Method for Providing Images of Traffic Incidents

• US 20090189979A1
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navteq B.V.
• Original Assignee: Navteq North America LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Smyth, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• 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 method for providing traffic incident information is disclosed. Selected images of a traffic incident are associated with corresponding traffic incident data. The combined information is provided to an end-user application, such as a navigation system, the Internet, and a television station. A user can obtain the combined traffic incident information from the end-user application and/or device to obtain a better understanding of the traffic incident.

Claims

1. A method of providing traffic incident information, comprising:

identifying a traffic incident;

selecting a camera view of the traffic incident;

capturing at least one image of the selected view;

collecting data regarding the traffic incident depicted in the at least one image;

associating the at least one image with the traffic incident data; and

providing the at least one image and the associated traffic incident data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the traffic incident includes viewing images from a plurality of cameras.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the traffic incident includes receiving a communication identifying the traffic incident.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the camera view of the traffic incident includes remotely manipulating a camera by changing at least one of direction and focus of the camera.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one image is a video clip.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein capturing the at least one image of the selected camera view includes storing the at least one image as a file in a database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein capturing the at least one image of the selected camera view includes storing the at least one image as a file and storing a reference to the stored file in a database.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting data includes entering the traffic incident data into an electronic form.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising storing data entered into the electronic form as a record in a database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the at least one image with the traffic incident data includes storing a file or a reference to the file containing the at least one image and the traffic incident data in a record of a database.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the at least one image with the traffic incident data includes storing a file or a reference to the file containing the at least one image in a first record of a database and storing the traffic incident data in a second record of the database, wherein the first record and the second record have at least one field in common.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the at least one image and the associated traffic incident data includes providing at least one file to an end-user application.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the at least one image and the associated traffic incident data includes providing at least one file to an end-user device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one image and the associated traffic incident data includes displaying an icon that can be activated to display the at least one image.

15. A method of providing traffic incident information, comprising:

selecting a camera view of a traffic incident;

storing an image file containing the selected camera view of the traffic incident;

storing data corresponding to details of the traffic incident; and

providing the image file and the corresponding traffic incident data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein storing the image file and storing the data includes storing the image file and the corresponding traffic incident data in a record of a database.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein storing the image file and storing the data includes storing a reference to the image file and the corresponding traffic incident data in a record of a database.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising associating the image file with the traffic incident data by storing the image file or a reference to the image file in a first record of a database and storing the traffic incident data in a second record of the database, wherein the first record and the second record have at least one field in common.

19. A method of providing traffic incident information, comprising:

remotely manipulating a camera by changing at least one of direction and focus of the camera to select a view of a traffic incident;

creating an image file that includes the selected view of the traffic incident;

obtaining data regarding the selected view of the traffic incident; and

providing the image file and the traffic incident data to a requester.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing the image file and the traffic incident data in a database.

21. A method for obtaining traffic incident information, comprising:

requesting traffic incident information;

receiving an image captured by a camera that is selected to provide an interpretive view of a traffic incident; and

receiving data corresponding to the received image of the traffic incident.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein requesting traffic incident information includes providing a location of an area of interest.

23. The method of claim 22 further providing a time of expected travel in the area of interest.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein requesting traffic incident information includes providing a position of a requester.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein receiving an image includes receiving an icon that can be activated to display the image.