US2008068222A1PendingUtilityA1

Animated display of traffic information

42
Assignee: MACLEOD JOHNPriority: Apr 20, 2005Filed: Sep 20, 2007Published: Mar 20, 2008
Est. expiryApr 20, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:John Macleod
G08G 1/092G08G 1/096741G08G 1/096775G06T 13/00G06T 17/05G08G 1/096716
42
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method is disclosed for displaying traffic information on a display. Information that indicates traffic conditions on a portion of a road network is used to form an animation. The portion of the road network is shown on the display and the animation is shown on the portion of the road network being displayed. The animation simulates movement in a direction corresponding to the direction of vehicle travel along the portion of the road network being displayed. The speed of the simulated movement of the animation is related to the traffic conditions.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for displaying traffic on a display comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a representation of a portion of a road network on the display;    indicating a relative position of a user on the representation of the portion of the road network being displayed; and    forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the representation of the portion of the road network being displayed.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animation simulates movement in a direction that corresponds to vehicle travel on the portion of the road network being displayed.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a relative speed of the movement indicates traffic speed along the portion of the road network being displayed.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the movement is relatively faster to indicate traffic conditions that are relatively fast, and wherein the movement is relatively slower to indicate traffic conditions that are relatively slow.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 obtaining information that indicates the traffic conditions; and    using the information that indicates the traffic conditions to form the animation.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the movement is relatively faster when the information indicates that the traffic conditions are relatively fast, and 
 wherein the movement is relatively slower when the information indicates that the traffic conditions are relatively slow.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates actual traffic conditions.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates historical traffic conditions.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the information that indicates traffic conditions indicates predicted traffic conditions.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained using GPS.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained using remote mobile positioning.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained using WiFi.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained using dead reckoning.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained from user input.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the position of the user is obtained using an inertial system.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the representation of a portion of a road network on the display includes building outlines.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the animation extends along the portion of the road network being displayed.  
   
   
       18 . A method for displaying traffic information on a display comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a portion of a road network on the display;    indicating a relative position of a user on the portion of the road network being displayed; and    forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the portion of the road network being displayed, wherein the animation illustrates differences in traffic flow.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the differences in traffic flow are illustrated by simulating faster movement of a portion of the animation to indicate faster moving traffic and simulating slower movement of another portion of the animation to indicate slower moving traffic.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the traffic conditions indicate actual traffic conditions.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the traffic conditions indicate historical traffic conditions.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the traffic conditions indicate predicted traffic conditions.  
   
   
       23 . A method for displaying traffic information on a display comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a map on the display;    indicating a relative position of a user on the map being displayed; and    forming an animation to represent traffic conditions on the map being displayed.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the map being displayed is shown in perspective view.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the map being displayed is shown in a 2D overhead view.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the map shows a road network.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the map shows a geographic area.

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