Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-27
2003-03-11
Nguyen, Tan Q. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Traffic analysis or control of surface vehicle
C701S118000, C701S208000, C340S995190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06532413
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing time-invariant geographical information such as traffic information, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for efficiently transmitting image-based time-variant geographical information. The present invention also relates to a user device for processing such time-variant geographical information so as to produce an information-containing image on a screen.
BACKGROUND ART
A time-variant traffic information is provided to a large number of people in order to disperse traffic, resulting in saving the transportation time and reducing the transportation cost.
As a method for providing traffic information to a large number of people, there are various methods for providing voice-based traffic information, text-based traffic information and image-based traffic information and the like.
The method for providing voice-based traffic information has a disadvantage that a user should spend a considerable time in acquiring the traffic information of a desired region. For example, a user should select a voice-based traffic information service and then should select a desired region following an automatic voice guide. At this time, since not only the desired regional code but also unnecessary regional code should be listened in voice as long as a user does not keep the desired regional code in mind, a large quantity of time should be spent in listening the code guide. Furthermore, when the code for region is configured in hierarchy too many levels, the access time shows a tendency to increase. Also, there is another disadvantage that a user should listen with considerable care in order to clearly know the traffic information of the desired region. The voice-based traffic information service also requires that a user should repeatedly perform the similar steps, when the user wishes to know the traffic information of an adjacent or alternative region since the desired region has heavy traffic. Thus, this method has a problem that the traffic information providing service for dispersing traffic can not be efficiently made.
Meanwhile, text-based traffic information service has an advantage that it can reduce the access time to the service compared with the voice-based traffic information service. However, the text-based traffic information service is typically provided through a communication network to a computer terminal, so that a driver may have a difficulty to exploit the service while driving. Further, the quantity of the text traffic information within a screen is limited due to the size of the LCD display of a beeper or a mobile cellular phone device, so that this type service is not efficient. Also, due to the characteristic of character, a user should read the text-based traffic information from the head to the tail to perceive the traffic information, that is the information transferability is low. Furthermore, it is undesirable that a driver reads a text-based traffic information during driving because the reading a text requires to call away driver's attention for a long time.
Finally, in the case of image-based traffic information service, it has an advantage that the service access time is reduced, as is the case of text-based traffic information service. This also has another advantage that a user can perceive the traffic information at a glance to the screen on which the traffic information is displayed, due to the characteristics of image.
However, the image-base information typically has a large quantity of data to be transmitted, compared with the voice-based traffic information or the text-based traffic information. Thus, it has a problem in transmitting/receiving data. More specifically, it requires much time in transmitting one screen image of traffic information. Accordingly, considering the sum of the time for data transmitting and the time for user's perception of the traffic information, the image-based traffic information service is not efficient compared with the above-described voice-based traffic information service or the text-based traffic information service.
There is a node-based image traffic information service as a conventional method for improving transmitting efficiency of the image-based traffic information service. However, the node-based has a problem that a number of nodes within a region, where the traffic information service is provided, should be managed. The cost for node management is so large that the image traffic information service can not be implemented.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for efficiently transmitting image-based traffic information.
Another object of the present invention is to provide traffic information service method which can be implemented using a beeper, a mobile phone, a PCS (Personal Communication System) phone and so on.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a user device for processing such traffic information.
The present invention has still other objects to provide a method for providing time-variant geographical information and a user device therefor.
The present invention also provides a data signal embodied in a carrier wave having an inventive characteristics for implementing such methods.
The present invention also provides computer-readable mediums containing a program of instructions to perform the above methods.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided with a data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the data signal providing traffic state information to a user device which stores at least one basic map and at least one traffic section map, wherein the traffic section map includes at least one section including at least one vector entity, the data signal comprising:
a map identifier to be used for selecting a suitable traffic state map which corresponds to the traffic state information; and
at least one traffic state data in section-wise, wherein each of the traffic state data is to be used for designating an attribute of the vector entity included in corresponding section of the traffic section map. The the user device may further store at least one basic map. Each section of the traffic section map may further include a section discriminating code which is preferably an attribute designating command(e.g. color designating command). In preferred embodiments, the traffic state data is a color value and the map identifier comprises a version identification.
The traffic state data for one section in TSI more preferably includes a forward color value and a backward color value.
In addition, each of the traffic state data may include a data type flag having a first value or a second value;
the first value being indicative of ‘no change’; and
the second value being followed by a ‘changed traffic state data.’
The present invention also provides a data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the data signal providing time-variant geographical information to a user device which stores at least one section map, wherein the section map includes at least one section, the data signal comprising:
a map identifier to be used for selecting a suitable section map at the user device; and
at least one time-variant value in section-wise, wherein the time-variant value is to be used for updating at least one component included in corresponding section of the section map. In preferred embodiment, the section of the section map includes at least one vector entity and the time-variant value is to be used for designating an attribute of at least one vector entity included in corresponding section of the section map.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a method for providing traffic information to a user device comprising the step of:
transmitting a TSI(=traffic state information) to the user device,
wherein the user device stores at least one basic map and at least one traffic section map;
wherein the traffic section map includes at least one section including at least
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Nguyen Tan Q.
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