Methods and apparatus for providing travel information

• US 9,964,412 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Broadbent, Samuel Mark, Geelen, Pieter Andreas, Hareau, Stphane, Santiago Nunez, Jose F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US14/785,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20160076905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3484 Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3617 using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement
• 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: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality

Abstract

A method of providing traffic information is described, together with a device for performing the same. The method comprises determining a location of a mobile device, receiving traffic information, and determining, with respect to a trip database storing information indicative of a personal road network of a user of the mobile device, whether traffic information associated with one or more road segments in the personal network within a predetermined distance of the current location has been received. One or more no-jam events are generated for respective road segments in the personal network for which it is determined that no traffic information has been received.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor communicably coupled to a trip database storing information indicative of a personal road network of a user of a mobile device;

a receiver for wirelessly receiving traffic information; and

an output device comprising a display device,

wherein the processor is arranged to;

determine a current location of the mobile device;

generate one or more no events for respective road segments in the personal network within a predetermined distance of the current location for which no traffic information has been received; and

provide at least one message that comprises information associated with the one or more no-jam events, the providing comprising displaying, on the display device, an incident list that includes a listing of a road segment associated with each of the one of the one or more no-jam events and a corresponding indication of the no-jam event for that road segment.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein each no-jam event is indicative of the corresponding road segment being free of traffic events.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to generate one or more no-jam events for respective road segments in the personal network which meet one or more predetermined criteria.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include at least one of the road segment being at least a predetermined class of road segment and the road segment being at least a predetermined length.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to generate one or more no-jam events for respective road segments within a predetermined driving time of the current location.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to determine a probability value associated with each no-jam event, the probability value being indicative of a probability of the user actually traveling along the road segment associated with the respective probable jam or no-jam event.

7. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the probability value is based upon one or more of:

whether the event is on a road segment forming part of a current route to a destination;

a direction of the road segment to which the event applies;

a distance between the current location of the mobile device and the event; and

a travelling time between the current location and the event.

8. The mobile device of claim 6, wherein the processor is arranged to determine a relevance score for each no-jam event, wherein the relevance score is based upon the probability value and a distance of the current location from a location of the road segment associated with the no-jam event.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to determine a relevance score for each item of received traffic information.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to display, in the incident list, information associated with received traffic information.

11. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the processor is arranged to:

display, in the incident list, information associated with received traffic information; and

determine an order for the display of the received traffic information and the one or more no-jam events in the incident list based on the associated relevance scores.

12. A method of providing traffic information, comprising:

determining a location of a mobile device;

receiving traffic information;

determining, with respect to a trip database storing information indicative of a personal road network of a user of the mobile device, whether traffic information associated with one or more road segments in the personal network within a predetermined distance of the current location has been received;

generating one or more no-jam events for respective road segments in the personal network for which it is determined that no traffic information has been received; and

providing at least one message that comprises information associated with the one or more no-jam events, the providing comprising displaying, on the display device, an incident list that includes a listing of a road segment associated with each of the one of the one or more no-jam events and a corresponding indication of the no-jam event for that road segment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination of whether traffic information has been received is performed for road segments in the personal network meeting one or more predetermined criteria.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria include at least one of the road segment being at least a predetermined class of road segment and the road segment being at least a predetermined length.

15. The method of claim 13, the predetermined criteria comprising the road segment being within a predetermined driving time of the current location.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising determining a probability value associated with each no-jam event, the probability value being indicative of a probability of the user actually traveling along the road segment associated with the respective probable jam or no-jam event.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising determining a relevance score for each no-jam event, wherein the relevance score is based upon the probability value and a distance of the current location from a location of the road segment associated with the no-jam event.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising receiving one or more items of traffic information and determining a relevance score for each item of received traffic information.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the incident list displayed on the display includes information associated with the received traffic information.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer software operable, when executed, to cause one or more processors to perform a method according to claim 12.