DE10059746A1 - Itinerary planning and guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for computer-assisted travel route planning and route guidance is specified, which takes into account dynamic changes in both the traffic situation and changes in dates. It can be used with existing navigation systems without making major changes.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a method for computer-aided travel planning and Travel route guidance using a navigation system.

State of the art

Frequent travelers are always faced with the difficulty of finding itineraries alongside the travel destinations and the times provided there also the best possible Traffic connections to the individual locations are taken into account. Maintaining the Mobility of road users is given today's traffic increasingly difficult; it is only through flexible and intelligent Traffic telematics applications possible. This resulted in a market for Traffic telematics developed very quickly and is steadily increasing in scope. The Traffic telematics creates more safety for road users, Time saving and additional comfort. That is why the navigation systems for use in motor vehicles in recent times has become very attractive to the Frequent travelers won. This was promoted not least by that the costs of the end devices and the usage for those used there Telematics services are constantly falling. Particular attention is paid to today's traffic telematics is focused on supplying road users with current traffic reports directed to ensure an effective and optimal flow of traffic. For Road users, however, have difficulty in providing individual care with traffic information and hazard warnings that are only relevant for them and their Consideration in the route planning and the route guidance.

A navigation system for a vehicle has become known from DE 44 29 121 C1, which contains a vehicle location device and a communication device, with the help of route network data from a central control center at the request of the Are available. It is a procedure for route inquiry and route guidance from Vehicles using one or more location methods, one in the form individual route segments in a central electronically stored route network and a route planning and / or optimization module located in the headquarters described, wherein a mobile radio system for data transmission between the vehicle and Central is used. Upon user request, a A route planning takes place at the head office, the route planning according to request and / or  vehicle and / or user-specific optimization criteria.

DE 41 39 581 A1 relates to a navigation method for motor vehicles, in which the Default for start and destination and the determination of the current location Driving recommendation is given to the vehicle user, the route plans of can be determined in a central control center and via a communication device the vehicle will be transmitted. The vehicle location becomes the head office continuously transmitted and this continuously adjusts the route proposal to the current location. The disadvantage is the high load on the communication network.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a computer-aided method to provide the frequent traveler with travel route planning and travel route implementation facilitated.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

The solution according to the invention converges available and new ones Get traffic telematics services that add value for Create road users, especially frequent travelers. This is done by three Independent services implemented: 1. Dynamic business trip planning, 2. Personalized Info push service and 3. Intelligent Yellow Pages.

Advantageous further developments are protected in the subclaims.

Brief description of the drawings

An embodiment is described in the following exemplary embodiment. Here demonstrate:

FIG. 1, a personal profile of a client (master data),

Fig. 2, a contact book by a customer (master data),

Fig. 3 Example of a personal timer of a customer,

FIG. 4, an event list (transaction data plan) a customer,

FIG. 5, a station list as a working list,

Fig. 6, a station list as a final version,

Fig. 7 graph of the station list,

Fig. 8 List of communication relationships,

Fig. 9 example of an input screen for profile conditioning / journey planning / route entry,

Fig. 10, a route output,

Fig. 11 example of another route output,

Fig. 12, a system structure,

Fig. 13 example of the configuration of the server,

Fig. 14 example of the service platforms,

Fig. 15 list of possible services,

Fig. 16 example, a station list,

Fig. 17 Example of possible push-info services / categories (menu display)

Fig. 18 example of a station list for the Intelligent Yellow Pages,

Fig. 19 Example of an output for the navigation mode and

Fig. 20 Example of an output for the "Change tour" mode.

