Cconveying traffic congestion data to a user

• US 8,359,151 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Carruthers, Kenny, Lee, Justin V.
• Primary Examiner(s): GHOWRWAL, OMAR J
• Application Number:
  US11/376,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/235, 701209-210, 701/119, 701/438, 701/439, 701/538, 701/541, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• 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

Abstract

A method of displaying traffic information, comprising: providing a graphical interface to display information related to traffic routes; displaying a first bar to represent a total distance of a first traffic route; and displaying segments of the first bar, each segment of the first bar representing a corresponding range of traffic speeds along the first traffic route, and each segment of the first bar located on the bar in rough proportion to where the corresponding range of traffic speeds occurs along the first traffic route.

Claims

1. A method of displaying traffic information, comprising:

generating a graphical interface for display on an integrated display of a portable device, the graphical interface including information related to traffic routes;

displaying a traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a first traffic route, the traffic route bar displayed without a simultaneous display on the integrated display of a road map of a geographic region that includes the first traffic route;

displaying segments of the traffic route bar, each segment of the traffic route bar representing a corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds along the first traffic route, and each segment located on the traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding range of the real-time traffic speeds occurs along the first traffic route;

enabling scrolling from one segment of the traffic route bar to a next segment of the traffic route bar by turning an input control; and

updating the segments of the traffic route bar to represent real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds along the first traffic route, the real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds measured by one or more speed sensors.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising representing each segment of the traffic route bar by a corresponding color.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising representing each segment of the traffic route bar by a corresponding symbol.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a user-defined name of the first traffic route in the graphical interface and proximate the traffic route bar to identify the traffic route bar.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a symbol to indicate an overall status of traffic movement along the first traffic route, the symbol displayed in the graphical interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying markers to identify locations on the traffic route bar with corresponding locations along the first traffic route.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a focus of a first segment of the traffic route bar, the focus displayed in the graphical interface to highlight the first segment of the traffic route bar.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user input associated with the focus that is displayed in the graphical interface to highlight the first segment of the traffic route bar; and

changing the focus to a second segment of the traffic route bar responsive to the user input, the focus displayed in the graphical interface to highlight the second segment of the traffic route bar.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying detailed information about the focus in a focus box that is displayed in the graphical interface with the focus that highlights the first segment of the traffic route bar.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an additional traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a second traffic route, the additional traffic route bar displayed without an additional road map of the geographic region that includes the first traffic route and the second traffic route; and

displaying segments of the additional traffic route bar, each segment of the additional traffic route bar representing a corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds along the second traffic route, and each segment located on the additional traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding range of the real-time traffic speeds occurs along the second traffic route.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the additional traffic route bar is displayed in the graphical interface on the integrated display of the portable device along with the traffic route bar.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a different user-defined name of the second traffic route in the graphical interface and proximate the additional traffic route bar to identify the additional traffic route bar.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an additional graphical interface to display user-selectable options for creating custom traffic routes.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the additional graphical interface to name each of the custom traffic routes and to name a category of routes for each of the custom traffic routes.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an additional graphical interface to set up user-profiles.

16. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request from a client device for traffic route data that corresponds to a traffic route;

requesting the traffic route data for the traffic route and receiving the traffic route data from a traffic information server;

generating a graphical user interface to display the traffic route data on an integrated display of the client device, the graphical user interface comprising a traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a traffic route, the traffic route bar displayed without a simultaneous display on the integrated display of a road map of a geographic region that includes the traffic route, the traffic route bar divided into segments that each represent a corresponding real-time traffic speed along the traffic route, each segment located on the traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding real-time traffic speed occurs along the traffic route, and each segment of the traffic route bar configured to be updated to represent real-time changes in the corresponding real-time traffic speeds, the real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds measured by one or more speed sensors;

enabling scrolling from one segment of the traffic route bar to a next segment of the traffic route bar by turning an input control; and

transmitting the graphical user interface to the client device for display.

17. A computing device comprising:

at least a memory and a processor to render a user interface on an integrated display of the computing device, the user interface configured to display;

traffic information related to traffic routes;

a traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a traffic route, the traffic route bar displayed without a simultaneous display on the integrated display of a road map of a geographic region that includes the traffic route, the traffic route bar divided into segments that each represent a corresponding real-time traffic speed along the traffic route, each segment located on the traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding real-time traffic speed occurs along the traffic route, and each segment of the traffic route bar configured to be updated to represent real-time changes in the corresponding real-time traffic speeds, the real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds measured by one or more speed sensors;

a user-defined name of the traffic route displayed in the user interface proximate the traffic route bar to identify the traffic route bar; and

a symbol displayed in the user interface to indicate an overall status of traffic movement along the traffic route, and the user interface enabling scrolling from one segment of the traffic route bar to a next segment of the traffic route bar by turning an input control.

18. A portable device for displaying traffic information, the portable device comprising:

at least a memory and a processor to implement a traffic information application that includes a graphical interface which includes the traffic information related to traffic routes;

an integrated display configured to display the graphical interface and the traffic information as;

a traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a traffic route, the traffic route bar displayed without a simultaneous display on the integrated display of a road map of a geographic region that includes the traffic route; and

segments of the traffic route bar, each segment of the traffic route bar representing a corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds along the traffic route, each segment located on the traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds occurs along the traffic route, and each segment configured to be updated to represent real-time changes in the corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds, the real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds measured by one or more speed sensors;

a user-defined name of the traffic route displayed proximate the traffic route bar to identify the traffic route bar;

a symbol displayed to indicate an overall status of traffic movement along the traffic route; and

the user interface enabling scrolling from one segment of the traffic route bar to a next segment of the traffic route bar by turning an input control.

19. A computer-readable storage media device, the computer-readable storage media device not comprising a signal, and the computer-readable storage media device comprising program code that is executable stored thereon and, responsive to executing the program code, a computer device implemented as a portable device with an integrated display:

generates a graphical interface to display information related to traffic routes;

displays a traffic route bar that represents a total distance of a traffic route, the traffic route bar displayed without a simultaneous display on the integrated display of a road map of a geographic region that includes the traffic route;

displays segments of the traffic route bar, each segment of the traffic route bar representing a corresponding range of real-time traffic speeds along the traffic route, each segment located on the traffic route bar in approximate proportion to where the corresponding range of the real-time traffic speeds occurs along the traffic route, and each segment of the traffic route bar configured to be updated to represent real-time changes in the corresponding range of the real-time traffic speeds, the real-time changes in the real-time traffic speeds measured by one or more speed sensors; and

enables scrolling from one segment of the traffic route bar to a next segment of the traffic route bar by turning an input control.