Patents in suit

US 11,874,131 Method and system for providing travel time information

3 defendants · 3 suits · updated October 6, 2026

Also cited as U.S. Patent No. 11,874,131 · US11874131B2 · US 11,874,131 B2 · 11874131 · the '131 patent

Nortrup has filed 3 patent-infringement suits on US 11,874,131, "Method and system for providing travel time information" since May 21, 2026, all in the E.D. Tex., against 3 distinct defendants including Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor America Inc. and Kia Corporation. The patent is held by Individual and was granted January 16, 2024 on a priority date of February 5, 2004. Its abstract opens: "Location technologies are combined with other information systems to provide augmented information for individuals such as a traveler in an automobile." The examiner cited 4 references during prosecution.

Assignee
Individual
Priority date
February 5, 2004
Granted
January 16, 2024
Expires
February 5, 2024
Status
Expired - Lifetime
Claims
30 (4 independent)
Inventors
Edward H. Nortrup
Full text
Google Patents

The suits

3 cases · E.D. Tex. (3)

Filed Defendant Plaintiff Court Docket
2026-05-21 Ford Motor Company Nortrup E.D. Tex. 4:26-cv-00540
2026-05-21 Hyundai Motor America Inc. Nortrup E.D. Tex. 4:26-cv-00542
2026-05-21 Kia Corporation Edward Nortrup E.D. Tex. 4:26-cv-00543

Docket links open the public record on CourtListener. Filing dates are the complaint's.

Independent claims

What is actually asserted, verbatim.

Claim 1

1. An in-vehicle computer system comprising: a display mounted to a vehicle; and a computer mounted to said vehicle and configured to receive user input comprising at least a command of a destination; said computer being configured to communicate with a cell phone, said cell phone being separate from said computer and said vehicle, said computer being configured to cause said cell phone to transmit a self-determined location of said cell phone and a destination signal based on said user input over a cellular network to a networked computer facility; thereby causing said cell phone to receive map data from said networked computer facility over said cellular network, wherein said map data indicates said self-determined location of said cell phone, a route from said self-determined location to said destination, and traffic conditions along said route based on location signals sent to said networked computer facility from other cell phones; and to cause said map data to be transmitted from said cell phone to said computer such that a map based on said map data is displayed on said display and shows said self-determined location of said cell phone, said route and said traffic conditions along said route.

Claim 11

11. An in-vehicle computer system comprising: a display mounted to a vehicle; and a computer mounted to said vehicle and configured to receive user input comprising at least a command of a destination; said computer being configured to communicate with a cell phone, said cell phone being separate from said computer and said vehicle, said computer being configured to cause said cell phone to transmit a self-determined location of said cell phone and a destination signal based on said user input over a cellular network to an internet networked computer facility; thereby causing said cell phone to receive map data from said internet networked computer facility over said cellular network, wherein said self-determined location is based on GPS location, wherein said map data indicates said self-determined location of said cell phone, a primary route and a secondary route from said self-determined location to said destination, estimated time travel based on at least said primary route, and traffic conditions along at least said primary route, wherein said traffic conditions are based on location signals sent to said internet networked computer facility from other cell phones; to cause said map data to be transmitted from said cell phone to said computer such that a map based on said map data is displayed on said display and shows said self-determined location of said cell phone, said at least said primary route and said traffic conditions along said at least said primary route; and to cause an audio alert based on said traffic conditions.

Claim 24

24. An in-vehicle computer system comprising: A user interface integrated into a vehicle, said user interface configured for receiving user input comprising at least a command of a destination; a display mounted to said vehicle; and a computer having a cell phone interface integrated into said vehicle for communicating with a cell phone, said cell phone being separate form said computer and said vehicle, said cell phone interface being configured to cause said cell phone to transmit a self-determined location of said cell phone and a destination signal based on said user input over a cellular network to a networked computer facility; thereby causing said cell phone to receive map data, wherein said map data indicates said self-determined location of said cell phone, a route from said self-determined location to said destination, and traffic conditions along said route based on other cell phones, said other cell phones being determined to represent other vehicles along said route based on said other cell phones' proximity to roads and/or movement; to cause said map data to be transmitted from said cell phone to said computer such that a map based on said map data is displayed on said display and shows said self-determined location of said cell phone, said route and said traffic conditions along said route.

Claim 29

29. A method of using an in-vehicle computer system in a vehicle, said method comprising: receiving user input comprising at least a command of a destination; causing a cell phone to transmit as self-determined location of said cell phone and a destination signal based on said user input over a cellular network to an internet networked computer facility, said cell phone being separate from said in-vehicle computer system and said vehicle; thereby causing said cell phone to receive map data from said internet networked computer facility over said cellular network, wherein said self-determined location is based on a GPS location, wherein said map data indicates said GPS location of said cell phone, a primary route and a secondary route from said self-determined location to said destination, estimated time travel based on at least said primary route, and traffic conditions along at least said primary route, wherein said traffic conditions are based on location signals sent to said internet networked computer facility from other cell phones; causing said map data to be transmitted from said cell phone to said in-vehicle computer system; and displaying a map based on said map data, said map showing said GPS location of said cell phone, said primary and secondary routes, said estimated time travel, and said traffic conditions along at least said primary route; and causing an audio alert if said traffic conditions change.

Art before the examiner

45 references of record, 4 cited by the examiner.

Everything listed here was before the Office and is what a challenge must go beyond. Art the examiner never saw is where an invalidity search starts.

