EP3693939A1 - Method and device for the determination and evaluation of emergency vehicle proximity information - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for transmitting and evaluating emergency vehicle proximity information (I _N), in which an emergency vehicle (2) has current data on its position (P ₂) and a direction of travel vector (R ₂) containing travel direction information is transmitted directly or indirectly to other road users (3), in particular to other vehicles (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38), is characterized by the steps of a ) Providing geographical data on the location and extent of an area of activity (W) located around the current position of the emergency vehicle (2) in which the transmission is to be effective; b) Determining whether another road user (3) is in the area of activity (W ) based on the position data of this other road user (3); c) generating emergency vehicle information (I _H) if this other road user (3) is in the effective area, and d) triggering an emergency vehicle Note ssignals (S _H) at this other road user (3) based on the emergency vehicle information (I _H) generated in step c).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting and evaluating emergency vehicle proximity information according to the preamble of claim 1. It also relates to a computer program product designed to carry out such a method and to a data processing device with a memory device in which such a computer program product is stored in an executable manner. The invention also relates to a vehicle which is equipped with such a data processing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traffic density is constantly increasing, particularly in urban conurbations, with traffic jams not only occurring at peak times. For the drivers of emergency vehicles with right of way, for example police vehicles, fire engines or vehicles of the rescue service, this not only means a high level of stress, but also the travel times for such vehicles with right of way to their locations are significantly increased. In addition, when traffic is high, the risk increases that an emergency vehicle with right of way will be involved in accidents with other road users.

STATE OF THE ART

In addition to influencing alternating light signal systems along the forecast route of an emergency vehicle, which, for example, from the DE 10 2016 105 558 B3 is known, it is in the prior art from the EP 3 223 257 A1 known to transmit the current position data and the direction of travel vector of the emergency vehicle to autonomous vehicles that are on the predicted route of the emergency vehicle so that they are prompted to clear the lane or not to drive at all.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to develop a method for the transmission and evaluation of emergency vehicle proximity information in such a way that traffic safety is increased even further and the risk of accidents involving emergency vehicles with right of way is further reduced. Another aspect of this task consists in specifying a computer program embodied in a computer program product which is designed to carry out such a method. Finally, a data processing device with a memory device is also to be specified, on which a computer program for carrying out a method according to the invention is stored in an executable manner.

The part of the object directed to the method is achieved by the method having the features of claim 1.

1. a) Bereitstellen von geografischen Daten der Lage und Ausdehnung eines um die aktuelle Position des Einsatzfahrzeugs herum gelegenen Wirkungsbereichs, in dem die Übermittlung wirksam sein soll;
2. b) Ermitteln, ob sich ein anderer Verkehrsteilnehmer im Wirkungsbereich befindet, anhand der Positionsdaten dieses anderen Verkehrsteilnehmers;
3. c) Erzeugen einer Einsatzfahrzeug-Hinweisinformation, falls sich dieser andere Verkehrsteilnehmer im Wirkungsbereich befindet, und
4. d) Auslösen eines Einsatzfahrzeug-Hinweissignals bei diesem anderen Verkehrsteilnehmer aufgrund der im Schritt c) erzeugten Einsatzfahrzeug-Hinweisinformation.

In the method according to the invention for the transmission and evaluation of emergency vehicle proximity information, current data on the position of this emergency vehicle together with a travel direction vector of this emergency vehicle are first transmitted directly or indirectly to other road users, in particular to other vehicles, from a driving emergency vehicle with right of way, and then are perform the following steps:

1. a) Providing geographical data on the location and extent of an area of activity around the current position of the emergency vehicle in which the transmission is to be effective;
2. b) Determining whether another road user is in the effective area based on the position data of this other road user;
3. c) Generating emergency vehicle information if this other road user is in the effective area, and
4. d) Triggering an emergency vehicle warning signal from this other road user based on the emergency vehicle warning information generated in step c).

ADVANTAGES

The method according to the invention makes it possible to transmit data on the current position of the emergency vehicle with right of way and the travel direction information containing the current direction of travel vector of the emergency vehicle to other road users. The travel direction information can of course also include further detailed information, such as information about the type of emergency vehicle (e.g. ambulance, police, fire brigade) or the type of operation (one emergency vehicle or several emergency vehicles), the current speed or a forecast route of the emergency vehicle. In contrast to the prior art, in which the transmission takes place only to a traffic control computer or only to autonomous vehicles that are on the predicted route of the emergency vehicle, the present invention provides for data transmission that is not to certain traffic infrastructures or certain types of road users is limited, but is available to all road users equipped with appropriate receivers.

