Method of displaying traffic information and displaying traffic camera view for vehicle systems

• US 8,660,782 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Vang, Doua, Alasry, Bilal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US12/975,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 701117-121, 701/2, 701/36, 340/907, 340/937, 340/936, 340/988, 340/989, 180/171
• US Class Current: 701/119
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method or a system for displaying a traffic camera view of a road on a display within a vehicle. The method or the system may include monitoring a movement of the vehicle, determining an existence of a traffic event based on the movement of the vehicle, receiving a traffic camera view on the road, and displaying the traffic camera view if the traffic event is detected.

Claims

1. A method of displaying a traffic camera view of a road on a display within a vehicle, the method comprising:

sampling, by a control module, at least one actual speed of a driver on a road;

calculating, by the control module, a usual speed of the driver on the road based on the at least one actual speed;

determining, by the control module, an existence of a traffic event based on a comparison between a current vehicle speed on the road and the usual speed;

receiving, by the control module, a traffic camera view; and

displaying, by the control module, the traffic camera view on the display if the traffic event exists;

wherein

the at least one actual speed includes a plurality of actual speeds, and

the usual speed is calculated based on an average value of the plurality of actual speeds.

2. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, wherein:

the existence of the traffic event is determined if the current vehicle speed is lower than the usual speed.

3. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, wherein:

the existence of the traffic event is determined if the vehicle speed is less than the usual speed for a predetermined time period.

4. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, wherein

the existence of the traffic event is determined if the vehicle brake operation is applied for a predetermined time period.

5. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the control module, if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from a traffic signal that the vehicle is approaching;

waiting for a predetermined time, if the vehicle is within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal;

determining again, by the control module, if the vehicle is within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal;

determining, by the control module, that a traffic event exists on a road upon which the vehicle is traveling, if the vehicle is still within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal.

6. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, by the control module, the traffic camera that exists on the road ahead of the vehicle and

then displaying the selected camera view on the display if the traffic event exists.

7. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, by the control module, the traffic camera that exists on a navigated route, which is provided by a navigation system, or within a predetermined distance from the navigated route ahead of the vehicle, and

then displaying the selected camera view on the display if the traffic event exists.

8. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 7, wherein selecting the traffic camera that exists on a navigated route further comprises selecting the traffic camera closest to the vehicle.

9. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 7, wherein selecting the traffic camera that exists on a navigated route further comprises selecting a plurality of cameras.

10. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, wherein displaying the traffic camera view on the display if the traffic event exists further comprises displaying the camera view with a map indicating a geographic position of the selected camera on the display.

11. The method of displaying a traffic camera view according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a bell-shaped curve based on the plurality of actual speeds;

excluding outliers of the plurality of actual speeds from the bell-shaped curve; and

calculating the average value without the outliers.

12. A traffic camera view displaying system for a vehicle comprising:

means for sampling at least one actual speed of a driver on a road;

means for calculating a usual speed of the driver on the road based on the at least one actual speed;

an electrical computing system detecting an existence of a traffic event; and

means for receiving a traffic camera view which is relevant to the traffic event, and

a screen located in the vehicle that displays the traffic camera view, wherein,

the electrical computing system detects the existence of the traffic event based on a comparison between a current vehicle speed on the road and the usual speed,

the screen displays the traffic camera view when the electrical computing system detects the traffic event;

the at least one actual speed includes a plurality of actual speeds, and

the usual speed is calculated based on an average value of the plurality of actual speeds.

13. The traffic camera view displaying system according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for monitoring a movement of the vehicle, wherein

the electrical computing system calculates a braking time period of the vehicle based on the movement of the vehicle and detects the traffic event if the braking time period is longer than a predetermined time period.

14. The traffic camera view displaying system for a vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for calculating a bell-shaped curve based on the plurality of actual speeds;

means for excluding outliers of the plurality of actual speeds from the bell-shaped curve; and

means for calculating the average value without the outliers.

15. A traffic camera view displaying system for a vehicle comprising:

means for sampling at least one actual speed of a driver on a road;

means for calculating a usual speed of the driver on the road based on the at least one actual speed;

means for determining an existence of a traffic event based on a comparison between a current vehicle speed on the road and the usual speed;

means for receiving at least one of a plurality of traffic camera views on the road; and

means for displaying the traffic camera view if the traffic event is detected;

wherein

the at least one actual speed includes a plurality of actual speeds, and

the usual speed is calculated based on an average value of the plurality of actual speeds.

16. The traffic camera view displaying system for a vehicle according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for calculating a bell-shaped curve based on the plurality of actual speeds;

means for excluding outliers of the plurality of actual speeds from the bell-shaped curve; and

means for calculating the average value without the outliers.

17. A method of displaying traffic of a road on a display within a vehicle, the method comprising:

sampling, by a control module, at least one actual speed of a driver on a road;

calculating, by the control module, a usual speed of the driver on the road based on the at least one actual speed;

predicting, by the control module, an existence of a traffic event based on a comparison between a current vehicle speed on the road and the usual speed;

receiving, by the control module, a traffic camera view from a camera in front of the vehicle; and

displaying, by the control module, the traffic camera view on the display;

wherein

the at least one actual speed includes a plurality of actual speeds, and

the usual speed is calculated based on an average value of the plurality of actual speeds.

18. The method of displaying traffic of a road on a display within a vehicle according to claim 17, further comprising:

calculating a bell-shaped curve based on the plurality of actual speeds;

excluding outliers of the plurality of actual speeds from the bell-shaped curve; and

calculating the average value without the outliers.

19. A method of displaying a traffic camera view of a road on a display within a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a control module, a movement of the vehicle;

determining, by the control module, an existence of a traffic event based on the movement of the vehicle;

receiving, by the control module, a traffic camera view;

displaying, by the control module, the traffic camera view on the display if the traffic event exists;

determining, by the control module, if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from a traffic signal that the vehicle is approaching;

waiting for a predetermined time, if the vehicle is within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal;

determining again, by the control module, if the vehicle is within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal; and

determining, by the control module, that a traffic event exists on a road upon which the vehicle is traveling, if the vehicle is still within the predetermined distance from the traffic signal.