System for managing traffic patterns using cellular telephones

• US 7,197,320 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Joseph
• Original Assignee: Joseph Joseph
• Inventors: Joseph, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong; Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/613,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/456.2, 455/456.6, 455/456.3, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/404.2, 701/117, 701/200
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and a method configured for managing traffic. The traffic management system includes cellular telephones and a plurality of base stations. The cellular telephones define volume on a roadway and the traffic management system provides directions, traffic advisories, and traffic redirecting when traffic jams are detected along the navigation pathway using the cellular telephone system. Directions are communicated to the cellular telephone user by aural, tactile, and visual signals. The system can simply be a cellular telephone system or include additional peripheral devices such as a computer, headphone, visual display, and sound system. The user is able to redefine the desired destination or navigation pathway while en route by knowing traffic volume from cell phone use. A processing system is coupled to at least one of the base stations and provides service support including the tracking of historical data and developing the navigation pathway for the user. The method includes providing a traffic management system having a plurality of base stations connected to at least one processing station and a plurality of cellular telephone users, the traffic management system being suitable for identifying traffic congestion based on monitoring cellular telephone traffic. The processing station defines a navigation pathway and provides ongoing directional instructions regarding the pathway and any ensuing congestion.

Claims

1. A system for providing traffic information for planning a trip comprising:

cellular telephones;

a base station, the base station having a zone of communication, whereby the base station creates tracking information pertaining to the amount of cellular telephones located in the zone of communication regardless of the cellular telephone status;

transmitting means for transmitting a signal to cause cellular telephones that are in an off position to respond;

a processing station configured for receiving cellular telephone emissions, the processing station being in communication with the base station, the processing station being configured for receiving data input and tracking information from cellular telephones to the base stations, the processing station determining traffic speed by analyzing the tracking information; and

notification means for sending a navigation pathway package to at least one cellular telephone, the navigation pathway package including information about an upcoming traffic jam, alternate route information, maps, supporting data for visual displays, amount of time to a turn off, amount of time to a given pathway, distance to a turn-off, distance to a given pathway, directional information, information about surrounding landmarks and combinations thereof.

2. The system providing for traffic information of claim 1, wherein the data input is sent to the base station by the cellular telephones and defines the amount of cell phones located in vehicles on a roadway.

3. The system for providing traffic information of claim 2, wherein defining the navigation pathway includes defining a date and a time of departure from a geographic location.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the data input includes route information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone users are positioned in a vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processing station defines a navigation pathway package suitable for transfer to a computer system positioned in the vehicle suitable for at least storing and displaying map and navigation information, the computer system in the vehicle being integrated with the at lease one cellular telephone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one cellular telephone user is not in a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the locating of the at least one cellular telephone is determined using the navigation pathway defined by the at least one cellular telephone user, the emissions of the at least one cellular telephone, and one base station.

9. A management system using cellular telephones comprising:

a traffic management system including

cellular telephone defining data input;

a plurality of base stations, each base station having a zone of communication, each base station creating tracking information pertaining to the amount of cellular telephones located in the zone of communication regardless of the cellular telephone status, the base stations being connected with at least one processing station and at least one cellular telephone user, the processing station being configured for receiving the tracking information and the data input from the cellular telephone user, and the processing defining a navigation pathway for the cellular telephone user at least partially based on the data input from the cellular telephone user and traffic speed information determined by the processing station through the use of the tracking information;

transmitting means for transmitting a signal to cause cellular telephones that are in an off position to respond; and

notification means for sending a navigation pathway package to at least one cellular telephone, the navigation pathway package including information about an upcoming traffic jam, alternate route information, maps, supporting data for visual displays, amount of time to a specific turn off, amount of time to a given pathway, distance to a specific turn-off, distance to a given pathway, directional information, surrounding landmarks and combinations thereof.

10. The system claim 9, wherein the data input is sent to one of the plurality of base stations by the least one cellular telephone user and defines at least a geographic location of a point of destination, a time of arrival, and a date of arrival.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein defining the navigation pathway includes defining a date and a time of departure from a geographic location.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data input includes route information.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the cellular telephone user is positioned in a vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing station defines a navigation pathway package suitable for transfer to a computer system positioned in the vehicle configured for at least storing and displaying navigation package information including maps, the computer system being integrated with the cellular telephone.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the traffic management system provides corrective directions when a turn along the navigation pathway was missed by the at least one cellular telephone user.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the locating of the cellular telephone is determined using the navigation pathway defined by the at least on cellular telephone user, the emissions of the at least one cellular telephone, and one base station.

17. A method using cellular telephones for managing traffic comprising:

providing a traffic management system including

a plurality of base stations connected to at least one processing station, each base station having a zone of communication, each base station creating tracking information pertaining to the amount of cellular telephones located in the zone of communication regardless of cellular telephone status, whereby the processing station determines traffic volume by analyzing the tracking information,

transmitting means for transmitting a signal to cause cellular telephones that are in an off position to respond,

a plurality of cellular telephone users, the traffic management system being suitable for identifying traffic congestion and traffic speed based on monitoring cellular telephone traffic;

sending data input from the cellular telephone users to the at least one processing station;

developing navigation pathways in the processing station based at least partially on the data input from the cellular telephone users;

inputting data from the cellular telephone users along the navigation pathway to the base stations, the information being suitable for the at least one processing station to track the position of the cellular telephone user on the navigation pathway using a single base; and

providing data output from the at least one processing station to the cellular telephone users including providing notice of ensuing key navigation points along the navigation pathway to the cellular telephone users along the navigation pathway station and redirecting the cellular telephone user on the navigation pathway in relation to the traffic congestion detected by the plurality of base stations; and

notification means for sending a navigation pathway package to at least one cellular telephone, the navigation pathway package including information about an upcoming traffic jam, alternate route information, maps, supporting data for visual displays, amount of time to a turn off, amount of time to a given pathway, distance to a turn-off, distance to a given pathway, directional information, information about surrounding landmarks and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing data from the at least one processing station includes providing navigation pathway information recorded on a medium suitable for use in a vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing data from the at least one processing station includes providing navigation pathway information including Global Positioning System information to the cellular telephone user, the navigation pathway information including maps in a form suitable for use on video display in a vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of providing includes a satellite system configured for communicating between the cellular telephone and the at least one of processing station.