Information processing device, information processing method, program, and storage medium

Abstract

Information regarding congested sections is displayed appropriately. [Solution] The information processing device comprises a identification means, an estimation means, and a display control means. The identification means identifies congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a congestion level of a predetermined degree or higher, based on traffic information. The estimation means estimates the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section. The display control means displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for displaying traffic congestion information on roads are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a navigation device that obtains the degree of congestion corresponding to a branch direction using the link indirect connection cost of the traffic information collection conditions corresponding to the situation when passing through a branch point, and displays the obtained degree of congestion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a recommended route is set in a driving support system such as a car navigation system that performs driving support, the driving support system displays information regarding the recommended route together with information regarding the degree of road congestion on a map and guides the recommended route. Here, when the degree of congestion is obtained for each lane, if information representing the degree of congestion for all lanes is displayed, there is a risk that the display will become complicated.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and one of the objects is to provide an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium capable of suitably displaying information regarding the degree of congestion when a recommended route is set.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The invention according to the claims is A means for identifying congested sections where the level of congestion exceeds a predetermined degree in the links to be displayed, based on traffic information, Estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, It includes a display control means that displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit. It is an information processing device.

[0007] Furthermore, the invention described in the claims is, A method of information processing performed by a computer, Based on traffic information, the process involves identifying congested sections in the target links that have a congestion level exceeding a predetermined degree, and An estimation step for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, A display control step that displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit, This is an information processing method that possesses the following properties.

[0008] Furthermore, the invention described in the claims is, A means for identifying congested sections where the level of congestion exceeds a predetermined degree in the links to be displayed, based on traffic information, Estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, Display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. It is a program that makes a computer function. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] An example configuration of the traffic information system according to the embodiment is shown. [Figure 2] An example of the general configuration of a vehicle terminal is shown. [Figure 3] An example of a general configuration of a server device is shown. [Figure 4] This is the first example of a data structure for a link traffic history database. [Figure 5]It is a diagram showing an outline of a method for calculating link travel time with the number of lanes being "1". [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an outline of a method for calculating link travel time with the number of lanes being "2". [Figure 7] It is a second example of the data structure of the link passage record DB. [Figure 8] It is an example of a histogram generated based on records of the link passage record DB for a link having two lanes, a straight lane and a right-turn lane. [Figure 9] It shows an aerial view of an intersection including link D1 for which a multimodality test has been performed. [Figure 10] It shows an aerial view of link D4 with two lanes adjacent to a popular facility. [Figure 11] It shows an aerial view of an intersection near the entrance to a service area. [Figure 12] It is an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of a traffic information generation process which is a process for generating traffic information. [Figure 13] It is an example of a display based on the first aspect of the map around the current location. [Figure 14] It is an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of display control based on the first aspect. [Figure 15] It is an example of a display based on the second aspect of the map around the current location. [Figure 16] It is an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of display control based on the second aspect. [Figure 17] It is an example of a map display in a modified example of the second aspect. [Figure 18] It is an example of a display based on the third aspect of the map. [Figure 19] It is an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of display control based on the third aspect.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information processing device includes: identification means for identifying congested sections in a link to be displayed that have a degree of congestion exceeding a predetermined level based on traffic information; estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section; and display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit.

[0011] The above-described information processing device comprises a identifying means, an estimation means, and a display control means. The identifying means identifies congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a congestion level of a predetermined degree or higher, based on traffic information. The estimation means estimates the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section. The display control means displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can notify the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, and enable the user to appropriately understand the cause of the congested section.

[0012] In one embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identifying means identifies the congested section in which the endpoint of the congested section is located in the middle of the link.

[0013] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays on a map a line along the congested section and an arrow that curves toward the direction of movement at the end of the congested section, as information representing the congested section and the direction of movement.

[0014] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identifying means identifies the lane containing the congested section from among the multiple lanes when the link to be displayed has multiple lanes.

[0015] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the lanes that do not include the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion in the lanes that do not include the congested section is less than the predetermined degree.

[0016] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the sections other than the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion in the sections of the lane including the congested section is less than the predetermined degree.

[0017] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the estimation means acquires time-series location information of the vehicle after it has passed through the congested section, and estimates the direction of movement based on the acquired location information.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment, the information processing method includes a computer that, based on traffic information, identifies congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a congestion level of a predetermined degree or higher; an estimation step that estimates the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section; and a display control step that displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit. By using this information processing method, the computer can notify the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, and enable the user to appropriately understand the cause of the congested section.

[0019] In another preferred embodiment, the program causes a computer to function as a means for identifying congested sections that have a degree of congestion or higher in the link to be displayed, based on traffic information; an estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section; and a display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. By executing this program, the computer notifies the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, making it possible to suitably allow the user to understand the cause of the congested section. Preferably, the program is stored in a storage medium. [Examples]

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0021] (1) System Configuration Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a traffic information system according to an embodiment. The traffic information system estimates the degree of congestion for each lane of a road based on probe information collected from multiple vehicles via a network, and provides information based on the congestion estimation results to the vehicles. The traffic information system has a vehicle terminal 1 that moves with the vehicle and a server device 2. Although only one vehicle is shown as an example in Figure 1, in reality there are multiple vehicles that supply probe information to the server device 2.

[0022] Vehicle terminal 1 moves with the vehicle in which the user of this system is riding and provides driving assistance to the user, who is the occupant of the vehicle. The aforementioned driving assistance may include displaying a map with traffic information, route searching from the current location to the destination, route guidance, vehicle control related to automated driving to the destination, and other optional driving assistance. The vehicle on which vehicle terminal 1 is installed is called the "target vehicle". Vehicle terminal 1 functions as a user interface for driving assistance, receiving input from the user and presenting information to the user. In this embodiment, vehicle terminal 1 performs driving assistance such as displaying a map, searching for a route from the target vehicle's current location to the destination, and route guidance based on information received from server device 2. In addition, vehicle terminal 1 generates probe information (i.e., floating car data), which is driving information that includes at least the location information and time information (timestamp) of the target vehicle, at predetermined intervals, and transmits the generated probe information to server device 2. For example, vehicle terminal 1 generates probe information at intervals of one second and transmits the generated probe information to server device 2. The probe information may include not only the vehicle's location information but also any data related to the vehicle's state generated by sensors installed on the vehicle.

[0023] Vehicle terminal 1 may be a navigation device installed in the target vehicle that provides route guidance to a set destination, or it may be a user's mobile device such as a smartphone on which an application that implements route guidance and other functions is installed. Vehicle terminal 1 may also be incorporated into the target vehicle. Vehicle terminal 1 is an example of an "information processing device".

[0024] Server device 2 generates information necessary for the driving assistance provided by vehicle terminal 1 and supplies the generated information to vehicle terminal 1, thereby causing vehicle terminal 1 to perform driving assistance to the user. For example, server device 2 generates traffic information such as the degree of congestion for each lane of vehicles on the road based on probe information supplied from vehicle terminal 1, and causes vehicle terminal 1 to perform driving assistance based on the generated traffic information. Server device 2 may also be a system (cloud system) consisting of multiple devices or computers that collaborate using cloud computing technology or the like.

[0025] (2) Device configuration Figure 2 shows an example of the schematic configuration of the vehicle terminal 1. The vehicle terminal 1 mainly consists of a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, an input unit 13, a control unit 14, a sensor group 15, a display unit 16, and a sound output unit 17. Each element within the vehicle terminal 1 is interconnected via a bus line 10.

[0026] The communication unit 11 communicates data with the server device 2 based on the control of the control unit 14. For example, based on the control of the control unit 14, the communication unit 11 transmits probe information regarding the driving status of the target vehicle, which is identified based on the data output by the sensor group 15, to the server device 2. In another example, based on the control of the control unit 14, the communication unit 11 receives information from the server device 2 that is necessary for controlling the output of the display unit 16 and the sound output unit 17.

