MX9603902A

Traffic information estimation and reporting system.

Abstract

An estimation of traffic conditions on roads located in the radio coverage areas of a wireless communications network is provided based on analysis of real-time and past wireless traffic data carried on the wireless communications network. Data analyzed may include, for example, actual (current) and expected (past average) number of a) active busy wireless end-user devices in one or more cells at a particular period of time, b) active-idle wireless end-user devices registered in a location area of the wireless communications network, c) amount of time spent by mobile end user devices in one or more cells at a particular period of time.

Term

No projected expiry on record.

19 claims: 12 independent, 7 dependent

1
CLAIMS REIVINDICACIONES 1. Un método para determinar las condiciones de tráfico de un camino en las vías públicas localizadas en las áreas de cobertura radial» cubiertas por una red de comunicaciones inalámbrica, el método se caracteriza porque comprende los pasos de:one. A method to determine the traffic conditions of a road on public roads located in the areas of radial coverage »covered by a wireless communication network, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving cell activity data and current time recording of end users' mobile devices, actually located at least in the radio coverage areas covered by a wireless communication network;and estimating road traffic conditions on at least one localized public highway at least in radio coverage areas based on comparison of cell activity data and current time recording with previously collected equivalent analog information by the wireless communication network in at least one of the radio coverage areas. recibir los datos de la actividad de las células y el registro en tiempo actual de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales, localizados realmente por lo menos en las áreas de cobertura radial cubiertas por una red de comunicaciones inalámbrica;y estimar las condiciones de tráfico del camino por lo menos en una vía pública localizada cuando menos en las áreas de cobertura radial basados en la comparación de los datos de la actividad de las células y el registro en tiempo actual con la información equivalente análoga previamente recolectada por la red de comunicaciones inalámbrica por lo menos en una de las áreas de cobertura radial.
2
The method according to claim 2. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 1, caracterizado porque la información asociada con las condiciones de tráfico del camino estimadas se proporciona por lo menos a un usuario de uno de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales. 1, characterized in that the information associated with the estimated road traffic conditions is provided to at least one user of one of the end users' mobile devices.
3
The method according to claim 3. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 2, caracterizado porque la información asociada corv Xas 2, characterized in that the associated information corv Xas -2627 condiciones de tráfico del camino estimadas se proporciona en un formato audible por lo menos a un usuario de uno de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales. -2627 estimated road traffic conditions are provided in an audible format to at least one user of one of the end users' mobile devices.
5
The method according to claim 5. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 2, caracterizado porque la información asociada con las condiciones de tráfico del camino estimadas se proporciona por lo menos a uno de los usuarios de uno de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales, cuando uno de los dispositivos de los usuarios finales está en un estado activo-ocupado. 2, characterized in that the information associated with the estimated road traffic conditions is provided to at least one of the users of one of the end users 'mobile devices, when one of the end users' devices is in an active state -occupied.
6
The method according to claim 6. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 1, caracterizado porque el paso de estimación además incluye los pasos de:1, characterized in that the estimation step also includes the steps of: ajustar cuando menos una porción del registro en tiempo actual y los datos de actividad de las células para determinar un número total de dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales que están activos por lo menos en una de las áreas de cobertura radial dentro de un periodo de tiempo dado;y determinar si el número total de dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales en por lo menos una de las áreas de cobertura radial excede un primer umbral indicado por la información análoga pasada cuando menos para una célula. fit at least a portion of the current-time log and cell activity data to determine a total number of end-user mobile devices that are active in at least one of the radio coverage areas within a period of time dice;and determining whether the total number of mobile devices of the end users in at least one of the radial coverage areas exceeds a first threshold indicated by the past analog information for at least one cell.
7
The method according to claim 7. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 6, caracterizado porque comprende el paso de:6, characterized in that it comprises the step of: establecer que un cuello de botella esta presente por lo menos en una sección de cuando menos una de las vías públicas localizadas por lo menos en una de las áreas de cobertura radialf cuando el número total de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales activos por lo menos excede el primer umbral por un porcentaje determinado. establish that a bottleneck is present in at least one section of at least one of the public roads located in at least one of the radial coverage areasF when the total number of mobile devices of the active end users at least exceeds the first threshold by a certain percentage.
8
