Navigation Device Integrating Traffic Camera Symbols for Route Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current navigation devices lack the ability to effectively validate route suggestions with real-time traffic information, as users often need to consult external sources like traffic cameras or radio reports, which may not be readily available during journeys, leading to potential delays and mistrust in route recommendations.

Innovation Solution

A navigation device that displays a route on a map with symbols indicating locations for audio or visual traffic information, allowing users to play back and interact with this information, including options to include or exclude these locations from the route, using a proxy server to adapt and compress data for efficient transmission and display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If navigation devices provide route suggestions based on algorithmic calculations, then route optimization is improved, but user trust and validation capability deteriorate due to lack of transparent evidence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroute optimizationVSAvoidtraffic condition evidence
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces traffic camera images as an intermediary element that mediates between the navigation device's algorithmic route suggestions and the user's need for validation. The camera images serve as objective evidence that bridges the gap between the device's internal calculations and the user's external verification requirements, allowing users to visually confirm traffic conditions without needing to access external sources separately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by displaying real-time traffic camera images at relevant locations along the suggested route. This visual feedback loop allows users to immediately verify the current traffic conditions that form the basis of the route recommendation, creating transparency and building trust in the navigation system's decision-making process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If users consult external traffic information sources during journeys, then traffic information availability is improved, but time loss and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic information availabilityVSAvoidtime for consulting external sources
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the navigation device with traffic camera image display functionality, combining what were previously separate information sources into a single integrated system. The traffic camera images are embedded directly within the navigation interface, allowing users to access both route guidance and traffic condition validation in one device without needing to switch between multiple external sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by pre-fetching and displaying traffic camera images for locations along the planned route before the user reaches them. This allows users to have traffic information available in advance, eliminating the need to consult external sources during the journey and reducing time loss while maintaining information availability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If navigation devices integrate multiple information sources, then information completeness is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidsystem integration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The navigation device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a route calculation system and as a traffic condition display system. The same device interface and display hardware are used to present both the algorithmic route suggestions and the visual traffic camera evidence, eliminating the need for separate dedicated devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP1949031B1A navigation device displaying traffic information
Publication Date: 2010.04.21 TOMTOM INT BV
  • EP1949031B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1949031B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1949031B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A navigation device displays a route superimposed on a road map, together with one or more symbols each indicating a location for which audio or visual traffic information exists, each symbol being selectable to play back the audio or visual information. Visual traffic information can be from a fixed traffic camera; a driver can hence rapidly view a video feed or still image from a traffic camera to allow him to assess the traffic conditions.