Road traffic information processing apparatus, road traffic information processing method, computer program, and information record medium

• US 6,963,799 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Yano, Kenichiro, Yamashita, Motoyuki, Kita, Daisaku
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/998,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 701117-120, 701/210, 701/200, 701/205, 701/23, 701 25- 26, 340/934
• US Class Current: 701/117
• 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 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A road traffic information processing apparatus determines the continuity of road conditions of a traffic jam, control, etc., in a traffic information link (v1, v2) received by road traffic information reception section and the continuity of road conditions of a traffic jam, control, etc., existing in traffic information links of different roads.

Claims

1. A road traffic information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives road traffic information for a portion of a route; and

a controller which determines continuity of at least one traffic condition in the portion based on the road traffic information,

wherein the traffic condition includes at least any one condition of a traffic jam condition, a congestion condition, and a traffic regulation condition.

2. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the controller determines the continuity of the traffic condition in the portion by a ratio calculated based on a length of the traffic condition and a length of the portion.

3. The road traffic information processing apparatus

according to claim 2,

wherein the ratio is a ratio of the length of the traffic condition to the length of the portion, and the controller determines that the traffic condition is

continuous along a whole of the portion when the ratio is larger than a predetermined value.

4. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the controller determines that the traffic condition is not continuous along the whole of the portion when the ratio is smaller than the predetermined value.

5. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the traffic condition comprises a plurality of traffic conditions, and

the controller determines the continuity of the traffic condition in the portion by a ratio calculated based on a sum of lengths of the plurality of traffic conditions and a length of the portion.

6. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the ratio is a ratio of the sum of lengths of the plurality of traffic conditions to the length of the portion, and

the controller determines that the traffic condition is continuous along a whole of the portion when the ratio is larger than a predetermined value.

7. The road traffic information processing apparatus

according to claim 6,

wherein the controller determines that the traffic condition is not continuous along the whole of the portion when the ratio is smaller than a predetermined value.

14. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the controller determines the continuity of a

traffic condition in the first portion and a traffic condition in the second portion based on a length and a position of the first traffic condition and a length and a position of the second traffic condition.

15. A navigation system having the road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

an audio output section which carries out an audio guide of the traffic condition in the portion based on the continuity of the traffic condition in the portion determined by the controller.

16. The navigation system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a display which displays traffic conditions based on the road traffic information.

17. The navigation system according to claim 16,

wherein the display displays about the traffic conditions based on the road traffic information with an arrow.

20. A road traffic information processing program which is executed by a computer to implement functions of respective element in the road traffic information processing apparatus

according to claim 1.

21. A recording medium storing the road traffic information processing program according to claim 20.

8. A road traffic information processing apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives first road traffic information for a first portion of a route and second road traffic information for a second portion adjacent to the first portion; and

a controller which determines continuity of at least one first traffic condition in the first portion of the route and at least one second traffic condition in the second portion based on the first road traffic information and the second road traffic information,

wherein the first traffic condition and the second traffic condition include at least any one condition of a traffic jam condition, a congestion condition, and a traffic regulation condition.

9. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the controller determines the continuity of the first traffic condition in the first portion and the second traffic condition in the second portion by a first ratio

calculated based on a length of the first traffic condition and a length of the first portion and a second ratio calculated based on a length of the second traffic condition and a length of the second portion.

10. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the first ratio is a ratio of the length of the first traffic condition to the length of the first portion, and

the second ratio is a ratio of the length of the second traffic condition to the length of the second portion, and

the controller determines that the first traffic condition in the first portion and the second traffic condition in the second portion are continuous when the first ratio and the second ration are larger than a predetermined value.

11. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the first ratio is a ratio of the length of the first traffic condition to the length of the first portion, and

the second ratio is a ratio of the length of the second traffic condition to the length of the second portion, and

the controller determines the continuity of the first traffic condition in the first portion and the second traffic condition in the second portion based on a position of the first

traffic condition when the first ratio is smaller than a predetermined value and the second ratio is larger than a predetermined value.

12. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the controller determines that the first traffic condition in the first portion and the second traffic condition in the second portion are continuous when the first traffic condition is positioned at a side of the second portion.

13. The road traffic information processing apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the controller determines that the first traffic condition in the first portion and the second traffic condition in the second portion are not continuous when the first traffic condition is not positioned at a side of the second portion.

18. A road traffic information processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving road traffic information for a portion of a route; and

determining continuity of at least one traffic condition in the portion based on the road traffic information,

wherein the traffic condition includes at least any one condition of a traffic jam condition, a congestion condition,

and a traffic regulation condition.

19. A road traffic information processing method comprising the steps of:

receiving first road traffic information for a first portion of a route and second road traffic information for a second portion adjacent to the first portion; and

determining continuity of at least one first traffic condition in the first portion of the route and at least one second traffic condition in the second portion based on the first road traffic information and the second road traffic information,

wherein the first traffic condition and the second traffic condition include at least any one condition of a traffic jam condition, a congestion condition, and a traffic regulation condition.