The method according to claim 8. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 1, caracterizado porque los datos de actividad de las células incluyen la cantidad de tiempo consumido cuando menos por uno de los dispositivos de los usuarios finales por lo menos en una célula. 1, characterized in that the cell activity data includes the amount of time consumed by at least one of the end-user devices in at least one cell.
9
The method according to claim 9. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación 8, caracterizado porque además comprende los pasos de:8, characterized in that it also includes the steps of: contar el número total de dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales que consumen individualmente en la célula cuando menos una cantidad de tiempo que excede un segundo umbral indicado por la información equivalente análoga pasada cuando menos para una célula;y averiguar que el cuello de botella este presente por lo menos en una sección de cuando menos una vía pública asociada por lo menos con una célula, si el número de la cuenta de todos los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales activos en una célula es mayor que el porcentaje determinado. count the total number of end-user mobile devices individually consuming in the cell at least an amount of time that exceeds a second threshold indicated by the analog equivalent information passed at least for one cell;and find out that the bottleneck is present in at least one section of at least one public road associated with at least one cell, if the account number of all mobile devices of the end users active in a cell is greater than the given percentage.
10
The method according to claims 7 and 9, characterized in that it further comprises the step of:10. El método de conformidad con las reivindicaciones 7 y 9, caracterizado porque además comprende el paso de: Identifying an address of at least one public way in which the bottleneck is present, the identification is based on a relative amount of the current wireless traffic in at least two cells that are adjacent to at least one cell. identificar una dirección de cuando menos una vía pública en la cual esta presente el cuello de botella, la identificación se basa en una cantidad relativa del tráfico inalámbrico actual por lo menos en dos células que están adyacentes cuando menos a una célula.
11
Un sistema para determinar las condiciones de eleven. A system to determine the conditions of ends entering and leaving at least a plurality of radial coverage areas, which are covered by a wireless communication system, and in which a plurality of roads are located;finales que entran y salen por lo menos a una pluralidad de áreas de cobertura radial, las cuales son cubiertas por un sistema de comunicaciones inalámbrico, y en la cual se localizan una pluralidad de caminos;a processor which compares the current flow with at least a radial coverage area with a past average flow, previously collected by the un procesador el cual compara el flujo actual cuando menos con un área de cobertura radial con un flujo promedio pasado, previamente recolectado por el sistema de -2930 comunicaciones inalámbrico cuando menos para un área de cobertura radial bajo condiciones de tiempo substancialmente similares;y elementos sensibles a la comparación para valorar -2930 wireless communications for at least one radio coverage area under substantially similar weather conditions;and elements sensitive to comparison to assess 5 road traffic conditions in at least one radial coverage area. 5 las condiciones de tráfico del camino por lo menos en un área de cobertura radial.
14
A system to estimate the conditions of a road in a geographic area covered by a wireless communication network, characterized in that the system 14. Un sistema para estimar las condiciones de un camino en un área geográfica cubierta por una red de comunicaciones inalámbrica, caracterizado porque el sistema 2 5 comprises:2 5 comprende: -3031 a wireless switch that keeps track of at least one of the following wireless activity data: a) end-user mobile devices currently active in at least one area of the plurality of radio coverage areas of a wireless communication network , and b) the amount of time consumed by each mobile device of the currently active end user in at least one of the coverage areas;-3031 un conmutador inalámbrico que mantiene el recorrido de cuando menos uno de los datos de actividad inalámbrica siguientes: a) dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales actualmente activos cuando menos en una área de la pluralidad de áreas de cobertura radial de una red de comunicaciones inalámbrica, y b) la cantidad de tiempo consumido por cada dispositivo móvil del usuario final actualmente activo cuando menos en una de las áreas de cobertura;a processor that performs at least a plurality of functions, including a) comparing the expected average number of mobile devices from end users in at least one of the radio coverage areas with the total number of mobile devices traveled currently active in at least one of the radial coverage areas, and b) determine an account of the mobile devices of the active end users in at least one of the radio coverage areas that consume a greater amount of time than expected in at least one of the radio coverage areas. un procesador que efectúa cuando menos una pluralidad de funciones, las cuales incluyen a) la comparación del número promedio esperado de dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales por lo menos en una de las áreas de cobertura radial con el número total recorrido de los disposi tivos móviles actualmen te activos por lo menos en una de las áreas de cobertura radial, y b) determinar una cuenta de los dispositivos móviles de los usuarios finales activos en por lo menos una de las áreas de cobertura radial que consumen una cantidad de tiempo superior a la esperada en por lo menos una de las áreas de cobertura del radio.
19
20. El método de conformidad con la reivindicación twenty. The method according to claim 10 19, characterized in that the information associated with the traffic bottleneck condition is provided to at least one user of one of the active wireless devices. 10 19, caracterizado porque la información asociada con la condición de cuello de botella del tráfico se proporciona cuando menos a un usuario de uno de los dispositivos inalámbricos activos. -3334 -3334

