Methods and systems for traffic event priority and reporting

• US 7,605,720 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weather Group Television, LLC (CF Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The Weather Channel Incorporated (CF Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: McClellan, Chris, Martin, Robert L., Wurst, Catherine A., Pratt, Thomas A., Menzies, John I. Jr., Grant, Bradley Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/416,730
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.13, 340/286, 348/149, 348/61
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• 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: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Systems and methods for selecting, sequencing, and presenting traffic events to viewers. This may involve using a prioritizing scheme that estimates the proximity or relevance of the event to the viewers by associating the event with a geographic zone and the viewer with a localized service area served by a particular distribution points of the television content distribution system. In some cases, for each localized service area, zones are given priority values that are used when prioritizing the relevance of traffic events associated with those zones. For viewers in a given localized service area, a first zone may have a higher priority than a second zone, such that in prioritizing traffic events, events associated with the first zone are given a higher priority than events occurring in the second zone. Different zone priority schemes may be associated with a given localized service area at different times of day, week, or year. For example, a zone near the airport may have a higher priority during weekend time periods than during the week.

Claims

1. A method of prioritizing traffic events associated with a geographic area for displaying to viewers through a television content distribution system of distribution points and associated service areas, comprising:

determining priority schemes for a plurality of viewers, wherein a first priority scheme indicates relative importance of a plurality of traffic event zones for a first viewer associated with a first localized service area, and a second priority scheme indicates relative importance of the plurality of traffic event zones for a second viewer associated with a second localized service area, wherein the first priority scheme differs from the second priority scheme;

associating a first and a second traffic event with selected traffic event zones, wherein the first traffic event is associated with a first traffic event zone and the second traffic event is associated with a second traffic event zone different from the first traffic event zone;

prioritizing the first and second traffic events for the first localized service area using the first priority scheme, wherein the first traffic event has a greater priority than the second traffic event; and

prioritizing the first and second traffic events for the second localized service area using the second priority scheme, wherein the first traffic event has a lesser priority than the second traffic event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first priority scheme further indicates the relative importance of a plurality of traffic event types for a first viewer associated with a first localized service area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first priority scheme further indicates the relative importance of a plurality of traffic event types for a first viewer associated with a first localized service area, and further comprising:

associating a third traffic event with the first traffic event zone;

associating the first and third traffic events with traffic event types, wherein the first traffic event is associated with a first traffic event type and the third traffic event is associated with a third traffic event type different from the first traffic event type; and

prioritizing the first, second, and third traffic events for the first localized service area using the first priority scheme, wherein the first traffic event priority is greater than the third traffic event priority and the third traffic event priority is greater than the second traffic event priority.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the traffic event zones geographically overlap a second of the event zones.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic area is a metro area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution point is a cable head end.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first viewer associated with the first localized service area receives television content from a distribution point providing said television content to all other viewers in the localized service area receiving television content from the distribution point.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first traffic event and second traffic event occur within a specified time period.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting location information related to the first traffic event to provide to the first viewer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information related to the first traffic event further comprises a graphical indication of the first traffic event location.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting information about the first traffic event and information about the second traffic event to provide to the first viewer based on a determination that the first traffic event has a greater priority than the second traffic event.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining to provide information about the first traffic event and no information about the second traffic event to the first viewer based on a determination that the first traffic event has a greater priority than the second traffic event.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting information about the first traffic event to provide before information about the second traffic event to the first viewer based on a determination that the first traffic event has a greater priority than the second traffic event.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving information about a third traffic event associated with a third traffic event zone.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising prioritizing the first, second, and third traffic events for the first localized service area using the first priority scheme, wherein the first traffic event has a greater priority than the second traffic event and the third event is determined not relevant.

16. A method of selecting sequences of traffic events associated with a geographic area for displaying to viewers through a television content distribution system of distribution points and associated service areas, comprising:

identifying a plurality of traffic events, wherein each event is associated with a type, a severity, and an event zone of the geographic area;

determining a first priority sequence of the events using the type, severity, and event zone associated with each event, wherein the first priority sequence is determined for a first localized service area associated with a first distribution point of the television network; and

determining a second priority sequence of the events using the type, severity, and event zone associated with each event, wherein the second priority sequence is determined for a second localized service area associated with a second distribution point of the television network;

wherein the first priority sequence differs from the second priority sequence.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein events associated with a first traffic event zone are prioritized above events associated with a second traffic event zone, for events associated with a same event zone, events of a first type are prioritized above events of a second type, and for events of a same type, events of a first severity are prioritized above events of a second severity.