Navigation Device Traffic Map Image Database for Limited Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for providing real-time traffic information to mobile navigation devices in limited bandwidth environments face challenges due to the inability to efficiently transmit large data files, particularly in scenarios with no or limited connectivity, such as outside cellular network coverage or without network access.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for storing a database of traffic map images on navigation devices, allowing for local retrieval and display of images based on determined traffic conditions, using identification keys associated with images, and optionally receiving updates via limited bandwidth communication, thereby reducing the need for large data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traffic information is transmitted in real-time to mobile navigation devices, then the traffic information is up-to-date and useful, but the bandwidth consumption is high and transmission may fail in limited connectivity environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-downloads and stores complete traffic map images and traffic condition data in the navigation device's local database before the device needs to display traffic information. This preliminary action ensures that when the device operates in limited bandwidth or no-connectivity environments, it can retrieve and display previously stored traffic images without needing to transmit data in real-time, thus resolving the contradiction between information availability and data transmission volume
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates local copies of traffic map images and stores them in the navigation device's database. Instead of transmitting large volumes of traffic data continuously, the server transmits only identification keys (small data) that reference the locally stored image copies. This copying approach maintains reliable traffic information display while dramatically reducing bandwidth consumption and transmission requirements
2Adaptability or versatility
If complete traffic map images are stored locally on navigation devices, then traffic information can be displayed without network connectivity, but the device memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the traffic information database into multiple traffic map images covering different geographic areas and time periods. Each image is stored separately in the navigation device's database with an associated identification key. This segmentation allows the device to store only the specific traffic images relevant to its current location and time needs, rather than storing all possible traffic images, thus reducing overall storage requirements while maintaining the ability to operate without connectivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension to the storage architecture by implementing a two-level system: (1) a comprehensive server database that stores all traffic map images, and (2) a lightweight local device database that stores only identification keys and retrieves full images when needed. This dimensional change allows the device to maintain adaptability for offline operation while minimizing local storage requirements, as the bulk storage capacity resides in the server infrastructure
3Quantity of substance
If traffic data is compressed to reduce bandwidth usage, then transmission efficiency improves, but the complexity of encoding and decoding increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential identifying information (identification keys) from the complete traffic map images and transmits these extracted keys instead of transmitting the full images. The navigation device uses these extracted keys to retrieve the complete images from its local database. This extraction approach dramatically reduces data transmission size while avoiding complex compression and decompression algorithms, as the retrieval process simply involves matching keys to stored images
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for storing and accessing traffic data images in a limited bandwidth environment. A traffic map image database is stored in a navigation device, where the database includes a plurality of traffic map images. A traffic condition is determined for a location of the navigation device. A traffic map image is retrieved from the database using a processor, where the traffic map image reflects the traffic condition for the location of the navigation device. The traffic map image is displayed on the navigation device.