In order to avoid that road users who are not affected by the predicted route of the emergency vehicle (or by possible spontaneous deviations from this route) receive a non-relevant warning message, the Emergency vehicle warning information is only generated when the other road user is in an effective area around the current position of the emergency vehicle. A corresponding warning signal, an emergency vehicle warning signal, is then triggered only for these road users. This filtering of the potentially affected road users has the advantage that only those road users are warned who are traveling in an area, the effective area, in which the emergency vehicle is currently moving. The area of action thus includes locations that are expected to be reached by the emergency vehicle shortly or - for example, in the event of a deviation from the currently forecast route - can be reached. Other, irrelevant road users who are behind the emergency vehicle, for example, are filtered out and therefore not irritated by an incorrect warning signal.

Further preferred and advantageous design features of the method according to the invention are the subject of dependent claims 2 to 11.

For a simple and inexpensive technical implementation, it is advantageous if the area of action has a predetermined extent.

A preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is, however, characterized in that in step a) the extent of the effective area is determined as a function of the current speed of the emergency vehicle. The faster the emergency vehicle is on the move, the larger the area of action becomes. For example, a function can be defined according to which the size of the effective area is dimensioned in such a way that the path from the current location of the emergency vehicle to the edge of the effective area in the direction of the predicted route or the direction of travel of the emergency vehicle within a specified time (e.g. 20 or 30 seconds) can be covered. This means that all other road users who are currently in places that are within this specified time belong to Emergency vehicle are accessible to the group of "relevant other road users" to be warned.

• einander kreuzen,
• aufeinander zu laufen,
• hintereinander her laufen oder
• auf sonstige Weise einander treffen oder berühren.

It is particularly advantageous if the effective area extends asymmetrically around the emergency vehicle, the distance from the emergency vehicle to the edge of the effective area in the direction of the travel direction vector (or the predicted route) being greatest. This variant of the method according to the invention focuses the area of action on the area ahead of the emergency vehicle and prevents road users from being warned who are behind the emergency vehicle, that is, against its direction of travel vector. In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the following step is also carried out between steps b) and c):
b ') Determination of a motion vector of the other road user and the emergency vehicle information is generated in step c) if the motion vector of the other road user and the direction of travel vector of the emergency vehicle

• cross each other,
• to run towards each other
• run one after the other or
• meet or touch each other in any other way.

• einander kreuzen,
• aufeinander zu laufen,
• hintereinander her laufen oder
• auf sonstige Weise einander treffen oder berühren.

This embodiment has the advantage that only those other road users are warned whose motion vector could come into contact in any way with the direction of travel vector of the emergency vehicle. This prevents a road user who is in the effective area but is moving away from the emergency vehicle and away from its direction of travel from receiving a corresponding warning. This variant also reduces the number of irrelevant warnings, which should increase the overall acceptance of the method according to the invention. An embodiment of the method according to the invention is particularly advantageous which can also be combined with other embodiments, in particular also with the aforementioned embodiment, and in which the emergency vehicle also transmits its own predicted route. The following step is carried out between steps b) and c):
b ") Determining a predicted movement route of the other road user
and the emergency vehicle advisory information is generated in step c) if the predicted route of movement of the other road user and the predicted route of the emergency vehicle

• cross each other,
• to run towards each other
• run one after the other or
• meet or touch each other in any other way.

This embodiment is relevant for other road users, of whom not only the direction of the motion vector but a corresponding predicted movement route is known because they are equipped with a navigation device on which a planned route guidance is activated along which the other road user is guided. The decision to generate emergency vehicle information and thus a warning signal on the corresponding terminal of this road user is based specifically on the predicted route of movement and not only on the general movement vector, so that here an even more precise prediction of a possible encounter between the other road user and the predicted one Route of the emergency vehicle is possible, whereby the prediction accuracy and thus also the accuracy and relevance of the output of a warning signal is further improved.

One embodiment of the method, which can also be combined with other embodiments, in particular with the two aforementioned embodiments, is characterized in that the generation emergency vehicle information is also provided in step c) if the position of the other road user is on the direction of travel vector or on or on the predicted route of the emergency vehicle and there is no motion vector or no predicted motion route of the other road user, i.e. the other road user is supposedly stationary is. With this variant, not only moving other road users, but also not moving or not moving other road users are warned. This variant is particularly interesting for pedestrians or cyclists who are equipped with a mobile device, for example a navigation device or smartphone, on which the method runs as a so-called "app", ie in a software program, and who are, for example, at the side of the road and a street want to cross that is part of the predicted route of the emergency vehicle. These people are then warned in good time that the emergency vehicle is approaching.

In order to exclude an alarm from vehicles parked at the roadside in this variant, this variant of the method can, for example, take into account a presetting according to which an additional test step is provided in which it is checked whether the road user is a pedestrian or, for example, a cyclist.

