Traffic information query system and traffic information query method

• US 7,908,075 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NEC Company Limited
• Inventors: Wang, Yabo, Qi, Hongwei, Liu, Xiaowei, Liu, Huifeng, Liu, Yuguang
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US11/598,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/120, 701/209, 701/210, 701/211, 707/3, 707/104.1, 340/995.13, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• 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: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

The invention provides a map knowledge base generating device and a method thereof, and a traffic information query system and a method thereof. The traffic information query system, comprises: a map knowledge base generating section for generating knowledge related to attributes of roads and traffic points, attribute values corresponding to the attributes, and spatial information of the attribute values based on an electronic map so as to form a map knowledge base; and a traffic query processing section for receiving and analyzing a query form a user terminal, decomposing the query if it is determined that the query can be decomposed according to the map knowledge base, and searching a traffic information database according to the decomposed the query request.

Claims

1. A map knowledge base generating section, comprising:

an attribute value extracting unit for extracting attribute values corresponding to attributes of roads and traffic points from an electronic map;

an attribute value spatial relationship forming unit for forming spatial correspondence relationship among the extracted attribute values of the roads and the traffic points; and

a combining unit for combining the attributes of the roads and the traffic points corresponding to the attribute values, the spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values, and an axiom based on the spatial correspondence relationship so as to form a map knowledge base.

2. A map knowledge base generating method, comprising:

extracting attribute values corresponding to attributes of roads and traffic points from an electronic map;

forming spatial correspondence relationship among the extracted attribute values of the roads and the traffic points; and

combining the attributes of the roads and the traffic points corresponding to the attribute values, the spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values, and an axiom based on the spatial correspondence relationship so as to form a map knowledge base.

3. A traffic information query system, comprising:

a map knowledge base generating section for generating knowledge related to attributes of roads and traffic points, attribute values corresponding to the attributes, and spatial information of the attribute values based on an electronic map so as to form a map knowledge base; and

a traffic query processing section for receiving and analyzing a query form a user terminal, decomposing the query if it is determined that the query can be decomposed according to the map knowledge base, and searching a traffic information database according to the decomposed query.

4. The traffic information query system according to claim 3, further comprising the traffic information database.

5. The traffic information query system according to claim 4, wherein the map knowledge base generating section comprises:

an attribute value extracting unit for extracting the attribute values corresponding to the attributes of the roads and the traffic points from an electronic map;

an attribute value spatial relationship forming unit for forming spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values of the roads and the traffic points; and

a combining unit for combining the attributes of the roads and the traffic points corresponding to the attribute values, the spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values, and an axiom based on the spatial correspondence relationship so as to form the map knowledge base.

6. The traffic information query system according to claim 5, wherein the traffic query processing section comprises:

a receiving unit for receiving the query from the user terminal as a first query;

an analyzing unit for identifying a format of the first query, decomposing the first query into a second query which corresponds to the attribute values of the roads or the traffic points when the first query can be decomposed according to the map knowledge base;

a query unit for searching the traffic information database for traffic information according to the first query or the second query and forming a query result, corresponding to the query, based on an initial query result; and

a sending unit for sending the query result to the user terminal.

7. The traffic information query system according to claim 6, wherein the traffic query processing section further comprises:

a query result combining unit for combining similar traffic information from the initial query result so as to form the query result.

8. The traffic information query system according to claim 7, wherein the combined result comprises a traffic information summary part and a detail description part.

9. The traffic information query system according to claim 6, wherein the analyzing unit identifies the format of the first query by determining whether or not the first query corresponds to one of the formats “

where”

, “

where, direction”

, “

where, question”

, “

where, direction, question”

, “

where, time”

, “

where, time question”

, “

where, direction, time”

, “

where, question, time” and

“

where, direction, time, question”

, and if not, then translating the first query into a format which corresponds to the one of the formats.

10. The traffic information query system according to claim 6, wherein the sending unit sends the query result in at least one of textual format, image format, and voice format.

11. The traffic information query system according to claim 3, wherein the user terminal is one of a wireless communication terminal and a wired communication terminal.

12. A traffic information query method, comprising:

generating knowledge related to attributes of roads and traffic points, attribute values corresponding to the attributes, and spatial information of the attribute values based on an electronic map so as to form a map knowledge base; and

receiving and analyzing a query from a user terminal, decomposing the query if it is determined that the query can be decomposed according to the map knowledge base.

