Traffic information adaptive to a user's travel

• US 7,848,880 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cheung, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kim T
• Application Number:
  US11/680,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-213, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 340/994
• US Class Current: 701/201
• 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 1/096811 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: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for providing a traffic information service user with traffic information adaptive to the user'"'"'s travel are described. The user'"'"'s origin information, such as departure location and departure time, are identified. Upon identifying the user'"'"'s origin information, the user'"'"'s expected arrival times at a plurality of distance segment ends are determined. Traffic information adaptive to the user'"'"'s travel are output. The traffic information may pertain to travel time, traffic flow, traffic events. The user may receive traffic information via a plurality of communication devices, such as a personal computer, a portable navigation system, a phone, or the like.

Claims

1. A computerized traffic information system adaptive to calculate an estimated travel completion time for at least a distance segment and a next distance segment, the system comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processing unit executes;

a first identifying component configured to identify a distance segment;

a second identifying component configured to identify a start time for beginning the distance segment;

a first determining component configured to determine an estimated end time for completing the distance segment, wherein estimating the end time for completing the distance segment comprises utilizing traffic information existing at the start time for beginning the distance segment, the traffic information existing at the start time for beginning the distance segment comprising a first rate of speed a first set of one or more commuters are expected to travel on the distance segment at the start time for beginning the distance segment in accordance with weather conditions and traffic incidents at the start time for beginning the distance segment;

a third identifying component configured to identify a next distance segment, the next distance segment beginning at the end of the distance segment and having a start time for beginning the next distance segment equal to the estimated end time for completing the distance segment; and

a second determining component configured to determine an estimated end time for completing the next distance segment, wherein estimating the end time for completing the next distance segment comprises utilizing traffic information existing at the start time for beginning the next distance segment, the traffic information existing at the start time for beginning the next distance segment comprising a second rate of speed a second set of one or more commuters are expected to travel on the distance segment at the start time for beginning the distance segment in accordance with weather conditions and traffic incidents at the start time for beginning the next distance segment.

2. The traffic information system of claim 1 further comprising accessing a database of traffic information to retrieve traffic information existing at the start time for beginning the distance segment.

3. The traffic information system of claim 1, wherein the traffic information comprises traffic flow, traffic events, travel times, travel distances, or a combination thereof.

4. The traffic information system of claim 1, wherein the distance segment and the next distance segment comprise a predetermined distance, a predetermined road, a predetermined road segment, or a combination thereof.

5. The traffic information system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined distance comprises a predetermined road distance or a predetermined radial distance.

6. The traffic information system of claim 1, wherein the traffic information is based on a geographic reference system, at least one expected traffic condition, a routing engine, or a combination thereof.

7. The traffic information system of claim 1, further comprising a fourth identifying component configured to identify a departure location for beginning the distance segment.

8. The traffic information system of claim 1, wherein the departure time for beginning the distance segment is input or selected by a traffic information service user or a traffic information service provider.

9. The traffic information system of claim 1, wherein estimated time of travel completion is calculated for all distance segments on a route.

10. The traffic information system of claim 1, further comprising an outputting component configured to output traffic information to a traffic information service user.

11. One or more computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for calculating the estimated time of travel completion for first and second distance segments, the method comprising:

identifying a first distance segment;

identifying a departure time for beginning the first distance segment;

determining an estimated ending time for completing the first distance segment, wherein estimating the ending time for completing the first distance segment comprises utilizing traffic information existing at the departure time for beginning the first distance segment pertaining to the first distance segment;

identifying a second distance segment, the second distance segment starting at the end of the first distance segment and having a departure time for beginning the second distance segment equal to the estimated ending time for completing the first distance segment; and

determining an estimated ending time for completing the second distance segment, wherein estimating the ending time for completing the second distance segment comprises utilizing traffic information existing at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment pertaining to the second distance segment, the traffic information existing at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment comprising a rate of speed a set of one or more commuters are expected to travel on the second distance segment at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment in accordance with a weather condition or a traffic incident at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising accessing a database of traffic information to retrieve traffic information existing at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment pertaining to the first distance segment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the traffic information comprises traffic flow, traffic events, travel time, travel distances, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first distance segment and second distance segment comprise a predetermined distance, a predetermined road, a predetermined road segment, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined distance comprises a predetermined road distance or a predetermined radial distance.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the traffic information is based on a geographic reference system, at least one expected traffic condition, a routing engine, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising identifying a departure location for beginning the first distance segment.

18. One or more computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for calculating the estimated time of travel completion for a set of distance segments, comprising:

identifying a first distance segment;

identifying a departure time for beginning the first distance segment;

determining an estimated ending time for completing the first distance segment, wherein estimating the ending time for completing the first distance segment comprises accessing a database having traffic information pertaining to the departure time for beginning the first distance segment and pertaining to the first distance segment traffic;

identifying a second distance segment, the second distance segment starting at the end of the first distance segment and having a departure time for beginning the second distance segment equal to the estimated ending time for completing the first distance segment;

identifying a third distance segment, the third distance segment starting at the end of the first distance segment and having a departure time for beginning the third distance segment equal to the estimated ending time for completing the first distance segment; and

determining an estimated ending time for completing the second distance segment and the third distance segment, wherein estimating the ending time for completing the second distance segment and the third distance segment comprises accessing a database having traffic information existing at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment and the third distance segment and pertaining to a rate of speed expected to be traveled by one or more commuters on the second distance segment and the third distance segment in accordance with a weather condition or a traffic incident at the departure time for beginning the second distance segment and the third distance segment.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18 further comprising identifying a departure location for beginning the distance segment.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the estimated time of travel completion is calculated for all distance segments on a route.