Independent claims12

99 paragraphs in 9 sections, as filed

SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING AND

REPORT INFORMATION

OF TRAFFIC

TECHNICAL FIELD

<td>This</td><td colspan="3">invention relates</td><td>with</td><td>systems</td><td>of</td>

<td>communications</td><td>and more</td><td>particularly</td><td>with</td><td>a</td><td>method and</td><td>a</td>

<td>system for</td><td>estimate</td><td>To proportionate</td><td colspan="3">information about</td><td>the</td>

<td>condition of</td><td>road</td><td>to users</td><td>of</td><td>the</td><td>services</td><td>of</td>

communications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recent developments in satellite system technology, such as Low Earth Orbit (BOT) satellites and Very Small Aperture Terminals (TAMP), have provided the impetus for the creation of a wide variety of mobile communication services. These services include personal satellite telephone services and the Global Positioner Service (SPG). Among the prominent services provided under the global positioner's aerial coverage are current-time paging services and navigation services for car and pedestrian drivers, not to mention military and security applications. The current-time locator service identifies the relative position of a device within a few feet of the device's actual coordinates. In contrast, the navigation service provides directions to an end user (for example, in the form of maps REF: 2300B

digital) based on the user's position t as well as traffic congestion regarding this position. Unfortunately, market acceptance of global positioner services has been slower than anticipated by SPG planners and designers. This is mainly due to the fact that the providers that provide the global positioner service have spread the high costs of procuring and launching satellites (BOT) over a small customer base.

In an attempt to offer similar services at lower prices, the designers of the systems have developed a system of superficial supervision for the traffic called In teligen te System on Roadways for Vehicles (SICV). This system employs video-based detection devices and on-the-go sensors to collect traffic data at a current time and provide users with warning and alternative route information when traffic congestion occurs. The infrastructure for the Intelligent System on Vehicle Roads is probably less expensive than the infrastructure for the Global Positioning System, which will lead to a lower cost expectation for the SICV-based service. Unfortunately, SICV developers have found that because SICV is limited to detecting

With traffic congestion / direction and reporting, the client base for the SICV may still be smaller than the base for the GPS. Consequently, the smallest customer base for the SICV can operate to invalidate any competitive advantage that the SICV may enjoy over the SPG.

This broadcast is further complicated by the fact that most radio stations broadcast periodic reports on traffic conditions directed at drivers on most metropolitan roads. So radio listeners on the road are unlikely to pay for a service that is available to them at virtually no charge, unless the service includes features not available to date. Radio stations typically receive the 15 traffic report information that they transmit from sources such as reporters aboard strategically located helicopters. Too bad that the service that reports the traffic information transmitted by radio is provided mainly during the busiest hours, and is mainly aimed at eavesdropping on the main roads. The scope and timing of radio-transmitted information works so that this information becomes useless to drivers who are traveling either during off-peak hours or on 2 5 congested back roads or suburban roads.

