Automated location-intelligent traffic notification service systems and methods

• US 6,973,384 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZAMA Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morgan, Lara F., Gao, Xiaofeng, Zhao, Wei, Oblon, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/677,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/213, 701/117, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 340/995.13, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 455/456.5
• US Class Current: 701/117
• 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 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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: G06F 16/90 Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0968 Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle
• 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 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that is configured to determine a geographic location of a subscriber and an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber.

Claims

1. A traffic notification system comprising:

a location determination system that is configured to automatically determine a geographic location of a subscriber, the location determination system comprising a virtual boundary generating system that is configured to define a virtual boundary for a respective subscriber; and

an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message associated with drivability conditions in the defined virtual boundary that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the location determination system is configured to automatically obtain a plurality of location readings while the subscriber is in transit to automatically monitor the location of the subscriber over a desired monitoring period, and wherein the virtual boundary is defined based on the geographic location, direction and speed of the subscriber with the virtual boundary being configured to advance with the movement of a subscriber'"'"'s vehicle.

3. A traffic notification system according to claim 2, wherein the size of the virtual boundary of respective subscribers is dynamically automatically adjusted in transit and is longer in the direction of travel along a roadway and shorter on adjacent sides thereof.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the location determination system uses measurements from a global positioning system to determine the location of the subscriber at a plurality of different times during a monitoring period of interest, wherein the automated traffic notification system is configured to generate a drivability rating that corresponds to drivabiity conditions, and wherein the drivability rating considers weather.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the traffic notification system is configured to automatically transmit customized traffic messages to wireless communication devices of respective subscribers based on a dynamically determined geographic location and direction of travel and/or an identified destination of the subscribers.

6. A traffic notification system according to claim 1, wherein the location determination system is configured to electronically learn respective subscriber'"'"'s typical travel routes to thereby allow the traffic notification system to electronically track a travel path of a respective subscriber to define a subscriber travel route data record for a respective subscriber to thereby provide subscriber travel route data to the traffic notification system without requiring a user to input a travel profile.

7. An automated location-intelligent traffic notification system comprising:

a) a subscriber database configured with subscriber specific data from a plurality of subscribers;

b) a traffic notification server in communication with the subscriber database;

c) a location determination system in communication with the traffic notification server, the location determination system configured to determine a geographic location and a virtual boundary of a subscriber during at least one time period of interest; and

d) a traffic monitoring system configured to provide traffic information for routes, streets, roadways and/or travel paths in at least one geographic region,

wherein, during operation, the traffic notification server receives traffic condition data for a route, street, roadway and/or travel path in the at least one geographic region from the traffic monitoring system, identifies a subscriber that may be affected by the traffic condition using the determined geographic location and virtual boundary of the subscriber and data from the subscriber database, and then automatically transmits a traffic notification message to the identified subscriber.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the location determination system is configured to monitor the location of the subscriber over a desired monitoring period while the subscriber is in transit.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the location determination system uses measurements from a global positioning system to determine the location of the subscriber at a plurality of different times during a monitoring period of interest.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification server is configured to automatically transmit customized traffic messages to wireless communication devices of respective subscribers based on a dynamically determined geographic location and virtual boundary that is configured to move with the subscriber in a respective direction of travel.

11. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification server is configured as a web server with an internet protocol that accepts updates in traffic data corresponding to substantially real-time traffic conditions for a plurality of roadways, streets, and travel paths in the at least one geographic region, and wherein the traffic monitoring system is configured to publish and/or provide updates in the traffic condition data to the traffic notification web server in substantially real-time.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the location determination system automatically monitors the location of the subscriber during a monitoring period by receiving data regarding the position of a subscriber'"'"'s vehicle and/or wireless communication device at desired intervals.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the traffic notification server comprises computer code that is configured to provide a program profile management subsystem that is configured to provide web-based management of subscriber data in the subscriber database to be able to extract a plurality of subscriber records including a plurality of:

subscriber identified driving routes, subscriber identified destinations, subscriber communication notification preferences and/or desired traffic monitoring periods of interest, and provide the extracted subscriber data to the traffic notification web server.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the traffic notification server comprises computer program code that is configured to provide a notification control subsystem that controls traffic message transmission notifications to subscribers and cooperates with the profile management subsystem computer program code, the notification control subsystem being configured to:

(a) consider the subscriber'"'"'s present geographic location based on the most recent data from the location determination system and at least one of the subscriber'"'"'s direction of travel, travel route, and/or identified destination;

(b) determine whether the subscriber is affected by a reduced drivability traffic condition based on the subscriber'"'"'s substantially real-time determined geographic location; and

(c) determine how and/or where a traffic notification message will be sent to the subscriber based on a predetermined subscriber preference held in the subscriber database.

15. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification server is in communication with a plurality of wireless communication devices, a respective one of which is associated with a respective subscriber, and wherein the traffic monitoring system is configured to generate a drivability rating for different routes, the drivability rating being configured to consider weather and traffic conditions.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the location determination system is configured to communicate with a GPS receiver in a wireless communication device associated with a respective subscriber to determine the location of the subscriber by receiving data from a global positioning system based on the GPS receiver in the wireless communication device, and wherein the traffic monitoring system drivability rating also considers crime proximate the routes.

17. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification message is personalized for each subscriber based on substantially real-time traffic information on travel routes of interest in a geographic location associated with the virtual boundary proximate the current location and/or a potential encounter with a determined traffic condition based on the subscriber'"'"'s projected travel.

18. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification message is generated to the subscriber automatically over a wireless network without the subscriber actively prompting the system about a route or geographic region in transit.

19. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic notification server automatically transmits short text messages to particular subscribers based upon a dynamically determined geographical location and virtual boundary of each subscriber.

20. A system according to claim 7, wherein the traffic monitoring system includes a traffic monitoring information database that receives updates of traffic information from at least one of the following:

road sensors, traffic cameras, traffic reports, and telephone callers.

21. An automated location-intelligent traffic notification system comprising:

a) a subscriber database configured with subscriber specific data from a plurality of subscribers;

b) a traffic notification server in communication with the subscriber database;

c) means for determining a geographic location and a virtual boundary of the subscribers in communication with the traffic notification server, during at least one time period of interest;

d) means for monitoring traffic for obtaining traffic condition information for routes, streets, roadways and/or travel paths in at least one geographic region; and

e) means for transmitting traffic notification messages to subscribers, wherein, during operation, the traffic notification server receives the obtained traffic condition information, identifies a subscriber that way be affected by the traffic condition using the determined geographic location of the subscriber and the virtual boundary, and then automatically transmits a traffic notification to the identified subscriber.

22. A method for providing traffic notices, comprising:

determining the geographic location of a subscriber;

generating a virtual boundary associated with the subscriber; and

automatically transmitting a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location and the virtual boundary of the subscriber to a wireless terminal that is associated with the subscriber.

23. A method for providing traffic information to a subscriber over a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

providing a subscriber database of information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers;

monitoring geographic locations of a respective subscriber while the subscriber is in transit;

generating a virtual boundary associated with a plurality of temporally serial geographic locations for the respective subscriber;

identifying relevant traffic conditions by correlating traffic conditions in a particular location to a respective subscriber'"'"'s monitored geographic location and virtual boundary; and

automatically relaying a wireless traffic notification message to a respective subscriber if the subscriber is identified as affected by a traffic condition based on the monitoring and identifying steps.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising:

determining when an adverse traffic condition arises and/or exists in a subscriber'"'"'s present travel route based on the monitored geographic location of the subscriber, and wherein the relaying step comprises alerting the subscriber about the adverse traffic condition; and

generating drivability ratings for different travel ways, the drivabiity ratings considering weather, traffic congestion, and accident data, and wherein the identifying relevant traffic conditions comprises evaluating the drivability ratings.

25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising:

accepting subscriber input from a web browser to a traffic system having a web server to provide subscriber information for the subscriber database that identifies a starting location and destination of a planned course of travel of a respective subscriber; and

generating at least one available driving route based on a drivability assessment using actual or predicted traffic conditions associated with a plurality of potential travel routes corresponding to traffic information provided by a traffic monitoring system.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the traffic monitoring system comprises a traffic database, and wherein the generating step comprises calculating an expeditious route to travel between the locations relative to alternate travel routes based upon traffic information stored in the traffic database.

27. A method for providing traffic information according to claim 26, wherein the expeditious route is calculated by:

a) determining a plurality of potential routes between the present location and the intended destination location;

b) selecting a predetermined number of the most geographically direct routes;

c) calculating a predictive time to travel each selected route; and

e) comparing the total times to travel each route.

28. A method for providing traffic information according to claim 27, wherein the subscriber responds to automated prompts from a traffic notification server to receive an advisory of a time-efficient route from a plurality of a priori routes entered into the subscriber database by the subscriber based upon current traffic information.

29. A method for providing traffic information according to claim 23, wherein the subscriber pre-configures the subscriber database by:

a) entering a wireless directory telephone number;

b) selecting a first travel route identifying at least a portion of a roadway; and

c) providing a code or name for the first travel route.

30. A method for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network during a desired monitoring interval or period comprising the steps of:

evaluating whether a subscriber requests to receive traffic information at a present time from a subscriber database;

dynamically determining a geographic location of the subscriber using a terrestrial and/or celestial based geographic location determination system;

generating a virtual boundary extending about a portion of a travel path of the subscriber;

retrieving traffic information for a particular geographic area and/or travel zone corresponding to the virtual boundary of the subscriber and the determined geographic location of the subscriber; and

automatically transmitting a short message to a subscriber'"'"'s wireless communication device, wherein relevant traffic information customized to the subscriber'"'"'s travel pad is reported to the subscriber in the short message while the subscriber is in transit.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the generating a virtual boundary takes into account the subscriber'"'"'s travel direction and destination when generating the transmitted customized relevant traffic information.

32. A method for providing traffic infonnation according to claim 30, wherein the subscriber'"'"'s geographic location is determined using a GPS receiver associated with the subscriber'"'"'s vehicle and/or wireless communication device.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the evaluating, determining, retrieving and transmitting steps are carried out using a web-based traffic notification server.

34. A method for providing automated location-intelligent traffic notifications comprising:

providing a subscriber database configured with subscriber specific data from a plurality of subscribers;

determining a geographic location of a subscriber a plurality of times during at least one time period of interest and storing the geographic location data in the subscriber database during a monitoring period;

monitoring the geographic location of the subscriber during the monitoring period based on the geographic location data and the subscriber'"'"'s direction of travel;

providing substantially current traffic information for routes, streets, roadways and/or travel paths in at least one geographic region;

evaluating when there is a change in a traffic condition of a route, street, roadway and/or travel path in the at least one geographic region;

generating a virtual boundary for each respective subscriber;

identifying a subscriber that may be affected by the change in the traffic condition using the determined geographic location of the subscriber and the virtual boundary and data from the subscriber database;

then

automatically transmitting a traffic notification message to the identified subscriber to thereby provide updated relevant traffic information to the subscriber without requiring the subscriber to call, respond to prompts or enter a request to a remote traffic monitoring service for the updated traffic infonnation in transit.