DE102014100569A1 - Navigation method and navigation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a navigation method and a navigation system for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal (2) between a starting point and a destination in a road network, which is stored in a central computer system (14), comprising the steps of: - detecting (17) the starting point and entering the destination in the mobile terminal (2), - transmitting the origin and the destination of the mobile terminal to the central computer system (14), - Creating a group of Wegvorschlägen (4, 5) in the road network between the starting place and the destination comprising at least one route proposal, each route proposal having at least one route segment (1), assigning a cost value to each route segment, determining the route recommendation from the group of route suggestions depending on the cost values of the route segments of the route suggestions, and transmitting the route recommendation of the central computer system (14) to the mobile terminal t (2) In order to distribute the traffic as evenly as possible in a given road and road network, the navigation method and system are further developed such that the cost value of each route segment has a function of the number of mobile terminals (2a, 2b, 2c) the path segment (1), - the path recommendation comprises at least one path segment and a path segment time specification and - the number of mobile terminals is increased by one for each path segment of the path recommendation as a function of the path segment time specification.

Description

The invention relates to the route planning for a motor vehicle in a road network and in particular to a navigation method and a navigation system for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal between a starting point and a destination in a road network according to the preamble of claim 1 or 11.

Routing systems today typically use navigation systems built into cars, computers, mobile and smart devices, and other portable devices. These assist the users by calculating routes from an input starting point to an input destination point. In addition, they provide the user with detailed road information.

The routes are usually calculated section by section and, if necessary, adjusted depending on current traffic conditions.

The navigation systems rely on road maps provided by external providers under the trade names OpenStreetMap, HERE, TomTom, etc. These road maps are each supplied in a proprietary data format or in a free data format. For route calculation, information about actual road courses is usually discarded. It remains a directed graph with nodes and edges (directional point-way network) representing the road network of paths and intersections. In addition, the individual ways attributes can be assigned, the z. B. specify the road conditions, such as speed limit, slope, level of the route as two or more lanes, etc.

Conventional navigation systems calculate a travel route from a start position to a destination locally, that is on the terminal, based on the existing map data. There are devices that send during operation, in regular cycles, current position, speed and direction data to a central office. Based on such information average speeds for individual road sections can be calculated. These average speeds are then made available to the devices as card updates at longer intervals.

In order to guide a vehicle from a start position to a destination position, in a cloud-based navigation method, the mobile terminal transmits start and destination positions to a remote computer system and in turn receives the calculated optimal route for the vehicle. Specifically, the starting position, the destination position and possibly the current speed with the direction vector (floating car data, FCD, or sample) of the vehicle are transmitted. The computer system calculates a route and transmits it back to the mobile device. The received current position data of the vehicle are stored for later analysis.

In addition, average speeds for road segments are determined from the current position data received and used as a basis for calculating travel times. In addition, a navigation system can detect if a user is leaving the recommended route. If this case occurs, a new route can be determined.

There are navigation systems and navigation methods that do not do the calculations themselves. Such off-board vehicle navigation devices, the z. For example, using "Google Maps" (trade name) does not have its own complete map file. Such off-board vehicle navigation devices, upon entering a destination by the user, enable automatic route calculation from the current vehicle location to the entered destination and guide the vehicle operator to the destination by outputting audible and visual directions from the current vehicle location along the calculated route. By transmitting route request data to at least one control center for a given traffic-flow-induced event, the calculation of updated route data in a control center is requested. As a result, offboard vehicle navigation devices receive updated and extensive route and traffic flow data, the calculation of the updated route data in the center taking place on the basis of current and virtually complete traffic flow data and digital road maps available there.

In the prior art u. a. the following navigation systems known.

In DE 103 24 269 A1 describe a method and a system for dynamic route guidance of a vehicle, in which it is checked whether a traffic incident for a possible route from the starting place to the destination is relevant, in which case the traffic disturbance in the traffic center monitors and in a reduced traffic congestion the calculated Route is at least partially recalculated.

Out DE 195 47 574 A1 a method for a vehicle control and information system is known in which data and other information between a vehicle and a central unit are transmitted. There will be at least one route calculated. The route data is transmitted between the vehicle and the central unit. The vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the journey as well as the additional traffic-relevant information in the vehicle are displayed.