In addition, the service that reports radio transmitted traffic information does not offer detailed alternative routes to allow drivers / eavesdrops to whom it is directed, to avoid the congested area.

In addition, radio-transmitted traffic information quickly expires (typically much faster than the frequency of radio-transmitted reports) as new accidents occur and old accidents are no longer an obstacle to road traffic. So, a problem of the prior art is the lack of a solution at any time and wherever it allows the provision of information to users about road congestion without deploying a new expensive information collection infrastructure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a system, which estimates the traffic conditions on the public highway located in one or more radial coverage areas of the wireless communication network based on an analysis of past and timely traffic information current conducted and collected by a wireless communications network. The data collection process is carried out as part of the registration operation and the interference-free procedure carried out by the wireless communication network. The 25 data analyzed may include, for example, the actual (current) and expected (past average) number of a) active-busy wireless devices of end users in one or more cells in a particular time period, and b) wireless devices idle-assets of registered end users in a location area of the wireless communication network.

In an embodiment of the principles of the invention, traffic congestion is deduced when the number of active wireless devices of the end users in a cell or location area exceeds the determined threshold. For example, the proportion of the actual recorded number of wireless devices that are active-busy and / or active-unoccupied in a location area relative to the expected number may be indicative of a bottleneck on one or more major roads located in this location. cell or in this location area. Furthermore, the same ratio in adjacent cells or localization areas provide the targeting information regarding roadway bottlenecks. For example, when cell A and its adjacent cell B in the north are experiencing higher communications traffic than expected, while adjacent cell C which is located south of A is experiencing a communication traffic level equal to expected or less, a deduction is made that a

bottleneck is present in the northern region section of the road or main road located in cell A. The deduction of traffic congestion on a road based on a higher level of traffic than expected 5 in areas with a particular coverage of a wireless network is supported by empirical studies, which tend to indicate a direct correlation between traffic disturbances in a road and increased traffic on the wireless network in a cell where the congested section 10 of this road is located. The expected level of traffic for a cell is derived from past historical data collected by a wireless communication network. The expected level of traffic also takes into account time-dependent factors such as time of day, 15 day of the week, day of the year. Other factored variables in determining the threshold level include scheduled events, such as parades and road repairs.

In another embodiment of the invention, a deduction is made for traffic congestion on a road within a coverage area of a cell or location area, when a significant number of wireless devices consume more time than expected to travel a cell or location area. The expected amount of time for a wireless device to roam a cell is based on past historical data, whose factors include time-dependent parameters such as time of day, day of week, and day. of the year.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a user can subscribe to a service that reports traffic on demand, which allows the user to be warned of possible congestion on any road on an itinerary provided by the user. The itinerary may indicate, for example, different cells in which the subscriber expects to travel within particular time intervals.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a subscriber can receive unsolicited traffic reports on traffic congestion and information on an alternative route, any time the current cell (location area) in which the subscriber is located and / or cells (location area) adjacent to the current cell (location area) are experiencing higher than expected wireless traffic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram format of the communication switching system, arranged according to the invention for estimating traffic conditions on public roads located in the radial coverage area of a wireless component of the communication switching system. .

<td></td><td>The</td><td>Figure 2 illustrates</td><td>a</td><td>table</td><td>for plotting</td><td>of</td>

<td>maps of</td><td colspan="2">particular cells</td><td>or</td><td>areas</td><td>location</td><td>in</td>

<td>sections</td><td>of</td><td>a public highway;</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>

<td></td><td>The</td><td>Figure 3 presents</td><td>a</td><td colspan="2">diagram format</td><td>of</td>

illustrative flow of instructions executed by a processor in the network of Figure 1, to collect information about the wireless devices of the end users located within the radial coverage area of a wireless component of the communication switching system; and

