System and method for providing information to a user

Abstract

An information system and method provides information to an operator of an emergency response vehicle. A destination location and a current position of the motor vehicle are established. A planned route as a function of the destination location and the current position is established and communicated to at least one traffic control system, an alternate route is established as a function of a factor which may delay travel over the planned route, the destination location, and the new current position and a modified route plan is communicated to at least one traffic control system. The traffic control received positional data on the vehicle and controls the traffic control devices under its management to expedite the transit of the emergency vehicle.

1 - 32 . (canceled)  
   
   
       33 . A system for providing information to a user, comprising: 
 a device being positioned relative to the user, the device including: 
 an input system for establishing a destination location of the user;  
 a positioning system for establishing a current position of the device; and,  
 a computer based routing system for automatically establishing a planned route as a function of the current position and the destination location or as a function of the current position and a stored route chosen by the user, or activating the stored route chosen by the user; and,  
   a traffic control system in communication with the device, the device for sending the planned route over a communications network to the traffic control system, the traffic control system for automatically establishing at least one factor which negatively or positively impacts travel over the planned route as a function of the planned route and responsively communicating the at least one factor to the device.    
   
   
       34 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the device is embodied in a hand-held device.  
   
   
       35 . A system, as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the handheld device is a PDA or a cell phone.  
   
   
       36 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein a communications path from the traffic control system to the device uses a commercial one-way communications link.  
   
   
       37 . A system, as set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the commercial one-way communications link is provided through a terrestrial or satellite radio service.  
   
   
       38 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the destination location is input to the input system by the user, transferred from an external system, or chosen from a list of remotely or locally stored addresses, routes, or destinations.  
   
   
       39 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the at least one factor may include accidents and/or congestion and/or alternate route options and/or real-time trend data and/or historical trend data and/or a factor related to a railroad crossing and/or bridge.  
   
   
       40 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , the traffic control system for establishing a proposed alternate route as a function of the planned route and the at least one factor and communicating the proposed alternate route to the device over the communications network.  
   
   
       41 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , the device for communicating information to the traffic control system in real-time and/or in a batch mode.  
   
   
       42 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the traffic control system receives information from the device and other similar devices related to the planned and alternate routes, accidents, and congestion, and other information related to travel.  
   
   
       43 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the traffic control system persistently communicates information including the at least one factor to the device.  
   
   
       44 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the routing system establishes the planned route by automatically determining and/or receiving alternative route options and presenting the alternate route options to the user.  
   
   
       45 . A system, as set forth in  claim 44 , wherein one of the proposed alternate routes is received from the traffic control system.  
   
   
       46 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the routing system establishes an alternate route as a function of the at least one factor and/or at least one preference and/or historical trend data and/or real-time trend data stored on the device.  
   
   
       47 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , the routing system for monitoring the current position of the device and establishing a new planned route as a function of the current position and the destination location if the user deviates from the planned route.  
   
   
       48 . A system, as set forth in  claim 47 , the routing system for communicating the new planned route to the traffic control system over the communications network, the traffic control system for establishing automatically establishing at least one new factor which may impact travel over the new planned route as a function of the new planned route and responsively communicating the at least one new factor to the device.  
   
   
       49 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , the traffic control system continuously communicates any new factors which may impact travel over the planned route and/or proposed alternative routes to the device, the routing system for receiving the new factors and/or proposed alternative routes and determining an alternative route as a function of the new factors or allowing the user to accept one of the proposed alternative routes.  
   
   
       50 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the at least one factor may be related to emergency response vehicles in or around the planned route.  
   
   
       51 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein information related to the user, the planned route and an actual route may be stored on the device.  
   
   
       52 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the device stores a default route from the current position to the destination location, the routing system establishes the planned route as the default route unless the at least one factor provides a better alternative route and/or provides impact data that triggers alternate route planning.  
   