Out DE 199 56 108 A1 a method for the dynamic guidance of a motor vehicle is known. In case of occurrence of traffic obstructions on the originally calculated route, it is proposed to calculate bypass routes for several turn-off points, and for the driver, selection information for the route to be traveled including the bypass routes is output.

However, the navigation devices of the prior art only calculate a new route if a traffic congestion or traffic disruption is reported on the route originally calculated to the destination. Such messages are usually transmitted as traffic information, for example via the traffic message channel "Traffic Message Channel", TMC. If, at the time of transmission of this new traffic incident or traffic increase, the vehicle is already in the immediate vicinity or on a route where it is no longer possible to bypass the traffic congestion or increased traffic due to the road or local circumstances, the driver completely or partially pass through the traffic incident. This usually leads to considerable loss of time in combination with increased energy consumption in stop-and-go traffic.

If it is still possible to bypass the traffic obstruction, then usually all vehicles with the same route section are guided by their vehicle navigation system to the same (small) alternative route sections, which in turn leads to traffic disruptions on the alternative route sections and thus also considerable loss of time and increased CO2 emissions.

It is therefore desirable to distribute the traffic in a given road and road network as evenly as possible, so that traffic congestion can be prevented and bypassing the alternative routes are ideally utilized.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the navigation method for determining a route recommendation according to claim 1 and the navigation system according to claim 11. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the respective subclaims.

The invention is based on the following consideration. Traffic congestion or traffic jams are the result of overloading a traffic connection. If vehicles are informed well in advance of traffic congestion, they can avoid the traffic jam on an evasion route. However, if a large number of road users deviate to the same escape route, this is also overloaded, and there is a further traffic congestion.

To avoid this, the invention proposes an algorithm that reacts in real time to the current and future utilization of an evasion route. For this purpose, a group of route suggestions in the road network between the starting location and the destination of the mobile terminal is created. Each route segment or segment is linked to a cost factor. The cost factor of a route segment is expressed in path length units, time units or other route parameters such as traffic density. Depending on the cost values of the route segments, a route recommendation is then determined from the route suggestions. However, if the algorithm for a specific vehicle recognizes that it reaches a certain link at a time when the link is already overloaded, even if it is still free at the time of calculating the slip, that first proposal is discarded by the divergence calculation and another proposal was examined. Only when a route with minimum travel time has been found with a minimum path length, this route is output as route recommendation. As a further criterion, compliance with a minimum travel speed can be used. At the same time as the route recommendation is issued, the recommended route is occupied by the terminal, i. H. the route is reserved for the terminal. In this way, a forecast on the utilization of the recommended distance is possible, which in turn benefits the Wegempfehlung for other participants.

In this way it is possible to avoid the formation of a traffic congestion "proactively", d. H. to consider future events in the evasion distance calculation and to distribute the vehicles in the road network in such a way that traffic congestion up to congestion does not arise at all. The larger the number of vehicles registered in the algorithm for the calculation of the alternative routes, the better the database and the more accurately the route recommendation can be determined.

• – Erfassen des Ausgangsortes und Eingabe des Zielortes in dem mobilen Endgerät,
• – Übermitteln des Ausgangsortes und des Zielortes von dem mobilen Endgerät an das Zentralrechnersystem,
• – Erstellen einer Gruppe von Wegvorschlägen in dem Straßennetz zwischen dem Ausgangsort und dem Zielort, die wenigstens einen Wegvorschlag umfasst, wobei jeder Wegvorschlag wenigstens ein Wegsegment aufweist,
• – Zuordnen eines Kostenwertes zu jedem Wegsegment,
• – Ermitteln der Wegempfehlung aus der Gruppe von Wegvorschlägen in Abhängigkeit von den Kostenwerten der Wegsegmente der Wegvorschläge und
• – Übermitteln der Wegempfehlung von dem Zentralrechnersystem an das mobile Endgerät.

The generic navigation method for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal between a starting location and a destination in a road network stored in a central computer system comprises the steps of:

• Detecting the starting point and entering the destination in the mobile terminal,
• Transmitting the starting point and the destination from the mobile terminal to the central computer system,
• A group of route suggestions in the road network between the starting point and the destination, comprising at least one route proposal, each route proposal having at least one route segment,
• Assigning a cost value to each path segment,
• Determining the route recommendation from the group of route suggestions depending on the cost values of the route segments of the route suggestions and
• - Transfer the route recommendation from the central computer system to the mobile device.