Embodiment of the invention

The procedure for route planning and route guidance is usually provided as a service by a service provider. The person who wants to use this service - hereinafter referred to as the customer - must first contact this service provider. As can be seen in FIG. 12, this is done by means of a traffic telematics center 12 (VT center, service center), the first contact between the customer and the center 12 serving to identify and authorize the customer. In order to make use of such a service, the frequent traveler needs several transmission channels e.g. B. a corresponding terminal 7 in the motor vehicle 6 , a mobile phone 16 (cell phone) and a personal computer 13 with a connection to a telecommunications network 31 or the Internet 14th

The use is described in detail below:

Service: Dynamic business route planning

• - The customer sits down at the PC 13 (workplace) and enters the address of the service provider in his Internet browser (e.g. MS Explorer). B. "http: \\ www.xxx.de".
• - The start page appears with a selection list of the possible services, as shown as an example in Fig. 15. The start page contains a service registration with a field for his name and a field for his password. The page is designed as a dialog page so that the password can be changed.
• - A service can be started by clicking on it. Possible services are:
  • - dynamic business trip planning,
  • - Personalized info push services,
  • - Intelligent Yellow Pages,
  • - traffic information,
  • - Dynamic route guidance.

The customer must select an option from the services and then comes to the specific service submenus.

• - If the customer sits in his vehicle 6 , the intro screen appears on the display 8 of the navigation system 7 after actuation of the ignition. The customer is identified via the terminal 7 by transmission of the terminal identification (EG-ID) and the mobile phone number (MSISDN) of the customer. After about 5 seconds the main menu appears with the following submenus:
  • - dynamic business trip planning,
  • - Personalized info push services,
  • - Intelligent Yellow Pages,
  • - traffic information,
  • - dynamic route guidance,
  • - settings,
  • - Online mode / offline mode.

Fig. 15 shows the possible structure of a main menu.

Other services e.g. B. "Emergency call" and "Breakdown call" can be triggered by separate buttons in the vehicle and therefore do not have to appear on the main menu.

• - The service can be used by simply dialing the service number of the VT Center happen or by selecting a menu item on the vehicle device through which then a connection (call) to the VT Center is established. An identification of the Participant can be done by MSISDN and / or password. The operator in the VT center can identify the caller based on the MSISDN and therefore also greet personally.

Dynamic business trip planning

The "Dynamic business trip planning" service connects a person's schedule with of their trip planning, which brings them to the appointments. In doing so, times for external  Meetings from the organizer and locations from the address database as Input information used for trip planning. The service coordinates the acting person, (planned and unplanned) external partners and support staff from the Office through appropriate calculations and subsequent notifications. A pre and On-trip planning combined with dynamic route guidance are intended to contribute to the best possible use of time.

The product benefits for this service are the following:

• - pre-trip planning,
• - Solve the traveling sales man (TSM) problem and schedule indefinite ones Appointments. This means less driving distance and more time for customers.
• - Including the most diverse boundary conditions (e.g. opening times),
• - wake-up call before departure and in stations,
• - dynamic route guidance,
• - Current agenda at all times,
• - Changes to the agenda are possible.

Example 1: In the present example, a customer should plan a tour with 5 stations, starting from and ending at his office. He plans this early in the morning and has that still some time to work before starting the trip. There is then a "wake-up call" when he has to start. He enters the planning into his PC himself and does not need any Supporting his secretariat or the VT Center.

The five stations are geographically distributed so that the solution to the unlimited TSM problem (TMS: Traveling Sales Man) is not obvious at first glance. The solution to this problem is illustrated graphically. The final solution will be slightly changed by a limitation. This illustrates the complexity of the planning problem in which the customer supports the VT Center. No schedule collisions are shown. The customer is shown a list of stations with planned arrival, arrival and departure times at the respective stations, as is shown by way of example in FIG. 16.

The wake-up call for the start of the trip or for the onward journey to the next station can come earlier than expected, because this is a dynamic component that depends on the traffic situation. For example, the customer drives to station 1 as scheduled. On the way to station 2 , the VT-Center informs him via SMS and voice server that his route has changed, that there was a traffic jam on the original route and that he can be diverted. Then he will go to station 3 as scheduled. There he receives his corresponding wake-up call after a certain time. When leaving station 3 , the customer informs the VT Center from the stationary vehicle that he would like to complete a sixth appointment (status: initiative). The VT Center recalculates the route and suggests that station 6 be moved between old stations 4 and 5 . The customer receives a call list with the name of the contact person in the newly added station and notifies him of his arrival. At the same time, the VT-Center sends an email to the last customer's office to inform them of the new arrival time. The customer then drives to the remaining stations 4 , 5 , 6 before finally driving back to his office.

