COMMUNICATION-BASED NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20140074403A1
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kakao Mobility Corp. (Kakao Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Loc&ALL Inc.
• Inventors: SHIN, Myoung Jin, OH, Kwang Jin, PARK, Hee Man
• Granted Patent: US 9,222,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/537
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A communication-based navigation system that detects a traffic volume change and searches for a route. The system comprises terminal retaining geographic information and generating a route request and a traffic condition check request; traffic analysis server having at least one database corresponding to and in communication with the terminal; and service server receiving route request from the terminal for searching for route and transmitting searched route to the terminal and traffic analysis server, and relaying the traffic condition check request from the terminal to traffic analysis server. Traffic analysis server stores in database the searched route from service server and traffic conditions in the searched route and is responsive to the traffic condition check request signal for detecting traffic condition change from comparing a current traffic condition in the searched route with a previous traffic condition stored in the database and for transmitting the traffic condition change.

Claims

1. A communication-based navigation system, comprising:

a terminal configured to retain geographic information and generate a route request signal and a traffic condition check request signal;

a traffic analysis server configured to have at least one database corresponding to the terminal and communicate with the terminal; and

a service server configured to;

receive the route request signal from the terminal, perform a search for at least one route to produce and transmit an optimal route to the terminal and the traffic analysis server, and

forward the traffic condition check request signal received from the terminal to the traffic analysis server,

wherein the traffic analysis server stores in the database the optimal route received from the service server and a traffic condition along the optimal route, in response to the traffic condition check request signal, detects a traffic condition change by comparing a current traffic condition along the optimal route with a previous traffic condition stored in the database, and transmits a detected traffic condition change to the terminal via the service server.

2. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic condition stored in the service server and the traffic analysis server are updated in real time.

3. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the terminal receives the detected traffic condition change and determines a frequency of transmitting a route recalculation request signal or the traffic condition check request signal to the service server.

4. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the service server performs a route recalculation upon receiving a route recalculation request from the terminal which has received the detected traffic condition change and provides a route recalculation result along with a travel path from an initial point of departure to the current location stored in the database.

5. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic analysis server stores the traffic condition by the route for each link along the route.

6. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic analysis server compares the traffic condition stored in the database with the traffic condition currently obtained based on a density and a speed of traffic for each link on the route, detects the traffic condition change by link, and decides a route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined that a ratio of the number of the links of which the traffic condition is changed over the number of the all the links on the route exceeds a threshold.

7. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic analysis server compares the current traffic condition with the previous traffic condition by storing in the database a speed of traffic by link along the route, and decides a route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined a ratio of a current sum of differences in speed over a stored sum of differences in speed exceeds a threshold.

8. The communication-based navigation system of claim 1, wherein the traffic analysis server compares the current traffic condition with the previous traffic condition stored in the database, and decides the route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined a ratio of an estimated time for a driving at the time of the search for the route over a currently estimated time for the time exceeds a threshold.

9. A server for communication-based navigation, comprising:

an input/output unit configured to exchange information with a terminal;

a route searching unit configured to receive a route search request signal from the terminal through the input/output unit and perform a search for at least one route considering a traffic condition;

a database configured to store the traffic condition for each link of on the route; and

a traffic condition change calculation unit configured to receive a traffic condition check request from the terminal through the input/output unit, detect a traffic condition change by comparing a current traffic condition for each link with the traffic condition stored for each link in the database, and calculate a detected traffic condition change or an optimum frequency of traffic condition check requests.

10. The server of claim 9, wherein the traffic condition change calculation unit compares the traffic condition stored in the database with the traffic condition currently obtained based on a density of traffic for each link on the route, detects the traffic condition change by link, and decides a route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined that a ratio of the number of the links of which the traffic condition is changed over the number of the all the links on the route exceeds a threshold.

11. The server of claim 9, wherein the traffic condition change calculation unit compares the current traffic condition with the traffic condition stored in the database by storing a speed of traffic by link along the route, and decides a route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined a ratio of a current sum of differences in speed over a stored sum of differences in speed exceeds a threshold.

12. The server of claim 9, wherein the traffic condition change calculation unit compares the current traffic condition with the traffic condition stored in the database, and decides a route recalculation is necessary or not based on whether it is determined a ratio of an estimated time for a driving at the time of the search for the route over a currently estimated time for the time exceeds a threshold.

13. A route recalculation method performed by detecting a change in traffic volume, the method comprising:

requesting from a terminal to a service server for performing a route search based on a current location and a destination;

providing a navigation capability by producing and transmitting an optimal route to the terminal and storing in a database the optimal route and a traffic condition information in the optimal route;

requesting from the terminal to the service server for a traffic condition check based on the current location;

deciding a route recalculation is necessary or not by comparing the traffic condition information stored in the database with a traffic condition information corresponding to the current location; and

reducing a frequency of requesting from the terminal for the route search or for the traffic condition check if the route recalculation is not necessary, and providing a recalculated route to the terminal if the route recalculation is necessary.