TRAFFIC INFORMATION GENERATION METHOD, TRAFFIC INFORMATION GENERATION DEVICE, AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20100138141A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagase, Kenji, Ishikawa, Hiroki, Zaitsu, Tomoyuki, Hayashida, Teruhide, Yoshikawa, Kazutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

Disclosed is a traffic information generation method for generating traffic information for each link, the method including a vehicle speed detection step of detecting a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals using a vehicle speed sensor; and a traffic jam degree detection step of referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed. When a link length falls within a predetermined range, information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link is allocated to the link.

Claims

1. A traffic information generation method for generating traffic information for each link, the method comprising:

a vehicle speed detection step of detecting a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals using a vehicle speed sensor; and

a traffic jam degree detection step of referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed;

wherein,

when a link length falls within a predetermined range, information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link is allocated to the link.

2. The traffic information generation method according to claim 1, wherein,

when the link length is less than a lower limit of the predetermined range, the connected traffic jam determination means determines that the information on the traffic jam degree is unclear.

3. The traffic information generation method according to claim 1, wherein,

when a running distance from the beginning of the link is less than the starting point distance, the connected traffic jam determination means determines that the information on the traffic jam is unclear.

4. The traffic information generation method according to claim 1, wherein

a communication unit transmits the information on the traffic jam to a server.

7. The traffic information generation method according to claim 2, wherein

a communication unit transmits the information on the traffic jam to a server.

8. The traffic information generation method according to claim 3, wherein

a communication unit transmits the information on the traffic jam to a server.

5. A traffic information generation device for generating traffic information for each link, the device comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals; and

traffic jam degree detection means for referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed;

wherein,

when a link length falls within a predetermined range, information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link is allocated to the link.

6. A navigation system comprising:

a traffic information generation unit for generating traffic information for each link, the traffic information generation unit including a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals and traffic jam degree detection means for referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed,

map data storage means for storing a road map of a road where a vehicle runs; and

a positioning unit that positions a position of the vehicle using electrical waves transmitted from a satellite;

wherein,

when a link length falls within a predetermined range, the traffic information generation unit allocates information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link to the link.