Patent ID: 9336679
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: G08G,H04W

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors: communicating with a mobile communications device of a user; identifying, in a plurality of geographical areas, a first geographical area; selecting, in a plurality of cellular towers, a first cellular tower providing cellular coverage to the first geographical area; determining a first total number of cellular signal pings received by the first cellular tower over a first predefined time period; estimating a traffic volume factor for the first geographical area in accordance with the first total number of cellular signal pings; estimating a traffic speed factor including an average speed for the first geographical area in accordance with a speed of movement of the mobile communications device based on the first total number of cellular signal pings; and providing a traffic condition associated with the first geographical area to the user in accordance with the traffic volume factor and the traffic speed factor, wherein the traffic condition is provided when a global positioning component of the mobile communications device is turned off or unavailable.