Automated location-intelligent traffic notification service systems and methods

• US 7,269,505 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZAMA Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morgan, Lara F., Gao, Xiaofeng, Zhao, Wei, Oblon, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/209,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20050288046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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: G06F 16/90 Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that is configured to determine a geographic location of a subscriber and an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber.

Claims

1. An automated traffic notification system configured to electronically:

(a) associate a defined subscriber travel route with a respective subscriber based on a user activated route learn mode of a wireless device, wherein the user-activated route learn mode is activated by user input to the wireless device whereby a respective user controls when the traffic system is to learn and electronically store in memory, a travel route for that user; and

(b) automatically transmit a traffic notification message to the wireless device that is associated with the subscriber.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of wireless devices, at least one for each subscriber, the wireless devices each comprising a passive electronic user-activated subscriber route learn mode that notifies the traffic notification system to electronically track a travel path of a respective subscriber to define a subscriber travel route.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the traffic notification system is configured to electronically store the defined travel routes of respective subscribers and automatically electronically transmit traffic messages affecting traffic in the defined travel path to the wireless device.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the learn mode is activated by a subscriber via at least one of the following:

user prompts or function keys provided by the wireless device to notify the traffic system when to learn a respective travel route by obtaining geographic locations of the wireless device associated with the travel route during a transit period and electronically store the travel route data in memory for that subscriber in response to user input to activate the learn mode.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the user activates the learn mode on the wireless device while traveling a commute route from a departure location to a destination location, and wherein the user deactivates the learn mode upon reaching the destination using at least one of the prompts or function keys on the wireless device.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a location determination system in communication with the traffic notification system, the location determination system being configured to electronically determine a geographic location of a subscriber in substantially real time, and wherein the traffic notification is configured to transmit the message if the subscriber is determined to likely be affected by an adverse traffic condition based on data from the location determination system.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a wireless mobile telephone.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to substantially concurrently send traffic notifications to a plurality of user-specified devices for at least some respective subscribers.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to send short text messages as the traffic notification with a drivability status.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the system sends traffic advisory notifications substantially concurrently for a plurality of different routes for at least one subscriber to at least one of a user-specified email address or a wireless telephone number.

11. A traffic notification system comprising:

a location determination system that is configured to electronically determine a geographic location of a subscriber;

an automated notification system in communication with the location determination system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber; and

a portable wireless terminal comprising a route learn mode in communication with the notification system, wherein the route learn mode is activated in response to user input to the wireless terminal for allowing a user to control when the learn mode is activated whereby the location determination system determines and electronically remotely stores a subscriber travel route only upon request by a respective subscriber.

12. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the location determination system uses measurements from a global positioning system associated with the wireless device to determine the location of the subscriber at a plurality of different times during the learn mode.

13. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the wireless terminal is not integrated with a vehicle and is portable by the user, and wherein the learn mode is activated by a subscriber via at least one of the following:

user prompts or function keys provided by the wireless terminal.

14. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a subscriber database in communication with the automated notification system configured with subscriber specific data from a plurality of subscribers, the subscriber specific data including at least one user-activated learn mode travel path for each of a plurality of subscribers;

a traffic monitoring system in communication with the automated notification system configured to provide traffic information for routes, streets, roadways and/or travel paths in at least one geographic region,

wherein, during operation, the automated notification system receives traffic condition data for a route, street, roadway and/or travel path in the at least one geographic region from the traffic monitoring system, identifies a subscriber that may be affected by the traffic condition using the determined geographic location of the subscriber and data from the subscriber database, and then automatically transmits a traffic notification message to the identified subscriber.

15. A traffic notification system according to claim 14, wherein the traffic monitoring system includes a traffic monitoring information database that receives updates of traffic information from at least one of road sensors, traffic cameras, traffic reports, or telephone callers.

16. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the notification system comprises a web server with an internet protocol that accepts updates in traffic data corresponding to substantially real-time traffic conditions for a plurality of roadways, streets, and travel paths in at least one geographic region, and wherein the traffic notification system is configured to publish and/or provide updates in the traffic condition data to the notification web server in substantially real-time.

17. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the traffic notification system comprises a web server having computer readable storage media with computer readable program code that is configured to provide a program profile management subsystem that provides web-based management of subscriber data in the subscriber database to be able to extract a plurality of respective subscriber records including a plurality of:

subscriber identified driving routes obtained by the traffic notification system using the subscriber activated learn mode, subscriber identified destinations, subscriber communication notification preferences and/or desired traffic monitoring periods of interest, and provide the extracted subscriber data to the web server.

18. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the traffic notification system automatically transmits short text messages to particular subscribers based upon a dynamically determined geographical location of each subscriber.

19. A traffic notification system according to claim 11, wherein the location determination system is configured to automatically determine a geographic location of a subscriber in communication with the notification system, and wherein the traffic notification system is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message associated with drivability conditions based on the determined geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber.

20. A traffic notification system according to claim 19, wherein the location determination system is configured to automatically obtain a plurality of location readings while the subscriber is in transit to automatically monitor the location of the subscriber over a desired monitoring period.

21. A method for operating a wireless device that communicates with a traffic notification system that provides traffic notices, comprising:

accepting sub scriber input to a wireless device after the wireless device is turned on to selective affirmatively activate a travel route learn mode using the wireless device

storing travel data from the route learn mode in a database that is remote from the wireless device after the subscriber affirmatively activates the learn mode whereby in response to the user-controlled input to the wireless device, the wireless device notifies a remote traffic notification system to electronically store the travel data in the database;

electronically associating a travel defined by the travel data from the route learn mode with the corresponding subscriber; and

automatically transmitting a traffic notification message from a remote location to the wireless device of the subscriber when a traffic condition is electronically determined to potentially affect a driving condition of the determined travel route.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the accepting input comprises providing user prompts to activate the learn mode.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein the accepting input comprises accepting function key input to activate the learn mode.

24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising monitoring a traffic database, electronically reviewing the learn mode travel routes of respective subscribers to see if a learn mode travel route may be impacted by an adverse traffic condition, and calculating an expeditious alternative route to that of the travel route associated with the learn mode input based upon traffic information stored in the traffic database.