• - der Kostenwert jedes Wegsegments eine Funktion von der Anzahl von mobilen Endgeräten auf dem Wegsegment ist,
• – die Wegempfehlung wenigstens ein Wegsegment und eine Wegsegmentzeitangabe umfasst und
• – für jedes Wegsegment der Wegempfehlung die Anzahl der mobilen Endgeräte in Abhängigkeit von der Wegsegmentzeitangabe um Eins erhöht wird.

According to the generic navigation method is further developed by that

• the cost value of each path segment is a function of the number of mobile terminals on the path segment,
• The route recommendation comprises at least one path segment and a path segment time specification and
• - For each path segment of the path recommendation, the number of mobile terminals in dependence on the path segment time is increased by one.

• – die Wegsegmentzeitangabe eine Ankunftszeit des mobilen Endgerätes in dem Wegsegment angibt;
• – die Wegsegmentzeitangabe eine Aufenthaltsdauer des mobilen Endgerätes in dem Wegsegment angibt;
• – in regelmäßigen Zeitintervallen ein Standort des mobilen Endgerätes erfasst wird;
• – das Ermitteln der Wegempfehlung wiederholt wird, wenn die Differenz zwischen dem Standort des mobilen Endgeräts und der Wegempfehlung einen vorgegebenen Schwellenwert überschreitet;
• – in vorgegebenen Zeitabständen eine Geschwindigkeit des mobilen Endgerätes erfasst wird;
• – die Wegempfehlung wenigstens ein Wegsegment, eine Wegsegmentzeitangabe und eine Wegsegmentgeschwindigkeit umfasst und das Ermitteln der Wegempfehlung wiederholt wird, wenn die Differenz zwischen der Geschwindigkeit des mobilen Endgerätes und der Wegsegmentgeschwindigkeit einen vorgegebenen Schwellenwert überschreitet;
• – in vorgegebenen Zeitabständen in dem Straßennetz die Anzahl der mobilen Endgeräte mit einem Straßennetzauslastungssensor erfasst wird und bei jedem Wegsegment aktualisiert wird;
• – das Ermitteln der Wegempfehlung wiederholt wird, wenn bei einem Wegsegment die Differenz zwischen der Anzahl der mobilen Endgeräte vor der Aktualisierung und der Anzahl der mobilen Endgeräte nach der Aktualisierung einen vorgegebenen Schwellenwert überschreitet;
• – die Wegvorschläge durch eine Reisezeit parametrisiert sind und die Gruppe von Wegvorschlägen einem vorgegebenen Reisezeitbereich entspricht.

Preferred embodiments of the navigation method according to the invention have as a further feature or - as far as this is technically possible and meaningful - as a combination of further features that:

• The way segment time indication indicates an arrival time of the mobile terminal in the path segment;
• The way segment time indication indicates a duration of stay of the mobile terminal in the path segment;
• - A location of the mobile terminal is detected at regular time intervals;
• The determination of the route recommendation is repeated when the difference between the location of the mobile terminal and the route recommendation exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• - A speed of the mobile terminal is detected at predetermined intervals;
• The route recommendation comprises at least one path segment, a path segment time indication and a path segment speed, and the determination of the path recommendation is repeated when the difference between the speed of the mobile terminal and the path segment speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
• - the number of mobile terminals is detected at a predetermined time intervals in the road network with a road network load sensor and updated at each path segment;
• The determination of the route recommendation is repeated if, for a route segment, the difference between the number of mobile terminals before the update and the number of mobile terminals after the update exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• - The route suggestions are parameterized by a travel time and the group of route suggestions corresponds to a given travel time range.

• - wenigstens einem mobilen Endgerät zum Erfassen und zum Übermitteln des Ausgangsortes und des Zielortes,
• – einem Zentralrechnersystem zum:
• – Empfangen des Ausgangsortes und des Zielortes von dem wenigstens einen mobilen Endgerät,
• – Erstellen einer Gruppe von Wegvorschlägen in dem Graph zwischen dem Ausgangsort und dem Zielort, die wenigstens einen Wegvorschlag umfasst, wobei jeder Wegvorschlag wenigstens ein Wegsegment aufweist,
• – Zuordnen eines Kostenwertes zu jedem Wegsegment,
• – Ermitteln der Wegempfehlung aus der Gruppe von Wegvorschlägen in Abhängigkeit von den Kostenwerten der Wegsegmente und Übermitteln der Wegempfehlung von dem Zentralrechnersystem an das mobile Endgerät.

