, each one simultaneously relating to a different direction of traffic flow on the same roadway.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 35, wherein indicating comprises:

assigning at least one of a color, an icon, and a text message to a roadway condition to be indicated.

38. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further comprise:

altering an appearance of the display in response to actuation of at least one of a directional input, a scroll input, a zoom input, and a color input.

39. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operations further comprise:

saving traffic information and a time and date associated with the saved traffic information.

40. The machine-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the operations further comprise:

creating a route based on the saved traffic information and time and date associated with the saved traffic information.