Steps b) to d) are preferably carried out in a data processing device on the part of the other road user to which the emergency vehicle proximity information is transmitted. Such a data processing device can be formed by or in a mobile terminal, for example by or in a smartphone or a portable navigation device, but it can also be formed by or in a navigation device that is permanently connected to a vehicle. The method according to the invention can be mapped here in a computer program that is stored as a so-called "app" on the smartphone or in the navigation device and can be run there. The receiver of the smartphone or a corresponding receiver in the navigation device is to receive the data transmitted by the emergency vehicle educated. The data received are processed by the computer program and the available display means (for example the screen and / or the loudspeaker) of the smartphone or the navigation device are used to output the emergency vehicle warning signal.

A cost-effective alternative is a simple terminal, which is provided exclusively for steps b) to d) of the method, and with a receiver for the data transmitted by the emergency vehicle, a computer for processing the data received and an acoustic and / or optical signal transmitter for Output of the emergency vehicle warning signal is equipped.

In particular, the variant of implementing steps b) to d) of the method according to the invention in a terminal by means of an “app” as an almost hardware-independent possibility, enables a wide spread among other road users.

Alternatively, step b) can be carried out in an external data processing device which is provided at a distance from the other road user and to which the emergency trip information is transmitted. Such an external data processing device can be, for example, a data center provided in a cloud, for example a computer of a vehicle manufacturer or another service provider that can be reached by radio. To carry out this variant of the method, however, it is necessary to continuously transmit the position data and possibly also information on the direction of movement of the respective other road user to this external data processing device, but this is often not desired for reasons of data protection. In this variant, steps c) and d) are finally carried out again in a terminal on the part of the other road user, which receives information via wireless transmission from the external data processing device, from which it can be seen whether the corresponding other road user is in the effective area. This variant is more likely to be of interest for permanent installation in a vehicle that is permanently equipped with a corresponding Data center of the car manufacturer or another service provider is connected, so that part of the computing power of the method according to the invention can be shifted to the external data processing device and the computing activity still to be carried out on the part of the other road user is reduced.

In a similar alternative, steps b) and c) are carried out in the external data processing device. The emergency vehicle information generated there is then transmitted back from the external data processing device to the other road user and only step d) is then carried out in a data processing device on the side of the other road user. In this variant, even more computing work is shifted to the external data processing device, so that the required computing capacity in the data processing device is reduced even further on the part of the other road user.

It is particularly advantageous if the other road user is a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. Of course, the method according to the invention can also be used in other vehicles, for example rail vehicles, bicycles, etc. However, the method according to the invention can also be used independently of vehicles, for example when the other road user is a pedestrian.

A variant is particularly advantageous in which the data on the position and the direction of travel information of the emergency vehicle are transmitted to an operations center, and in which this data is processed or unprocessed from the operations center, directly or indirectly via a radio data network, to road users who are in an area covered by this radio data network, preferably a sub-area thereof. Usually, the emergency vehicle is connected to the operations center via radio, with the position data and the direction of travel information of the emergency vehicle being continuously transmitted to the operations center. The Operations center sends the information required to carry out the procedure via a radio data network, for example via a public cellular network or a traffic information broadcast channel (TMC), directly or via the infrastructure of an external service provider across the entire area covered by this radio data network to other road users and also to appropriate external data processing facilities. So that the information cannot be broadcast and received where the emergency vehicle is not on the move or will be in the near future, the area can be limited to a sub-area which, for example, only includes the relevant radio cells of a cellular network.

The invention also encompasses a computer program product (eg an "app") which comprises a computer program on which the method, at least within the scope of steps c) and d), but preferably within the scope of steps b) to d), as executable logic is mapped and with which the process can be carried out accordingly. It goes without saying that it also includes a data carrier on which such a computer program product is stored.

Finally, the invention is also directed to a data processing device with a memory device in which a computer program depicting the method or at least method steps c) and d), but preferably method steps b) to d), is stored in an executable manner. Such a data processing device can for example - as already mentioned above - be a terminal which is equipped with a receiver for the data transmitted by the emergency vehicle, a computer for processing the received data and an acoustic and / or optical signal generator for outputting the emergency vehicle warning signal. The data processing device can, however, also be formed by a smartphone, a navigation device or other suitable hardware that is already provided in a vehicle and in which a computer program depicting the method or a part thereof is stored and runs there. The receiver of the smartphone or a corresponding receiver of the navigation device or the other suitable Hardware - as already mentioned above - is designed to receive the data transmitted from the emergency vehicle or from the external data processing device, the received data is processed by the computer program and existing display means are used to output the emergency vehicle warning signal.

