Portable traffic congestion radio

A method for presenting traffic condition information to a user via a portable, battery operated receiving and data processing device adapted to be held and operated by one hand of the user, comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving with the aid of the device digitally coded ratio signals representing broadcast traffic condition information relating to traffic conditions of a predetermined geographic area;
• b) recognizing encoded traffic reports within the received digitally coded radio signals with digital recognition circuitry within the device;
• c) storing within a digital memory of the device a plurality of the recognized encoded traffic reports;
• d) receiving with the aid of an input means of the device operated by said one hand user supplied travel selected information including selection of roadways and directions of travel and storing the travel selection information in the digital memory;
• e) searching the encoded traffic reports stored within the digital memory with a searching means of the device in relation to the selected roadways and directions of travel stored in the digital memory, thereby to locate portions of said traffic reports pertinent to said travel selection information;
• f) calculating with programmed digital processing means within the device travel routing information based upon said located portions of said encoded traffic reports and said travel selection information;
• and,
• g) presenting via presentation means of the device the calculated travel routing information.

A self-contained, portable device adapted to be held in, and operated by, a user's one hand for presenting information on the state of traffic conditions in a predefined geographical area, comprising:

• a) radio receiver means for deriving digitally coded radio signals from a transmitting source within the geographical area;
• b) derivation means connected to the radio receiver means for deriving a stream of data signals from the coded radio signals;
• c) recognition means connected to receive the stream of data signals to recognize those data signals which constitute encoded traffic reports which are to e received by the device;
• d) storage means connected t the recognition means for storing a plurality of encoded traffic reports in a memory of sufficient size to hold a predetermined number of currently active traffic reports for the geographical area;
• e) pressure-sensitive data entry means overlaid with map means generally depicting the geographical area, said data entry means being operable by a finger of the user's one hand for entering a selection of roadways and directions of travel into the storage means for which presentation of traffic reports are desired;
• f) control switch means operable by the finger of the user's one hand for entering user defined selection criteria requesting presentation of selected traffic reports based upon selected roadway and direction of travel;
• g) search means for searching the traffic reports stored in the storage means and selecting means for selecting stored traffic reports which are coded to be in accordance with the user defined selection criteria;
• h) conversion means for converting each selected encoded traffic report into a presentation report;
• and,
• i) presentation means including loudspeaking means for aurally presenting the presentation report to the user.