The generic navigation system for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal between a starting point and a destination in a road network is provided with:

• at least one mobile terminal for detecting and transmitting the starting point and the destination,
• - a central computer system for:
• Receiving the starting location and the destination from the at least one mobile terminal,
• Creating a group of route suggestions in the graph between the starting location and the destination, comprising at least one route proposal, each route proposal having at least one route segment,
• Assigning a cost value to each path segment,
• Determining the route recommendation from the group of route suggestions as a function of the cost values of the route segments and transmitting the route recommendation from the central computer system to the mobile terminal.

• - den Kostenwert jedes Wegsegments als eine Funktion von der Anzahl von mobilen Endgeräten auf dem Wegsegment ermittelt,
• – als Wegempfehlung wenigstens ein Wegsegment und eine Wegsegmentzeitangabe ausgibt und
• – für jedes Wegsegment der Wegempfehlung die Anzahl der mobilen Endgeräte in Abhängigkeit von der Wegsegmentzeitangabe um Eins erhöht.

The generic navigation system is further developed by the fact that the central computer system

• determining the cost value of each path segment as a function of the number of mobile terminals on the path segment,
• - As path recommendation at least one path segment and a Wegsegmentzeitangabe outputs and
• - Increases the number of mobile devices depending on the path segment time by one for each path segment of the path recommendation.

In a preferred embodiment, the central computer system comprises a floating car data (FCD) memory for storing the starting location and the destination.

In a further preferred embodiment, the central computer system comprises a card processing device for processing a card stock.

In a further preferred embodiment, the mobile terminal comprises a route memory for storing the route in the mobile terminal.

In particular, the starting point and the destination are stored as a geo-coordinate. The geo-coordinate is stored in particular in the WGS84 format. Other formats are known in the art.

In a further preferred embodiment of the navigation system, the central computer system is a distributed computer system (cloud) with a network of memories and computers. The memories and computers process the external data and calculate the shortest paths on the map material.

In a further preferred embodiment of the navigation system, the mobile terminal comprises a display device. This serves to display the map material (rendering), which is provided by the central computer or is stored independently in the terminal.

In a further preferred embodiment, the navigation system is provided with static data sources for map material and sensor networks with sensors for detecting the number of mobile terminals on each path segment and a speed of the respective mobile terminal.

Preferably, the navigation system is provided with an interface to a traffic message channel TMC.

The navigation method can be implemented as a computer program on a computer.

The computer program can be stored on a computer program product with a computer-readable data carrier for storing a computer program for carrying out the navigation method on a computer.

The invention has u. a. the following advantages: While the prior art systems provide no information and do not allow control over how many vehicles are actually on an alternate route section, the invention offers the possibility of sustainably improving them, even with initially insufficient optimization and to proactively control traffic. The central system knows the positions and goals of the participants and can therefore make individual decisions for each participant. No heuristic or random distribution is needed for this. When retrieving a route, capacities for a vehicle on road sections are reserved as time windows or so-called car slots. The planned capacities on the roads are included in the route calculation and lead from request to request to different results, which depend strongly on the current traffic volume on the individual route segments and thus on the date of the request. It creates unique, individual routes for each participant. At each point in time it is known how many users are planned on which route and how many follow the proposed alternative route. The distribution is always optimal in terms of the theoretical road capacities, travel time and user acceptance. Since traffic flow planning is based on a central system, it can also be maintained centrally. For example, in local traffic planning, street areas can be "blocked" at an exact time, ie. H. be classified as congested, or only limited traffic flow is allowed at certain times. Corresponding flow effects can be simulated and illustrated, so that the effects of "planned" disorders such. B. construction sites can be better matched to each other and are foreseeable.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

1 schematically shows the traffic flow without navigation system according to the prior art.

2 shows schematically the traffic flow with a navigation system according to the prior art.

3 schematically shows the traffic flow in a navigation system according to an embodiment of the invention.

4 and 5 show the traffic distribution 2 and 3 in a real road network.

6 schematically shows the essential components of a navigation system according to the prior art.

