System And Method For Using Cellular Network Components To Derive Traffic Information

• US 20140244147A1
• Filed: 05/01/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soelberg, Emily Lyons, Berry, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,569,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A traffic reporting system and method for geographic area of interest. The system includes standard wireless telecommunication components configured to establish search criteria, determine a sample size, collect traffic information, calculate additional traffic information, and generate reports.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

determining search criteria regarding a plurality of communication devices in a geographic region;

collecting traffic information from the geographic region based on the determined search criteria;

deriving real time traffic data for the geographic region from the collected traffic information;

determining, based on the derived real time traffic data, a deviation from a predetermined traffic flow in the geographic region; and

providing an alert message comprising an indication of the deviation.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the search criteria are determined based on a total volume of traffic information available.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

determining an intended recipient of the alert massage based on the derived traffic data and a proximity of an establishment to the intended recipient.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

comparing the derived traffic data to historical traffic data to generate comparative traffic data; and

incorporating the comparative traffic data in the alert message.

5. A method comprising:

determining, by a processor, search criteria regarding a plurality of communication devices in a geographic region;

collecting traffic information from the geographic region based on the determined search criteria;

deriving, by the processor, real time traffic data for the geographic region from the collected traffic information;

determining, based on the derived real time traffic data, a deviation from a predetermined traffic flow in the geographic region; and

providing an alert message comprising an indication of the deviation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the search criteria are determined based on a total volume of traffic information available.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining an intended recipient of the alert massage based on the derived traffic data and a proximity of an establishment to the intended recipient.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the alert message further comprises an advertisement.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the alert message further comprises information pertaining to pedestrian traffic.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the search criteria are determined responsive to receiving a request for traffic information.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the search criteria are determined responsive to receiving a request for a traffic report.

12. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

comparing the derived traffic data to historical traffic data to generate comparative traffic data; and

incorporating the comparative traffic data in the alert message.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to effectuates operations comprising;

determining search criteria regarding a plurality of communication devices in a geographic region;

collecting traffic information from the geographic region based on the determined search criteria;

deriving real time traffic data for the geographic region from the collected traffic information;

determining, based on the derived real time traffic data, a deviation from a predetermined traffic flow in the geographic region; and

providing an alert message comprising an indication of the deviation.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the search criteria are determined based on a total volume of traffic information available.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the operations further comprising:

determining an intended recipient of the alert massage based on the derived traffic data and a proximity of an establishment to the intended recipient.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the alert message further comprises an advertisement.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the alert message further comprises information pertaining to pedestrian traffic.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the search criteria are determined responsive to receiving a request for traffic information.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the search criteria are determined responsive to receiving a request for a traffic report.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, the operations further comprising:

comparing the derived traffic data to historical traffic data to generate comparative traffic data; and

incorporating the comparative traffic data in the alert message.