Method and apparatus for providing traffic information associated with map requests

• US 8,855,908 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2009
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Croak, Marian, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/545,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20090309764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 340/995.1
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• 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 1/096811 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: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling users who request a map of a specified route to invoke a data session to see images of the key markers and a video session to see live views of key points along the route are disclosed. If traffic appears congested, the subscriber can request an alternative route from the network along with image and video sessions to verify the traffic conditions of the alternative route.

Claims

1. A method for providing a recommended route in a communication network, comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a request from a subscriber device for establishing an application session via the communication network, where the application session is for forwarding the recommended route; and

providing, by the processor, the recommended route to the subscriber device, where the recommended route comprises an image of a landmark along the recommended route, wherein the providing comprises;

receiving a source location and a destination location from the subscriber device; and

determining the recommended route that traverses between the source location and the destination location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a service over internet protocol network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a session controller, and wherein the receiving comprises:

establishing the application session between a map and traffic application server and the subscriber device via the session controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended route is determined by the map and traffic application server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the subscriber for an alternative route.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application session is displayed in an independent display frame on a video display of the subscriber device.

7. A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for providing a recommended route in a communication network, the operations comprising:

receiving a request from a subscriber device for establishing an application session via the communication network, where the application session is for forwarding the recommended route; and

providing the recommended route to the subscriber device, where the recommended route comprises an image of a landmark along the recommended route, wherein the providing comprises;

receiving a source location and a destination location from the subscriber device; and

determining the recommended route that traverses between the source location and the destination location.

8. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the communication network is a service over internet protocol network.

9. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a session controller, and wherein the receiving comprises:

establishing the application session between a map and traffic application server and the subscriber device via the session controller.

10. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the recommended route is determined by the map and traffic application server.

11. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request from the subscriber device for an alternative route.

12. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the application session is displayed in an independent display frame on a video display of the subscriber device.

13. An apparatus for providing a recommended route in a communication network, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a request from a subscriber device for establishing an application session via the communication network, where the application session is for forwarding the recommended route; and

providing the recommended route to the subscriber device, where the recommended route comprises an image of a landmark along the recommended route, wherein the providing comprises;

receiving a source location and a destination location from the subscriber device; and

determining the recommended route that traverses between the source location and the destination location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communication network is a service over internet protocol network.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor comprises a processor of a session controller, and wherein the receiving comprises:

establishing the application session between a map and traffic application server and the subscriber device via the session controller.