In addition, the invention is also directed to a vehicle which is equipped with such a data processing device.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with additional design details and further advantages are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1

die Topologie eines Verkehrswegenetzes;

Fig. 2

ein Prinzipschaubild einer ersten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 3

ein Verfahrensschema der ersten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 4

ein Prinzipschaubild einer zweiten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens;

Fig. 5

ein Prinzipschaubild einer dritten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens und

Fig. 6

ein Verfahrensschema der dritten Variante des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

It shows:

Fig. 1

the topology of a traffic route network;

Fig. 2

a schematic diagram of a first variant of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 3

a process scheme of the first variant of the process according to the invention;

Fig. 4

a schematic diagram of a second variant of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 5

a schematic diagram of a third variant of the method according to the invention and

Fig. 6

a process scheme of the third variant of the process according to the invention.

PRESENTATION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In Fig. 1 the topology of a road network 10 that is part of an urban traffic route network 1 is shown schematically. In addition to the road network 10, the traffic route network 1 also has a rail network 12 of inner-city trams, of which in Fig. 1 a track 13 is shown only as an example. Furthermore, the traffic route network 1 can also have a network of local public transport buses traveling in independent lanes and, for example, a cycle path network. Also in Fig. 1 Pedestrian paths not shown belong to the urban traffic route network 1.

On the in Fig. 1 Main road 14 drawn as a wide road is an emergency vehicle 2 with right of way from its current location P at the bottom of the picture Fig. 1 on the way to a location E located at the top left of the screen, where a collision between two vehicles has taken place. For this purpose, the emergency vehicle 2 moves along a predicted route B, which is shown in FIG Fig. 1 is shown with a cross hatching. The current direction vector R _{2 of} the emergency vehicle 2 points at the location P in Fig. 1 upwards (e.g. to the north).

In order to get from the current location P to the location E, the emergency vehicle 2 has to cross a plurality of intersections, pedestrian crossings and also the tram track 13. Each of these crossings represents a potential accident risk for the emergency vehicle 2. The intersections to be crossed or the cross streets leading into the forecast route B are not always provided with changing light systems (traffic lights), so that even if a green wave is activated for the emergency vehicle 2, this cannot be ruled out that other road users 3 get into the route for the emergency vehicle 2 along the predicted route B. Therefore, the emergency vehicle 2 sends an optical warning signal (blue light) and in a generally known manner acoustic warning signal (siren) and an emergency drive radio signal S _E off. This emergency drive radio signal S _E is in Fig. 1 represented symbolically.

In the in Fig. 1 Neck exemplified from the transport network 10 are a traveling on the tram rail 13 in the direction R ₃₇ tram 37, a vehicle running in the direction R ₃₃ motor vehicle 33, a stationary side of the predicted route B of the emergency vehicle 2 roadside pedestrian 36, along a a predicted movement route B _32, shown diagonally hatched, and a cyclist 35 driving in the direction R ₃₅ cross or at least reach the predicted route B of the emergency vehicle 2. In addition, in front of the emergency vehicle 2 on its forecast route B, a motor vehicle 38 drives in the same direction of travel as the emergency vehicle 2. These road users are primarily at risk from the approaching emergency vehicle 2 or can hinder its rapid progress.

Preferably, all road users 3 in the traffic route network 1 are each equipped with a suitable terminal 5 which has a suitable radio receiver 50 which is designed to receive emergency vehicle proximity signals S _N with emergency vehicle proximity information I _N. These emergency vehicle proximity signals S _N can be generated directly by the emergency vehicle 2 or alternatively also by an operations control center 4 or some other external data processing device (e.g. in a cloud) and transmitted to the other road users 3, as will be described below.

The emergency vehicle proximity signals S _N and thus the emergency vehicle proximity information I _N contained therein are sent indirectly or directly to other road users 3 who are in the traffic route network 1 via suitable radio systems. Examples of these other road users 3 are the motor vehicles 31, 32, 33, 34, 38 shown by way of example, cyclists 35, pedestrians 36 and a tram 37. In practice, the traffic route network 1 clearly more than these mentioned road users are on the road, but the mentioned number is sufficient for the description of the present invention.

Suitable radio systems for the transmission of the signals (e.g. emergency drive radio signal S _E , emergency vehicle proximity signal S _N ) are, in addition to direct car-to-car or car-to-X communication, for example a mobile radio system, a trunked radio system (company radio) Traffic radio system (for example TMC) or combinations of such radio systems.

The method of operation of the method according to the invention is illustrated below using the example of different variants based on the principle diagrams and flowcharts in FIG Figs. 2 to 6 explained. In all variants, the emergency vehicle 2 continuously or at least regularly sends out an emergency drive radio signal S _E.