Another example of "dynamic business trip planning" (FS) is:

"Purchase / renovation of manors & mills in the Bavarian Forest",

• - Airport connection (arrival by car & flight / delay),
• - Appointment with the building office / cadastral office / hypo-banks / building suppliers / building owner / Craftsman / interior designer,
• - private appointment with wife / girlfriend / sister for dinner etc.,
• - Internal appointment of staff recruiter / secretary.

The route planning is prepared in dialog with the service provider or the VT Center.

Step 1: route entry

If a customer on the PC (workstation) in the main menu the button for "Dynamic "Business trip planning" has clicked, the "Home page of the service" appears However, customers must use their personal profile and a further service use Have created the contact book once. He must also maintain a personal timer. The two databases are kept and maintained locally by the customer. At a Service requests are sent to the VT Center.

The home page usually contains the following buttons:

• - "Edit personal profile": Profile opens and can then be edited.
• - "Time budget": Entry of the available time and the start time.
• - "Open tour book": Opens the tour book in which saved routes are stored.
• - "Create appointment list": Creates an appointment list. A new one appears Screen mask.
• - "Back": leads to a return to the main menu.

These directories are shown in detail below. Fig. 1 shows the directory "Personal Profile". All fields are editable except for the first row and column. They are largely self-explanatory and reflect to a certain extent the time constraints a customer faces and the way in which he deals with time.

The contact book shown in Fig. 2 summarizes people, the geographic locations and the nature of meetings with these people. In particular, here is the opportunity to take into account indefinite dates in the scheduling. The latter, in particular, should give field staff / commercial travelers the opportunity to schedule a visit (1 × in four weeks) for these people. B. Schedule customers.

Fig. 3 shows a normal schedule, in which the customer makes his entries according to the appointments made. The customer can also create a specific tour ("create tour"). After clicking on the option, the tour is named and then the persons are entered by clicking in the contact book. This tour is then saved in the tour book. Accordingly, there is also the option "Open tour book".

Step 2: create an appointment list

• - With the personal profile, the contact list, and the timer, travel planning can start on the PC (workplace). For this purpose, a list of intended visits ("appointment list") of people to be visited, customers, is first created. The list receives the necessary entries from the following sources:
  • - From the timer;
  • - Initiative or regular appointments by clicking on a person in the contact book.
• - The customer creates the appointment list by clicking the button "Appointment list create ". Before that, the customer has to enter the appropriate input fields, the period in hours and days over which the tour planning should extend.
• - During the calculation, an "hourglass" appears on the screen and the message "Appointment list is created". The VT Center then issues an appointment list according to FIG. 4.
• - This list of dates is already subjected to various consistency checks with regard to tour planning.
  • - It is checked whether the sum of all n appointments plus n + 1 trips (e.g. default 20 minutes) is already greater than the available time budget. If so, a corresponding error message will appear after clicking on "Create appointment list" with the instruction to delete individual appointments or to increase your time budget. The customer can then no longer go to the station list. As output after the first creation or every error message, he receives a list of appointments, which by default is arranged as follows: priority, chronological order, status. Alternatively, he can sort by status, priority or time sequence by clicking the "Change sorting" button. Sorting by geography is not possible here.
  • - If the first test has been successfully completed, it is checked whether the selected dates can be solved with a simple TSM algorithm. This solution should be the ultimate goal of route planning, since it saves the resources "route of the vehicle" and the "duration of the field service (customer)". This enables more visits. Therefore z. B. be used sparingly with the "immovable" option. This means a solution that does not take into account the start times of appointments. If this solution requires more time than specified in the time budget, a corresponding error message is given with the instruction to delete individual appointments or to increase your time budget. The customer can then no longer go to the station list. As output of the initial creation or after each error message, he receives a list of appointments, which by default is geographically arranged according to the sequence according to the TSM solution. Alternatively, he can sort by "Priority" and "Status" by clicking the "Change sorting" button.
  • - After each check, the customer must click "Create appointment list" again until he no longer receives an error message. Only then is the "Create station list" button active.
• - The appointment list should give a customer an initial overview of the upcoming appointments for a day. This is not evident directly from the timer, since there are still appointments from the contact book. The customer can edit the appointment list as part of the consistency checks with the following options:
  • - Button: "Edit appointment list"
    • a) Delete appointments by marking and "Delete"
    • b) Change the date by editing directly in the fields
  • - Button: "Add appointment".
    The contact book opens. Click on people in the contact book, where all other active appointments from the appointment list are highlighted.
  • - Button: "Create appointment list"
    Leads to recalculation of the appointment list after previous editing.
  • - Button: "Create station list"
    The VT Center calculates a proposal for a station list.
  • - Button: "Back"
    Return to the intro menu of the service

