Programmable route specific dynamic traffic warning system

• US 20080091346A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Zerod, Richard D., Hijaouy, Nazih K., Burnham, Robert J., Cheney, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• 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 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A system and method for providing a user with traffic information. The system generally includes a processor, traffic and location antennas in communication with the processor, a traffic location table database in communication with the processor, and a memory unit in communication with the processor and having processor executable instructions. The method includes the steps of saving a set of locations, determining at least one area of interest, receiving the traffic message and outputting the traffic message to an output device if the traffic location is located within the at least one area of interest

Claims

1. A system for providing a user with traffic information, the system comprising:

a processor;

a traffic antenna in communication with the processor, the traffic antenna configured to transmit a traffic message to the processor, the traffic message having a traffic location and a traffic incident;

a location antenna in communication with the processor, the location antenna configured to transmit location data to the processor, the location data being latitudinal and longitudinal location data;

an output device in communication with the processor;

a traffic location table database in communication with the processor, the traffic location table database having latitudinal and longitudinal location codes and a description of the corresponding to the traffic location;

an event code database in communication with the processor, the event code database having a description of the traffic event corresponding to the traffic event code;

a memory unit in communication with the processor and having processor executable instructions for configuring the processor to determine at least one area of interest, at least one area of interest comprising a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, to receive the traffic message, to convert the traffic location code of the traffic message to a latitudinal and longitudinal traffic location, and to output the traffic message to an output device if the traffic location is located within the at least one area of interest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the output device is an audio output device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the traffic antenna is a global positioning antenna,

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory unit includes processor executable instructions for configuring the processor to receive set of location readings taken at periodic intervals from the location antenna, to determine a travel direction by comparing the latitudinal and longitudinal changes among the set of readings and to define the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel direction.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory unit includes processor executable instructions for configuring the processor to receive a plurality of locations from the location antenna, to determine a travel route by storing and comparing the plurality of locations selected by a user, and to define the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel route.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory unit includes processor executable instructions for configuring the processor to determine if the traffic message has been previously outputted to the output device, and to output the traffic message to the output device if the traffic event has not been previously outputted to the output device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the memory unit includes processor executable instructions for configuring the processor to output a previously outputted traffic message to the output device as determined by a user.

8. A method for providing a user with traffic information, the method comprising:

determining at least one area of interest, the area of interest including a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates;

receiving a traffic message, the traffic message having a traffic location and a traffic incident;

converting the traffic location of the traffic message to a latitudinal and longitudinal traffic location; and

outputting the traffic message to an output device if the latitudinal and longitudinal traffic location is located within the at least one area of interest.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

converting the traffic message to an audio traffic event; and

outputting the audio traffic message to the output device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining at least one area of interest further comprises the steps of:

receiving a set of location readings taken at periodic intervals;

determining a travel direction by comparing the latitudinal and longitudinal changes among the set of readings first; and

defining the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel direction.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of determining at least one area of interest further comprises the steps of:

receiving a plurality of locations of the user;

determining a travel route by comparing the plurality of locations of the user; and

defining the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel route.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the traffic message has been previously outputted to the output device; and

outputting the traffic message to the output device if the traffic event has not been previously outputted to the output device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of outputting the traffic message to the output device as determined by a user.

14. In a computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for enabling operation of a system for providing a user with traffic information, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

determining at least one area of interest, the area of interest being a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates;

receiving a traffic message, the traffic message having a traffic location and a traffic incident;

converting the traffic location of the traffic message to a latitudinal and longitudinal traffic location; and

outputting the traffic message to an output device if the latitudinal and longitudinal traffic location is located within the at least one area of interest.

15. The instructions of claim 14, further comprising instructions for:

converting the traffic message to an audio traffic event; and

outputting the audio traffic message to the output device.

16. The instructions of claim 14, wherein the instruction for determining at least one area of interest further comprises instructions for:

receiving a set of location readings taken at periodic intervals;

determining a travel direction by comparing the latitudinal and longitudinal changes among the set of readings; and

defining the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel direction.

17. The instructions of claim 14, wherein the instruction for determining at least one area of interest further comprises instructions for:

receiving a plurality of locations of the user;

determining a travel route by comparing the plurality of locations of the user; and

defining the at least one area of interest as a plurality of latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates surrounding the travel route.

18. The instructions of claim 14, further comprising instructions for:

determining if the traffic message has been previously outputted to the output device; and

outputting the traffic message to the output device as determined by the user.

19. The instructions of claim 18, further comprising instructions for outputting the traffic message to the output device if the traffic event has not been outputted to the output device for a specified time.