Examiner-cited

  • US20020026278A1 — Method and system for modeling and processing vehicular traffic data and information and applying thereof (Estimotion Inc.)
  • US20030055542A1 — Vehicle information system (Siemens Automotive Corporation, A Delaware Corporation)
  • US6539080B1 — Method and system for providing quick directions (Ameritech Corporation)
  • US20030132862A1 — Navigation system and map display (Takeshi Kurosawa)
Applicant-cited and other (41)
  • US5638280A — Vehicle navigation apparatus and method
  • US5845227A — Method and apparatus for providing shortest elapsed time route and tracking information to users
  • US6005494A — Energy minimization routing of vehicle using satellite positioning an topographic mapping
  • US6091956A — Situation information system
  • US20010029425A1 — Real time vehicle guidance and traffic forecasting system
  • US6377810B1 — Method of operation of mobile wireless communication system with location information
  • JP2002150467A — Traffic condition detection method
  • US6411204B1 — Deceleration based anti-collision safety light control for vehicle
  • US20020107634A1 — Traffic monitoring system and method
  • US6456854B1 — System and method for locating and tracking mobile telephone devices via the internet
  • US6466862B1 — System for providing traffic information
  • US6480783B1 — Real time vehicle guidance and forecasting system under traffic jam conditions
  • US20030009277A1 — Using location data to determine traffic information
  • US6539302B1 — Method, system, and article of manufacture for providing notification of traffic conditions
  • US20030134648A1 — Machine for providing a dynamic data base of geographic location information for a plurality of wireless devices and process for making same
  • US6611750B2 — Hierarchical traffic control system
  • US6615133B2 — Apparatus, system, method and computer program product for determining an optimum route based on historical information
  • US20040192299A1 — Apparatus and systems for providing location-based services within a wireless network
  • US20040198389A1 — Method and system for delivery of location specific information
  • US20040204848A1 — Navigation apparatus for receiving delivered information
  • US6810321B1 — Vehicle traffic monitoring using cellular telephone location and velocity data
  • US20040224702A1 — System and method for access control in the delivery of location information
  • US20050096840A1 — Navigation routing system and method
  • US20050158376A1 — Dietary supplement and method of processing same
  • US20050197767A1 — Smart answering machine
  • US7027915B2 — Personal traffic congestion avoidance system
  • US20070014833A1 — Treatment of eye disorders with sirtuin modulators
  • US7203598B1 — Traffic information and automatic route guidance
  • WO2007112366A2 — Animal product enrichment using resveratrol
  • US20070276594A1 — In-transit Two-Way Route Communication Between a Handheld Positioning Device and a Service Provider
  • US20090082286A1 — Method for the production of resveratrol in a recombinant oleaginous microorganism
  • US20090082950A1 — System for transmitting, processing, receiving, and displaying traffic information
  • US20100027527A1 — System and method for improved mapping and routing
  • US20100082403A1 — Advocate rank network & engine
  • US20120191880A1 — System and method for identifying accessories connected to apparatus
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  • US10820147B2 — Mobile wireless device providing off-line and on-line geographic navigation information

Classification

  • G01C21/3694primary — Output thereof on a road map
  • G01C21/3407 — Route searching; Route guidance specially adapted for specific applications
  • G01C21/3415 — Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
  • G01C21/3492 — Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical
  • G01C21/3608 — Destination input or retrieval using speech input, e.g. using speech recognition
  • G01C21/362 — Destination input or retrieval received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
  • G01C21/3629 — Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech
  • G01C21/3667 — Display of a road map
  • G01C21/3697 — Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level
  • G01S19/42 — Determining position
  • G01S19/52 — Determining velocity
  • G06F8/60 — Software deployment
  • G06N5/022 — Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition
  • G06Q10/00 — Administration; Management
  • G06Q10/06 — Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
  • G06Q30/02 — Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
  • G06Q30/0207 — Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
  • G06Q30/0266 — Vehicular advertisement based on the position of the vehicle
  • G06Q30/0269 — Targeted advertisements based on user profile or attribute
  • G08G1/0112 — Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions based on the source of data from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
  • G08G1/012 — Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions based on the source of data from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
  • G08G1/0129 — Traffic data processing for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
  • G08G1/0133 — Traffic data processing for classifying traffic situation
  • G08G1/0141 — Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions for specific applications for traffic information dissemination
  • G08G1/052 — Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for determining speed or overspeed
  • G08G1/091 — Traffic information broadcasting
  • G08G1/0967 — Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits
  • G08G1/096741 — Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where a selection of the information might take place where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
  • G08G1/096775 — Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where the system is characterised by the origin of the information transmission where the origin of the information is a central station
  • G08G1/096811 — Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle where the transmitted instructions are used to compute a route where the route is computed offboard
  • G08G1/096883 — Systems involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle where the input to the navigation device is provided by a suitable I/O arrangement where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
  • H04M1/72457 — User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions according to geographic location
  • H04M1/72463 — User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions to restrict the functionality of the device
  • H04M2250/10 — Details of telephonic subscriber devices including a GPS signal receiver
  • H04W4/02 — Services making use of location information
  • H04W4/024 — Guidance services
  • H04W4/025 — Services making use of location information using location based information parameters
  • H04W4/027 — Services making use of location information using location based information parameters using movement velocity, acceleration information
  • H04W4/12 — Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
  • H04W4/40 — Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
  • H04W4/48 — Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P] for in-vehicle communication
  • H04W4/80 — Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Family

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  • US20110276259A1 — A1 (2011)
  • US8855905B1 — B1 (2014)
  • US9086295B2 — B2 (2015)

Abstract

Location technologies are combined with other information systems to provide augmented information for individuals such as a traveler in an automobile.

Also asserted by Nortrup

  • US 11,307,048 — Method and system for providing travel time information (3 defendants)

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This page is assembled from public records — federal court dockets and the patent's own file — and is updated as the case list changes. It states what the record shows and is not an opinion on the validity or infringement of any claim. Patent data via Google Patents; docket data via CourtListener.