IP Verse

Method And System For Providing Travel Time Information

Patent No. US11307048 (titled "Method And System For Providing Travel Time Information") was filed by Nortrup Edward H on Oct 12, 2019.

What is this patent about?

’048 is related to the field of navigation systems and, more specifically, to providing real-time traffic information and route guidance to drivers. Existing navigation systems often lack accurate, up-to-date traffic data, leading to inefficient routes and increased travel times. This patent aims to improve route planning by incorporating real-time traffic data derived from the locations of other mobile devices.

The underlying idea behind ’048 is to leverage the ubiquity of cell phones as traffic sensors . By tracking the locations and speeds of a large number of cell phones, the system can infer real-time traffic conditions on roadways. This data is then used to estimate traffic conditions and provide drivers with optimized routes that avoid congestion.

The claims of ’048 focus on an in-vehicle computer system that receives a roadway map and a route to a destination. The route is determined based on an estimated roadway traffic condition. Crucially, this traffic condition is estimated using location data from a plurality of other cell phones, presumed to be in moving vehicles based on their proximity to roadways or their calculated speed.

In practice, the system works by continuously collecting location data from cell phones. The system filters this data to identify cell phones likely to be in vehicles, using criteria like proximity to roads and speed. The aggregated location and speed data is then used to estimate traffic density and flow on different road segments. This information is used to generate a visual indication of traffic conditions on a roadway map, which is displayed to the driver, along with a route that takes into account the estimated traffic.

This approach differs from traditional traffic monitoring methods, which rely on fixed sensors or manual observation. By using cell phones as mobile traffic probes , the system can provide more comprehensive and up-to-date traffic information, especially in areas where traditional monitoring infrastructure is limited. The system's ability to infer vehicle presence based on cell phone data also allows it to estimate traffic conditions without requiring explicit user input or participation.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2000s when ’048 was filed, systems commonly relied on GPS for location data, at a time when mobile devices had limited processing power and memory, which made complex real-time data processing and storage non-trivial. At a time when wireless communication bandwidth was constrained, transmitting large amounts of data, such as detailed maps or real-time video, was typically implemented using compression techniques and optimized protocols.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application after an examiner's amendment to the claims. The allowed claims are directed to an in-vehicle computer system that receives a roadway map and a route based on estimated traffic conditions from a cell phone. The estimated traffic condition is based on the location and speed of other cell phones, and the system displays the map and route.

Claims

This patent includes 18 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 13, 15, and 17; these independent claims generally focus on an in-vehicle or general computer system that receives and displays a roadway map and route based on estimated traffic conditions derived from the location data of other cell phones. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and add detail to the features described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
Calculated proximity to a roadway
(Claim 1, Claim 13, Claim 15, Claim 17)		“Embodiments include methods and systems of assessing traffic patterns. In embodiments, the methods and systems may involve assessing at least one of the density, speed, and velocity of mobile communication facilities in an area; and mapping the density onto a street map.”The determination of how close a cell phone is to a road, used to infer that the cell phone is in a moving vehicle.
Estimated roadway traffic condition
(Claim 1, Claim 13, Claim 15, Claim 17)		“A monitoring facility according to the principles of the present invention is a facility used to monitor route performance and or traffic patterns. In an embodiment, the monitoring facility may be manual, automatic or semi-automatic. For example, the monitoring facility may include a person observing traffic patterns, a camera facility, a cell phone location facility, triangulation facility, transmitter facility, GPS facility, transponder facility or other facility used to monitor and or transmit information relating to traffic conditions.”The predicted traffic on the roads, used to determine the route. It is based on the location of other cell phones.
In-vehicle computer display
(Claim 1, Claim 13, Claim 15)		“A route information facility according to the principles of the present invention is a facility adapted to provide route information. In embodiments, the route information facility provides information to a user, another facility traveler, or other person. For example, a route information facility may be a computer facility adapted to calculate travel time estimates, best route suggestions, shortest route suggestions, alternate route suggestions, typical route suggestions, travel conditions, route conditions, directions, navigation or other route information. A route information facility may be adapted to produce and or communicate directions, routes, stepwise directions, complete directions, in travel directions, destination information, travel information, navigation instructions, or other information related to travel, locations and or destinations.”A screen in the vehicle that shows the roadway map and the route.
In-vehicle data receiver
(Claim 1, Claim 13, Claim 15)		“In embodiments, the mobile communication facility is an in-vehicle communication facility, in-vehicle navigation facility, in-vehicle information facility or other in-vehicle communication facility. In embodiments, the in-vehicle communication facility includes a communication facility adapted for data, voice, and or information communication.”A component of the in-vehicle computer system that receives a roadway map and route information. It is part of the vehicle.
Roadway map
(Claim 1, Claim 13, Claim 15, Claim 17)		“Embodiments include methods and systems of assessing traffic patterns. In embodiments, the methods and systems may involve assessing at least one of the density, speed, and velocity of mobile communication facilities in an area; and mapping the density onto a street map.”A map of the roads in an area near the current location.

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US11307048

NORTRUP EDWARD H
Application Number
US16600480
Filing Date
Oct 12, 2019
Status
Expired
Expiry Date
Feb 7, 2025
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents