Device and method for traffic information guiding in navigation system

• US 7,020,556 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ki Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/759,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/213, 701/117, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 340/995.13
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• 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 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus and method for guiding a traffic information in a navigation system, in which a user of a moving object directly selects and provides traffic conditions changing on a current traveling road in real time. Additionally, the user can receive the traffic conditions. The method for guiding the traffic information in the navigation system includes the steps of: displaying a traveling route on a screen; determining whether a current mode is a traffic condition input mode while a moving object travels; if the current mode is the traffic condition input mode, displaying a current traffic condition on a screen in order for a selection; checking whether or not the current traffic condition is selected on the displayed screen; and if the traffic condition is selected, transmitting a traffic information message to a traffic information center, the traffic information message including the selected traffic condition, a current position and a current velocity.

Claims

1. An apparatus for guiding a traffic information in a navigation system, comprising:

a GPS receiver for receiving position data from a plurality of GPS satellites;

a storage means for storing a map data and a traffic information;

a display means for displaying the stored map data and information of a traffic condition on a screen;

an input means for inputting a variety of key signals and selecting a traffic condition of a current road on a traveling route;

a velocity and direction sensing means for sensing a traveling velocity and direction of a moving object;

a wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving a traffic information including the traffic condition of the road; and

a control means for controlling each means, controlling the traffic information of the traveling route to be transmitted to the wireless communication means, and controlling the received traffic information to be displayed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means provides respective items of the traffic condition of the road to at least one of a screen display means and an audio output means if a traffic condition input mode is selected by a user, and allows the user to select an item matched with a current traffic condition.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means enables the display means to display the traffic condition of the road, which occurs on the traveling route, so as to allow the user to select at least one item of the traffic condition, the traffic condition including a traffic congestion, a traffic delay, a slow speed, a normal speed, a traffic accident, a man working.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic information received through the wireless communication means includes a current position, a road traffic condition selected on the traveling route by the user, and a current traveling velocity.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic information received through the wireless communication means includes a specific interval of a traveling route requested by the user, a road traffic condition selected and provided by other user at the corresponding interval, and a current traveling velocity at the corresponding road.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traffic information includes a current position of the moving object, a traffic condition of a road where the moving object is placed, an average traveling velocity of the moving object according to intervals, and a velocity variation at an interval where the moving object travels.

7. A method for guiding a traffic information in a navigation system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a traveling route on a screen;

determining whether a current mode is a traffic condition input mode while a moving object travels;

if the current mode is the traffic condition input mode, displaying a current traffic condition on a screen in order for a selection;

checking whether or not the current traffic condition is selected on the displayed screen; and

if the traffic condition is selected, transmitting a traffic information message to a traffic information center, the traffic information message including the selected traffic condition, a current position and a current velocity.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the traffic condition input mode includes one of a direct input mode and an indirect input mode, the direct input mode being a mode that a user of a moving object directly selects the traffic condition from a menu, the indirect input mode being a mode that a traffic condition selecting screen is displayed on a screen if a velocity at a traveling road is less than a predetermined velocity.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein items of the traffic condition are displayed on the screen or provided in a form of an audio information in order for the user of the moving object to select a traffic condition of a current road, the items including a traffic congestion, a traffic delay, a slow speed, a normal speed, a traffic accident, and a man working.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the traffic condition selected by the user of the moving object is at least one of items including a traffic congestion, a traffic delay, a slow speed, a normal speed, a traffic accident, and a man working.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the current velocity of the moving object is an average traveling velocity calculated by using a position and velocity at the inputted traffic condition and a position and velocity at the selected traffic condition.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the traffic information further includes a velocity variation information representing an increase/decrease of the traveling velocity by using a velocity difference between the inputted traffic condition and the selected traffic condition.

13. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

if the current mode is not the traffic condition input mode, checking whether or not the traffic condition of the traveling route is requested to the traffic information center;

if the traffic condition of the traveling route is requested, receiving the traffic information corresponding to the traveling route from the traffic information center through a mobile communication network; and

displaying the received traffic information on a screen.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of displaying an updated traffic condition of the traveling route after the received traffic information is displayed on the screen for a predetermined time.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the traffic information message includes a header information, a traffic condition information and a current transmission location and is transmitted/received over a short message service (SMS).