   
       53 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the traffic control system is in communication with a traffic signaling and/or traffic monitoring and/or traffic control and/or railroad opening system and/or bridge opening system and may send a control signal thereto to control an aspect thereof and/or share real time trend data and/or historical trend data.  
   
   
       54 . A system, as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the hand-held device interfaces with an in vehicle navigation and/or guidance system.  
   
   
       55 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the device communicates progress along the planned route to the traffic control system in real-time and/or in a batch mode.  
   
   
       56 . A system, as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein progress along the planned route and/or trend data is stored on the routing system and/or the traffic control system.  
   
   
       57 . A system, as set forth in  claim 56 , wherein the planned route is established as a function of the trend data.  
   
   
       58 . A method for providing information to a user, comprising: 
 providing a device positioned relative to the user;    establishing a destination location of the user via the device;    establishing a current position of the user;    automatically establishing a planned route as a function of the current position and the destination location or as a function of the current position and a stored route chosen by the user, or activating the stored route chosen by the user;    sending the planned route over a communications network to a traffic control system;    automatically establishing via the traffic control system at least one factor which negatively or positively impacts travel over the planned route as a function of the planned route; and,    responsively communicating the at least one factor to the device.    
   
   
       59 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the step of establishing a destination location includes the step of accepting input of the destination location by the user, transferring the destination location from an external system or allowing the user to select the destination location from a list of locally or remotely stored addresses, routes, or destinations.  
   
   
       60 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the at least one factor may include accidents and/or congestion and/or alternate route options and/or real-time trend data and/or historical trend data and/or a factor related to a railroad crossing and/or bridge.  
   
   
       61 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the steps of establishing a proposed alternate route at the traffic control system as a function of the planned route and the at least one factor and communicating the proposed alternate route to the device over the communications network.  
   
   
       62 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of communicating information from the device to the traffic control system in real-time and/or in a batch mode.  
   
   
       63 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of receiving information from the device and other similar devices, at the traffic control system, related to the planned and alternate routes, accidents, and congestion, and other information related to travel.  
   
   
       64 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of persistently communicating information from the traffic control system, including the at least one factor, to the device.  
   
   
       65 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the step of establishing the planned route includes the step of automatically determining and/or receiving alternative route options and presenting the alternate route options to the user.  
   
   
       66 . A method, as set forth in  claim 65 , wherein one of the proposed alternate routes is received from the traffic control system.  
   
   
       67 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of establishing an alternate route as a function of the at least one factor and/or at least one preference and/or historical trend data and/or real-time trend data.  
   
   
       68 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the steps of monitoring the current position of the device and establishing a new planned route as a function of the current position and the destination location if the user deviates from the planned route.  
   
   
       69 . A method, as set forth in  claim 68 , including the steps of communicating the new planned route to the traffic control system over the communications network and automatically establishing at least one new factor which may impact travel over the new planned route as a function of the new planned route and responsively communicating the at least one new factor to the device.  
   
   
       70 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of continuously communicating any new factors which may impact travel over the planned route and/or proposed alternative routes to the device, receiving the new factors and/or proposed alternative routes at the device and determining an alternative route as a function of the new factors or allowing the user to accept one of the proposed alternative routes.  
   
   
       71 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein the at least one factor may be related to emergency response vehicles in or around the planned route.  
   
   
       72 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , wherein information related to the user, the planned route and an actual route may be stored on the device.  
   
   
       73 . A method, as set forth in  claim 33 , including the step of storing a default route from the current position to the destination location, wherein the step of establishing the planned route including the step of establishing the default route as the planned route unless the at least one factor provides a better alternative route and/or provides impact data that triggers alternate route planning.  
   
   
       74 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of communicating progress along the planned route to the traffic control system in real-time trend data and/or in a batch mode.  
   
   
       75 . A method, as set forth in  claim 58 , including the step of storing progress along the planned route and/or trend data on the routing system and/or traffic control system.  
   
   
       76 . A method, as set forth in  claim 75 , wherein the planned route is established as a function of the trend data.