Method and system for reporting automotive traffic conditions in response to user-specific requests
DCFirst Claim
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1. A traffic reporting system comprising:
- a) a subscriber database for maintaining subscriber account information including subscriber identification information, wherein the subscriber identification information includes a list of telephone numbers for each subscriber;
b) a traffic information database for receiving updates of traffic information and storing the most recently received information; and
c) a traffic information interface for providing traffic information from the traffic information database pertaining to a particular route or street to an identified subscriber in response to a particular request via a telephone call over a wireless network, wherein the system identifies a subscriber by comparing a calling number of the telephone call to subscriber identification information in the subscriber database, wherein if the caller is identified as a subscriber, the system provides traffic information to the subscriber, and if the caller is identified as a non-subscriber, the system plays an automated message and disconnects the telephone call.
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Abstract
The method and system described herein provides an interface for accessing a database containing information pertaining traffic conditions. Using the interface, a driver can receive traffic conditions potentially affecting the driver'"'"'s particular commute, just prior to the time at which the driver chooses between one or more routes for the commute. Several embodiments are disclosed in accordance with the present invention by which the driver can easily receive timely traffic information from the interface via driver'"'"'s wireless communications device, such as a wireless telephone.
145 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A traffic reporting system comprising:
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a) a subscriber database for maintaining subscriber account information including subscriber identification information, wherein the subscriber identification information includes a list of telephone numbers for each subscriber;
b) a traffic information database for receiving updates of traffic information and storing the most recently received information; and
c) a traffic information interface for providing traffic information from the traffic information database pertaining to a particular route or street to an identified subscriber in response to a particular request via a telephone call over a wireless network, wherein the system identifies a subscriber by comparing a calling number of the telephone call to subscriber identification information in the subscriber database, wherein if the caller is identified as a subscriber, the system provides traffic information to the subscriber, and if the caller is identified as a non-subscriber, the system plays an automated message and disconnects the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a telephone call from a caller'"'"'s wireless telephone;
b) detecting a telephone directory number of the wireless telephone; and
c) determining whether the caller is a subscriber by comparing the telephone directory number to a list of current subscribers in a subscriber database, wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises d) receiving the subscriber'"'"'s present and intended destination locations to request traffic information, and e) calculating a most efficient route to travel between the locations, based upon traffic information stored in a traffic database, and wherein if the caller is not a subscriber, the method further comprises playing an automated message and disconnecting the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
a) determining potential routes between the present and intended destination locations;
b) selecting a predetermined number of the most geographically direct routes;
c) generating street-by-street directions for each selected route;
d) calculating the time required to travel each street within each route; and
e) comparing the total times to travel each route.
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14. A method for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a telephone call from a caller'"'"'s wireless telephone; and
determining whether the caller is a subscriber by comparing the caller'"'"'s wireless telephone number to a list of current subscribers in a subscriber database, wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises b) receiving the subscriber'"'"'s responses to one or more automated prompts;
c) retrieving a starting and destination location from a subscriber database based upon the subscriber'"'"'s responses; and
d) calculating a most efficient route to travel between the locations, based upon traffic information stored in a traffic database, wherein if the caller is not a subscriber, the method further comprises playing an automated message and disconnecting the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
e) retrieving a code name indicating the name of the most efficient route; and
f) reporting the code name to the subscriber.
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16. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 14, wherein the subscriber pre-configures the subscriber database by performing the steps of:
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a) entering a wireless directory telephone number;
b) entering a starting and destination location;
c) identifying at least two routes to travel between the locations; and
d) identifying a code name for each route.
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17. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 16, further comprising the step of identifying a name or code for the trip between the starting and destination location, wherein the subscriber pre-configures the subscriber database for a plurality of trips between different starting and destination locations.
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18. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 17, wherein the subscriber identifies the trip in response to the automated prompts to receive an indication of the most efficient route from the plurality of routes entered into the subscriber database and corresponding to the particular trip, based upon current traffic information.
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19. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 18, wherein the subscriber identifies the trip by depressing one or more keys on the subscriber'"'"'s wireless telephone corresponding to the code for the trip.
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20. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 18, wherein the subscriber identifies the trip by speaking the name of the trip corresponding to the trip name stored in the subscriber database, and wherein the name of the trip is recognized by speech recognition.
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21. A method for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a telephone call from a caller'"'"'s wireless telephone; and
determining whether the caller is a subscriber by comparing the caller'"'"'s wireless telephone number to a list of current subscribers in a subscriber database, wherein if the caller is a subscriber the method further comprises b) receiving the subscriber'"'"'s responses to one or more automated prompts;
c) identifying a portion of a roadway based upon the subscriber'"'"'s responses and information stored in the subscriber database; and
d) retrieving traffic information for the portion of the roadway based upon information maintained in a traffic database, and wherein if the caller is not a subscriber, the method further comprises playing an automated message and disconnecting the telephone call. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
e) reporting the traffic information to the subscriber by providing at least one of speed of travel information and traffic advisory information.
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23. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 21, wherein the subscriber pre-configures the subscriber database by performing the steps of:
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a) entering a wireless directory telephone number;
b) selecting a portion of a roadway; and
c) identifying a code or name for the portion of the roadway.
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24. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 21, wherein the subscriber identifies the portion of the roadway by depressing one or more keys on the subscriber'"'"'s wireless telephone corresponding to the code for the portion of the roadway stored in the subscriber database.
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25. A method for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network comprising the steps of:
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receiving a call from a caller'"'"'s wireless telephone; and
determining whether the caller is a subscriber by comparing the caller'"'"'s wireless telephone number to a list of current subscribers in a subscriber database, wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises a) detecting that the subscriber requested to receive traffic information at a present time;
b) retrieving an indication of the traffic information requested by the subscriber from the subscriber database;
c) retrieving the requested traffic information from a traffic database; and
d) transmitting a short text message to be received on the subscriber'"'"'s wireless telephone, wherein the requested traffic information is reported to the subscriber in the short text message, and wherein if the caller is not a subscriber, the method further comprises playing an automated message and disconnecting the call. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
a) entering a starting and destination location;
b) identifying at least two routes to travel between the locations; and
c) identifying a code name for each route, wherein the information entered into the subscriber database is associated with a telephone number of a wireless telephone of the subscriber.
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27. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 26, wherein the subscriber additionally enters an estimated time and date of travel into the subscriber database.
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28. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 27, wherein a subset of information entered into the subscriber database is entered into a scheduler database, which detects when to report particular traffic information to each respective subscriber.
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29. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes automatically reporting traffic information when the subscriber'"'"'s wireless telephone registers in a predetermined cellular location.
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30. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes automatically reporting traffic information when the subscriber reaches a predetermined location as detected by a GPS receiver.
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31. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 26, wherein the traffic information that is reported is an indication as to which of the at least to routes identified into the subscriber database is the most efficient route.
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32. The method for providing traffic information according to claim 25, wherein the subscriber pre-configures the subscriber database by entering a first and second location along a roadway,
wherein the information entered into the subscriber database is associated with a telephone number of a wireless telephone of the subscriber, and the traffic information that is reported is an indication of the traffic conditions between the first and second locations along the roadway.
Specification