7 schematically shows the sequence of a navigation method for determining a route recommendation in the navigation system 6 ,

8th schematically shows the process in one embodiment of the navigation method according to the invention for determining a Wegvorschlag.

1 to 3 schematically show the traffic flow in the event of a fault when no information is available to the terminals ( 1 ), if a simple fallback recommendation is issued ( 2 ) and when the navigation method according to the invention is used ( 3 ). The route used by mobile devices 2 is to be traversed is in several sections or path segments 1 each corresponding to an edge in the graph to which the road network is reduced. Every path segment 1 is symbolized by an 8-corner, where the extension of the 8-corner, ie the cell size of the capacity of the path segment 1 equivalent.

In 1 move the mobile devices 2 left to right. In the first three path segments 1 There are four terminals each 2 ie these path segments 1 are fully utilized. After the third way segment 1 the terminals are moving 2 in the lower branch of the total distance further to the right. There is no terminal in the upper branch.

In the second path segment 1 the lower branch leads to a disruption in the traffic flow, the capacity of the second link section in the lower branch is only two terminals compared to four terminals before and after the bottleneck. As a result, the traffic flow is condensed and slowed down, the terminals 2 jam in front of the bottleneck 3 , the track behind the bottleneck 3 is no longer busy, so on the right side of the 1 only two devices left 2 in every way segment 1 are located. Overall, there is a reduction in traffic flow.

In 1 get the mobile devices 2 no information about the fault at bottleneck 3 so that the traffic flow on the entire route is reduced.

In 2 get the mobile devices 2 by a conventional navigation system information about the disorder 3 and be on an alternate route 4 diverted. Part of the terminals 2 , with 2a are indicated and shown as unfilled (white) circles, continue unchanged on the original route. Other devices 2 , with 2 B are marked and shown as filled (black) circles, move on the alternate route 4 around the bottleneck 3 around. In the third last route segment or section 1 Both traffic flows meet again, so that the three path segments 1 on the right side of 2 are fully utilized again. The total traffic flow is not affected in this case.

In 1 and 2 At first, all devices on the main line move. In the fifth path segment of the main line or at time t4 there is a bottleneck and thus an unforeseen shortage of the flow capacity. It creates a traffic jam. Without detour recommendation, only a few devices can pass the shortage. In 2 In an immutable decision process, all terminals are routed to the alternate path after the congestion has occurred. However, there is the danger that an (additional) traffic jam will also be formed on the alternative path because the alternative route is overloaded (not shown). Then the traffic jam shifts from the original route to a new route, or two interferences occur simultaneously.

In 3 a decision process according to the invention is shown. The first alternative route 4 has a limited capacity. The limited capacity is due to a smaller cell size of the path segment 1 indicated. In the example in 3 can only use one terminal over this route 2 per route segment 1 to be moved. To overload the alternative route 4 To avoid, according to the invention, a second alternative route 5 offered. The second alternative route 5 also has only one capacity per vehicle path segment. On the first alternative route 4 becomes a first proportion of the terminals 2 B at the fault 3 passed by. On the second alternative route 5 becomes a second share of the terminals 2c at the fault 3 passed by.

It is understood by those skilled in the art that the different alternative routes 4 . 5 can branch off from the original route at different points. This is in 3 indicated by the second alternative route 5 already after the second path segment 1 the main route branches off and the penultimate route segment 1 is only reunited with the main route.

In the navigation method according to the invention become the different terminals 2a . 2 B . 2c provide individual information on how to bypass the malfunction. The information that the individual terminals 2a . 2 B . 2c are mutually dependent and can not be determined from the outset. As a result, all terminals are optimally distributed on the road network, and the maximum available road capacity is utilized. The provision of individual information for each terminal requires, however, that knowledge about the utilization of the sections 1 each is known. Therefore, for each terminal 2 . 2a . 2 B . 2c which, at a given time t0, reaches a position and has a predetermined destination, reserves the path segments which the terminal reaches at a later time, when it follows the path recommendation.

• • Klassifizierung des Wegsegments als Kreisstraße, Landstraße, Autobahn, etc.,
• • Tempolimit
• • Historische Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit
• • Anzahl Fahrspuren.

