System for providing traffic information

Abstract

A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of mobile users connected to a network. The system comprises a plurality of traffic monitors, each comprising at least a traffic detector and a transmitter, the traffic detector generating a signal in response to vehicular traffic and the transmitter transmitting the signal. A receiver receives the signals from the traffic monitors. A computer system is connected to the receiver and is further connected to the network. The computer system in response to a request signal received from one of the users transmits in response thereto information representative of the signals transmitted by the traffic monitoring units. Alternative systems for gathering traffic information are disclosed.

1 . A system for providing traffic information to a plurality of user devices connected to a network, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of mobile user devices, each mobile user device being associated with a display, and a communicating device to allow each of said mobile user devices to send and receive signals;    (b) a computer system interconnected with said mobile user devices so as to be capable of sending and receiving signals to and from said mobile user devices;    (c) said computer system, in response to a request for information from a requesting one of said mobile user devices, providing information for presentation on said display of said requesting one of said mobile user devices, said information representing traffic speeds with coded symbols such that different ones of said coded symbols represent different traffic speeds.    (d) said computer system automatically selecting a portion of said map for display of said coded symbols depending on the position of said requesting one of said mobile user devices.