Method of producing traffic signal information, method of providing traffic signal information, and navigation apparatus

A computer readable storage medium storing a set of computer-executable program instructions executable on a data processing device and usable to produce traffic signal information, the program comprising:

• instructions for taking, when a vehicle is closely approaching a traffic signal, an image of traffic signal lamps disposed on the traffic signal;
• instructions for producing image data of the traffic signal lamps, based on the taken image;
• instructions for analyzing the image data;
• instructions for producing traffic signal state information, the traffic signal state information including a state of the traffic signal as of the time of taking the image of the traffic signal lamps;
• instructions for storing traffic signal information in a memory, the traffic signal information including the produced traffic signal state information, traffic signal location information, and time information;
• and
• instructions for calculating a traffic signal control pattern of the traffic signal in each of a plurality of time zones by performing a statistical analysis on the stored traffic signal information.

An in-vehicle terminal, comprising:

• a controller that:
• produces image data of the traffic signal lamps, based on a taken image;
• analyzes the image data;
• produces traffic signal state information, the traffic signal state information including a state of the traffic signal as of the time of taking the image of the traffic signal lamps;
• stores traffic signal information in a memory, the traffic signal information including the produced traffic signal state information, traffic signal location information, and time information;
• and
• calculates a traffic signal control pattern of the traffic signal in each of a plurality of time zones by performing a statistical analysis on the stored traffic signal information.