The emergency trip radio signal S _E contains emergency trip information I _E with the coordinate data of the current position P and the current direction of travel vector R ₂ as well as the information that the sender of this emergency trip radio signal S _E is an emergency vehicle, preferably information about it What type of emergency vehicle (e.g. ambulance, police, fire brigade) it is and whether a single emergency vehicle or a column of emergency vehicles is on the way. In addition, the emergency drive radio signal S _E transmitted by the emergency vehicle can also contain information about the predicted travel route B and thus mission route information I _W. The travel direction vector and the deployment route information I _W thus form travel direction information I _F.

The individual variants of the method according to the invention differ in who receives the emergency drive radio signal S _E , how and where it is processed and in which way it is transmitted to other road users - processed or unprocessed.

Fig. 2 shows the principle of a first variant of the method according to the invention, in which the emergency drive radio signal S _{E is} transmitted from the emergency vehicle 2 via car-to-car communication or via car-to-x communication directly or via a relay station 20 to other road users 3 will that in Fig. 2 are represented symbolically by way of example by a motor vehicle 31, a cyclist 35, a pedestrian 36 and a tram 37. Each of these road users is equipped with a terminal 5 suitable for receiving radio signals S _E for emergency trips. In the motor vehicle 31 and in the tram 37, this terminal 5 is preferably permanently installed in the respective vehicle. In the case of the cyclist 35, the terminal 5 is designed as a smartphone 35 ', which is mounted on the bicycle handlebar, for example. The pedestrian 36 is also equipped with a smartphone 36 'as the terminal 5, which he uses in Fig. 2 symbolically holds in hand. In this direct transmission of the emergency trip radio signal S _E to other road users 3, the emergency trip radio signal S _E corresponds to the emergency vehicle proximity signal S _N received from the other road users 3, and the emergency vehicle proximity information I _N contained therein corresponds to the emergency trip information I _E.

Fig. 3 shows the signal and data flow of the emergency drive radio signal S _E and its processing in the respective terminal 5 in the variant of FIG Fig. 2 . The emergency drive radio signal S _E sent by the emergency vehicle 2 is received by a suitable receiver 50 of the terminal as emergency vehicle proximity signal S _N and the emergency vehicle proximity information I _N contained therein, the emergency travel information I _E (possibly including the emergency route information I _W ) is supplied to a data processing device 52 of the terminal 5.

In a first step a) in the data processing device 52, from the data of the emergency vehicle proximity information I _N, firstly data on the location and the extent of an effective area W located around the current position of the emergency vehicle 2, which defines the sub-area of the traffic route network 1, is determined in where others meet Road users 3 with the emergency vehicle 2 is possible or even likely in principle.

This area of action W is in Fig. 1 shown in dash-dotted lines. Trivially, the effective area W can be a circle with a predetermined radius or a radius around the location of the emergency vehicle 2 that is dependent on the speed of the emergency vehicle 2. However, the effective range W is sensibly determined taking into account the current direction of travel vector R _{2 of} the emergency vehicle 2 or even the predicted travel route B of the emergency vehicle 2, as shown in FIG Fig. 1 is shown. With this method of determination, too, the speed of the emergency vehicle can be taken into account, so that the effective range W is greater the faster the emergency vehicle 2 drives.

In a simple version of variant 1 of the method according to the invention (sub-variant 1), which is suitable, for example, for pedestrians 36 (or also cyclists 35), data processing device 52 in a next step b) on the basis of position data of one's own position P ₃₆ , which are fed to the data processing device 52 from a navigation module 54 of the terminal device (or from an external navigation device), determines whether one's own position P _{36 is} in the effective area W. If this is the case, then in a next step c) emergency vehicle information I _{H is} generated by the data processing device 52, which in step d) triggers an emergency vehicle warning signal S _H containing this information, whereupon a corresponding optical and / or acoustic signal Warning signal is output by means of a display device 56 or a sound generator 58 of the terminal 5.

In another version of variant 1 of the method according to the invention (sub-variant 2), which is preferably but not exclusively intended for vehicles 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, in particular for motor vehicles 31, 32, 33, 34, 38 is, in the data processing device 52 in a step b ') between steps b) and c) on the basis of the data processing device 52 of FIG A navigation module 54 of the terminal device (or from an external navigation device) its own direction of travel data supplied to its own motion vector R ₃₃ , R ₃₅ , R _{37 is} determined. In the following step c) it is then additionally checked whether the own motion vector R ₃₃ , R ₃₅ , R ₃₇ and the direction of travel vector R _{2 of} the emergency vehicle 2 cross, run towards one another, run one behind the other or meet or touch one another in some other way. Only when one of these criteria applies in addition to the criterion of the location of one's own position P ₃₃ , P ₃₅ , P ₃₇ within the effective range W, the emergency vehicle warning signal S _H with the emergency vehicle warning information I _{H is} generated.