Figures 4 and 5 present a format of a flow chart of the instructions executed by different components of the network of Figure 1, to provide the information to a subscriber according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A communications switching system including a wireless network 20 and a wireline network 30 is shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1. The wireline network 30 comprises local switches F interconnected tandem and long distance (not shown), which allow a telephone call to be terminated on a line telephone set (such as set 80) or transmitted to wireless network 20. The latter includes modular software and hardware components designed to provide radio channels for communications between end-user mobile devices, and other devices connected to the communications switching system of Figure 1. Wireless network 20 can be a Analog communications system employing, for example, the Advanced Mobile Telephone Service (STMA) analogous to standard cellular radio. A detailed description of an STMA-based communication system is provided in Bell System Technical Journal, Vol. 58, No. 1, January 1979, page 1-14. Alternatively, wireless network 20 may be a digital communications system that implements the well-known techniques of multiple code division access (CDMA) or multiple time division access (TDMA). Additional information on AMDT and CDMA access techniques can be found in AT&T Technical Journal, Vol. 72, No. 4, July / August 1993, pp. 19-26.

The wireless network 20 comprises of a number of base stations 1 to 12, each of the stations includes a transceiver, an antenna assembly (antenna and tower) and a controller that are arranged to communicate wirelessly with the mobile devices of the users

-910 ends 90-93, when located in the radial coverage area of one of the base stations. This radial coverage area is referred to in the art as a cell for cellular networks and a microcell for the 5 Personal Communications Network (RCP). When the access and egress points for the signals are transmitted to and received from wireless network 20, base stations 1-12 perform certain functions to establish a call that includes initial channel assignment and supervision of the 10 establishing a wireless link.

At the center of wireless network 20 is wireless switch 50 that supervises and coordinates the operations of base stations 1-12. This includes a processor 55 (whose functions are described below) and 15 the Mobile Switching Center (CCM) 52, which provides the paths for the calls of the non-union communications (which connects the wireless network 20 and the wired network 30 ) by connecting a point between the radio channels (of a wireless network 20) and the cable channels (of a network of 20 wireline communications 30).

Of particular importance among the components of wireless switch 50 is processor 55, which executes some of the call processing instructions shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, described below. Processor 55 includes a CPU 101 and an area

-1011 storage 100. The

CPU 101 coordinates some of the call processing functions performed by base stations 1-12.

Storage area

100 contains, in addition to the process instructions in to illustrated in the Figures

3-5 (contained in general storage area 106) registration counter and a cell 104 counter

105, and register set and a stopwatch set of and timers can cell 102 and 103. The counters are implemented, for example, as a series of EEPROMs, which store the individual counter values for each cell and the individual stopwatch values for each mobile device of an end user in an active-busy state. Other functions performed by CPU 101 include registration procedure and interference-free operations allowing wireless network 20 to identify, confirm and track the location of end-user wireless devices 90-93 within specific radio coverage areas, when These devices move within the geographic area covered by the wireless network.

A well-known registration procedure is the Domestic Location Registration method and the Visitor Location Registration (RLD / RLV). In the RLD / RLV method, a location area is assigned to a collection of cells, such as base stations 1-1112

12. According to the RLB / RLV method, an active-idle mobile device (i.e., a device that is activated but does not send or receive data or voice signals) needs to record the time the device is activated or when the device enters a new location area. Accordingly, when wireless switch 50 needs to complete a call with one of mobile devices 90-93, it transmits a collated signal only to cells associated with the location area where the mobile device is registered.

When one of the end-user mobile devices 90-93 registers, the CPU 101 of the wireless switch 50 increments an appropriate counter on the register counter 104 by one and starts an appropriate timer 15 on the set of register timers 102. Conversely, when a mobile device is deactivated or is out of the location area, the processor 55 of the wireless switch 50 lowers the registration counter by one and sends a signal to the registration timer set 102 to cause the timer associated with this device is reset.