Step 3: route calculation

When creating a station list, the following distribution strategy is followed, which is used in a similar form later when appointments are changed during a tour:

• a) Distribute all appointments with the priority "immovable". If this doesn't work, deliver an error message, if possible, go to step b).
• b) Distribute all appointments with the priority "postponed". Only those with the status "firm", then "provisional" then "initiative". If this doesn't work, deliver one If there is an error message, go to step c).
• c) Distribute all appointments with the priority "cancelable". First the one with the status "fixed", then "provisional" then "initiative". If this does not work, deliver an error message, if possible, allow the creation of a station list.

In the event of an error message during this process, the appointment, due to which it is not works, are displayed in color.

Step 4: route output

After the calculation, the station list appears on the PC (work station), as shown in FIG. 5. In contrast to the appointment list, the station list emphasizes the geographical distribution of the appointments. An appointment takes place in a station. The appointments can be entered in 5 minute steps. The last column is suppressed until the list is final. Here the customer has the options:

• - "Edit station list" by deleting with Delete and entering in the fields,
• - Button: Show station list ",
• - Button: "Confirm station list, start service",
• - Button: "Back"; Return to the previous menu (appointment list).

Even if the consistency checks of the previous round have been passed, there is still an ambiguous station list, because it's not just the simple one TSM, but to solve the limited TSM problem. This double maybe Multiple occupancy is carried out according to the distribution strategy mentioned above. The appointments without a fixed start time are listed in a section "Open appointments"  accepted. The customer must now make a selection from this list in order to get one unique station list to come. In particular, the opportunity should be used that some dates can be postponed and others can be canceled. This happens by deleting some appointments.

After completion of the processing, there is a consistent and executable station list, as is shown by way of example in FIG. 6.

Here the customer has the options:

• - Button: "Show station list" The stations are shown graphically on a map according to FIG. 7;
• - Button: "Confirm station list, start service";
• - Button: "Back": Return to the previous menu (working version of the station list).

Step 5: route confirmation

If he chooses the button "Confirm station list", it will be followed by a new one The screen shows that the tour starts at XX.XX h and he is on his cell phone will be notified. After another confirmation you will get back to Main menu.

Step 6: start of the route

5 minutes before departure, the customer receives a call from the voice center of the VT Center to his cell phone (wake-up call):
"Hello! Here is the VT-Center! The business trip you have ordered starts in 5 minutes! Please make your way to your vehicle, we will then guide you to your appointments".

Step 7: dynamic route guidance

After getting into the vehicle, the customer switches on the navigation system. By selecting the "Dynamic business trip planning" option in the main menu, he receives the following menu:

• - Display: "Station list" according to Fig. 5;
• - Button: "Show station list" according to Fig. 7;
• - Button: "Start tour" and then return to the main menu;
• - Button: "Change tour"; (see following section "Change of route);
• - Button: "Cancel tour", service is ended, return to the main menu.

On the way, the navigation system issues the known maneuver commands, e.g. B .:
"Turn right / left soon"
"Now turn right / left"
"Follow the course of the road for a long time"
"Take the third exit at the roundabout"
These "voice commands" are accompanied by a corresponding display in arrow mode on the display.

In the event of a traffic disturbance, e.g. B. the voice command:
"Hello! There is a traffic jam 5 km long on your route (from long-distance destination 1 and long-distance destination 2, between junction 1 and junction 2). We have calculated a detour for you that is 10 km longer, but will save you 20 minutes. Would you like to drive on this? "

The following text appears on the display:
"5 km of traffic jams (from long-distance destination 1 and long-distance destination 2, between junction 1 and junction 2). Bypass +10 km, saving 20 minutes."