In a further version of variant 1 of the method according to the invention (sub-variant 3), which is preferably provided for motor vehicles 32 that are traveling with activated route guidance of a navigation device, in a step b ") between steps b) and c ) on the basis of data supplied by the data processing device 52 from a navigation module 54 of the terminal (or from an external navigation device), a predicted movement route B _{32 is} determined. In the subsequent step c), it is then additionally checked whether the own predicted movement route B ₃₂ and the predicted route B of the emergency vehicle 2 cross, run towards each other, run one behind the other or meet or touch each other in some other way. Only when one of these criteria applies in addition to the criterion of the location of one's own position P ₃₂ within the effective area W, the emergency vehicle will -Hi nweissignal S _H generated with the emergency vehicle pointer information I _H.

Fig. 4 shows the principle of a second variant in which the emergency vehicle 2 transmits at least the coordinate data of its current position P and the direction of travel vector R ₂ as an emergency travel radio signal S _E via a first radio network 40 to an operations control center 4. The control center 4 transmits the contained in the received application driving radio signal S _E using drive information I _E over at least the current position of the emergency vehicle 2 whose Direction vector R ₂ and, if necessary, adds further emergency trip information as well as its predicted route B - known in the operations center - i.e. the deployment route information I _W , and transmits this (possibly supplemented) emergency trip information I _E as emergency vehicle proximity information I _N in an emergency vehicle proximity signal S _N via a second radio network 42 to other road users 3. The processing of the received emergency vehicle proximity signals S _N at the other road users 3 takes place in the same way as above in connection with Fig. 3 has been described.

A third variant of the method according to the invention with an alternative transmission and processing of the data is shown in FIG Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shown schematically. Here too, the emergency trip radio signal S _E with the emergency trip information I _{E is} initially transmitted from the emergency vehicle 2 to the operations control center 4 via the first radio network 40. The control center 4 transmits the application driving information I _E contained in the received application driving radio signal S _E over at least the current position P of the emergency vehicle 2 as well as its direction vector R ₂ and adds optionally further use drive information and its - known in the control center - predicted route B , that is to say the deployment route information I _W , and transmits this (possibly supplemented) deployment trip information I _E as emergency vehicle proximity information I _N in an emergency vehicle proximity signal S _N wirelessly or by cable to at least one external data processing device 60.

This external data processing device 60 is, for example, a data center provided in a cloud 6 by a vehicle manufacturer or another service provider independent of the vehicle manufacturer. The road users 3 continuously or regularly transmit the data of their current position P ₃₁ , P ₃₂ , P ₃₃ , P ₃₄ , P ₃₅ , P ₃₆ , P ₃₇ , P ₃₈ and - if available - their movement vector R ₃₃ , R ₃₄ , R ₃₅ , R ₃₇ and their predicted movement route B ₃₂ as position signal Sp in the cloud 6 to the external data processing device 60.

In the external data processing device 60, in the first step a) from the data of the emergency vehicle proximity information I _{N received} from the operations control center 4, the data on the location and the extent of the effective area W, which defines the sub-area of the traffic route network 1 in which a meeting occurs of road users with the emergency vehicle 2 is in principle possible or even likely. Then, for each of the road users 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 registered in the cloud 6 in step b) on the basis of the position data P ₃₁ , P ₃₂ , P ₃₃ , P ₃₄ , P ₃₅ , P ₃₆ , P ₃₇ , P _{38 of} the respective road user 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 determines whether this road user is in the effective area W. If this is the case, then in a next step c) the data processing device 60 generates a qualified emergency vehicle proximity signal S _Q with emergency vehicle information I _H which is only sent to those road users 32, 33, 34, 35 registered in the cloud 6 , 36, 37, 38 is transmitted, which are in the area of action W. The vehicle 31 is located outside the effective area W and is consequently not informed. In the data processing device 52 provided in the respective terminal 5 for the road users 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 located in the area of action W, an emergency vehicle warning signal S _H is then generated in a next step d) and then a corresponding optical and / or an acoustic warning signal is output by means of the display device 56 or the sound generator 58 of the terminal 5. The additional method steps b ′) or b ″) can also be carried out in the cloud in the data processing device 60 there, in the same way as already described above.

Alternatively, it is also possible and encompassed by the invention if step a) is carried out to determine the data of the position and the extent of the effective area W in the data processing device 60 (or in a corresponding computer in the operations control center 4 or in the emergency vehicle 2) and if the effective area data are transmitted to the other road users 3 as effective area information by means of an effective area signal. In their terminal 5 then only has to carry out method steps b) and c) and, if necessary, steps b ′) and b ″).

The warning signal generated on the basis of the emergency vehicle advisory signal S _H with the emergency vehicle advisory information I _H can in the simplest case be a general warning of an approaching emergency vehicle. If the direction of movement vector and / or the route of movement of another road user are known, then the emergency vehicle information I _H and thus the emergency vehicle warning signal S _H and the warning signal for this road user can also contain a qualitative statement, for example the direction of travel from which it can be derived Emergency vehicle approaching or the type of emergency vehicle or a column of emergency vehicles.