The navigation method according to the invention is thus essentially based on the knowledge of the current utilization of a route segment or its remaining capacity. From this information conclusions can be drawn about the expected travel speed and thus duration of the journey. The relationship between the capacity of a route segment (maximum number of vehicles) and the average achievable speed is known per se. First of all, the following information is assumed for each road segment:

• Classification of the route segment as county road, country road, motorway, etc.
• • Speed limit
• • Historical average speed
• • Number of lanes.

From this information, an ideal speed is ultimately calculated for each path segment. If there are no speed measurements, an average speed from the map material is used. If there is no information in the map material, the speed classification from "Highway Capacital Manual" is used, this is limited according to the statutory speed limit. The output capacity of a piece of road is between 160 vehicles / km at 0 km / h and 10 vehicles / km at 200 km / h and is linear. The information given is collected randomly. As more and more samples are collected during operation, this transfer function can be continuously optimized. In addition, the currently available average speeds are consulted from conventional traffic information.

The individual diversion of terminals around a bottleneck 3 around is in 1 to 3 shown schematically. 4 and 5 show the difference in traffic distribution with and without individual detour recommendation on different routes in the real traffic network. The routes were in 4 . 5 for the sake of clarity, not divided into path segments.

In 4 is a traffic flow 6 shown extending over a predetermined distance in the road network. There is a bottleneck in the road network 7 that of the vehicles on the track 6 has to be passed. The vehicles with the terminal equipment independently decide each other for the fastest way and the same distance. This is likely to lead to further traffic congestion and congestion on these "fastest routes".

By contrast, in the system according to the invention the traffic is distributed over different routes; the infrastructure is used optimally. Depending on the utilization of alternative routes 8th the terminals in the inventive navigation method individually at the bottleneck 7 bypasses. How out 5 As a result, the traffic volume is distributed over several alternative routes 8th in a larger area on the road map. All shown alternative routes 8th make sure that the terminals on these routes can pass the bottleneck within a specified range by a specified travel time. The specified travel duration, which is decisive here, is the travel duration, which one would reach without bottleneck on the shortest way.

The navigation system includes the in 6 schematically illustrated components. The road map is preferably obtained from an external provider. From the external provider 9 the geographic data collection is carried out. In a preliminary stage 10 The navigation system performs map processing based on the geographic data so that an optimal digital map is available for use in the navigation system.

In addition, through sensors or a network of sensors 11 Data of the road network recorded. From this data is stored in a device 12 to determine the speed a speed profile for the terminals in the respective path segment. In a route utilization determination 13 In addition, the utilization of the route, ie the respective route segment is determined. These data are from the devices 10 . 12 and 13 for the evaluation and determination of a route recommendation for the respective terminal to a central computer 14 passed. Examples of output media on which a route recommendation can be represented are a tablet 15a , a PDA 15b , a smartphone 15c ,

The following are based on 7 explains the essential components of the navigation system and their workflows. From the sensors 11 are the average speed and the current load of the respective path segments 1 delivered as input values. Essential information is that in the device 12 determined speed profile and that in the device 13 determined traffic density profile. These data are stored in the central computer system 14 captured and processed. The details of the place of departure and destination of the individual mobile terminals are provided via a user interface 16 detected. The user interface 16 is part of the terminal and allows the input of desired departure and destination co-ordinates as well as the visual, graphical or acoustic reproduction of the path recommendations determined by the central computer system. In this case, the user z. B. enter the starting point manually, or the starting point is detected automatically, in particular via a GPS signal.

After starting the program on the terminal 16 will be in step 17 a route request from the user interface 16 to the central computer 14 Posted. After successful determination of a recommended route, this is in step 18 from the central computer 14 to the user interface 16 output. Then in step 19 adjusted by the user interface, the further movement of the terminal with the path recommendation of the central computer. Should the user want to interrupt the navigation along the route recommendation, this will be in step 20 detected. In this case, the navigation method returns to its beginning START. Otherwise it jumps off step 20 again and again to step 19 back.

On the side of the central computer 14 will be in step 21 the request of the terminal 2 registered. The request will be in progress for further processing in the central computer 22 stored in a floating car data (FCD) database. Subsequently, in step 23 the cost function depending on speed u. Utilization of the route segment initialized. The speed and the load are as mentioned above from the devices 12 and 13 on the part of external providers 11 delivered. This information serves to determine the "costs" of a route segment. The data include the current speed profile on a route segment and the current traffic density and are real measured values that are measured with sensors of the sensor network 11 were recorded. In addition, the system also saves a virtual value for the utilization of a route segment. In this virtual load or traffic density value also considered the terminals that should be due to issued path recommendations in the respective path segment. Ideally, real workload and virtual workload are the same.