Below is the following menu:

• - Button: "Driving on the alternative route";
• - Button: "Remain on the previous route".

Step 8: notifications in stations

When the customer is in a meeting, he receives an SMS notification that he has to get into his vehicle in 10 minutes to reach the next appointment on time. This has the text:
"Please get to your vehicle in 10 minutes!"

Step 9: route changes

The customer wants to add a new appointment to the existing route. To do this, he calls the operator with the "Change tour" button in order to inform him of his request in dialogue supported by the terminal, hereinafter abbreviated to EG. The following texts appear on the screen before and during the conversation (see Fig. 20):

• - Customer: The following buttons can be seen on the service screen:
  • a) Cancel appointment
  • b) Postpone appointment
  • c) Postpone appointment
  • d) Add appointment

The customer clicks on point d. The ground floor sets up a voice call to the VT Center.

• - VT-Center: "Adding an appointment is in progress"
• - customer:
• - VT-Center: "The new station list appears"

The associated dialog is:

• - VT-Center: "Good afternoon! You want an appointment in your business trip Add?"
• - Customer: "Yes, good afternoon. I would also like Hern Soundso at company XY for visit an hour, start time doesn't matter. Could you please check how can this be built into my route?
• - VT-Center: "One moment please. You can visit XY install quite well after visiting AB. With a shift the visit to the LM company would do the trick. Is it okay for her?"
• - Customer: "Yes, great. Please change my route in this sense!"
• - VT-Center: "I send an email to Herm Dingsda in station 6 and You the new station list in the vehicle together with the telephone number by Herm Soundso, whom you still call as specified to register would like. We wish you a good trip. "

Step 10: end of route

When the requested route approaches the end and the customer approaches his last destination, the following voice command and the display appear:
"You will soon be at the end of your tour. The service is over. Thank you!"

As long as the service is active, there is a "End service" button on the display. At The question "Are you sure you want to end the service?", What with a trigger must be acknowledged again. The service continues by turning off of the vehicle deactivated.

Communication relationships

The following communication participants are to be considered for the services:

• - Customer in car 6 with VT-EG 7 ;
• - Customer outside the car 6 with cell phone 16 ;
• - Client's office, divided into own and secretarial work place;
• - VT Center 12 with operator and automatic (SM5, voice server) service provision;
• - Multiple external partners.

Fig. 8 shows a list of possible communication relationships.

Service: Personalized info push services description

This service enables the customer to be situation-related information about Environment (e.g. various points of interest - hereinafter abbreviated to POI), shops, Activities) according to the interests expressed by him. To Receiving information can contact this POl and contact him there Have the current traffic situation taken into account.

The product benefits for this service are the following:

• - knowledge of unknown territory,
• - filtering information according to personal preferences,
• - occasional use with few registrations,
• - Possible connection to route guidance.

The main menu for this service, as it appears on the screen of the PC or the navigation terminal, is shown in FIG. 17.

Example: A customer wants to use this service. He reports and therefore his profile at the VT Center. He first defines several topics that interest him, e.g. B .: "historical sites", "swimming pools".

A week later, the customer is on the same tour as they were at the dynamic business trip planning has already been shown. The dates won't displayed more in detail, but only the geographical location of the stations. Between the stations he receives information about the topics set by him. Before starting the trip, he selects POIs that are of interest to him Categories.  

This should be illustrated using three examples: In the first example, he only takes the POI note, he calls the second POI and remembers it for the weekend. At the third, finally, he calls and drives there. The VT Center is said to be the last date of the Cancel business trip.

In addition, a traffic jam around which the VT Center is to be pointed out guiding around.

Step 1: Profile creation / trip planning / route entry

The profile is entered on the PC in connection with dynamic business trip planning. The customer clicks the button "personalized info push services" in the main menu, whereupon a mask with the fields according to FIG. 9 appears.

Explanation of the options

A. Info category (What?):
For each of the categories in the area around the dynamic business trip z. B. in the greater Düsseldorf / Duisburg area, various entries available. The data for the entries are transmitted using the Perso / Push service if the position is close to the route. A database e.g. B from an advertising magazine provides the geodata of all entries that match the search criteria. The customer can specify different categories individually or simultaneously by clicking on them. If you click on a rubric a second time, the field is deactivated. Either all three columns or only the first two columns can be displayed. The data in the "Shopping" category are generated by redirecting the data from the contact book.

