Display device which displays traffic information images on a map

• US 6,574,555 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Keisuke, Kasuya, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20020032519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/211, 701/208, 340/995, 340/905
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A display device is provided, by which the road traffic information can be easily seen. The display device displays a map on a displaying section of the display device and also displays traffic information along roads in the map on the basis of road traffic information. The display device includes: a composing section for composing traffic information images having different forms from each other depending upon types of the traffic information; and a superposing section for superposing the traffic information images so that the traffic information images are alternately displayed on an image of the map.

Claims

1. A display device, for displaying a map on a displaying section of the display device and also for displaying traffic information along roads in the map on the basis of road traffic information, comprising:

a composing section for composing traffic information images having different forms from each other depending upon types of the traffic information; and

a superposing section for superposing the traffic information images so that the traffic information images are alternately displayed on an image of the map, wherein a first traffic information image is displayed and then a second traffic information image is displayed in an alternating manner.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the types of the traffic information consist of traffic information on expressways and traffic information on ordinary ways.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the types of the traffic information consist of at least two out of traffic congestion information, traffic regulation information and traffic accident information.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the superposing section superposes the traffic information images having different forms from each other so that the traffic information images are alternately displayed in a zone where the traffic information images overlap with each other on the image of the map.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the superposing section superposes the traffic information images having different forms from each other so that the traffic information image is always displayed in a zone where the traffic information images do not overlap with each other on the image of the map.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the composing section composes the traffic information images so that the traffic information images are composed by using different displaying colors depending upon a type of the traffic information or a type of a road.

7. A method of controlling a display of traffic information images on a map comprising the steps of:

controlling a display of a map;

obtaining traffic information;

composing a first traffic information image and second traffic information image, each having a different form from that of the other, depending upon types of the obtained traffic information and;

displaying the first traffic information image on the displayed map and then displaying the second traffic information image on the displayed map instead of the first traffic information image, wherein the first traffic information image and the second traffic information image are displayed on the displayed map in an alternating manner.