<td></td><td></td><td>The operations</td><td>without</td><td>interference</td><td colspan="2">are made by</td>

<td>CPU</td><td> 101</td><td>in cooperation with</td><td>the</td><td>seasons</td><td>base 1-12.</td><td>Every</td>

<td>a</td><td>of</td><td>the seasons</td><td colspan="2">base 1-12 are</td><td>arranged</td><td>for</td>

<td colspan="2">25 measure and</td><td colspan="2">estimate intensity</td><td>of the signs</td><td>received</td><td>since</td>

-1213 an active-busy mobile device. Therefore, when a mobile device of an end user crosses the limits of one of the base stations 1-12 to enter another station of these base stations, a signal is received with an intensity decreased by the existing cell causing the CPU 101 of the wireless switch 50 initiate a non-interference procedure, which allocates a radio channel from the new base station for communications with an end user's mobile device. Processor 10 55 is arranged to increment the cell counter by one, for a cell, any time one of the end-user mobile devices 90-93 initiates a call from a location within the cell's coverage area. The CPU 101 also increments the appropriate counter 15 by one in the counter of cell 105, when one of the end-user mobile devices 90-93 (in an active-busy state) enters the radial coverage area of this cell. . In this case, CPU 101 also registers the cell number of the previous cell to identify the direction in which the user of an end user's mobile device is traveling. The end user mobile devices 90-93 may be cellular telephone sets, two-way pagers, wireless multimedia devices, or low mobility portable communication devices when wireless network 20 is a Network of

Personal Communications (RCP).

As mentioned above, processor 55 also includes a set of registration timers 102 and a set of cell timers 103 which comprise a series of EEPROMS with clocks that are associated with end-user mobile devices 90-93, when this device is registered. Similarly, when one of the end user mobile devices 90-93 initiates a call or enters a new cell, CPU 101 initiates a timer for this device. Both types of timers are designed to set a particular type of signal received from CPU 101. This signal is emitted by CPU 101 a) to a registration timer, when an activated end-user mobile device is turned off, and b) to a cell timer when an active-busy end-user mobile device leaves a cell or is off. Even though the cell timer set 103 is shown as part of a wireless switch 50, it is understood that it can be implemented as a standalone device or alternatively included in the processor of each of the base stations 1-12. The cell 103 timer is arranged to transmit a signal to the CPU 101, when the timer has exceeded a particular threshold. The value associated with this threshold is based, for example, on the average of a driver's past time period for

traverse this cell, according to similar conditions, such as the same time of day, the same day of the week, and the same day of the year. This average of the past time period is hereinafter referred to as the past average 5 analogous to the equivalent amount of time periodically transmitted by CPU 101 to the timer set of cell 103.

Voice Information System (SIV) 52 connects to wireless switch 50, which is arranged to a) initiate calls to end-user mobile devices 90-93, when a particular event occurs, b) receive calls and immediately answer questions to callers for specific information, based on a group of modules in a written transcript, c) collect information from callers in the form of a

Muí ti Double Tone frequency or voice input, and d) transmit the collected information to the processor 55.

In addition to the cell counter and the register counter, the processor 55 also stores the table of the

Figure 2, which correlates the particular cells (shown in the leftmost column) in a section of the public thoroughfare (represented in the second column to the left). Although the table in Figure 2 shows only one main public road per cell, it is understood

5 that more than one of the main public roads can be

-1516 covered by a cell. In the latter case, the intensity of the signal received by one of the base stations 1-12 can be used to distinguish which devices of the end users are traveling on a certain public road.

Naturally, when a cell covers more than one of the main public roads, each of these public roads has its own reference point, the information in the alternative route and the adjacent cells are recorded in the table in Figure 2.

