Traffic alert system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a network server configured to communicate with a plurality of mobile devices, each mobile device being associated with a vehicle, the network server configured to receive Global Positioning System (GPS) parameters from the mobile devices and traffic alert requests from a plurality of subscriber devices, wherein the traffic alert request for each of the subscriber devices comprises a selection of at least one zone and a selection of at least one time period,wherein the network server is further configured to use the GPS parameters to detect traffic congestion in a zone independently of the traffic alert requests and to determine an amount of time the zone has been designated as congested, wherein calculations performed by the network server on the GPS parameters received from each of the plurality of mobile devices to detect traffic congestion vary according to processing capabilities of the each mobile device that transmitted the GPS parameters, andwherein the network server is further configured to, after detecting traffic congestion in the zone, identify based on the traffic alert requests a first subscriber device that has requested traffic alerts for the zone at a current time and transmit a traffic alert to the first subscriber device,wherein a rate at which the network server receives the GPS parameters from at least one of the mobile devices and a rate at which the at least one mobile device detects traffic conditions vary according to a power level of the at least one mobile device and a location of the at least one mobile device with respect to a zone.
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Abstract
A system is provided that includes a network server and a plurality of mobile devices that communicate with the network server. Each mobile device is associated with a vehicle and is configured to provide Global Positioning System (GPS) parameters to the network server. The network server uses the GPS parameters to detect traffic congestion in a zone.
24 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a network server configured to communicate with a plurality of mobile devices, each mobile device being associated with a vehicle, the network server configured to receive Global Positioning System (GPS) parameters from the mobile devices and traffic alert requests from a plurality of subscriber devices, wherein the traffic alert request for each of the subscriber devices comprises a selection of at least one zone and a selection of at least one time period, wherein the network server is further configured to use the GPS parameters to detect traffic congestion in a zone independently of the traffic alert requests and to determine an amount of time the zone has been designated as congested, wherein calculations performed by the network server on the GPS parameters received from each of the plurality of mobile devices to detect traffic congestion vary according to processing capabilities of the each mobile device that transmitted the GPS parameters, and wherein the network server is further configured to, after detecting traffic congestion in the zone, identify based on the traffic alert requests a first subscriber device that has requested traffic alerts for the zone at a current time and transmit a traffic alert to the first subscriber device, wherein a rate at which the network server receives the GPS parameters from at least one of the mobile devices and a rate at which the at least one mobile device detects traffic conditions vary according to a power level of the at least one mobile device and a location of the at least one mobile device with respect to a zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A mobile device, comprising:
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a processor; a Global Position System (GPS) unit coupled to the processor, wherein the GPS unit is configured to determine GPS parameters; a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that cause the processor to request the GPS parameters from the GPS unit, wherein the GPS parameters are used to detect traffic congestion in a zone and to determine an amount of time the zone has been designated as congested; and a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a traffic alert request comprising a selection of at least one zone and a selection of at least one time period and, during the at least one selected time period, to receive from a network server a traffic alert generated based on GPS parameters determined by other mobile devices with regard to the at least one selected zone, wherein the GPS parameters are configured to be used by the network server to detect traffic congestion in the at least one selected zone independently of the traffic alert request and, after detecting traffic congestion in the at least one selected zone, to identify based on the traffic alert request the mobile device and to transmit the traffic alert to the mobile device, wherein calculations performed by the network server on the GPS parameters determined by the other mobile devices to detect traffic congestion vary according to processing capabilities of the other mobile devices that determined the GPS parameters, wherein a rate at which the mobile device transmits the GPS parameters to the network server and a rate at which the mobile device detects traffic conditions vary according to a power level of the mobile device and a location of the mobile device with respect to a zone. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method, comprising:
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receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) parameters from a plurality of mobile devices; receiving traffic alert requests from a plurality of subscriber devices, wherein the traffic alert request for each of the subscriber devices comprises a selection of at least one zone and a selection of at least one time period; detecting, independently of the traffic alert requests, traffic congestion in a zone based on the GPS parameters, wherein calculations performed on the GPS parameters received from each of the plurality of mobile devices to detect traffic congestion vary according to processing capabilities of the each mobile device that transmitted the GPS parameters; determining an amount of time the zone has been designated as congested; and after detecting traffic congestion in the zone, identifying based on the traffic alert requests a first subscriber device that has requested traffic alerts for the zone at a current time and transmitting a traffic alert to the first subscriber device, wherein a rate at which the GPS parameters are received from at least one of the mobile devices and a rate at which the at least one mobile device detects traffic conditions vary according to a power level of the at least one mobile device and a location of the at least one mobile device with respect to a zone. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification