Distribution of traffic and transit information

• US 6,845,316 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mytrafficnews.Com, Inc.
• Inventors: Yates, Scott C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/271,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/118, 701/119, 701/200, 701/207, 701/214, 340/905, 340/988, 340/910, 340/934, 340/907, 340/995.13, 455/412.1, 455/456.5, 455/413
• US Class Current: 701/117
• 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 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

An electronic distribution apparatus for distributing traffic and transit information is provided. The central feature of the system is an application that allows both automated and direct input of information related to traffic and transit into at least one structured database and distribution of information specific to an individual from that database via electronic distribution. Specifically, a user can indicate a personal preference for customized information about a particular section of town and a particular transit route, and a time for daily delivery and an electronic device for reception of the customized traffic and transit information. Transit information can refer to information about buses and/or trains, including on-time performance gathered from systems that utilize global positioning satellite systems to track the movements of transit vehicles. Electronic distribution can refer to text and numeric information delivered, for example, by electronic mail, digital pagers, cellular-enabled personal computers, text-capable cell phones and text-to-voice applications. Automated input of traffic and transit data includes speed sensor loops, global positioning satellite systems of transit vehicles, and automated cellular phone location information. A processor is programmed to prepare or process traffic-related data that is stored for later access and dissemination of requested traffic information to the requesting individual using an apparatus and at a time selected by the individual.

Claims

1. A method for providing traffic information, comprising:

receiving user information from which customized traffic information related to a first geographic area of a first metro area can be provided;

obtaining traffic-related data that includes first traffic-related data and second traffic-related data using a plurality of sources, said obtaining including providing automatically said first traffic-related data to a control system having at least one processor and involving manually at least a first human operator with said second traffic-related data, said second traffic-related data being input using an input device by at least the first human operator that has authorized access to said control system, and at least the first human operator making a determination that said second traffic-related data is to be associated with at least a first category related to one or more geographic areas including said first geographic area and, after said determination, at least the first human operator is involved with associating said second traffic-related data with at least said first category;

processing using said at least one processor said traffic-related data to provide processed traffic information for storage;

storing said processed traffic information using data storage;

selecting firstly at least a first subset of said processed traffic information; and

sending traffic information related to said first subset of said processed traffic information to at least a first user, said traffic information sent to at least the first user relates to said first geographic area and not to a second geographic area of said first metro area that is different from said first geographic area.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving includes receiving said user information from a plurality of users including the first user.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said user information includes destination information related to where said traffic information is to be sent during said sending.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said user information includes information related to said first geographic area of said first metro area and is used in controlling said traffic information to be sent during said sending to the first user.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said traffic-related data includes at least one of;

geographic information related to traffic in said first geographic area, highway information related to traffic along a first traffic route and first transit information related to use of publicly available transportation.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said user information includes user information related to traffic in said first geographic area and said selecting includes using said user information related to traffic in said first geographic area to select said first subset of said processed traffic information.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said processing includes automatically correlating using said at least one processor said first traffic-related data with at least said first category.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said processing includes correlating automatically using said at least said one processor said second traffic-related data with at least said first category.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said selecting of said first subset depends on at least some of said user information including at least one of;

when said traffic information is to be sent using said sending, at least said first geographic area and where said first subset is to be sent during said sending.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said obtaining step includes using at least some of the following;

a public transportation source, a TV station, a radio station, a police scanner, an individual traffic watcher, a global positioning system and a speed sensor loop.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving is conducted using at least a first user apparatus and said sending is conducted using said first user apparatus or a receiver apparatus different from said first user apparatus.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

selecting secondly a second subset of said processed traffic information from said data storage based on at least one of said second geographic area, transit information and a predetermined time.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further including:

selecting by the first user transit information associated with at least a first public transportation vehicle and in which said traffic information sent to the first user includes traffic information related to said route information.

14. An apparatus for providing traffic information, comprising:

a plurality of user apparatuses including at least a first user apparatus and a second user apparatus, said first user apparatus providing first user information based on which customized traffic information for a first geographic area of a first metro area can be provided to a first user and said second user apparatus providing second user information based on which second customized traffic information for a second geographic area of the first metro area can be provided to a second user; and

a control system being able to communicate with each of said plurality of user apparatuses and including at least one processor and data storage, said at least one processor receives at least said first user information, said second user information and traffic-related data, said at least one processor processes said traffic-related data to provide processed traffic information and said data storage stores said processed traffic information received from said at least one processor, said data storage also stores public transportation information including route information for at least a first public transportation vehicle, said at least one processor retrieves from said data storage at least a first subset of said processed traffic information for sending to at least said first user apparatus and a second subset of said processed traffic information for sending to at least said second user apparatus, said first subset including information related to said first geographic area and not said second geographic area and said second subset including information related to said second geographic area and not said first geographic area and at least said first subset including traffic information related to an event that can affect traffic, wherein said first user apparatus is used in selecting said public transportation information and said at least one processor provides traffic information to said first user apparatus related to said route information for the first public transportation vehicle.

15. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said control system includes an input apparatus for use in inputting said traffic-related data for use by said at least one processor and said input apparatus including at least one of a keyboard, a mouse and a microphone.

16. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said first user information includes information related to information requested by the first user, destination information for said first subset of said processed traffic information and at least a first predetermined time related to sending said first subset of said processed traffic information to the first user.

17. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said at least one processor includes software that at a first predetermined time, accesses said data storage to obtain at least some of said first user information and said first subset of said processed traffic information and in which said control system sends said first subset of said processed traffic information to the first user using a first receiver apparatus.

18. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

said first receiver apparatus is different from said first user apparatus.

19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said first user information from said first user apparatus is received automatically by said control system and at least some of said traffic-related data is received from a plurality of sources by at least one operator.

20. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said first subset of said processed traffic information is received using at least one of the following;

electronic mail, digital pager, personal computer, voice mail, portable phone and text-to-voice technology.

21. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

at least some of said traffic-related data is provided automatically using at least one of a speed sensor loop, a global positioning satellite system and cellular phone location technology.

22. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said route information includes stop information associated with the first public transportation vehicle.

23. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

at least some of said traffic-related data is input for use by said at least one processor by a human operator having authorized access to said control system.

24. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said control system includes an input device and a software implemented web interface that is used by the human operator to enter said at least some traffic-related data.