Traffic Event Grouping for Navigation Device Clutter Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Navigation devices often overwhelm users with excessive notifications of discrete traffic events, such as car accidents and road construction delays, due to reporting multiple incidents related to a single event from different sources, leading to driver confusion.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that group related traffic events, such as delays from road construction or car accidents, to simplify their presentation to users, using a device with a traffic component, computing device, and display to identify and present traffic event groups, reducing redundant notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If traffic information services report multiple discrete traffic events from different sources, then comprehensive traffic information coverage is improved, but user confusion and notification overload increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic information coverageVSAvoiduser comprehension
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by consolidating multiple discrete traffic events that are related (occurring at or near the same location and time) into a single grouped notification. This reduces the number of separate notifications presented to users while maintaining comprehensive traffic information coverage, thereby resolving the contradiction between information completeness and user comprehension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If navigation devices present multiple discrete traffic events, then complete traffic event data is provided, but device complexity and information processing increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic event dataVSAvoidinformation processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the process into two stages: first receiving complete traffic event data from multiple sources, then segmenting/grouping related events together before presentation. This maintains complete traffic event data while reducing the complexity of information processing by consolidating related events into manageable groups for display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2074543B1System and method for grouping traffic events
Publication Date: 2016.04.13 GARMIN SWITZERLAND GMBH
  • EP2074543B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2074543B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2074543B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A device, system, and method for grouping traffic events. In one embodiment, the device comprises a traffic component, a computing device coupled with the traffic component, and a display coupled with the computing device. The traffic component is operable to receive data corresponding to a plurality of traffic events. The computing device is operable to identify at least two related traffic events and form a traffic event group representing at least two of the related traffic events. The display is operable to present an indication of the formed traffic event group. Such a configuration enables users to more easily access relevant traffic information.