Road traffic information output apparatus

• US 20030028312A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Xanavi Informatics Corporation (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Saito, Toru, Matsuoka, Yoji, Suzuki, Hideo, Horie, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,952,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/62 for transportation systems, e.g. in vehicles

Abstract

A road traffic information output apparatus includes: a road traffic information obtaining device that obtains road traffic information; a decision-making device that determines in advance a specific area for which road traffic information will need to be output; and a control device that implements control to output road traffic information that has been obtained by the road traffic information obtaining device for the specific area determined in advance, when the road traffic information for the specific area determined in advance by the decision-making device is required.

Claims

1. A road traffic information output apparatus, comprising:

a road traffic information obtaining device that obtains road traffic information;

a decision-making device that determines in advance a specific area for which road traffic information will need to be output; and

a control device that implements control to output road traffic information that has been obtained by said road traffic information obtaining device for said specific area determined in advance, when the road traffic information for said specific area determined in advance by said decision-making device is required.

2. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said road traffic information obtaining device has a radio broadcast reception device; and

road traffic information is transmitted as digital data through radio broadcast.

3. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said decision-making device has a location registration device to register a location in advance for which road traffic information is to be output;

said road traffic information output apparatus further comprises an instruction device that issues an instruction to output road traffic information for the registered location; and

said control device implements control to output road traffic information for an area around said registered location obtained by said road traffic information obtaining device, when said instruction device issues an instruction to output road traffic information corresponding to said registered location.

4. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said road traffic information obtaining device has a radio broadcast reception device; and

road traffic information is transmitted as digital data through radio broadcast.

5. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said road traffic information obtaining device further has an information provider system connection device that can be connected to an information provider system that provides information through a digital mobile telephone system, and receives road traffic information by connecting to said information provider system if road traffic information cannot be received by said radio broadcast reception device.

6. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said road traffic information obtaining device obtains road traffic information for individual specific areas which is transmitted in correspondence to the individual specific areas; and

said control device controls said road traffic information obtaining device so as to obtain in advance road traffic information for said specific area determined in advance by said decision-making device before the road traffic information corresponding to said specific area is required.

9. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein

said decision-making device determines an area in said map information within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current vehicle detection device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

11. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein;

said decision-making device determines an area close to a zone boundary in said map information as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required, when zone boundary data are present within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current position detection device.

13. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein;

said control device controls the provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon results of a route search; and

said decision-making device determines an area that contains a route present within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current position detection device on a route resulting from said route search as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

15. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

said specific range represents an entire route resulting from the route search.

17. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of the vehicle; and

an output device that outputs road traffic information obtained by said road traffic information obtaining device, wherein;

said output apparatus outputs road traffic information so that road traffic information is displayed together with a map display achieved based upon said map information at a display device; and

said decision-making device determines an area on said map information within a specific range from a specific position on a map currently displayed at the display device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

19. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

an input device that is operated by a user to scroll map display at the display device, wherein

said decision-making device determines an area on said map information within a specific range from a specific position on a map currently displayed at the display device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required, even when said map display is changing at the display device in response to scroll instructions by the user.

21. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said radio broadcast is FM multiplex broadcast.

22. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said radio broadcast is FM multiplex broadcast.

7. A road traffic information output apparatus that receives and outputs road traffic information for individual specific areas which is transmitted as digital data from radio stations designated for the individual specific areas through radio broadcast, comprising:

a tuning switching device that switches radio station tuning;

a road traffic information obtaining device that obtains road traffic information for an area corresponding to a radio station that is currently tuned in;

an output device that outputs said road traffic information obtained by said road traffic information obtaining device; and

a decision-making device that determines in advance a specific area for which road traffic information will be required, wherein

said tuning switching device switches tuning to a radio station corresponding to said specific area determined by said decision-making device.

8. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said road traffic information obtaining device further has an information provider system connection device that can be connected to an information provider system that provides information through a digital mobile telephone system, and receives road traffic information by connecting to said information provider system if road traffic information cannot be received from the radio station.

10. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein

said decision-making device determines an area in said map information within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current vehicle detection device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

12. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein;

said decision-making device determines an area close to a zone boundary in said map information as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required, when zone boundary data are present within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current position detection device.

14. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of a vehicle;

a current position detection device that detects a current position of the vehicle; and

a control device that controls provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon said map information and said current position detected by said current position detection device, and wherein;

said control device controls the provision of the information related to traveling of the vehicle based upon results of a route search; and

said decision-making device determines an area that contains a route present within a specific range from said current position of the vehicle detected by said current position detection device on a route resulting from said route search as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

16. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said specific range represents an entire route resulting from the route search.

18. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

map information used to provide information related to traveling of the vehicle, wherein;

said output apparatus outputs road traffic information so that road traffic information is displayed together with a map display achieved based upon said map information at a display device; and

said decision-making device determines an area on said map information within a specific range from a specific position on a map currently displayed at the display device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required.

20. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

an input device that is operated by a user to scroll map display at said display device, wherein

said decision-making device determines an area on said map information within a specific range from a specific position on a map currently displayed at the display device as a specific area for which road traffic information will be required, even when said map display is changing at the display device in response to scroll instructions by the user.

23. A road traffic information output apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said radio broadcast is FM multiplex broadcast.

24. A recording medium that records a program for a road traffic information output apparatus, the program comprising:

a first step in which road traffic information is obtained;

a second step in which a location for which a user wishes to output road traffic information is registered in advance;

a third step in which road traffic information for said registered location is output; and

a fourth step in which control is implemented to output road traffic information corresponding to an area around said registered location obtained in said first step when an instruction is issued to output road traffic information for said registered location in said third step.

25. A recording medium that records a program for a road traffic information output apparatus, the program comprising:

a first step in which a decision is made in advance on an area for which road traffic information will need to be output among sets of road traffic information transmitted in correspondence to individual specific areas;

a second step in which road traffic information for said area determined in advance in said first step is obtained in advance before road traffic information corresponding to said area is required; and

a third step in which road traffic information corresponding to said area obtained in said second step is output when road traffic information for said area needs to be output.

26. A data signal transmitted through a communication line comprising a program for a road traffic information output apparatus, the program comprising:

a first step in which road traffic information is obtained;

a second step in which a location for which a user wishes to output road traffic information is registered in advance;

a third step in which road traffic information for said registered location is output; and

a fourth step in which control is implemented to output road traffic information corresponding to an area around said registered location obtained in said first step when an instruction is issued to output said road traffic information for said registered location in said third step.

27. A data signal transmitted through a communication line comprising a program for a road traffic information output apparatus, the program comprising:

a first step in which a decision is made in advance on an area for which road traffic information will need to be output among sets of road traffic information transmitted in correspondence to individual specific areas;

a second step in which road traffic information for said area determined in advance in said first step is obtained in advance before road traffic information corresponding to said area is required; and

a third step in which road traffic information corresponding to said area obtained in said second step is output when road traffic information for said area needs to be output.