The declaration of the effective area W according to the invention and the corresponding filtering in method step b) ensure that in the terminals of road users who are outside the effective area W, such as the vehicle 31 at position P ₃₁ in Fig. 1 , no emergency vehicle advisory information I _{H is} generated and thus no optical and / or acoustic warning signal is emitted. The consideration of the motion vector of another road user and the corresponding filtering in process step b ') as well as the alternative consideration of the predicted route of movement and the corresponding filtering in step b ") ensure that even in the terminals of road users who are not related to the predicted route of the emergency vehicle 2, such as the vehicle 34 at the position P ₃₄ with the motion vector R ₃₄ , no emergency vehicle warning information I _{H is} generated and thus no visual and / or acoustic warning signal is emitted.

In order to avoid that, in the event that the signals are distributed via a large-area radio system, for example a mobile radio system, a large number of road users are subjected to the signals relating to the emergency vehicle 2, even if these road users are far away from Area of activity, for example in another district or in another city, it is preferably provided that the signals are only transmitted to those other road users who are located in those radio cells Z ₁ , Z ₂ in which the area of activity W is located, and preferably also to those other road users who are in those radio cells Z ₃ that border one of the radio cells Z ₁ , Z _{2 of} the effective area W.

The cascading of relevance filtering according to the invention according to the criteria of radio cell, area of activity, direction of movement vector / route of movement and / or type of road user enables targeted addressing of the road users to be notified and thereby reduces the number of irrelevant false notifications. Incidentally, it is of course also possible to combine the different variants of the method according to the invention described above with one another in order to achieve ideal notification of the approach of an emergency vehicle for every road user.

Reference symbols in the claims, the description and the drawings serve only for a better understanding of the invention and are not intended to restrict the scope of protection.

Reference list

1

Verkehrswegenetz

2

Einsatzfahrzeug

3

andere Verkehrsteilnehmer

4

Einsatzleitzentrale

5

Endgerät

6

Cloud

10

Straßennetz

12

Schienennetz

13

Straßenbahngleis

14

Hauptstraße

20

Relaisstation

31

Kraftfahrzeug

32

Kraftfahrzeug

33

Kraftfahrzeug

34

Kraftfahrzeug

35

Radfahrer

35'

Smartphone

36

Fußgänger

36'

Smartphone

37

Straßenbahn

38

Kraftfahrzeug

40

erstes Funknetzwerk

42

zweites Funknetzwerk

50

geeigneter Empfänger

52

Datenverarbeitungsvorrichtung

54

Navigationsmodul des Endgeräts

56

Anzeigevorrichtung

58

Schallerzeuger

60

externe Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung

B

prognostizierte Fahrtroute

B₃₂

Bewegungsroute

E

Einsatzort

I_E

Einsatzfahrt-Information

I_F

Fahrtrichtungsinformation

I_H

Einsatzfahrzeug-Hinweisinformation

I_N

Einsatzfahrzeug-Näherungsinformation

I_W

Einsatzweg-Information

P

aktueller Standort des Einsatzfahrzeugs

P₃₁

Position

P₃₂

Position

P₃₃

Position

P₃₄

Position

P₃₅

Position

P₃₆

Position

P₃₇

Position

P₃₈

Position

R₂

Fahrtrichtungsvektor des Einsatzfahrzeugs

R₃₃

Bewegungsvektor

R₃₄

Bewegungsvektor

R₃₇

Bewegungsvektor

S_E

Einsatzfahrt-Funksignal

S_H

Einsatzfahrzeug-Hinweissignal

S_N

Einsatzfahrzeug-Näherungssignal

S_Q

qualifiziertes Einsatzfahrzeug-Näherungssignal

W

Wirkungsbereich

Z₁

Funkzelle

Z₂

Funkzelle

Z₃

Funkzelle

Designate it:

1

Traffic route network

2nd

Emergency vehicle

3rd

other road users

4th

Operations control center

5

End device

6

Cloud

10th

Road network

12th

Rail network

13

Tram track

14

Main road

20th

Relay station

31

Motor vehicle

32

Motor vehicle

33

Motor vehicle

34

Motor vehicle

35

Cyclist

35 '

Smartphone

36

pedestrian

36 '

Smartphone

37

tram

38

Motor vehicle

40

first wireless network

42

second wireless network

50

suitable recipient

52

Data processing device

54

Navigation module of the end device

56

Display device

58

Sound generator

60

external data processing device

B.

forecast route

B ₃₂

Movement route

E

Place of use

I _E

Emergency trip information

I _F

Direction information

I _H

Emergency vehicle information

I _N

Emergency vehicle proximity information

I _W

Route information

P

current location of the emergency vehicle

P ₃₁

position

P ₃₂

position

P ₃₃

position

P ₃₄

position

P ₃₅

position

P ₃₆

position

P ₃₇

position

P ₃₈

position

R ₂

Direction of travel vector of the emergency vehicle

R ₃₃

Motion vector

R ₃₄

Motion vector

R ₃₇

Motion vector

S _E

Emergency trip radio signal

S _H

Emergency vehicle warning signal

S _N

Emergency vehicle proximity signal

S _Q

qualified emergency vehicle proximity signal

W.

