Display method and apparatus for navigation system

• US 20040204845A1
• Filed: 06/19/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wong, Winnie
• Granted Patent: US 6,865,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/210
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• 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 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

A display method and apparatus for a navigation system for receiving traffic information and displaying traffic incidents in a manner easily and quickly comprehensible by a user of the navigation system. The navigation system applies various criteria to the traffic incidents and the route to the destination and determines an order of displaying the traffic incidents in accordance with the degrees of severity to the driving to the intended or calculated route to the destination. In other aspect, instead of assigning the listing order, colors are assigned to the traffic incident icons based on the degrees of severity.

Claims

1. A display method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

receiving traffic information through a wireless communication device;

identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the navigation system;

calculating a shortest distance from the traffic incident to an intended or calculated route to a destination and marking an intersecting point to the intended or calculated route;

prioritizing the traffic incidents based on parameters including the shortest distance and the intersecting point obtained in the foregoing step; and

displaying a list of traffic incidents in an order determined by said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents.

2. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of determining whether the traffic incident is on the intended or calculated route to the destination and, assigning highest priority to the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route and, listing the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

3. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of evaluating the shortest distance for each of the traffic incidents and comparing the shortest distance with a predetermined distance and assigning higher priority to the traffic incidents whose, shortest distance is within the predetermined distance.

4. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of evaluating the shortest distance for each of the traffic incidents and comparing the shortest distance with a predetermined distance and assigning higher priority to the traffic incidents whose shortest distance is within the predetermined distance, and a step of listing the traffic incidents within the predetermined distance in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

5. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of evaluating the intersection point and removing the traffic incident from listing in the traffic incident list when the intersecting point is on the intended or calculated route already passed.

6. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents comprising the following steps of:

determining whether the traffic incidents are on the intended or calculated route to the destination and listing the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

evaluating the shortest distance for each of the traffic incidents that is not on the intended or calculated route and comparing the shortest distance with a predetermined distance and listing the traffic incidents within the predetermined distance in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

evaluating the intersection point and removing the traffic incident from listing in the traffic incident list when the intersecting point is on the intended or calculated route already passed; and

listing all of the remaining traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

7. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying the traffic list includes a step of displaying information on a traffic speed associated with the traffic incident, a traffic length associated with the traffic incident, or an estimated clearance time of the traffic incident.

8. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step of calculating an optimum route to the destination while avoiding a particular traffic incident.

9. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said step of displaying the traffic incidents includes a step of assigning colors to traffic incidents icons based on the priority determined by said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents.

10. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said step of assigning the colors to the traffic incident includes a step of assigning red to the traffic incident in higher priority, yellow to the traffic incident in intermediate priority, and green to the traffic incident in lower priority.

11. A display method for a navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

receiving traffic information through a wireless communication device;

identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the navigation system;

creating a predetermined size of square box centered at a current position of the navigation system;

finding a cross point on an intended or calculated route remaining to a destination which intersects with the square box and creating another square box of same size centered at the cross point;

repeating the foregoing steps for all of the remaining intended or calculated route;

prioritizing the traffic incidents based on parameters including whether or not the traffic incident is within the square boxes created in the foregoing step; and

displaying a list of traffic incidents in an order determined by said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents.

12. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of identifying all the traffic incidents that are located within the square boxes, assigning highest priority to the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route and within the square boxes, and listing the resultant traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

13. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents includes a step of identifying all the traffic incidents that are located in the square boxes and are not on the intended or calculated route to the destination and listing the traffic incidents identified in the foregoing in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

14. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, wherein said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents comprising the following steps of:

identifying the traffic incidents that are on the intended or calculated route to the destination and within the square boxes and listing the identified traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

identifying the traffic incidents that are not on the intended or calculated route to the destination and within the square boxes and listing the identified traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system; and

listing all of the remaining traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

15. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, wherein said step of displaying the traffic list includes a step of displaying information on a traffic speed associated with the traffic incident, a traffic length associated with the traffic incident, or an estimated clearance time of the traffic incident.

16. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a step of calculating an optimum route to the destination while avoiding a particular traffic incident.

17. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 11, wherein said step of displaying the traffic incidents includes a step of assigning colors to traffic incidents icons based on the priority determined by said step of prioritizing the traffic incidents.