[0027] The storage unit 12 is composed of various types of memory, including RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and non-volatile memory (including hard disk drives, flash memory, etc.). The storage unit 12 stores programs and software (including applications installed on the vehicle terminal 1) that enable the vehicle terminal 1 to perform predetermined processes. The aforementioned applications may be any applications that provide content (including driving assistance) to the user on the vehicle terminal 1. The storage unit 12 is also used as working memory for the control unit 14. The programs executed by the vehicle terminal 1 and other information may be stored in external devices other than the storage unit 12 that communicate with the vehicle terminal 1 (including server devices), a storage medium that can be attached to or removed from the vehicle terminal 1, or any other storage medium.

[0028] The input unit 13 is a user interface that accepts user input, and examples of the input unit 13 include buttons, touch panels, remote controllers, and voice input devices. The display unit 16 displays information based on the control of the control unit 14. Examples of the display unit 16 include displays and projectors. The sound output unit 17 outputs sound based on the control of the control unit 14. Examples of the sound output unit 17 include speakers.

[0029] The sensor group 15 includes various sensors that perform sensing of the state of the target vehicle or the environment outside the vehicle. The sensor group 15 has an external sensor 18 and an internal sensor 19. The external sensor 18 is one or more sensors for recognizing the surrounding environment of the target vehicle, such as a camera, lidar, radar, ultrasonic sensor, infrared sensor, or sonar. The internal sensor 19 is a sensor for positioning the vehicle, such as a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, gyro sensor, IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), vehicle speed sensor, or a combination thereof. The sensor group 15 only needs to have sensors that output data from which the control unit 14 can directly or indirectly derive the position of the target vehicle (i.e., by performing arbitrary position estimation) from the output of the sensor group 15.

[0030] The control unit 14 includes processors such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and controls the entire vehicle terminal 1.

[0031] Furthermore, the processing performed by the control unit 14 is not limited to being implemented by software through a program, but may also be implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. Additionally, the processing performed by the control unit 14 may be implemented using a user-programmable integrated circuit, such as an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or a microcontroller. In this case, the program executed by the control unit 14 in this embodiment may be implemented using this integrated circuit.

[0032] The configuration of the vehicle terminal 1 shown in Figure 2 is an example, and various modifications may be made to the configuration shown in Figure 2. For example, at least one of the input unit 13, the display unit 16, and the sound output unit 17 may be provided inside the target vehicle as an external device to the vehicle terminal 1, and the generated signals may be supplied to the vehicle terminal 1. Also, at least some of the sensors in the sensor group 15 may be sensors installed in the target vehicle. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 may acquire information output by the sensors installed in the target vehicle from the target vehicle based on a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0033] Figure 3 shows an example of the schematic configuration of server device 2. Server device 2 mainly consists of a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 24. Each element within server device 2 is interconnected via a bus line 20.

[0034] The communication unit 21 includes a communication antenna and a communication transceiver, and performs data communication with external devices such as the vehicle terminal 1 based on the control of the control unit 24.

[0035] The storage unit 22 is composed of various types of memory, such as RAM, ROM, and non-volatile memory. The storage unit 22 stores programs for the server device 2 to perform predetermined processes. The storage unit 22 is also used as working memory for the control unit 24. Note that the programs executed by the server device 2 may be stored in storage media other than the storage unit 22.

[0036] Furthermore, the memory unit 22 stores map information 5, probe database (DB:DataBase) 6, link traffic history DB 7, and traffic information 8.

[0037] Map information 5 is a map database necessary for displaying a map based on a predetermined location, such as the current location. Map information 5 includes, for example, a road database (DB) that represents the road network using combinations of nodes and links, and a spot database (DB) that is a database of spots. Spots registered in the spot database may be any facility, or any location that could potentially be set as a destination.

[0038] The road database registers link IDs, which are the identification information for links, and each link ID is associated with corresponding link attribute information. Examples of link attribute information include location information including the start and end points of the link, the number of lanes, the direction of travel for each lane (i.e., type information for each lane, such as a lane for going straight or a lane for turning right), the link length, and the identification information (node ​​ID) of the node to which the link connects. Similarly, the road database assigns node IDs, which are the identification information for nodes, and each node ID is associated with corresponding node attribute information. Examples of node attribute information include the node's location information and the link ID to which the node is connected. Hereafter, links exist for each of the two directions on a road, excluding one-way streets, and the start and end points of a link are selected from both ends of the link based on the direction of the vehicle traveling on the link.

[0039] Probe DB6 is a database that stores probe information received from each vehicle on the road. Link Traffic History DB7 is a database that represents the traffic history of the links of the vehicles supplying probe information.

[0040] The Link Traffic Record DB7 is a database showing the traffic records for each link of the vehicles supplying probe information, and includes the actual travel time for the links traveled by each vehicle. The Link Traffic Record DB7 is generated by the control unit 24 based on the probe DB6. Specific examples of the Link Traffic Record DB7 will be described later. Traffic Information 8 is information about traffic on links included in the Road DB, and includes at least information about the degree of congestion on the links. Traffic Information 8 is generated by the control unit 24 based on the Link Traffic Record DB7.

[0041] The control unit 24 includes processors such as a CPU and GPU, and controls the entire server device 2.

[0042] For example, the control unit 24 updates the probe DB6 based on probe information received by the communication unit 21. The control unit 24 also updates the link traffic performance DB7 based on the updated probe DB6 and generates traffic information 8 based on the updated link traffic performance DB7. In this case, the control unit 24 may use probe information generated within a predetermined time from the current time to perform the update processing of the link traffic performance DB7 and traffic information 8. For example, the control unit 24 may consider probe information from the most recent 30 minutes as the target of collection, and probe information that is no longer the target of collection may not be used in the update processing of the link traffic performance DB7 and traffic information 8, etc. However, when the control unit 24 analyzes congestion trends by time of day, day of the week, or / or by a specific event, it may also include and use older probe information that is no longer the target of collection as part of the data to be analyzed.

[0043] In another example, when the control unit 24 receives a route search request from the vehicle terminal 1 via the communication unit 21, specifying the destination, current location, and route search conditions, it performs a route search based on the current location and destination specified in the search request, referring to the road database of the map information 5. In this case, the control unit 24 may use any route search algorithm, such as Dijkstra's algorithm, to search for a recommended route. The control unit 24 then transmits the search result, which shows one or more searched routes, to the vehicle terminal 1. If information indicating a route specified by the user is supplied from the vehicle terminal 1, the control unit 24 sets the specified route as the recommended route (also called the "recommended route") for the target vehicle. Subsequently, the control unit 24 stores the route information indicating the set recommended route in the storage unit 22. Here, the route information preferably indicates the recommended route on a lane-by-lane basis, and if the vehicle passes through a link with multiple lanes, it indicates the lane that is recommended to pass through among the multiple lanes.

[0044] The control unit 24 functions as a computer or the like that executes a program. The processing performed by the control unit 24 is not limited to being implemented by software through a program; it may also be implemented by a combination of hardware, firmware, and software. The control unit 24 functions as a "first determination means," a "second determination means," a "specification means," an "acquisition means," a "search means," a "decision means," an "estimation means," a "display control means," and a computer or the like that that executes a program.

[0045] Note that the configuration of server device 2 shown in Figure 3 is just one example, and various modifications may be made to the configuration shown in Figure 3.

[0046] (3) Traffic Record Database Next, we will explain specific examples of the data structure and generation method for the Link Traffic Record DB7.

[0047] Figure 4 shows a first example of the data structure of the Link Travel History DB7. Server device 2 calculates the link travel time for each vehicle supplying probe information and for each link, and generates a record in the Link Travel History DB7 for each calculated link travel time. The link travel time represents the time it took for the vehicle supplying probe information to pass through the target link.

[0048] The Link Traffic Record DB7 includes the following columns: "Link ID", "Passage Time", "User ID", "Link Travel Time [seconds]", "Link Length [m]", and "Number of Lanes". Each field of "Link ID" stores the Link ID, which is the identification information of the link passed through by the vehicle supplying the probe information. Each field of "Passage Time" stores the time when the vehicle supplying the probe information passed through the target link. Each field of "Link Travel Time [seconds]" stores the number of seconds required for the link travel time to pass through the target link. Each field of "Link Length [m]" stores the length of the target link in meters. Each field of "Number of Lanes" stores the number of lanes that the target link has.

[0049] Here, the method for generating each record in the Link Traffic Record DB7 will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the overview of the method for calculating the link travel time for the record with link ID "A" which has the number of lanes "1" as shown in Figure 4. Hereafter, the past location of the probe-providing vehicle identified by the probe information will also be referred to as a "data point".

[0050] First, server device 2 corrects the data points with link ID "A" registered in probe DB6 to be located on the link using an arbitrary map matching method. In other words, server device 2 corrects the data points based on matching the location information of each link included in the road DB of map information 5 with the data points. In the example in Figure 4, server device 2 moves the four data points of user ID "u1" onto the adjacent link with link ID "A" based on map matching. Similarly, server device 2 moves the five data points of user ID "u2" onto the adjacent link with link ID "A" based on map matching.

[0051] Next, Server Device 2 calculates the link travel time of the vehicle supplying probe information on the link based on the time-series data points on the link. In this case, Server Device 2 calculates the link travel time based on the distance between the data points at both ends of the link and the time difference between the timestamps corresponding to the data points at both ends. For example, Server Device 2 calculates the ratio of the distance between the data points at both ends to the link length as the travel rate corresponding to the time difference between the timestamps mentioned above. Then, Server Device 2 assumes that the calculated travel rate and the time difference between the timestamps are proportional, and calculates the time difference between the timestamps when the travel rate is 100% as the link travel time. For example, Server Device 2 calculates a link travel time of "5 seconds" when the time difference between the timestamps of the data points at both ends of user ID "u1" is 4 seconds and the travel rate is 80%. Similarly, Server Device 2 calculates a link travel time of "7 seconds" (rounded to the nearest whole number here) when the time difference between the timestamps of the data points at both ends of user ID "u2" is 6 seconds and the travel rate is 85%.

[0052] Subsequently, the server device 2 calculates a representative value (including the average, median, etc.; the same applies hereinafter) of the link travel time for each link ID based on the link traffic history DB7, and determines the degree of congestion for each link ID based on the representative value of the link travel time and the link length. In the example in Figure 5, the server device 2 calculates the average value of the link travel time, "6 seconds," corresponding to the record in the link traffic history DB7 for link ID "A". Subsequently, the server device 2 determines the degree of congestion for link ID "A" based on this average value and the link length. For example, if the average vehicle speed on the link, obtained by dividing the link length by the average value, is below a predetermined threshold (speed), the server device 2 determines that the degree of congestion is high (i.e., traffic congestion is occurring), and if the average vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined threshold, the server device 2 determines that the degree of congestion is low (i.e., traffic congestion is not occurring). Note that the degree of congestion may be classified into three or more levels. In this case, for example, the server device 2 determines the degree of congestion from the average vehicle speed on the link using a number of thresholds corresponding to the number of congestion levels.

[0053] Figure 6 shows an overview of the method for calculating link travel time for the record of link ID "B" with lane count "2" shown in Figure 4. In this case, the server device 2 moves the four data points of user ID "u1" onto the link of link ID "B" and the five data points of user ID "u2" onto the link of link ID "B" based on map matching. It also calculates a link travel time of "4 seconds" based on the data points at both ends of the link among the four corrected data points of user ID "u1" and calculates a link travel time of "5 seconds" based on the data points at both ends of the link among the five corrected data points of user ID "u2". Subsequently, the server device 2 calculates the average link travel time of "4.5 seconds" corresponding to the record in the link traffic history DB7 for link ID "B", and determines the degree of congestion of link ID "B" based on this average value and the link length.

[0054] As described later, the server device 2 performs a test for multimodality in the histogram of link travel time for each link ID based on the link traffic history DB7, and if it determines that multimodality exists, it determines the degree of congestion for each lane.

[0055] Furthermore, the server device 2 may correct the link travel time not only based on the travel rate, but also based on at least one of the number of stops on the link or the duration of stops on the link. This makes it possible to determine the multimodality described later with higher accuracy. For example, if the number of stops on the link is 1, the server device 2 determines that the link travel time has increased due to waiting at a traffic light without congestion, and corrects the link travel time to be shorter by a predetermined percentage or a predetermined amount of time. In another example, if the duration of stops is less than a predetermined amount of time, the server device 2 determines that the link travel time has increased due to waiting at a traffic light, and corrects the link travel time to be shorter by a predetermined percentage or a predetermined amount of time. Not limited to the above examples, if relational information (such as a lookup table) showing the relationship between at least one of the number of stops or the duration of stops and the amount of correction for the link travel time is stored in the storage unit 22, the server device 2 may correct the link travel time based on the above-mentioned relational information.

[0056] Figure 7 shows a second example of the data structure of the Link Travel History DB7. In this second example, the Link Travel History DB7 further includes columns for "Completion Rate," "Number of Stops," and "Stopping Time [s]." In this case, after map matching, the server device 2 calculates the completion rate as the ratio of the distance between data points at both ends of the link to the link length. The server device 2 also identifies the number of stops, stopping time, etc., based on the vehicle speed information included in the probe information corresponding to the data points on the link identified after map matching, or the presence or absence of stagnation in the time series of the data points. The server device 2 can then suitably perform the above-mentioned correction of the link travel time by referring to at least one of the fields "Completion Rate," "Number of Stops," and "Stopping Time [s]" in the Link Travel History DB7.

[0057] (4) Traffic information generation Server device 2 generates a histogram (i.e., frequency distribution) of link travel time for each link ID. If it determines that the histogram is multimodal, it identifies the correspondence between the peaks in the histogram and the lanes within the link, and estimates the congestion level for each lane for which the correspondence has been identified. On the other hand, if it determines that the histogram is not multimodal, it estimates a common congestion level for the link ID regardless of the lane. As a result, server device 2 generates traffic information 8 representing the congestion level of each link traversed by the vehicle that supplied the probe information.

[0058] First, let's explain the multimodality test. Server device 2 extracts records registered in the link traffic history DB7 for each link ID, aggregates the extracted records for each time period of link travel time according to a predetermined bin width, and generates a histogram (i.e., frequency distribution). The bin width is set to a predetermined time interval. Next, server device 2 performs a multimodality test on the generated histogram. In this case, server device 2 performs the multimodality test only if the number of lanes is two or more (i.e., multiple lanes). Server device 2 may determine the presence or absence of multimodality using any multimodality test. Examples of multimodality tests include the Silverman test, Good-Gaskins test, dip test, and Wong test. Server device 2 may also perform a test limited to determining the presence or absence of bimodality as a multimodality test. If server device 2 determines that multimodality exists, it determines that there is a difference in congestion levels for each lane of the target link, and that it is necessary to determine the congestion level for each lane.

[0059] Figure 8 is an example of a histogram generated based on records from the Link Traffic Data Database (DB7) for a link with two lanes: one for going straight and one for turning right.

[0060] In the example shown in Figure 8, a first peak is formed around a link travel time of 2.5 seconds, and a second peak is formed around a link travel time of 8 seconds. Server device 2 detects the presence of these two peaks through an arbitrary multimodality test. Hereafter, when two peaks are present, they will be referred to as the "first peak" and the "second peak," respectively, in order of increasing link travel time.

[0061] In this case, server device 2 estimates the degree of congestion for each lane for the link IDs for which multimodal testing has been performed. Here, server device 2 determines that the first peak corresponds to the lane for going straight and the second peak corresponds to the lane for turning right. Therefore, in this case, server device 2 determines the degree of congestion for the lane for going straight based on the link travel time (2 to 3 seconds) belonging to the first peak, and determines the degree of congestion for the lane for turning right based on the link travel time (e.g., 7.5 to 8.5 seconds) belonging to the second peak.

[0062] In this way, server device 2 can accurately determine whether or not there are differences in congestion levels for each lane of a given link by performing a multimodal test of link travel time for links with multiple lanes. This prevents the processing load caused by calculating the congestion level for each lane for all links and enables the efficient generation of accurate traffic information. In other words, considering that creating lane-level congestion information for all links would result in an enormous processing load, server device 2 limits the links for which lane-level traffic information is generated based on the results of the bimodal test. This makes it possible to reduce the processing load.

[0063] Next, we will explain how to estimate the congestion level for each lane of a link that has been determined to have multimodality. Server device 2 identifies the correspondence between the lanes of the link that has been determined to have multimodality and the peaks in the histogram, and calculates the congestion level for each lane based on the link travel time of the corresponding peak.

[0064] First, we will specifically explain how to identify the aforementioned correspondence in links where the direction of movement after passing through the link is restricted for each lane. Server device 2 selects one peak in the histogram. Server device 2 then identifies the record in the link traffic history DB7 that belongs to the selected peak and obtains a predetermined number of time-series probe information supplied by the vehicle corresponding to each identified record immediately after passing through the target link from probe DB6. "The record in the link traffic history DB7 that belongs to the selected peak" refers, for example, to the record in the link traffic history DB7 that corresponds to a predetermined number of bins, including the bin that represents the maximum value of the selected peak. Server device 2 then estimates the direction of movement of the vehicle corresponding to the selected peak after passing through the link, based on the time-series data points (i.e., position information) represented by the acquired time-series probe information. For example, server device 2 estimates the direction of movement relative to the target link based on the time-series data points mentioned above and the position information including the start and end points of the target link. Furthermore, server device 2 calculates the direction of movement for each vehicle corresponding to each record, and estimates a representative direction determined by an arbitrary statistical method from the calculated direction of movement as the direction of movement to be used thereafter.

[0065] Server device 2 then associates the selected peaks with the lanes corresponding to the estimated direction of movement, based on the estimated direction of movement and information indicating the direction of movement for each lane in the target link. The information indicating the direction of movement for each lane in the target link is included in the road database. If server device 2 determines through a multimodality test that there are three or more peaks in the histogram, it selects multiple peaks (specifically, "number of peaks - 1") and identifies the lanes corresponding to the selected peaks.

[0066] Figure 9 shows an overhead view of the intersection including link D1, which was subjected to the multimodal test shown in Figure 8. Here, link D1 has a straight lane L1 and a right-turn lane L2, with the straight lane L1 connecting to link D3 and the right-turn lane L2 connecting to link D2. Figure 9 also shows time-series data points on and after passing link D1 for vehicles corresponding to a record in link traffic history DB7 belonging to the second peak.

[0067] As shown in Figure 9, the data point of a vehicle that has passed through the right-turn lane L2 transitions in the direction along link D2 after link D1. In this case, the server device 2 determines, based on the transition of the data point of the vehicle corresponding to the record in question, that the vehicle has moved along link D2 after passing through link D1. The server device 2 similarly determines the direction of movement after passing through link D1 for vehicles corresponding to other records in the link traffic history DB7 belonging to the second peak. The server device 2 then estimates a representative direction of the determined direction of movement as the direction of movement corresponding to the second peak. Here, the server device 2 estimates that the direction of movement corresponding to the second peak is to the right.

[0068] Next, the server device 2 recognizes, by referring to the road database, that the right-turn lane L2, which corresponds to the rightward direction of travel corresponding to the second peak, is included in link D1, and determines that the right-turn lane L2 corresponds to the second peak. Therefore, in this case, the server device 2 determines the degree of congestion of the right-turn lane L2 based on the link travel time of the second peak. Alternatively, the server device 2 may identify lanes that can be moved in the estimated direction of travel based on the relative position between lanes, regardless of whether they are right-turn lanes or not. Specifically, the server device 2 considers the rightmost lane as a lane where right turns are possible, and the leftmost lane as a lane where left turns are possible. Therefore, in the example in Figure 9, the server device 2 determines that the rightmost right-turn lane L2 corresponds to the second peak.

[0069] Furthermore, Server Device 2 determines that the straight-ahead lane L1 corresponds to the remaining peak, the first peak, and determines the congestion level of the straight-ahead lane L1 based on the link travel time of the first peak. This allows Server Device 2 to generate traffic information regarding the congestion level of each lane in Link D1. Alternatively, Server Device 2 may identify the correspondence between the histogram peaks and the lanes in Link D1 by estimating the direction of vehicle movement based on the link traffic record DB7 records belonging to the first peak. In addition, even if there are three or more lanes, such as a left-turn lane, a straight-ahead lane, and a right-turn lane, Server Device 2 estimates the congestion level of each lane based on the congestion level corresponding to each peak detected based on the multimodal test and the estimated direction of movement corresponding to each peak.

[0070] Figure 10 shows an overhead view of the two-lane link D4 adjacent to facility A1. Link D4 has a left lane L3 and a right lane L4, both with a common direction of travel (uphill or downhill), and the popular facility A1, which causes congestion at the entrance, is located on the left side. In this case, two peaks were detected in the multimodal test, and the time-series data points on and after passing link D3 for vehicles corresponding to a record in link traffic history DB7 belonging to the second peak, which has a large link travel time, are shown.

[0071] The data points shown in Figure 10 transition in the direction toward facility A1 midway through link D4. In this case, server device 2 determines that the vehicle is moving to the left (i.e., turning left) midway through link D4. Server device 2 also determines that of the left lane L3 and the right lane L4, the left lane L3, which is on the left, is the lane in which a left turn is permitted.

[0072] The server device 2 then determines that the second peak corresponds to the left lane L3 because the direction of travel corresponding to the second peak is leftward, and determines the congestion level of the left lane L3 based on the link travel time of the second peak. On the other hand, the server device 2 determines the congestion level of the right lane L4 based on the link travel time of the first peak, which has a shorter link travel time. As a result, the server device 2 can generate traffic information regarding the congestion level of each lane on link D4.

[0073] In a preferred example, if there is a congested section (also called a "partially congested section") that terminates midway through the link, the server device 2 may generate traffic information that associates the location information indicating the start and end points of the partially congested section, the degree of congestion in the partially congested section, and the degree of congestion in the section other than the partially congested section with the target link. A congested section refers to a section of lanes where the degree of congestion exceeds a predetermined level.

[0074] In the example shown in Figure 10, the server device 2 obtains representative values ​​for link D4, such as the average completion rate of records in the link traffic history DB7 belonging to the second peak corresponding to the left lane L3. The server device 2 then considers a portion of the left lane L3 from the starting point, corresponding to the obtained representative value of the completion rate, as a partially congested section of the left lane L3. On the other hand, the server device 2 considers the sections of the left lane L3 other than the partially congested section as sections where congestion does not occur. Therefore, the server device 2 determines the degree of congestion in the partially congested section (see arrow 70) based on the link travel time of the second peak, and determines the degree of congestion in the remaining section (see arrow 71) based on the link travel time of the first peak corresponding to the right lane L4 where congestion does not occur. The server device 2 then generates traffic information that associates the left lane L3 with different degrees of congestion for the partially congested section from the starting point to partway through, and for the remaining section of the left lane L3.

[0075] In a more preferred example, when the server device 2 detects the existence of a partially congested section, it may estimate the direction of movement after a vehicle has passed through the partially congested section and generate traffic information that associates the estimated direction of movement with the partially congested section and its congestion level. In this case, the server device 2 obtains data points from the probe DB6 for vehicles that have passed through the partially congested section (i.e., vehicles corresponding to the second peak) and estimates the direction of movement after the partially congested section based on the transition of the obtained data points. In the example in Figure 10, the server device 2 estimates that the direction of movement after passing through the partially congested section is to the left based on the time-series data points that extend beyond link D4, and generates traffic information that associates the estimated direction of movement with the partially congested section and its congestion level.

[0076] Examples of how traffic information can be used in partially congested areas will be explained in detail in section (5-3) "The Third Aspect".

[0077] Figure 11 shows an overhead view of the intersection near the entrance to Service Area (SA) 73. Here, Link D5 represents a highway with a left lane L5 and a right lane L6, which share a common direction of travel (uphill or downhill), and is connected to Link D6, which leads to Service Area 73. In this case, two peaks were detected in the multimodal test, and the time-series data points on Links D5 and D6 are shown for vehicles corresponding to a record in Link Traffic Record DB7 belonging to the second peak, which has a larger link travel time.

[0078] The data points shown in Figure 11 transition from link D5 to link D6, which branches off to the left. In this case, the server device 2 determines that the second peak corresponds to the left lane L5 because the data points after the vehicle that traveled on link D5, corresponding to the link travel record DB7 for the second peak, have transitioned to link D6. Based on the link travel time of the second peak, the server device 2 determines the congestion level of the left lane L5. On the other hand, the server device 2 determines the congestion level of the right lane L4 based on the link travel time of the first peak, which has a shorter link travel time. As a result, the server device 2 can generate traffic information regarding the congestion level of each lane on link D5.

[0079] Furthermore, the example of correlating the histogram peaks with the lanes of the target link is not limited to examples based on the estimated direction of vehicle movement after passing through the target link.

[0080] In the second example, prior information indicating prior knowledge of lanes prone to congestion is pre-stored in the storage unit 12, etc., and the server device 2 associates peaks with lanes based on this prior information and the link travel time corresponding to each peak. For example, if the prior information specifies lanes prone to congestion for a certain link, the server device 2 performs the above-mentioned association, assuming that the peak with the largest link travel time corresponds to the specified lane. The prior information may also indicate candidate sections for partially congested sections. In this case, if the server device 2 detects multi-peak congestion in a link that includes a candidate section for a partially congested section, it may consider the candidate section to be a partially congested section and calculate the degree of congestion in that candidate section based on the link travel time corresponding to the largest peak. Furthermore, the prior information may include conditions under which congestion occurs in a specific lane. In this case, the server device 2 determines whether or not the conditions are met, and if the conditions are met, it identifies the lane where congestion occurs based on the prior information and associates the identified lane with the peak with the largest link travel time.

[0081] In the third example, server device 2 identifies the correspondence between peaks and lanes based on the positional information of the vehicles in the link corresponding to each of the multiple peaks. In this case, server device 2 first determines a representative point, such as the centroid of the data points, for each peak in the histogram, and compares the positional relationship of the representative points of the data points with the positional relationship between the lanes in the target link. Then, server device 2 determines the correspondence between peaks and lanes such that the positional relationship of the representative points of the data points for each peak matches the positional relationship between the lanes. For example, in a link with lanes on the west side and lanes on the east side, server device 2 determines that peaks with representative points of data points on the west side correspond to lanes on the west side, and peaks with representative points of data points on the east side correspond to lanes on the east side.

[0082] Figure 12 is an example flowchart showing the procedure for traffic information generation. Server device 2 repeatedly executes the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 12.

[0083] First, the server device 2 updates the link traffic record DB 7 based on the probe DB 6 (step S11). In this case, the server device 2 may update the link traffic record DB 7 using only probe information acquired up to a predetermined time prior to the present. Alternatively, the server device 2 may delete records in the link traffic record DB 7 based on probe information generated more than a predetermined time prior to the present.

[0084] Next, server device 2 selects a link for which congestion is to be estimated and performs a multimodality test on the histogram of link travel time for the selected link (step S12). In this case, server device 2 generates a histogram of link travel time using the record of link traffic history DB7 associated with the selected link and performs an arbitrary multimodality test. Then, it determines whether or not there is multimodality in the link travel time for the selected link (step S13).

[0085] Then, if the server device 2 determines that there is no multimodality (step S13; No), it generates traffic information indicating the degree of congestion for the selected link, independent of the lane (step S16). In this case, the server device 2 estimates the degree of congestion for the target link based on the link travel time in the link traffic history DB7 associated with the selected link. Note that if the number of lanes for the link selected in step S12 is one, the server device 2 may proceed with the processing in step S16 without performing the multimodality test in step S12 and the multimodality determination in step S13.

[0086] On the other hand, if the server device 2 determines that there is multimodality (step S13; Yes), it estimates the direction of movement after passing through the link (step S14). In this case, the server device 2 estimates the direction of movement of the vehicle corresponding to at least one of the peaks in the histogram, based on probe information supplied from the vehicle after it has passed through the selected link.

[0087] Next, the server device 2 generates traffic information indicating the degree of congestion for each lane based on the estimated direction of travel (step S15). In this case, the server device 2 identifies the correspondence between the peaks in the histogram and the lanes based on the estimated direction of travel, and determines the degree of congestion for each lane based on the link travel time belonging to the corresponding peak.

[0088] Next, server device 2 determines whether to terminate the flowchart processing (step S17). For example, server device 2 determines that the flowchart processing should not be terminated if there are still links for which congestion should be estimated, and determines that the flowchart processing should be terminated if there are no links for which congestion should be estimated. If server device 2 determines that the flowchart processing should not be terminated (step S17; Yes), it returns to step S12 and selects the next link for which congestion should be estimated. On the other hand, if server device 2 determines that the flowchart processing should be terminated (step S17; No), it terminates the flowchart processing.

[0089] (5) Display control using traffic information Next, the first to third modes of display control using traffic information 8 will be described in order. Hereafter, the display control based on each mode will be described as being executed by the server device 2.Hereafter, as an example, the congestion level will be assumed to have two stages: "high," which is considered to be congested, and "low," which is otherwise.Note that the congestion level may have three or more indicator values.The server device 2 is an example of an information processing device that outputs congestion information representing the congestion level.

[0090] (5-1) First aspect In the first embodiment, when the server device 2 controls the map display on the vehicle terminal 1, it determines whether each link to be displayed is a first link or a second link, and determines the display method for the congestion level of each link based on the determination result. Specifically, the server device 2 displays the congestion level on a link-by-link basis for links where a lane-independent congestion level is specified in the traffic information 8, and displays the congestion level on a lane-by-lane basis for links where a lane-by-lane congestion level is specified in the traffic information 8. Hereafter, links where a lane-independent congestion level is specified in the traffic information 8 will also be referred to as "first links," and links where a lane-by-lane congestion level is specified in the traffic information 8 will also be referred to as "second links."

[0091] Figure 13 shows an example of a display based on a first aspect of the map of the area around the current location. Based on the display information received from the server device 2, the vehicle terminal 1 displays the display screen shown in Figure 13 on the display unit 16. In this case, the server device 2 identifies the driving status of the target vehicle, such as its current location, based on probe information received from the vehicle terminal 1, and generates display information representing a map including road RD1 on which the target vehicle is located and roads RD2 and RD3 connected to road RD1, based on map information 5 and traffic information 8. Road RD1 includes links L7 and L8, which have two lanes, and the server device 2 displays a current location mark 60 indicating the current location of the target vehicle on link L7. Here, roads RD1 to RD3 each refer to a set of links including links with reversed start and end points.

[0092] In Figure 13, the server device 2 displays lines representing congestion levels, associating them with the corresponding lanes or links. The lines representing congestion levels include a dashed line indicating "high" congestion and a dashed line indicating "low" congestion. In this case, the server device 2 refers to traffic information 8 and identifies the first link, which is considered to have a "high" congestion level (i.e., is congested), and the second link, for which congestion levels have been calculated for each lane, from the links included in roads RD1 to RD3. Here, in traffic information 8, link L7 on road RD1 is the first link, which is set to have a "high" congestion level regardless of the lane, and link L8 on road RD1 is the second link, which is set to have a "low" congestion level for the left lane and a "high" congestion level for the right lane. Therefore, the server device 2 displays a line representing a "high" congestion level on link L7, a line representing a "low" congestion level on the left lane of link L8, and a line representing a "high" congestion level on the right lane.

[0093] For the sake of explanation, the congestion level is shown here using lines of a different type depending on the congestion level. However, the server device 2 may also display the congestion level using lines of a different color or thickness depending on the congestion level, or using text. The lines or text representing the congestion level are just one example of congestion information.

[0094] Figure 14 is an example of a flowchart illustrating the display control procedure based on the first embodiment. The server device 2 repeatedly executes the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 14 based on the cycle for generating map display information on the vehicle terminal 1.

[0095] First, the server device 2 obtains traffic information related to the links to be displayed from the traffic information 8 stored in the storage unit 22 (step S21). Next, the server device 2 determines whether each link to be displayed is a first link or a second link (step S22). In this case, the server device 2 refers to the traffic information obtained in step S21 and identifies links where the degree of congestion is determined regardless of the lane as first links, and links where the degree of congestion is determined for each lane as second links. Next, based on the determination result in step S22 regarding whether it is a first link or a second link, the server device 2 displays congestion information representing the degree of congestion of the links to be displayed on the vehicle terminal 1 (step S23).

[0096] As described above, in the first embodiment, the server device 2 determines whether each link to be displayed is a first link or a second link, and based on the determination result, determines the display method of congestion information for each link. For example, for links determined to be second links, the server device 2 refers to traffic information 8 and displays congestion information representing the degree of congestion for each lane. In this way, the server device 2 can notify the user of the degree of congestion for each lane in road sections where the degree of congestion differs for each lane.

[0097] Next, a modification of the first embodiment will be described. The server device 2 may determine whether or not to display the congestion level of the second link for each lane based on the map scale displayed by the vehicle terminal 1. For example, if the map display is at a scale where roads are not displayed on a lane-by-lane basis (a small scale below a predetermined degree), the server device 2 will display the congestion level for the second link on a link-by-link basis. In this case, the server device 2 will, for example, determine the average value of the congestion level for each lane of the second link (or other representative value) as the congestion level of the second link, and display the congestion information representing the determined congestion level in association with the second link. On the other hand, if the map display is at a scale where roads are displayed on a lane-by-lane basis (a large scale above a predetermined degree), the server device 2 will display congestion information representing the congestion level for each lane of the second link.

[0098] (5-2) Second aspect In the second embodiment, when a recommended route to the destination, which is a recommended route for the target vehicle, is set, the server device 2 controls the display of the vehicle terminal 1 to identify the lane to be traveled for each link to be displayed based on the route information, and to display congestion information representing the degree of congestion for the identified lane. This accurately notifies the user of the degree of congestion related to the recommended route.

[0099] Figure 15 shows an example of a display based on a second aspect of the map of the area around the current location. Based on the display information received from the server device 2, the vehicle terminal 1 displays the display screen shown in Figure 15 on the display unit 16. In this case, the same area as the display example shown in Figure 13 is displayed, and a recommended route to the destination is set. Based on the probe information received from the vehicle terminal 1 and the route information related to the set recommended route, the server device 2 displays a current location mark 60 indicating the current location of the target vehicle, and a route line 61 representing the recommended route (in this case, a route passing through roads RD1 and RD2) on the map. Also, as an example, the server device 2 does not display congestion information for links with a "low" congestion level, and for links with a "high" congestion level, it displays a dashed line associated with the link to indicate that the congestion level is "high".

[0100] In Figure 15, the server device 2 refers to traffic information 8 and obtains the congestion level corresponding to the lanes on the recommended route. Here, the congestion level of "low" is set for link L7 of road RD1 and the link of road RD3, regardless of the lane, while the congestion level of link L8 of road RD1 is set to "low" for the left lane and "high" for the right lane. Based on the route information, the server device 2 recognizes that the recommended route passes through the right lane of link L8 and displays a dashed line associated with link L8 to indicate that link L8 is a road section with a "high" congestion level. On the other hand, since the congestion level of the other links that the recommended route passes through (link L7 and the link of road RD3) is "low," the server device 2 does not display lines representing the congestion level.

[0101] Figure 16 is an example of a flowchart illustrating the display control procedure based on the second embodiment. When a recommended route is set, the server device 2 repeatedly executes the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 16 based on the cycle for generating map display information on the vehicle terminal 1.

[0102] First, the server device 2 obtains traffic information related to the link to be displayed from the traffic information 8 stored in the storage unit 22 (step S31). Next, the server device 2 identifies the congestion level of the lane corresponding to the recommended route (step S32). In this case, the server device 2 identifies the congestion level of the lane corresponding to the recommended route based on the route information indicating the recommended route on a lane-by-lane basis and the traffic information obtained in step S31. Then, the server device 2 displays the congestion information representing the identified congestion level on the map in association with the recommended route (step S33).

[0103] As described above, in the second embodiment, the server device 2 controls the display of the vehicle terminal 1 to display congestion information representing the degree of congestion for the lanes through which the recommended route passes, based on the route information. This makes it possible to accurately notify the user of the degree of congestion related to the recommended route.

[0104] Herein, a modification of the second embodiment will be described. If there are lanes on the same link that are less congested than the lanes corresponding to the recommended route, the server device 2 may display congestion information representing the congestion level of the lanes on the same link that are less congested than the lanes corresponding to the recommended route, together with the congestion information for the recommended route. This allows the server device 2 to suitably notify the user of the existence of lanes different from the recommended route. In this case, the server device 2 may display the congestion information representing the congestion level of the lanes on the same link that are less congested than the lanes corresponding to the recommended route in a manner that is less conspicuous than the congestion information for the recommended route.

[0105] In a preferred example, the server device 2 performs a re-search (so-called rerouting) of a route that passes through lanes on the same link with lower congestion than the recommended route, and determines whether the route obtained by the re-search satisfies predetermined conditions (also called "alternative route conditions"). The server device 2 may then display the congestion level of the lanes on the same link with lower congestion than the recommended route and the alternative route only if the alternative route conditions are met. The aforementioned alternative route conditions are, for example, that the difference in travel time when switching from the recommended route to the re-searched route is within a predetermined time. In another example, the alternative route conditions are that the re-searched route avoids the congested sections of the recommended route. By setting such alternative route conditions as necessary conditions for displaying the congestion level of lanes on the same link with lower congestion than the recommended route and the alternative route, the server device 2 prevents the unnecessary display of congestion levels of lanes that would not ultimately be beneficial to the user if traveled through them were to occur.

[0106] Figure 17 shows an example of map display in a modified version of the second embodiment. In the example in Figure 17, when a target vehicle is located near an intersection, the server device 2 displays a route paint 62 representing the recommended route overlaid on the corresponding lane on the map. The server device 2 also displays a high congestion line 63 indicating that the road section overlapping with the recommended route is congested, and a low congestion line 64 indicating that the right lane for right turns and the section after the right turn are congested. Furthermore, the server device 2 displays guidance information 65 overlaid on the low congestion line 64, showing an alternative route that turns right along the low congestion line 64 and the difference in travel time (in this case, +3 minutes) when switching to the alternative route. In this way, the low congestion line 64 essentially indicates an alternative route to the currently set recommended route. Here, the alternative route condition is that the increase in travel time when switching from the recommended route to the alternative route is within a predetermined time.

[0107] Server device 2 recognizes that for the currently running link, the congestion level of the right lane is lower than that of the left lane, which is the recommended route, and that the increase in travel time if the recommended route is switched to the alternative route using the right lane is within a predetermined time. Therefore, server device 2 determines that the alternative route conditions are met and displays, in addition to the high congestion line 63 representing the congestion level of the left lane corresponding to the recommended route, a low congestion line 64 indicating the congestion level of the section including the right lane, which is different from the recommended route, and the alternative route. In this way, server device 2 can effectively make the user aware of the existence of an alternative route that avoids the congestion occurring on the recommended route.

[0108] Furthermore, the low-congestion line 64, which indicates the congestion level in sections including the right lane that differs from the recommended route and alternative routes, has a smaller line width and is less conspicuous than the high-congestion line 63, which represents the congestion level of the left lane, which is the recommended route. In this way, the server device 2 may prioritize displaying information about the recommended route over information about alternative routes.

[0109] (5-3) Third aspect In the third embodiment, when a partially congested section exists, which is a partial congestion section up to a certain point in the link, the server device 2 displays the direction of movement after a vehicle has passed through the partially congested section, along with the degree of congestion in the partially congested section. This allows the user to appropriately recognize the cause of the partially congested section.

[0110] Figure 18 shows an example of a display based on the third aspect of the map. Based on the display information received from the server device 2, the vehicle terminal 1 displays the display screen shown in Figure 18 on the display unit 16. In this case, the server device 2 generates display information representing the map including link L9 based on the map information 5 and traffic information 8, etc., based on the current location of the target vehicle or a location specified by the user. Here, facility A1 is adjacent to link L9, and since facility A1 is a popular facility, congestion is partially occurring in the left lane of link L9 as people proceed from link L9 to facility A1.

[0111] In this case, the server device 2 refers to traffic information for link L9, which is the target of the display, from traffic information 8, and identifies that there is a partially congested section in the left lane of link L9, that the congestion level of the partially congested section is "high", and that the direction of travel after passing through the partially congested section is to the left. Therefore, in this case, the server device 2 indicates that it is a lane with a "high" level of congestion and displays an arrow 66, whose tip curves to the left at the end of the partially congested section, superimposed on the partially congested section of the left lane of link L9. By displaying such an arrow 66, the user can visually recognize that congestion heading towards facility A1 is partially occurring in the left lane of link L9.

[0112] Furthermore, based on the traffic information for link L9, server device 2 identifies that the congestion level of the remaining left lane and the right lane of link L9, excluding the partially congested section, is "low". Therefore, server device 2 displays a low congestion line 67, indicating a section with a "low" congestion level, corresponding to the remaining left lane of link L9, excluding the partially congested section. Similarly, server device 2 displays a low congestion line 68, indicating a section with a "low" congestion level, corresponding to the right lane of link L9.

[0113] It should be noted that examples of partial congestion occurring are not limited to cases where popular facilities are located on the left side along the link. For example, partial congestion may also occur if popular facilities are located on the right side. In this case, server device 2 will display an arrow that curves to the right along the congested area.

[0114] Figure 19 is an example of a flowchart illustrating the display control procedure based on the third embodiment. The server device 2 repeatedly executes the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 19 based on the cycle for generating map display information on the vehicle terminal 1.

[0115] First, the server device 2 obtains traffic information relating to the link to be displayed from the traffic information 8 stored in the storage unit 22 (step S41). Next, the server device 2 refers to the obtained traffic information and determines whether or not a partially congested section exists on the link to be displayed (step S42). If the server device 2 determines that a partially congested section exists on the link to be displayed (step S42; Yes), it displays the congestion level of the partially congested section and the direction of travel after passing through the partially congested section, and also displays the congestion levels of the remaining section of the link where the partially congested section exists and other links (step S43). Note that the display of the congestion levels of other links may be, for example, based on the first embodiment described above, or based on the second embodiment. On the other hand, if the server device 2 determines that there is no partially congested section on the link to be displayed (step S42; No), it displays the congestion level of the link to be displayed (step S44). In this case, for example, the server device 2 may display the congestion level based on the first embodiment described above, or it may display the congestion level based on the second embodiment.

[0116] As described above, in the third embodiment, when a partially congested section exists, the server device 2 displays the direction of movement after a vehicle has passed through the partially congested section along with the degree of congestion in the partially congested section, thereby allowing the user to appropriately recognize the cause of the partially congested section.

[0117] (6) Variation The vehicle terminal 1 may perform the control to display information regarding congestion levels based on the first to third embodiments, instead of the server device 2. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 acquires map information 5 and traffic information 8 from the server device 2, and, referring to the acquired map information 5 and traffic information 8, performs the display control for each embodiment on behalf of the server device 2. In this case, the vehicle terminal 1 functions as an information processing device, and the control unit 14 functions as a "first determination means," a "second determination means," a "specification means," an "acquisition means," a "search means," a "decision means," an "estimation means," a "display control means," and a computer that executes a program.

[0118] (7) Means of disclosure This specification discloses inventions relating to the following means 1, means 2, and means 3.

[0119] (Measure 1) When calculating and displaying congestion levels for each lane in a link with multiple lanes, users can benefit from being able to understand the congestion level for each lane. However, this can lead to problems such as increased processing load and a more complex display.

[0120] The invention of Means 1 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display information regarding the degree of congestion.

[0121] The information processing device of means 1 includes: a first determination means for determining whether there is a difference in the degree of congestion for each lane of the link to be displayed; a second determination means for determining, based on the determination result of whether there is a difference, whether the link to be displayed is a first link that displays congestion information representing the degree of congestion regardless of the lane, or a second link that displays the congestion information for each lane; and a display control means for displaying the congestion information of the link to be displayed on a display unit based on the determination result of whether the link to be displayed is the first link or the second link.

[0122] The above-described information processing device comprises a first determination means, a second determination means, and a display control means. The first determination means determines whether there is a difference in congestion level for each lane of the link to be displayed. Based on the determination result of whether there is a difference in congestion level, the second determination means determines whether the link to be displayed is a first link that displays congestion information representing congestion level regardless of lane, or a second link that displays congestion information for each lane. Based on the determination result of whether the link to be displayed is a first link or a second link, the display control means displays the congestion information for the link to be displayed on the display unit. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can display congestion information on a lane-by-lane basis or on a link-by-link basis for the link to be displayed, depending on whether there is a difference in congestion level.

[0123] In one embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the first determination means generates a histogram of the travel times of multiple vehicles that traveled along the link to be displayed, performs a multimodal test on the histogram, and determines whether or not there is a difference based on the result of the test.

[0124] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the first determination means corrects the travel time based on at least one of the number of stops or the duration of stops on the link when the plurality of vehicles travel along the link to be displayed.

[0125] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the first determination means corrects the travel time based on the mileage of the multiple vehicles that traveled the link to be displayed.

[0126] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further includes: identification means for identifying the correspondence between a plurality of peaks in the histogram detected by the verification and a plurality of lanes included in the link to be displayed, based on the position information of the plurality of vehicles after passing through the link to be displayed; and determination means for determining the degree of congestion of each of the plurality of lanes based on the travel time corresponding to the peak having the correspondence with each of the plurality of lanes.

[0127] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further includes: identification means for identifying the correspondence between a plurality of peaks in the histogram detected by the verification and a plurality of lanes included in the link to be displayed, based on the position information of the plurality of vehicles on the link to be displayed; and determination means for determining the degree of congestion of each of the plurality of lanes based on the travel time corresponding to the peak having the correspondence with each of the plurality of lanes.

[0128] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, the information processing device further includes: identification means for identifying the correspondence between a plurality of peaks in the histogram detected by the verification and a plurality of lanes included in the link to be displayed, based on prior information about the plurality of lanes; and determination means for determining the degree of congestion for each of the plurality of lanes based on the travel time corresponding to the peak having the correspondence with each of the plurality of lanes.

[0129] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means determines whether or not to display the congestion information for the second link for each lane based on the scale of the map displayed on the display unit.

[0130] In another embodiment of the above-described information processing device, if a recommended route is set for a vehicle equipped with the display unit, the device further includes a means for identifying the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in the second link based on the recommended route, and when the display control means displays the congestion information for the second link, it displays the congestion information for the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in on the display unit.

[0131] In another preferred embodiment of means 1, a computer-based information processing method comprises: a first determination step of determining whether there are differences in congestion levels for each lane of a link to be displayed; a second determination step of determining, based on the determination result of whether there are differences, whether the link to be displayed is a first link that displays congestion information representing congestion levels independent of the lanes, or a second link that displays the congestion information for each lane; and a display control step of displaying the congestion information for the link to be displayed on a display unit based on the determination result of whether the link to be displayed is a first link or a second link. By executing this information processing method, the computer can display congestion information on a lane-by-lane or link-by-link basis for the link to be displayed, depending on whether there are differences in congestion levels.

[0132] In yet another embodiment of means 1, the program causes a computer to function as a display control means that includes a first determination means for determining whether there is a difference in congestion level for each lane of a link to be displayed; a second determination means for determining, based on the determination result of whether there is a difference, whether the link to be displayed is a first link that displays congestion information representing congestion level independent of the lane, or a second link that displays the congestion information for each lane; and based on the determination result of whether the link to be displayed is a first link or a second link, displays the congestion information for the link to be displayed on a display unit. By executing this program, the computer can display congestion information on a lane-by-lane or link-by-link basis for the link to be displayed, depending on whether there is a difference in congestion level. Preferably, the program is stored on a storage medium.