The table in Figure 2 also includes reference points (shown in the middle column of Figure 2) which identify the limits of a section of a public road covered by a particular cell. Reference points can be well-known streets, or highway exit numbers. Adjacent cells are illustrated in the far right column of Figure 2, the role of which in the pathway bottleneck estimation and identification process is described in detail below. Suffice it to say for now that those adjacent cells are

0 they orient in the same direction as the cell that covers a particular section of public thoroughfare. As an example, if Highway 1 (shown in the top row of Figure 2> is oriented in the north-south direction, adjacent cells 2 and 1 are cells located respectively north and south of cell 3. The table of the

-1617

Figure 2 also includes the alternative route information representing other public roads oriented in the same direction to the section of the public road covered by a particular cell. Optionally, the alternative route information can be implemented, for example, as indices for stored digital maps, associated with the geographic area covered by a particular cell.

Figure 3 is a flow chart of the illustrative instructions, executed by some of the components of the communication switching system of Figure 1, to collect information about the end users' wireless devices located within a radial coverage area. of wireless network 15 in Figure 1. The information collection process contemplated by the invention is initiated in step 301, when a user turns on one of the end users' mobile devices 90-93. This activates the registration procedure, in step 302, which causes the CPU 101 20 to increment the appropriate counter by one of the registration counter 104 for the location area of the device. If the user initiates a call, as determined in step 303, the CPU 101 proceeds to step 306, to increment a counter by one on the cell 105 counter, and to start a stopwatch on the set of timers in the cell 103

-1718 in · step 307. In case the user does not initiate a call, in step 304 a determination is made, whether the activated device has been turned off. If so, the registration counter is reduced by one at the end of the information collection process.

After a call has been initialized (as determined in step 303), the appropriate counter is incremented on the cell counter (as shown in step 306) and the timer is started (as indicated in step 10). 307), in step 308, the call is monitored by CPU

101 to determine if the device has left the cell.

If so, CPU 101, in step 312, sends a signal to cell timer set 103 to stop the device timer and lowers the cell counter by one at the output of the device. Subsequently, in step 312, a determination is made whether the device has entered a new cell. If so, steps 306 to 308 are repeated. If not, steps 304 and 305 are performed. At step 308, when it is determined that the device has not left the cell, the CPU 101 performs a test at step 309 to find out if the amount of time indicated by the stopwatch exceeds a threshold previously determined by the equivalent amount of time , analogous to the past average for devices in this cell. When the test result is negative, step 308 is performed.

-1819 and other subsequent steps, as needed. If the test result is positive, CPU 101 performs a second test to determine if the exception counter has already been incremented by the device in question. If so, step 308 and subsequent steps are performed as needed. Otherwise, the exception counter is incremented by one in step 310, and step 308 is repeated.

One of the processes for estimating and providing the traffic of the invention path is started at step 401, 10 when CPU 101 compares the value indicated by the cell counter for a particular cell (called the cell A count) up to the expected average number of active-busy devices (B) in this cell under equivalent analogous conditions, such as the time of the 15th day, the day of the week, and the day of the year. At step 402, the

CPU 101 determines if the cell A's counter value exceeds B's expected average by more than 25%. It will be appreciated that this percentage value is provided for illustrative and pedagogical purposes only, and not to limit the scope of the invention. If the cell A counter value exceeds the expected average for B by more than 25%, CPU 101 resets the cell profile in step 403 and, in step 404, identifies the direction of the potential traffic disturbance . This is done by comparing the value of the 25 cell counter on each of the adjacent cells

-1920 (indicated by the cell profile) with the respective equivalent average of each adjacent cell, analogous to that expected. The adjacent cells in question are located in the same general direction, with which traffic flows on public roads. Consequently, if traffic on a road flows in the north-south direction, and the cell adjacent to the north of the cell of interest is experiencing a level of traffic greater than the analogous equivalent average traffic level, while the cell adjacent to the south of cell 10 of interest this experience a lower wireless traffic level than the equivalent or equal average wireless traffic level, It is concluded that the potential traffic disturbance in the section of the road is in the direction of the northern region.