13. The traffic information query method according to claim 12, wherein the map knowledge base generating step comprises:

extracting the attribute values corresponding to the attributes of the roads and the traffic points from the electronic map;

forming the spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values of the roads and the traffic points; and

combining the attributes of the roads and the traffic points corresponding to the attribute values, the spatial correspondence relationship among the attribute values, and an axiom based on the spatial correspondence relationship so as to form the map knowledge base.

14. The traffic information query method according to claim 13, wherein the traffic query processing step comprises:

receiving the query from the user terminal as a first query;

a format of the first query, decomposing the first query into a second query which corresponds to the attribute values of the roads or the traffic points when the first query can be decomposed according to the map knowledge base;

searching a traffic information database for traffic information according to the first query or the second query and forming a query result, corresponding to the query, based on an initial query result; and

sending the query result to the user terminal.

15. The traffic information query method according to claim 14, wherein the traffic query processing step further comprises combining similar traffic information from the initial query result so as to form the query result.

16. The traffic information query method according to claim 15, wherein the query result comprises a traffic information summary part and a detail description part.

17. The traffic information query method according to claim 14, wherein the analyzing step identifies the format of the first query by determining whether or not the first query corresponds to one of the formats “

where”

, “

where, direction”

, “

where, question”

, “

where, direction, question”

, “

where, time”

, “

where, time question”

, “

where, direction, time”

, “

where, question, time” and

“

where, direction, time, question”

, and if not, then translating the first query into a format which corresponds to the one of the formats.

18. The traffic information query method according to claim 14, wherein the sending step sends the queried result in at least one of textual format, image format, and voice format.

19. The traffic information query method according to claim 12, wherein the user terminal is one of a wireless communication terminal and a wired communication terminal.

20. A traffic information query device, comprising:

a receiving section for receiving a query from a user terminal as a first query;

an analyzing section for identifying a format of the first query, said analyzing section decomposing the first query into a second query which corresponds to attribute values of roads or traffic points when the analyzing section determines the first query can be decomposed according to a map knowledge base including knowledge related to attributes of the roads and the traffic points, the attribute values corresponding to the attributes, and spatial information among the attribute values based on an electronic map;

a query section for searching a traffic information database for traffic information according to the first query or the second query and forming a query result; and

a sending section for sending the query result to the user terminal.

21. The traffic information query device according to claim 20, further comprising at least one of the map knowledge base and the traffic information database.

22. The traffic information query device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a queried result combining unit for combining similar traffic information from initial query result so as to form the query result.

23. The traffic Information query device according to claim 22, wherein the combined result comprises a traffic information summary part and a detail description part.

24. The traffic information query device according to claim 20, wherein the analyzing section identifies the format of the first query by determining whether or not the first query corresponds to one of the formats “

where”

, “

where, direction”

, “

where, question”

, “

where, direction, question”

, “

where, time”

, “

where, time, question”

, “

where, direction, time”

, “

where, question, time” and

“

where, direction, time, question”

, and if not, then translating the first query into a format which corresponds to the one of the formats.

25. The traffic information query device according to claim 20, wherein the sending section sends the query result in at least one of textual format, image format, and voice format.

26. The traffic information query device according to claim 20, wherein the user terminal is one of a wireless communication terminal and a wired communication terminal.

27. A traffic information query method, comprising:

receiving a query from a user terminal as a first query;

identifying a format of the first query, decomposing the first query into a second query which corresponds to attribute values of roads or traffic points when the first query can be decomposed according to a map knowledge base, wherein the map knowledge base comprises information related to attributes of the roads and the traffic points, the attribute values corresponding to the attributes, and spatial information of the attribute values based on an electronic map;

searching a traffic information database for traffic information according to the first query or the second query and fonning a query result; and

sending the query result to the user terminal.

28. The traffic information query method according to claim 27, further comprising:

combining similar traffic information from an initial query result so as to form the query result.

29. The traffic information query method according to claim 28, wherein the query result comprises a traffic information summary part and a detail description part.

30. The traffic information query method according to claim 27, wherein the analyzing step identifies the format of the first query by determining whether or not the first query corresponds to one of the formats “

where”

, “

where, direction”

, “

where, question”

, “

where, direction, question”

, “

where, time”

, “

where, time question”

, “

where, direction, time”

, “

where, question, time” and

“

where, direction, time, question”

, and if not, then translating the first query into a format which corresponds to the one of the formats.

31. The traffic information query method according to claim 27, wherein the sending step sends the query result in at least one of textual format, image format, and voice format.

32. The traffic information query method according to claim 27, wherein the user terminal is one of a wireless communication terminal and a wired communication terminal.