Method and system for selectively processing traffic incident information

• US 20060063559A1
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ValueStreet Consulting Group
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fruit, Larry J., Farrow, Daniel W., Boyer, Bradley E., Robarge, Wilbur A., Dockemeyer, J. Robert Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,526,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method includes receiving current location and heading information, receiving threshold range, and bearing values, receiving an incident report corresponding to a traffic incident at a location of interest, and selectively retaining the incident report if the point of interest is within the threshold range and bearing values.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at least current location information;

receiving at least a threshold range value;

relating said threshold range value to said current location information;

receiving an incident report corresponding to pertinent information at a point of interest; and

selectively retaining said incident report if said point of interest is within said threshold range value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said pertinent information corresponds to a traffic incident.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said method further includes the steps of receiving current heading information and relating said threshold range value to said heading information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said method further includes the steps of receiving a threshold bearing value and relating said threshold range and said threshold bearing values to said current location and heading information and selectively retaining said incident report if said point of interest is within said threshold range and bearing values.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said method is employed by a traffic management system.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said traffic management system is part of a satellite radio system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said current location and heading information comprises information received from a global positioning system.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of receiving current location and heading information and said step of receiving threshold range and bearing values threshold comprises receiving said information and values from a controlling program.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein said traffic incident information contains information from one or more traffic incidents across a broad geographical region.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said broad geographical region comprises the continental United States.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein said traffic incident information comprises a part of a traffic management channel.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising initially selecting said threshold range and bearing values.

13. A method of managing traffic information, comprising:

establishing threshold range and bearing values;

receiving current location and heading values;

establishing a zone of interest based on said threshold range and bearing values and said current location and heading values;

receiving traffic information having a plurality of incident reports each incident report having a corresponding point of interest;

retaining said incident reports if said corresponding point of interest is within said zone of interest; and

discarding said incident reports if said corresponding point of interest is outside said zone of interest.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing said threshold range and bearing values comprises receiving input from a user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein establishing said threshold range and bearing values comprises establishing said range and bearing values as preset values in a processor.

16. A traffic management system, comprising:

a traffic incident filter configured to receive traffic incident information including incident reports from across a broad geographical region; and

a processor or controlling program in communication with said traffic incident filter wherein said traffic incident filter is configured to determine whether said incident reports are geographically relevant incident reports.

17. The system of claim 16, and wherein said traffic incident filter is configured to provide instructions to said processor or controlling program to retain said incident reports if said incident reports are geographically relevant incident reports.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said incident reports correspond to traffic incidents located at points of interest, said processor or controlling program is configured to pass threshold range and bearing values to said traffic incident filter, and further comprising a global positioning module configured to provide current location and heading values for use by said traffic incident filter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said traffic incident filter is configured to use said current location and heading information and said threshold range and bearing values to determine whether each of said incident reports comprises geographically relevant incident reports.

20. The system of claim 16, and wherein said processor further comprises a retained memory portion configured to store said geographically relevant incident reports.

21. The system of claim 16, and further comprising a database coupled to said processor, wherein said database includes lists of weather and traffic situations, advice, and duration stored thereon.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said database further includes lists of locations, including intersections, road numbers, and place names stored thereon.

23. A satellite radio system, comprising:

a traffic management system having a traffic incident filter configured to receive traffic incident information including incident reports from across a broad geographical region, and a processor or controlling program in communication with said traffic incident filter wherein said traffic incident filter configured to determine whether said incident reports are geographically relevant incident reports; and

a satellite radio receiver.

24. The system of claim 23, and further comprising navigation system for displaying the output of said traffic management system.