System for transmitting, processing, receiving, and displaying traffic information

• US 8,825,356 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dimitri Vorona
• Inventors: Vorona, Dimitri
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/586,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 701117-119, 701/400, 701/409, 701/423, 701/414, 340/995.12, 340/995.13, 340/995.19, 340/934, 340/936
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A system for sharing and processing traffic information includes a number of traffic information computer systems within individual vehicles or devices and a virtual traffic information server on a mobile network. The traffic information computer systems are each connected through a peer-to-peer radio, cellular, Wi-Fi, or other similar types of communications network, and which each operate with a database for displaying road maps, with a database storing average speed data for directions of travel along roadways, and with a location sensor used to determine the location and average speed of the vehicle or device, which are transmitted to other vehicles. The virtual server returns average speed data for road segments, which is displayed on the road maps. The system includes sharing average speed data calculated as well average speed data received from the plurality of vehicles to other vehicles, thereby enhancing the real-time communication of traffic data.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium and residing in a user device, said instructions performing the steps of:

receiving, via a receiver, information regarding traffic data from a plurality of third-party users, wherein said receiver is of or associated with a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles;

storing, via a data storage database, said information regarding traffic data from said plurality of third-party users;

storing, via a traffic database, information regarding average speed data for road segments traveled by said plurality of third-party users;

displaying, via a display device, a subset of said information regarding said average speed data for road segments traveled, wherein said subset of said information is displayed on computer-generated roadmaps;

displaying, via said display screen, a first indication on a road segment, wherein said first indication is an indicator of average speed traveled by said first vehicle in any direction of travel of road;

determining, via a location determining module, a location and direction of said first vehicle of said plurality of vehicles;

calculating periodically, via a processor, an average speed of movement, wherein said calculation is performed at least for a predetermined time or predetermined distance traveled; and

transmitting, via a transmitter, said average speed of movement to at least one of other vehicles of said plurality of vehicles or a server, and transmitting said average speed data received from said plurality of vehicles to said other vehicles or said server, wherein said transmission is sent over a communications network that connects to each of said vehicles of said plurality of vehicles and said server,

wherein said computer program product displays said indication if said average speed data for road segments is displayed, and

wherein said computer program product displays an orientation of said first vehicle.

2. The system computer program product of claim 1, wherein said communications network is one of an internet connection, a public switched telephone network, a cellular tower connected to said public switched telephone network, a cellular network, a 3G cellular network, a 4G cellular network, Edge network, WiFi network, WiMax network, or any other wireless network.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein information regarding said average speed data includes data for opposite directions of travel a subset of said road segments.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, further comprising displaying said data for opposite direction of travel, wherein said data is displayed with a second indication, wherein said second indication resides next to said first indication on said display device.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising varying a subset of said information displayed in response to a movement of said vehicle.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising controlling, via a user interface, said subset of said information that is displayed, wherein said subset of said information that is displayed is varied in response to inputs entered into said user interface.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein said user interface includes a navigation control and a zoom control.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising varying said subset of said information displayed on said display device in relation to said responses to inputs entered into said user interface.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein said inputs entered include inputting an address corresponding to a second location, wherein said address in entered via a virtual keyboard or entered through voice commands utilizing voice recognition for determining said second location corresponding to said address and for displaying said second location corresponding to said address on said roadmap displayed on said display device, and for providing information regarding said traffic data related to said address.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising determining a direction of travel to said second location, wherein said direction of travel is displayed on said display device and includes a route of travel of said vehicle from a location received by said location determining module to said address, wherein said route of travel being displayed on said display device.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, via a second data storage database, average data values, wherein said average data values are an average of said average speed data received by said traffic database;

transmitting said average data values to a remote device or any of said plurality vehicles;

transmitting said average speed data to a network,

receiving said average data values from said network; and

communicating, via said communications network, said received average data values to any of said plurality of vehicles.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

determining if a connection is made with said traffic information server over said communication network, wherein computer program product establishes a connection with said any one of said plurality of remote devices containing said computer program product or any of said plurality of vehicles containing said computer program product if said connection is not made, wherein said connection is established to receive or transmit said average data values from said plurality of remote devices or said plurality of vehicles.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said communications network is an internet connection, a public switched telephone network, a cellular tower connected to said public switched telephone network, a cellular network, a 3G cellular network, a 4G cellular network, Edge network, WiFi network, WiMax network, or any other wireless network.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said user device includes a computer, a wireless telephone, or a GPS device.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said traffic data comprises an average speed of said plurality of vehicles.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising calculating average data values including averages of speeds of a number of vehicles over particular road segments,

wherein said average data values additionally comprise an indicator representing said values comparing said averages of speeds with normal speeds, wherein said normal speeds are one of historical speeds for said particular road segments or speed limits for said particular road segments,

wherein said values are used to display a color if said averages of speeds is higher or lower than said normal speeds.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising calculating values comparing said averages of speeds of a number of vehicles over particular road segments with normal speeds of vehicles over said particular road segments, and said average data values additionally comprise an indicator representing said values comparing said averages of speeds with said normal speeds.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said first indication includes at least one of color or speed on a road segment displayed on said display device in a location corresponding with a location indicated by an output of said location determining module and in an orientation indicating a direction of travel of said vehicle.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising storing, via said traffic database, color codes indicating traffic conditions for said road segments, wherein said computer program product receives said color codes and display colors derived from said color codes in locations corresponding to said road segments.

20. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said information regarding said traffic data received from said plurality of third-party users includes an average speed of movement of said each user in a direction of movement along a road segment and a location of said user on said road segment, and

wherein said data storage database stores said traffic data received from said plurality of third-party users in a record corresponding to said direction of movement along said road segments and to calculate an average data value of all of said average speeds of movement received from said plurality of vehicles to be included within said average data value stored within said record within said database.

22. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said communications network is one of an internet connection, a public switched telephone network, a cellular tower connected to said public switched telephone network, a cellular network, a 3G cellular network, a 4G cellular network, Edge network, WiFi network, WiMax network, or any other wireless network.

21. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium and residing in a user device, said instructions performing the steps of:

receiving, via a receiver, information regarding traffic data relating to a plurality of third-party users, wherein said receiver is of or associated with a first vehicle of a plurality of vehicles;

storing, via a data storage database, said information regarding traffic data from said plurality of third-party users;

storing, via a traffic database, information regarding average speed data for road segments traveled by said plurality of third-party users;

displaying, via a display device, a subset of said information regarding said average speed data for road segments traveled, wherein said subset of said information is displayed on computer-generated roadmaps;

displaying, via said display screen, a first indication on a road segment, wherein said first indication is an indicator of average speed traveled by said first vehicle in any direction of travel of road;

determining, via a location determining module, a location and direction of said first vehicle of said plurality of vehicles;

calculating periodically, via a processor, an average speed of movement, wherein said calculation is performed at least for a predetermined time or predetermined distance traveled; and

transmitting, via a transmitter, information regarding traffic data relating to said first vehicle to at least one of other vehicles of said plurality of vehicles or a server, wherein said transmission is sent over a communications network that connects to each of said vehicles of said plurality of vehicles and said server,

wherein said computer program product displays said indication if said average speed data for road segments is displayed, and

wherein said computer program product displays an orientation of said first vehicle.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein information regarding said average speed data includes data for opposite directions of travel a subset of said road segments.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising displaying said data for opposite direction of travel, wherein said data is displayed with a second indication, wherein said second indication resides next to said first indication on said display device.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising varying a subset of said information displayed in response to a movement of said vehicle.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising controlling, via a user interface, said subset of said information that is displayed, wherein said subset of said information that is displayed is varied in response to inputs entered into said user interface.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein said user interface includes a navigation control and a zoom control.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising varying said subset of said information displayed on said display device in relation to said responses to inputs entered into said user interface.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said inputs entered include inputting an address corresponding to a second location, wherein said address in entered via a virtual keyboard or entered through voice commands utilizing voice recognition for determining said second location corresponding to said address and for displaying said second location corresponding to said address on said roadmap displayed on said display device, and for providing information regarding said traffic data related to said address.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, further comprising determining a direction of travel to said second location, wherein said direction of travel is displayed on said display device and includes a route of travel of said vehicle from a location received by said location determining module to said address, wherein said route of travel being displayed on said display device.

31. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

storing, via a second data storage database, average data values, wherein said average data values are an average of said average speed data received by said traffic database;

transmitting said average data values to a remote device or any of said plurality vehicles;

transmitting said average speed data to a network,

receiving said average data values from said network; and

communicating, via said communications network, said received average data values to any of said plurality of vehicles.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

determining if a connection is made with said traffic information server over said communication network, wherein computer program product establishes a connection with said any one of said plurality of remote devices containing said computer program product or any of said plurality of vehicles containing said computer program product if said connection is not made, wherein said connection is established to receive or transmit said average data values from said plurality of remote devices or said plurality of vehicles.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein said communications network is an internet connection, a public switched telephone network, a cellular tower connected to said public switched telephone network, a cellular network, a 3G cellular network, a 4G cellular network, Edge network, WiFi network, WiMax network, or any other wireless network.

34. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said user device includes a computer, a wireless telephone, or a GPS device.

35. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said traffic data relating to said plurality of third-party users comprises an average speed of said plurality of vehicles.

36. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said traffic data relating to said plurality of third-party users comprises information related to comparing averages of speeds with normal speeds, wherein said normal speeds are one of historical speeds for said particular road segments or speed limits for said particular road segments,

wherein said information related to comparing averages of speeds with said normal speeds is used to display a color if said averages of speeds is higher or lower than said normal speeds.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, further comprising storing, via said traffic database, color codes indicating traffic conditions for said road segments, wherein said computer program product receives said color codes and display colors derived from said color codes in locations corresponding to said road segments.