SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GROUPING TRAFFIC EVENTS

• US 20080088486A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Original Assignee: Garmin Limited
• Inventors: Rozum, Timothy C., Brunk, Scott J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.13
• 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

Abstract

A device, system, and method for grouping traffic events. In one embodiment, the device comprises a traffic component, a computing device coupled with the traffic component, and a display coupled with the computing device. The traffic component is operable to receive data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events. The computing device is operable to identify at least two related traffic events and form a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events. The display is operable to present an indication of the formed traffic event group. Such a configuration enables users to more easily access relevant traffic information.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a traffic component operable to receive data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events;

a computing device coupled with the traffic component, the computing device operable to acquire a current geographic location of the device, identify at least two related traffic events, and form a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events; and

a display coupled with the computing device, the display operable to present an indication of the traffic event group.

2. The device of claim 1, further including a location determining component operable to determine the current geographic location of the device, wherein the computing device is operable to acquire the current geographic location of the device from the location determining component.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the received data corresponding to the traffic events includes location information for each of the traffic events and the computing device is operable to compare the current geographic location of the device to the traffic event locations and form the traffic event group if it includes at least one event location within a predetermined range from the current geographic location of the device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication of the traffic event group is displayed in relation to the current geographic location of the device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is operable to calculate a route from the current geographic location to a destination and form the traffic event group if it includes at least one event located on the calculated route.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the received data corresponding to the traffic events includes location information for each of the traffic events and the computing device is operable to identify related traffic events according to the location information.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the received data corresponding to the traffic events includes flow information for at least one of the traffic events and the computing device is operable to identify related traffic events according to the flow information.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing device is operable to determine a severity of each traffic event based upon the received data and identify related traffic events according to their severity.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the traffic component is operable to receive at least one of traffic message channel (TMC) formatted information, XM Radio formatted traffic information, and MSN Direct formatted traffic information.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the computing device and traffic component are integral.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is mounted separately from the traffic component and the computing device.

12. A method of grouping traffic events, the method comprising:

acquiring a current geographic location of a user;

accessing data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events;

identifying at least two related traffic events;

forming a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events; and

presenting an indication of the traffic event group.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data corresponding to the plurality of traffic events is accessed by wirelessly receiving the data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the data corresponding to the plurality of traffic events is accessed by retrieving previously stored data from a memory.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the formed traffic event group is presented on a display for viewing by the user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the formed traffic event group is presented by transmitting data corresponding to the formed traffic event group to a remote navigation device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessed data corresponding to the traffic events includes location information for each of the traffic events and the related traffic events are identified according to the location information.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessed data corresponding to the traffic events includes flow information for at least one of the traffic events and the related traffic events are identified according to the flow information.

19. The method of claim 12, further including identifying a severity of each traffic event based upon the received data and identifying related traffic events according to their severity.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the accessed data includes at least one of traffic message channel (TMC) formatted information, XM Radio formatted traffic information, and MSN Direct formatted traffic information.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication of the formed traffic event group is presented audibly to the user.

22. A computer program for grouping traffic events, the computer program stored on a computer-readable medium for operating a computing device and comprising:

a code segment operable to acquire a current geographic location of a user;

a code segment operable to access data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events;

a code segment operable to identify at least two related traffic events;

a code segment operable to form a traffic event group including at least two of the related traffic events; and

a code segment operable to present an indication of the traffic event group.

23. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the indication of the formed traffic event group is presented on a display for viewing by the user.

24. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the indication of the formed traffic event group is presented by transmitting data corresponding to the formed traffic event group to a remote navigation device.

25. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the accessed data corresponding to the traffic events includes location information for at least one of the traffic events and the code segment identifies related traffic events according to the location information.

26. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the accessed data corresponding to the traffic events includes flow information for each of the traffic events and the code segment identifies related traffic events according to the flow information.

27. The computer program of claim 22, further including a code segment operable to identify a severity of each traffic event based upon the received data, wherein related traffic events are identified according to their severity.

28. The computer program of claim 22, wherein the code segment is operable to access at least one of traffic message channel (TMC) formatted information, XM Radio formatted traffic information, and MSN Direct formatted traffic information.

29. A system, comprising:

a computing element operable to

access data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events,

identify at least two related traffic events,

form a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events, and

transmit data corresponding to the formed traffic event group; and

a navigation device, comprising a display, operable to

acquire a current geographic location of the device;

receive the data corresponding to the formed traffic event group, and

present an indication of the traffic event group on the display.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the navigation device further includes a location determining component operable to determine the current geographic location of the device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the data accessed by the computing element includes location information for each of the traffic events and the computing element identifies related traffic events according to the location information.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the data accessed by the computing element includes flow information for each of the traffic events and the computing element identifies related traffic events according to the flow information.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the computing element is operable to identify a severity of each traffic event based upon the accessed data and identify related traffic events according to their severity.