Animated display of traffic information

• US 20080068222A1
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Navteq B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: MacLeod, John
• Application Number:
  US11/903,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068222A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/092 Coding or decoding of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A method is disclosed for displaying traffic information on a display. Information that indicates traffic conditions on a portion of a road network is used to form an animation. The portion of the road network is shown on the display and the animation is shown on the portion of the road network being displayed. The animation simulates movement in a direction corresponding to the direction of vehicle travel along the portion of the road network being displayed. The speed of the simulated movement of the animation is related to the traffic conditions.

Claims

1. A method for displaying traffic on a display comprising the steps of:

displaying a representation of a portion of a road network on the display;

indicating a relative position of a user on the representation of the portion of the road network being displayed; and

forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the representation of the portion of the road network being displayed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the animation simulates movement in a direction that corresponds to vehicle travel on the portion of the road network being displayed.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a relative speed of the movement indicates traffic speed along the portion of the road network being displayed.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the movement is relatively faster to indicate traffic conditions that are relatively fast, and wherein the movement is relatively slower to indicate traffic conditions that are relatively slow.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining information that indicates the traffic conditions; and

using the information that indicates the traffic conditions to form the animation.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the movement is relatively faster when the information indicates that the traffic conditions are relatively fast, and

wherein the movement is relatively slower when the information indicates that the traffic conditions are relatively slow.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates actual traffic conditions.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates historical traffic conditions.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates predicted traffic conditions.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained using GPS.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained using remote mobile positioning.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained using WiFi.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained using dead reckoning.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained from user input.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the position of the user is obtained using an inertial system.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the representation of a portion of a road network on the display includes building outlines.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the animation extends along the portion of the road network being displayed.

18. A method for displaying traffic information on a display comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of a road network on the display;

indicating a relative position of a user on the portion of the road network being displayed; and

forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the portion of the road network being displayed, wherein the animation illustrates differences in traffic flow.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the differences in traffic flow are illustrated by simulating faster movement of a portion of the animation to indicate faster moving traffic and simulating slower movement of another portion of the animation to indicate slower moving traffic.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the traffic conditions indicate actual traffic conditions.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the traffic conditions indicate historical traffic conditions.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the traffic conditions indicate predicted traffic conditions.

23. A method for displaying traffic information on a display comprising the steps of:

displaying a map on the display;

indicating a relative position of a user on the map being displayed; and

forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the map being displayed.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the map being displayed is shown in perspective view.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the map being displayed is shown in a 2D overhead view.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the map shows a road network.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the map shows a geographic area.