[0133] (Measure 2) When a recommended route is set in a driver assistance system such as a car navigation system, the system displays information about the recommended route on a map along with information about road congestion and provides guidance along the recommended route. However, if congestion information is available for each lane, displaying congestion information for all lanes may make the display cluttered.

[0134] The invention of means 2 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display information regarding congestion when a recommended route is set.

[0135] The information processing device of means 2 includes a selection means for identifying the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in a link including multiple lanes, based on route information representing the recommended route for the vehicle; an acquisition means for acquiring the degree of congestion of the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in; and a display control means for displaying the congestion information representing the degree of congestion on a display unit.

[0136] The above-described information processing device includes a identifying means, an acquisition means, and a display control means. The identifying means identifies the lane that the vehicle is scheduled to travel in a link containing multiple lanes, based on route information representing the vehicle's recommended route. The acquisition means acquires the congestion level of the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in. The display control means displays the congestion information representing the congestion level on a display unit. According to this embodiment, when the information processing device displays the congestion level of a link containing multiple lanes, it can display congestion information representing the congestion level of the lane related to the recommended route.

[0137] In one embodiment of the above-described information processing device, if there is a low-congestion lane in the link that has a lower congestion level than the congestion level of the lane to be traveled, the display control means displays the congestion information representing the congestion level of the low-congestion lane together with the congestion information representing the congestion level of the lane to be traveled on the display unit.

[0138] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays the congestion information representing the congestion level of the low-congestion lane in a manner that is less conspicuous than the congestion information representing the congestion level of the lane to be traveled.

[0139] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the information processing device further includes a search means for searching for an alternative route through the low-congestion lane if the low-congestion lane exists in the link, and the display control means displays information regarding the congestion level of the low-congestion lane and the alternative route on the display unit if the searched alternative route satisfies predetermined conditions.

[0140] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, if the searched alternative route does not include any congested sections included in the recommended route, the display control means displays information regarding the congestion level of the low-congestion lane and the alternative route on the display unit.

[0141] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays information regarding the congestion level of the low-congestion lane and the alternative route on the display unit if the time required for the searched alternative route is within a predetermined difference from the time required for the recommended route.

[0142] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means determines, based on the scale of the map displayed on the display unit, whether to display the congestion information for the link including the multiple lanes on a lane-by-lane basis or on a link-by-link basis, if the recommended route is not set.

[0143] In another preferred embodiment of means 2, the computer provides an information processing method comprising: a identification step of identifying the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in a link including multiple lanes based on route information representing the vehicle's recommended route; an acquisition step of acquiring the congestion level of the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in; and a display control step of displaying the congestion information representing the congestion level on a display unit. By executing this information processing method, the computer can display congestion information representing the congestion level of the lane related to the recommended route when displaying the congestion level of a link including multiple lanes.

[0144] In another preferred embodiment of means 2, the computer is configured to function as a computer, which includes a means for identifying the lane the vehicle is scheduled to travel in a link containing multiple lanes, based on route information representing the vehicle's recommended route; an acquisition means for acquiring the congestion level of the scheduled lane; and a display control means for displaying the congestion information representing the congestion level on a display unit. By executing this program, the computer can display congestion information representing the congestion level of the lane related to the recommended route when displaying the congestion level of a link containing multiple lanes. Preferably, the program is stored on a storage medium.

[0145] (Measure 3) When there are congested sections on a road, it can be difficult for users to decide whether they need to use the congested lane or if they can avoid it. Providing users with useful information to help them make such decisions would be beneficial.

[0146] The invention of means 3 was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an information processing device, an information processing method, a program, and a storage medium that can suitably display information related to congested sections.

[0147] The information processing device of means 3 includes a identification means for identifying congested sections that have a degree of congestion or higher in the link to be displayed, based on traffic information; an estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section; and a display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit.

[0148] The above-described information processing device comprises a identifying means, an estimation means, and a display control means. The identifying means identifies congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a congestion level of a predetermined degree or higher, based on traffic information. The estimation means estimates the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section. The display control means displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. According to this embodiment, the information processing device can notify the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, and enable the user to appropriately understand the cause of the congested section.

[0149] In one embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identifying means identifies the congested section in which the endpoint of the congested section is located in the middle of the link.

[0150] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays on a map a line along the congested section and an arrow that curves toward the direction of movement at the end of the congested section, as information representing the congested section and the direction of movement.

[0151] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the identifying means identifies the lane containing the congested section from among the multiple lanes when the link to be displayed has multiple lanes.

[0152] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the lanes that do not include the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion in the lanes that do not include the congested section is less than the predetermined degree.

[0153] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the sections other than the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion in the sections of the lane including the congested section is less than the predetermined degree.

[0154] In another embodiment of the information processing device described above, the estimation means acquires time-series location information of the vehicle after it has passed through the congested section, and estimates the direction of movement based on the acquired location information.

[0155] In another preferred embodiment of means 3, the computer provides an information processing method comprising: a identification step of identifying congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a degree of congestion exceeding a predetermined level based on traffic information; an estimation step of estimating the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section; and a display control step of displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. By using this information processing method, the computer can notify the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, and enable the user to appropriately understand the cause of the congested section.

[0156] In another preferred embodiment of means 3, a program is provided that causes a computer to function as a identification means for identifying congested sections in the link to be displayed that have a congestion level of a predetermined degree or higher based on traffic information, an estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of vehicles that were in the congested section after passing through the congested section, and a display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. By executing this program, the computer notifies the user of the direction of movement after passing through the congested section along with the congested section, making it possible to suitably allow the user to understand the cause of the congested section. Preferably, the program is stored on a storage medium.

[0157] In each of the embodiments described above, the program can be stored using various types of non-transitory computer-readable medium and supplied to a control unit, which is a computer. Non-transitory computer-readable medium includes various types of tangible storage medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable medium include magnetic storage medium (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical storage medium (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), CD-R, CD-R / W, and semiconductor memory (e.g., mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory)).

[0158] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made that are understandable to those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention naturally includes the full disclosure, including the claims, and various modifications and alterations that those skilled in the art could make in accordance with the technical idea. Furthermore, each disclosure of the above-mentioned patent documents and other references is incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 1. Vehicle terminal 2 Server devices 5. Map Information 6. Probe DB 7 Link Traffic Data Database 8 Traffic information 11, 21 Communications Department 12, 22 Storage section 13, 23 Input section 14, 24 Control Unit 15 Sensor Groups 16 Display section 17. Sound output section

Claims

1. A means for identifying congested sections where the level of congestion exceeds a predetermined degree in the links to be displayed, based on traffic information, Estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, A display control means that displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit, An information processing device having

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying means identifies the congested section in which the endpoint of the congested section is located in the middle of the link.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control means has a line along the congested section as information representing the congested section and the direction of movement, and displays an arrow on the map that curves toward the direction of movement at the end point of the congested section.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the identifying means identifies the lane containing the congested section from among the multiple lanes when the link to be displayed has multiple lanes.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the lanes that do not include the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion of the lanes among the plurality of lanes is less than the predetermined degree.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control means displays congestion information on a map, in association with the sections other than the congested section of the lane including the congested section, indicating that the degree of congestion in the sections other than the congested section is less than the predetermined degree.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the estimation means acquires time-series location information of the vehicle after it has passed through the congested section, and estimates the direction of movement based on the acquired location information.

8. Computers Based on traffic information, the process involves identifying congested sections in the target links that have a congestion level exceeding a predetermined degree, and An estimation step for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, A display control step that displays information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on a display unit, An information processing method having

9. A means for identifying congested sections where the level of congestion exceeds a predetermined degree in the links to be displayed, based on traffic information, Estimation means for estimating the direction of movement of a vehicle that was in the congested section after passing through the congested section, Display control means for displaying information representing the congested section and the direction of movement on the display unit. A program that makes a computer function.

10. A storage medium characterized by storing the program described in claim 9.

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