If it was determined in step 405 that the cell counter value exceeds the expected average is greater than the illustrative value of 50%, in step 406, a message is provided to subscribers that is indicative of the presence of bottlenecks in the section of the public road (associated with the profile of the cell) in this cell and other affected adjacent cell (s). However, if in step 405 the cell counter is determined to be less than 50%, then in step 407 a warning message is provided to subscribers that is indicative of the presence of a bottleneck in the track section

-2021 public (associated with cell profile) on this cell and any other affected affected cell (s). The format in whichr Those messages can be provided are described below.

It is not worthwhile that in some examples the registration counter can be used, nor for the estimation of road traffic conditions. For example, when the location area covers a geographic area that can be associated with a section of public highway 10, the number of active-unoccupied mobile devices registered in this location area can be used to estimate road traffic conditions at this section of the public highway. Alternatively, when a wireless network implements a registration scheme that requires mobile devices to register the level of the cell, as opposed to the level of the location area, the technique described in conjunction with Figure 4 can also be used.

A second process for estimating and providing the traffic of the inventive path is initiated in step 501, when CPU 101 compares the value of the exception counter C with the count of cell A. When the exception counter has a value which is greater than 25% of the cell counter value, as determined in step 502, CPU 101, in step 503 resets the profile of

-2122 the cell in the table in Figure 2. Subsequently, in step 504, CPU 101 identifies the address of a potential traffic disturbance using the techniques previously described. If the value of the exception counter is greater than half the value of the exception counter, as determined in step 505, then a message is provided to the subscriber that is indicative of the presence of bottlenecks in the road section public (indicated by the cell profile) on this cell and any other adjacent affected cell (s). However, if in step 505 the cell count is determined to be less than 50%, then in step 507, a warning message is provided to subscribers that is indicative of the presence of a potential bottleneck in the section of the public road (associated with the cell profile) in this cell and any other adjacent affected cell (s).

The messages mentioned above can be provided to the subscriber in an audible format by means of a call initiated by the Voice Information System 53. The message may also include the alternative route information (associated with the cell) to allow the subscriber to avoid the congested section of the public highway. When the end users' mobile device is a wireless data terminal, the message can be provided in the graphic format in the form of a map

-2223 digital indicating the location of the bottleneck and directions to other less congested roads. When the expected calling function is available on end-user mobile devices 90-93, the subscriber can be provided with a message of the appropriate road condition, even when the end-user mobile device has the ability to simultaneously audible data, A digital map can be provided to a monitor connected to the end user's mobile device even when the device is in an active-busy state.

It will be appreciated that the exception counter values that trigger the process to estimate the road traffic and provide the messages are provided for illustrative and pedagogical purposes and therefore do not limit the scope of the invention when other values are used.

It is also not at all important that a combination of the techniques described in conjunction with Figures 4 and 5 can be used to practice the principles of the invention. For example, subscribers may be provided with a message indicative of a bottleneck in a section of a public road (associated with a cell profile) in this cell, when both conditions of the double-ended test are satisfied. For example, the first condition may require that a certain number of

-2324 active-busy devices in a cell exceed the average analogue amount of time consumed in this cell, while the second condition may dictate that the number of active-occupied devices in an expected average number of active-occupied devices (analogous to a

<td>cell</td><td>exceed</td><td>the</td>

<td colspan="2">equivalent)</td><td>of</td>

<td>true</td><td>value</td><td>in</td>

percentage.

According to an aspect of users, the invention may be subscribed to the service, those of traffic estimation and supply of the path of the invention by means of a prior registration for the service.

Therefore, when a bottleneck occurs in a path that is associated in the cell in the subscriber where it provides to the previously.

provide power to the mobile device of the active user. Subscriber System one of

Alternatively, route by the end of the Information messages the Voice 53 described user can signal MFTD or voice in the Voice Information Service

53, which provides the appropriate messages (received from

CPU

101) to the subscriber if congestion occurs on sections of the road associated with this itinerary.

The foregoing is constructed solely as illustrative embodiments of this invention. Those skilled in the art can easily devise arrangements 25 that provide functionality similar to this embodiment.

-2425 without any deviation from the fundamental principles or scope of this invention.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to put the aforementioned invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property.

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