System for providing traffic information

• US 20080045197A1
• Filed: 08/08/2007
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bruce W. Dekock, Kevin Russell, Richard J. Qian
• Original Assignee: Bruce W. Dekock, Kevin Russell, Richard J. Qian
• Inventors: Qian, Richard, Russell, Kevin, DeKock, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US11/891,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045197A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/02 using treadles built into the road pads or other sensitive devices responsive to passage of vehicles E01F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer

Abstract

A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of mobile users connected to a network. The system comprises a plurality of traffic monitors, each comprising at least a traffic detector and a transmitter, the traffic detector generating a signal in response to vehicular traffic and the transmitter transmitting the signal. A receiver receives the signals from the traffic monitors. A computer system is connected to the receiver and is further connected to the network. The computer system in response to a request signal received from one of the users transmits in response thereto information representative of the signals transmitted by the traffic monitoring units. Alternative systems for gathering traffic information are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of user devices connected to a network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of mobile user devices, each mobile user device including a display and a communicating device to allow each of said mobile user devices to send and receive signals;

(b) a computer system interconnected with said mobile user devices so as to be capable of sending and receiving signals to and from said mobile user devices;

(c) said computer system, in response to a request for information from a requesting one of said mobile user devices, providing information for presentation on said display of said requesting one of said mobile user devices, said information representing traffic conditions on a map by a plurality of symbols such that the number of said symbols is independent of the number of said mobile user devices;

(d) said computer system including a screening device to screen data provided by said mobile user stations to determine if said information represents actual traffic conditions.

2. A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of user devices connected to a network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of mobile user devices, each mobile user device including a display and a communicating device to allow each of said mobile user devices to send and receive signals;

(b) a computer system interconnected with said mobile user devices so as to be capable of sending and receiving signals to and from said mobile user devices;

(c) said computer system, in response to a request for information from a requesting one of said mobile user devices, providing information for presentation on said display of said requesting one of said mobile user devices, said information representing traffic conditions on a map by a plurality of coded symbols, each type of coded symbol representing a different traffic condition, wherein said coded symbol associated with a particular road portion on said map can change independently of the number of said mobile user devices positioned on said particular road portion;

(d) said computer system including a screening device to screen data provided by said mobile user stations to determine if said information represents actual traffic conditions.