18. A display method for a navigation system as defined in claim 17, wherein said step of assigning the colors to the traffic incident includes a step of assigning red to the traffic incident in higher priority, yellow to the traffic incident in intermediate priority, and green to the traffic incident in lower priority.

19. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for receiving traffic information through a wireless communication device;

means for identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the navigation system;

means for calculating a shortest distance from the traffic incident to an intended or calculated route to a destination and marking an intersecting point to the intended or calculated route;

means for prioritizing the traffic incidents based on parameters including the shortest distance and the intersecting point obtained in the foregoing processes; and

means for displaying a list of traffic incidents in an order determined by said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents.

20. A display apparatus a navigation system as defined in claim 19, wherein said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents includes means for determining whether the traffic incident is on the intended or calculated route to the destination, assigning highest priority to the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route, and listing the traffic incidents on the intended or calculated route in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

21. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 19, wherein said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents comprising:

means for determining whether the traffic incidents are on the intended or calculated route to the destination and listing resultant the traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

means for evaluating the shortest distance for each of the traffic incidents that is not on the intended or calculated route and comparing the shortest distance with a predetermined distance and listing the traffic incidents within the predetermined distance in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

means for evaluating the intersection point and removing the traffic incident from listing in the traffic incident list when the intersecting point is on the intended or calculated route already passed; and

means for listing all of the remaining traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

22. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 19, wherein said means for displaying the traffic list includes means for displaying information on a traffic speed associated with the traffic incident, a traffic length associated with the traffic incident, or an estimated clearance time of the traffic incident.

23. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 19, wherein said means for displaying the traffic incidents includes means for assigning colors to traffic incidents icons based on the priority determined by said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents.

24. A display apparatus for a navigation system, comprising:

means for receiving traffic information through a wireless communication device;

means for identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the navigation system;

means for creating a predetermined size of square box centered at a current position of a user of the navigation system;

means for finding a cross point on an intended or calculated route remaining to a destination which intersects with the square box and creating another square box of same size centered at the cross point and repeating the foregoing processes for all of the remaining intended or calculated route;

means for prioritizing the traffic incidents based on parameters including whether or not the traffic incident is within the square boxes created in the foregoing processes; and

means for displaying a list of traffic incidents in an order determined by said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents.

25. A display apparatus for a navigation system as defined in claim 24, wherein said means for prioritizing the traffic incidents comprising:

means for identifying the traffic incidents that are on the intended or calculated route to the destination and within the square boxes and listing the identified traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system;

means for identifying the traffic incidents that are not on the intended or calculated route to the destination and within the square boxes and listing the identified traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system; and

means for listing all of the remaining traffic incidents in an order of distance from the current position of the user of the navigation system.

26. A display method for a vehicle navigation system, comprising the following steps of:

receiving vehicle traffic information through a wireless communication device;

identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received vehicle traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the vehicle navigation system;

interpreting the vehicle traffic information for each traffic incident to determine a degree of seriousness in affecting traffic conditions;

assigning colors to traffic incident icons representing types of the traffic incidents based on the degrees of seriousness; and

displaying the traffic incident icons in the coverage area with the assigned colors on a screen of the vehicle navigation system which guides the user to a destination along a calculated route.

27. A display method for a vehicle navigation system as defined in claim 26, wherein said step of interpreting the vehicle traffic information includes a step of interpreting the information including a size of an affected area, a traffic speed, an anticipated clearance time, and a length of traffic jam for each traffic incident.

28. A display apparatus for a vehicle navigation system, comprising:

means for receiving vehicle traffic information through a wireless communication device;

means for identifying locations of all of traffic incidents contained in the received vehicle traffic information in a coverage area which is dependent upon a current position of a user of the vehicle navigation system;

means for interpreting the vehicle traffic information for each traffic incident to determine a degree of seriousness in affecting traffic conditions;

means for assigning colors to traffic incident icons representing types of the traffic incidents based on the degrees of seriousness; and

means for displaying the traffic incident icons in the coverage area with the assigned colors on a screen of the vehicle navigation system which guides the user to a destination along a calculated route.

29. A display apparatus for a vehicle navigation system as defined in claim 28, wherein said means for interpreting the vehicle traffic information includes means for interpreting the information including a size of an affected area, a traffic speed, an anticipated clearance time, and a length of traffic jam for each traffic incident.