Methods and systems for reporting automotive traffic conditions in response to user-specific requests
AssigneeBellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
InventorsWei Zhao, Lara F. Morgan, Michael A. Oblon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method and system described herein provides an interface for accessing a database containing information pertaining to 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 the driver's wireless communications device, such as a wireless telephone.
Claims32
A traffic reporting system comprising:
- 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;
- a traffic information database for receiving updates of traffic information and storing the received information;
- and
- a traffic information interface for providing traffic information from the traffic information database,
- wherein the system identifies a subscriber by comparing a calling number of a 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.
A computer program product for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, the computer program product comprising:
- a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:
- receiving a telephone call from a caller's wireless telephone;
- determining whether the caller is a subscriber,
- wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises
- receiving the subscriber's present and intended destination locations to request traffic
- information, and
- calculating an 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.
A computer program product for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, the computer program product comprising:
- a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:
- receiving a telephone call from a callers wireless telephone;
- and
- determining whether the caller is a subscriber,
- wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises
- receiving the subscriber's responses to one or more automated prompts;
- retrieving a starting and destination location from a subscriber database based upon the subscriber's responses;
- and
- 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.
A computer program product for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, the computer program product comprising:
- a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:
- receiving a telephone call from a cailets wireless telephone;
- and
- determining whether the caller is a subscriber,
- wherein if the caller is a subscriber the method further comprises,
- receiving the subscriber's responses to one or more automated prompts;
- identifying a portion of a roadway based upon the subscriber's responses and
- information stored in the subscriber database;
- and
- 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.
A computer program product for providing traffic information from a traffic database to a subscriber over a wireless network, the computer program product comprising:
- a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising:
- receiving a call from a caller's wireless telephone;
- and
- determining whether the caller is a subscriber,
- wherein if the caller is a subscriber, the method further comprises
- detecting that the subscriber requested to receive traffic information at a present time;
- retrieving an indication of the traffic information requested by the subscriber from a subscriber database;
- retrieving the requested traffic information from a traffic database;
- and
- 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.