Effective range

Z ₁

Radio cell

Z ₂

Radio cell

Z ₃

Radio cell

Claims (15)

Method for the transmission and evaluation of emergency vehicle proximity information (I _N ), in which an emergency vehicle (2) provides current data on its position (P ₂ ) and a direction of travel information containing a travel direction vector (R ₂ ) directly or indirectly to other road users (3), in particular transmitted to other vehicles (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38),
characterized by the steps a) providing geographical data on the location and extent of an effective area (W) located around the current position of the emergency vehicle (2) in which the transmission is to be effective; b) determining whether another road user (3) is in the effective area (W) based on the position data of this other road user (3); c) Generating emergency vehicle information (I _H ) if this other road user (3) is in the effective area, and d) triggering an emergency vehicle warning signal (S _H ) for this other road user (3) on the basis of the emergency vehicle warning information (I _H ) generated in step c). Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the effective area (W) has a predetermined extent. Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
that in step a) the extent of the effective area (W) is determined as a function of the current speed of the emergency vehicle (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the effective area (W) extends asymmetrically around the emergency vehicle (2), the distance from the emergency vehicle (2) to the edge of the effective area (W) in the direction of the travel direction vector (R ₂ ) being greatest. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the following step is carried out between steps b) and c)
b ') Determination of a movement vector (R ₃₃ , R ₃₄ , R ₃₅ , R ₃₇ ) of the other road user (33, 34, 35, 37)
and
that the generation of emergency vehicle information (I _H ) takes place in step c) when the motion vector (R ₃₃ , R ₃₅ , R ₃₇ ,) of the other road user (33, 35, 37) and the direction of travel vector (R ₂ ) of the emergency vehicle (2) - cross each other, - to run towards each other, - run one after the other or - meet or touch each other in any other way. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that the direction of travel information of the emergency vehicle (2) also includes data on a predicted route (B),
that the following step is carried out between steps b) and c):
b ") determining a predicted movement route (B ₃₂ ) of the other road user (32) and
that the generation of emergency vehicle information (I _H ) takes place in step c) when the predicted movement route (B ₃₂ ) of the other road user (32) and the predicted route (B) of the emergency vehicle (2) - cross each other, - to run towards each other, - run one after the other or - meet or touch each other in any other way. Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the generation of emergency vehicle information (I _H ) in step c) also takes place if - the position of the other road user (3) is on the direction of travel vector (R ₂ ) or on or on the predicted route (B) of the emergency vehicle (2) and - there is no movement vector or no predicted movement route of the other road user (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that steps b) to d) are carried out in a data processing device (52) on the part of the other road user (3) to which the emergency vehicle proximity information (I _N ) is transmitted. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 7,
characterized,
that step b) or steps b) and c) is or will be carried out in an external data processing device (60) remote from the other road user (3), to which the emergency trip information (I _E ) is transmitted, including position data beforehand and possibly Movement direction information of the other Road user (3) are transmitted from the other road user (3) to this external data processing device (60), and
that steps c) and d) or only step d) are or will be carried out in a data processing device (52) on the part of the other road user (3), for which purpose the information beforehand whether the other road user (3) is in the effective area (W ) is located or the emergency vehicle information (I _H ) is transmitted from the external data processing device (60) to the other road user (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the other road user is a vehicle (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38), in particular a motor vehicle (31, 32, 33, 34, 38), or a pedestrian (36). Method according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the data of the position and the direction of travel information (I _F ) of the emergency vehicle (2) are transmitted to an operations center (4), that this data is processed or unprocessed by the operations center (4) directly or indirectly via a radio data network (42) Traffic participants (3) who are in an area (Z ₁ , Z ₂ , Z ₃ ) covered by this radio data network (42), preferably a sub-area (Z ₁ , Z ₂ ) thereof, are transmitted. Computer program product designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. Data carrier with a computer program product according to Claim 12 stored thereon. Data processing device (52) with a memory device in which a computer program product according to claim 12 is stored in an executable manner, in particular designed to carry out steps b) to d) or c) and d) of a method according to one of claims 1 to 11. Vehicle (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38), in particular motor vehicle (31, 32, 33, 34, 38), with a data processing device (52) according to claim 14.

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