In step 24 Geographical data is prepared by external providers as a road map. This road map will step in 25 extract a graph with nodes and edges to find all valid directional paths through the graph, from which the shortest travel time or shortest distance is then output as the recommended distance. The route proposal, which is issued as a route recommendation, will be in step 26 Determines the information about the starting point and destination of the user interface 16 be taken into account. Finally, in step 27 the route recommendation from the central computer 14 to the user interface 16 transmitted.

Toward the system 7 is the system after 8th extended by a few components. So in addition to being related to 7 described components in 8th in the user interface 16 in step 28 a runtime limitation (timeout) checked in order to update the position of the terminal and thus possibly also the recommended way. The period of time after which an update is made is preferably 10 seconds. The runtime limitation can in particular be linked to a position determination. If, after comparing the current position with the recommended position, it turns out that the terminal or driver has strayed from the route (the measured position does not correspond to the expected position along the route), then the user interface is used 16 immediately a new route with the new start position from the central computer 14 requested.

In the central computer 14 All previous routes will be in step 29 reset, ie all previous route reservations are removed. Each time a route is calculated, the previous route reservation is removed from the system and recalculated. This feedback ("feedback loop") optimizes and renews the system continuously.

Once a new route recommendation could be determined, in step 30 the load values of the affected path segments adapted, ie the terminal on the route "scheduled".

In the above description of the navigation method according to the invention, a cloud-based navigation method was assumed for vehicles or mobile terminals. In the navigation method, routes for navigation are not distributed distributed on the terminals or programs (applications) executed thereon, but in a central location, namely in a cloud-based system. With the same start and finish coordinates, different routes can be calculated without the travel time calculated for each route changing too much. The optimized route calculation and distribution prevents high traffic densities (congestion) from the outset. The route calculation and distribution takes place centrally and actively ("proactively") and is regularly adjusted again at predetermined time intervals.

The system combines the features of a traffic management system and a vehicle-based navigation system and enables (faster) flowing traffic. In order to enable a forecast for the route of a terminal in the road network, the navigation method includes a car-slotting reservation. The route calculation reserves road sections for individual vehicles along the time axis, ie, increments the number of vehicles by one, and thereby changes the theoretical travel time (edge weights) for further route requests. To calculate the routes, cost functions of the edges are used for the determination of shortest paths. In addition, the number of vehicles per piece of road and their maximum speed are functionally related.

The system uses both static data sources, namely the map material used, as well as dynamic, volatile data streams on current speeds or vehicle numbers, which are taken over by existing sensor networks. The central routing system includes a network of memories and computers that process the external data and calculate shortest paths on the map material, as well as terminals that represent shortest paths between two points. The representation of the route information is detached from the actual route calculation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Track section, path segment

2

mobile terminal

3

bottleneck

4

first alternative route

5

second alternative route

6

Traffic flow in road map

7

Bottleneck in street map

8th

alternate routes

9

geographic data collection

10

card processing

11

Data acquisition by sensors

12

speed detection

13

Link utilization calculation

14

Central computer in cloud

15

Output device for route recommendation

16

User interface of the terminal

17

Route request in user interface to central computer

18

Route reception in user interface of central computer

19

Route tracking in user interface

20

Route interruption in user interface

21

Request registration in central computer

22

Saving request in FCD in central computer

23

Initialization of cost function in dependence of speed u. workload

24

Preparation of geographic data for road map

25

Extraction of graph with rough edges from road map

26

Determine route recommendation in graph depending on route request

27

Transmission of route recommendation to user interface

28

Runtime limitation (timeout)

29

Reset routes (remove route reservation)

30

Adjustment of the affected utilization values (plan vehicle on route)

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

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Cited patent literature

• DE 10324269 A1 [0010]
• DE 19547574 A1 [0011]
• DE 19956108 A1 [0012]

Claims (21)

Navigation method for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal ( 2 ) between a point of origin and a destination in a road network used in a central computer system ( 14 ), with the steps: - Detecting ( 17 ) of the starting point and the destination in the mobile terminal ( 2 ), - transmitting the starting point and the destination from the mobile terminal to the central computer system ( 14 ), - Create a group of route suggestions ( 4 . 5 ) in the road network between the starting point and the destination, comprising at least one route proposal, each route proposal comprising at least one route segment ( 1 ), - assigning a cost value to each path segment, - determining the route recommendation from the group of route suggestions depending on the cost values of the route segments of the route suggestions and - transmitting the route recommendation from the central computer system ( 14 ) to the mobile terminal ( 2 ), characterized in that - the cost of each path segment is a function of the number of mobile terminals ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) on the way segment ( 1 ), - the path recommendation comprises at least one path segment and a path segment time specification and - the number of mobile terminals is increased by one for each path segment of the path recommendation as a function of the path segment time specification. Navigation method according to Claim 1, in which the route segment time indication indicates an arrival time of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) in the path segment ( 1 ) indicates. Navigation method according to Claim 1, in which the path segment time indication specifies a duration of stay of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) in the path segment ( 1 ) indicates. Navigation method according to one of the preceding claims, in which at regular time intervals a location of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) is detected. Navigation method according to claim 4, wherein the determination of the route recommendation is repeated when the difference between the location of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) and the recommended distance exceeds a predetermined threshold. Navigation method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at predetermined time intervals a speed of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) is detected. Navigation method according to Claim 6, in which the route recommendation comprises at least one route segment ( 1 ), a path segment time and a path segment speed, and the determination of the path recommendation is repeated when the difference between the speed of the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) and the path segment speed exceeds a predetermined threshold. Navigation method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at predetermined time intervals in the road network, the number of mobile terminals ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) is detected with a road network load sensor and at each path segment ( 1 ) is updated. Navigation method according to Claim 8, in which the determination of the route recommendation is repeated if, in the case of a route segment ( 1 ) the difference between the number of mobile devices ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) before the update and the number of mobile devices ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) exceeds a predetermined threshold after the update. Navigation method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the route suggestions ( 4 . 5 ) are parameterized by a travel time and the group of route suggestions corresponds to a given travel time range. Navigation system for determining a route recommendation for a mobile terminal between a starting point and a destination in a road network comprising: at least one mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) for detecting and transmitting the starting point and the destination, - a central computer system ( 14 ) for: - receiving ( 21 ) of the starting location and the destination of the at least one mobile terminal, - creating a group of route suggestions in the graph between the starting point and the destination, comprising at least one route proposal, each route proposal including at least one route segment ( 1 ), - assigning a cost value to each path segment ( 1 ), - determining the route recommendation from the group of route suggestions depending on the cost values of the route segments and transmitting the route recommendation from the central computer system to the mobile terminal, characterized in that the central computer system - the cost value of each path segment ( 1 ) as a function of the number of mobile terminals ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) is determined on the path segment, - as path recommendation at least one path segment ( 1 ) and outputs a path segment time indication and - for each path segment ( 1 ) the recommended way the number of mobile devices ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) is increased by one depending on the way segment time indication. Navigation system according to Claim 11, in which the central computer system ( 14 ) a floating car data (FCD) memory ( 22 ) for storing the starting point and the destination. Navigation system according to Claim 11 or 12, in which the central computer system ( 14 ) a card processing device ( 24 ) for processing a card stock. Navigation system according to one of Claims 11 to 13, in which the mobile terminal has a route memory ( 18 ) for storing the route in the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ). Navigation system according to one of claims 11 to 14, in which the starting point and the destination are stored as a geo-coordinate. Navigation system according to one of Claims 11 to 15, in which the central computer system ( 14 ) a distributed computer system (cloud) is connected to a network of storage and computers. Navigation system according to one of Claims 11 to 16, in which the mobile terminal ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) comprises a display device. Navigation system according to one of claims 11 to 17 with static data sources ( 10 ) for maps and sensor networks ( 11 ) with sensors for detecting the number of mobile terminals ( 2a . 2 B . 2c ) on each path segment ( 1 ) and a speed of the respective mobile terminal. Navigation system according to one of claims 11 to 18 with an interface to a traffic message channel TMC. Computer program for carrying out the navigation method according to one of claims 1 to 10 on a computer. Computer program product with a computer-readable data carrier for storing a computer program for carrying out the navigation method according to one of claims 1 to 10 on a computer.

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