System and method for travel route planning

• US 8,595,341 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McCarthy, Mary, Haeuser, Anthony A., Strasters, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): JACOBS, LASHONDA T
• Application Number:
  US12/164,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/231, 709/223, 709/224, 725/62, 725/91, 725/93, 725/100, 725/109, 725/131, 701117-119
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system comprises a server operable to deliver an Internet Protocol Television stream to a display device at a customer premises, and operable to associate a first traffic camera with a route profile. The server is also operable to receive a request to retrieve the route profile, receive a first image from the first traffic camera, and send the first image to the display device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server operable to deliver at least two internet protocol television channels to a set-top box at a customer premises, wherein one of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a traffic channel for transmitting traffic images to the set-top box, wherein another of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a video-on-demand channel for transmitting non-live television content to the set-top box, and wherein the server is operable at least to;

associate a first traffic camera with a route profile;

receive a request to retrieve the route profile;

receive a first image from the first traffic camera;

associate a second traffic camera with the route profile;

receive a second image from the second traffic camera;

combine the first image and the second image into a third image, wherein the third image is a mosaic of traffic images that includes the first image and the second image and wherein each portion of the mosaic is selectable for display in a separate window generated by the set top box; and

send the third image on the traffic channel to the set-top box.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is further operable to:

create the route profile from points entered on a map displayed on a display connected to the set-top box; and

select the first traffic camera from among a plurality of cameras that are on a route including the points.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the server is further operable to:

create a route from a starting point and a destination.

4. A method comprising:

associating, at a server operable to deliver at least two internet protocol television channels to a set-top box at a customer premises, a first and a second traffic camera with a route profile, wherein one of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a traffic channel for transmitting traffic images to the set-top box, and wherein another of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a video-on-demand channel for transmitting non-live television content to the set-top box;

receiving a request from the set-top box to retrieve the route profile;

receiving a first image from the first traffic camera;

receiving a second image from the second traffic camera;

combining the first image and the second image into a third image, wherein the third image is a mosaic of traffic images that includes the first image and the second image and wherein each portion of the mosaic is selectable for display in a separate window generated by the set top box; and

sending the third image on the traffic channel to the set-top box.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

associating the route profile with points entered on a map displayed on the set top box; and

selecting the first traffic camera from among a plurality of cameras that are on a route including the points.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

creating a route from a starting point and a destination.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the set top box is adapted for output to a television at a customer premises.

8. A machine-executable code for a computer system, wherein the machine-executable code is embedded within a tangible non-transitory medium and includes instructions for carrying out a method comprising:

associating, at a server operable to deliver at least two internet protocol television channels to a set-top box at a customer premises, a first and a second traffic camera with a route profile, wherein one of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a traffic channel for transmitting traffic images to the set-top box, and wherein another of the internet protocol television channels corresponds to a video-on-demand channel for transmitting non-live television content to the set-top box;

receiving a request from the set-top box to retrieve the route profile;

receiving a first image from the first traffic camera;

receiving a second image from the second traffic camera;

combining the first image and the second image into a third image wherein the third image is a mosaic of traffic images that includes the first image and the second images, and wherein each portion of the mosaic is selectable for display in a separate window generated by the set top box; and

sending the third image on the traffic channel to the set-top box.

9. The machine executable code of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

associating the route profile with points entered on a map displayed on a display connected to the set-top box; and

selecting the first traffic camera from among a plurality of cameras that are on a route including the points.

10. The machine executable code of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

creating a route from a starting point and a destination.

11. A set-top box comprising:

a memory; and

a processor operable to receive on a traffic channel an internet protocol stream from a server for display on a television, and operable to send a first image to the television at a customer premises, wherein the server;

associates a first traffic camera and a second traffic camera with a route profile;

receives a request to retrieve the route profile; and

receives the first image from the first traffic camera;

receives a second image from the second traffic camera;

combines the first image and the second image into a third image wherein the third image is a mosaic of traffic images that includes the first image and the second image, and wherein each portion of the mosaic is selectable for display in a separate window generated by the set top box; and

sends the third image to the set top box,

wherein the set-top box is operable to receive non-live television content on a channel other than the traffic channel.

12. The set-top box of claim 11 wherein the server further creates the route profile from points entered on a map displayed on the television;

and selects the first traffic camera from among a plurality of cameras that are on a route including the points.

13. The set-top box of claim 11 wherein the server further creates a route from a starting point and a destination.