FR2800192A1 - Road congestion warning presentation method, for vehicle on-board navigation system, displays information relating to nature of delay and its magnitude in corresponding position on map - Google Patents

Abstract

The method is based on determining any delay due to traffic congestion, road works, etc., from information received by e.g. an RDS-TMC radio receiver, and linking the time delay with the map location for presentation on a screen. Preferably, the delay value is calculated as a function of the class of road affected or based on a driving profile of the vehicle driver. The method may be applied to a navigational system employing a DVD, or similar mass memory, which stores the necessary map information. An Independent claim is included for a navigation device.

Description

The invention relates to a method for informing a user about traffic information and a navigation device which provides traffic information to a display device.

By the review Auto connect, September / October 99, page 60, we know of a navigation system which receives coded digital messages by radio concerning traffic. A received traffic message is displayed on a screen in the form of symbols arranged on corresponding lane sections of a street map. The user thus obtains a rough overview of possible traffic disruptions. In any event, it does not obtain any indication of the persistence of traffic congestion.

From the plan representation, it is not possible to deduce any precise indication of the exact location of the disturbance, the nature or the persistence of traffic congestion.

In addition, the same publication of the review Auto connect discloses, on page 82, a navigation device which presents, on one half of the screen, a pictogram comprising the layout of the street in progress and, on the other half of the screen, a menu. In the menu it is possible to select the item "Traffic information". However, no link is made between the information received concerning traffic and a street map.

An object of the invention is to provide a method making it possible to inform a user about information relating to traffic, and a navigation device which provide a user with indications relating to the intensity of traffic congestion.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a method for informing a user about information concerning traffic, characterized in that it comprises the following operations - the delay affecting the journey is determined from information received concerning traffic, - the delay is communicated to the user by being attached to a traffic lane concerned by the traffic information.

For the same purpose, the invention also relates to a navigation device, comprising a display device, used to present a plan of traffic lanes, and a receiver for information concerning traffic, characterized by a calculation unit, for establishing a route and determining the duration of a delay affecting the journey from traffic information which arises, and an image control unit by means of which the determined delay can be presented on the device display by being attached to a traffic lane of the traffic lane plan.

The method according to the invention may also have one or more of the following features - the delay is determined according to the category of the traffic lane concerned by the traffic information, - the delay is determined according to a profile of driving a vehicle driver, - the delay is presented visually by means of a duration symbol, - a warning contained in the traffic information is translated by a modification of the duration symbol, - the warning is expressed by means of of the colored presentation of the duration symbol, - a route leading to the place to be reached is calculated by a navigation device, then, in the event that a delay is announced, a variant route is calculated and a comparison is made between the journey time resulting from the delay and the journey time due to the alternative route.

Thus, on the basis of the information received concerning the traffic, a delay possibly resulting from this is communicated to a user. The user thus benefits from decision support on the question of whether or not he should wisely deviate from the route he has planned.

The presentation of the delay in the form of a duration symbol, serving as a visual indication of duration, is particularly advantageous. For example, the representation of a watch or a graph in terms of pieces of cake is particularly suitable.

Preferably, the navigation device receives traffic information by wireless data transmission. This can for example take place by means of radio transmission, in the case of which digitally coded traffic information is transmitted in addition to a radio program, or by means of a mobile radio. The Global Automotive Telematics Standard (GATS) is for example available for the latter.

Other advantages, particularities and possibilities of application of the invention appear from the description of examples of embodiment which follows with reference to the drawings. We see .

in FIG. 1, a navigation device comprising a display device, in FIG. 2, a plan representation comprising symbols for the delay and, in FIG. 3, a plan representation comprising symbols for the delay and for the nature of traffic information.

FIG. 1 represents a navigation device 1 which comprises a radio receiver used to receive digital coded information concerning traffic, which are coded in accordance with the RDS-TMC standard.

A working memory 14 is associated with a microprocessor or a computing unit 12. Traffic information or taxiway information which is received is stored in the working memory 14.

The calculation unit 12 presents traffic information relating to a calculated route to a user, either acoustically or optically by means of an image control unit 13 or an image controller , on a display device 2.

A traffic lane plan 21, comprising traffic lanes 22, is reproduced on the display device 2. The current position of the user's vehicle is on one of the traffic lanes 22.

As a display device, it is possible to use a conventional video screen, a liquid crystal display device, an organic light-emitting diode display device or another dot matrix display device.

The navigation device 1 further comprises a drive mechanism 3 for a mass memory 31 and more specifically for a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). The mass memory 31 contains a regional plan or roadway plan in digital form.

FIG. 2 represents lanes 22 of a digital lane plan 22 and sections of these lanes which are affected by the traffic information appear on it in a colored manner (in black). The considered direction of the journey is marked by means of a line or a strip on the relevant side of taxiway 22.

For each of the traffic lane sections concerned by traffic information, a respective duration symbol 23 in the form of a pie chart is placed on this section. The sector indicated in the symbol in the shape of a circle corresponds to the delay T which results from a disturbance announced by traffic information. The indicated sector symbolically represents a fraction of an entire hour.

Information received concerning traffic is analyzed with regard to the nature of the disturbance. A duration or a delay T is associated with the observed disturbance. This delay or duration has a value which depends on the category of traffic lane concerned (motorway, national road, secondary road, agglomeration street, busy road, etc.) and the driving profile of the user or driver. This driving profile may have a content depending on the average speed so far respected. However, it can also be based on current driving habits for the lane section concerned by the information. The navigation device can collect data in this regard and store it in memory.

Delays T with visual representation offer the user help in deciding whether to be offered a variant route by the navigation device.

In this case, the navigation device informs the user of the journey time to be expected using the alternative route. I1 also indicates to him whether, for this reason, the journey is accelerated or slowed down in comparison with the delay T on the initially selected route, and for how long it is.

In FIG. 3, the display device 2 not only indicates the delay T by means of a duration symbol 23, but also presents, in the form of traffic symbols associated with each duration symbol, a visual indication of the nature of the announced event. This is how the user is informed that his movement or journey has been slowed down due to work on the taxiway, a slippery road, an accident or a traffic jam.

Claims (8)

<U> CLAIMS </U> 1. A method for informing a user about information concerning traffic, characterized in that it comprises the operations according to which - the delay (T) affecting the journey is determined from information received (24) concerning the traffic, - the delay (T) is communicated to the user by being attached to a traffic lane (22) concerned by the traffic information (24). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the delay (T) is determined according to the category of the traffic lane concerned by the traffic information (24). 3. Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized. in that the delay (T) is determined according to a driving profile of a vehicle driver. 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the delay (T) is presented visually by means of a duration symbol (23). 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that a warning contained in the traffic information (24) is translated by a modification of the duration symbol (23). 6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the warning is expressed by means of the colored presentation of the duration symbol (23). 7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a route leading to the place to be reached is calculated by a navigation device (1), in that, in the case where a delay (T) is announced, an alternative route is calculated and in that a comparison is made between the journey time resulting from the delay (T) and the travel time due to the alternative route. 8. Navigation device, comprising - a display device (2), serving to present a plan of traffic lanes (21), and - a receiver (11) for information (24) concerning traffic, characterized by - a calculating unit (12) for establishing a route and determining the duration of a delay (T) affecting the journey from information (24) relating to the traffic occurring and - an image control unit ( 13) by means of which the determined delay (T) can be presented on the display device (2) by being attached to a taxiway (22) of the taxiway plan (21).