Traffic Display Depicting View of Traffic From Within a Vehicle

• US 20100097240A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Swope, Howard M. III, Soulchin, Robert M., Balcerzak, Michal
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• 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: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A method and system for displaying an in-car view of current traffic conditions is disclosed. A user can select an “In Car View” as a display option. A display shows traffic conditions from a driver'"'"'s eye view. A forward view depicts a vehicle dashboard, which may include a steering wheel, a central column, gauges, a rear view mirror, and a windshield. Graphics representing traffic conditions are visible through the windshield of the forward view. A side view allows a user to see traffic conditions on the opposite side of the road. The in-car view moves at a rate associated with the pace of the current traffic conditions.

Claims

1. A method of displaying traffic conditions in a traffic report that includes a visual depiction of a geographical area including a portion of a road network located therein, comprising in combination:

selecting a route on the portion of the road network, wherein the road network is represented by road segments;

determining traffic conditions on at least one road segment in the selected route; and

displaying a view of the traffic conditions such that the view depicts what a driver would see if the driver was in a vehicle located on the at least one road segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the view is a forward view that depicts what the driver would see if the driver looked in a forward direction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the forward view depicts a windshield of a vehicle, wherein graphics representing the traffic conditions are visible through the windshield.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the view is a side view that depicts what the driver would see if the driver looked out a driver'"'"'s side window of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the side view depicts traffic conditions on an opposite side of a road in the road network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the view is a rear view that depicts what the driver would see if the driver looked in a rear view mirror.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the view includes a screen element that displays information regarding the route.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information regarding the route includes current traffic speed on the at least one road segment.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information regarding the route includes current travel time for the route.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the view includes a screen element that displays camera video.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the view moves at a rate proportional to a speed of traffic on the route.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding at least one advertisement to the view.

13. A system for providing a realistic environment for a traffic report that includes a visual depiction of a geographical area including a portion of a road network located therein, comprising:

a traffic data collection center that receives data regarding traffic conditions on at least one roadway in the portion of the road network and generates a traffic data output; and

a traffic report application that receives the traffic data output from the traffic data collection center and generates a video output for a traffic report including a view of the traffic conditions from a vehicle driver'"'"'s perspective.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the view includes a windshield of a vehicle, wherein graphics representing traffic conditions are visible through the windshield.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the view includes a screen element that displays information about the traffic conditions.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the view moves at a rate proportional to a speed of traffic on the at least one roadway.

17. A method of displaying traffic conditions in a traffic report that includes a visual depiction of a geographical area including a portion of a road network located therein, comprising in combination:

creating a geographical map of the portion of the road network, wherein the road network is represented by road segments;

creating a view depicting what a driver sees from a driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle;

obtaining data representing traffic conditions on at least one road segment; and

using the geographical map, the view, and the traffic condition data in a visual traffic report.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the view includes a windshield of a vehicle, wherein graphics representing traffic conditions are visible through the windshield.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the traffic report includes a side view that depicts what the driver would see if the driver looked out a driver'"'"'s side window of the vehicle, wherein the side view depicts graphics representing traffic conditions on an opposite side of a road in the road network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the view includes a screen element that displays information about the traffic conditions.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the view moves at a rate proportional to a speed of traffic on the at least one road segment.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the view includes at least one advertisement.