B. Open tour book (where?)
The tour book from the "Dynamic business trip planning" service should open here. This includes the standard tours and a previously booked and now active route.

C. POI Distance (Corridor Width) (Where?)
Here the active fields should be 5, 10, 15 km. This indicates the width of the search corridor that is laid around the route.

D. Start time (when?)
Here the customer can choose between the following options:

• - immediately  
• - Date, time for start and end as well as priority (with corresponding Input screen)
• - Like DDP (this couples the service hard to a DDP = dynamic business trip).

The following menu is under this mask:

• - Button: "Calculate route" (see "Route calculation" below);
• - Button: "Back"; leads to a return to the main menu.

Step 2: route calculation

• - With a defined route (e.g. with a tour taken from the tour book) the control center calculates in a configurable corridor of X kilometers around the Route which of the desired POIs are in it. Taking over a route refers to the stations designated there. The connecting lines between them may change due to the current traffic situation.
• - If the route is not defined, the VT Center cannot calculate anything before the start of the journey. It can only register the customer for early service use.

Step 3: POI route output

POI route output is only possible for a previously defined route. The list according to FIG. 10 appears . The POIs are sorted according to their distance, starting from the previous starting point.

In the "Category" field in Fig. 10, a compound name such as e.g. B. "Fun - Leisure" or "Culture - Art". The "Distance" field describes the distance (beeline) from the previous starting point (e.g. starting point / office, station 1, 2, 3).

Here the customer now has the following menu:

• - Button: "Show POI route" creates a map with the highlighted route and with icons for the selected POIs;
• - Button: "Confirm POI route" Start the service;
• - Button: "Back" Returns to the input mask of the service.

Step 4: POI route confirmation

If the customer selects the "Confirm POI route" button, he informs the VT Center that that he is for service use within the next XX minutes to the specified  Service start would be held up. Below is on a new screen displayed that the trip will start at XX.XX h. After confirmation again you get back to the main menu.

Step 5: start of service

The customer will travel to 5 stations that are already known from the example for "dynamic business trip planning". The customer gets into his vehicle and activates the "Perso Push service", the main screen mask of which is shown in FIG. 17.

The following menu opens here:

• - Display: "Selected categories";
• - Button: "Show POI route";
• - Button: "Start POI tour" and then return to the main menu;
• - Button: "Back".

Step 6: dynamic route guidance

See dynamic business trip planning. The navigation mode is active while driving. The individual service mode can be displayed by selecting it from the main menu.

Step 7: spontaneous message

As a rule, the VT-Center knows the geographic position of the customer through ongoing Messages while driving (e.g. every 15 minutes). This can in particular Requests from the navigation system through the ongoing dynamic route guidance. At All POIs of a defined route can be downloaded at the start of the journey. she will be displayed if the customer is within x kilometers (from the customer selectable) has approximated the object. If the route is not defined, the information Push message immediately after stopping the position report from the regular Transfer the message to the customer. Here you can see the radius around the position dimensioned so that he cannot exit there until the next request. You broadcast all POIs from the search area and then displays them when the customer is down on x kilometers (selectable by the customer).

If the customer receives a spontaneous notification, it will be sent via text and Voice command shown. The spontaneous display has priority, before is in the EG display to see the main menu.  

Display: "In 4 km in a north-easterly direction or in the direction of travel diagonally right ahead "Sport" (etc.) Tel.number: xxxx YYYYYYYYY ".

Voice: "Hello! Located to the right of your vehicle in the direction of travel a desired object of the rubric: "Sport, etc. (see under start of service) ". Would you like to call there!

Now there are the following options:

• - If the customer presses the button for the "POI calls", the ground floor builds one Call to the specified phone number of the property
• - If he presses "Approach POI", the position of the POI is shown in the route planning accepted. The ground floor automatically asks for a dynamic route to the destination.
• - If he presses "Next", he comes back to the main menu.

Step 8: end of service

See previous section "Dynamic business trip planning".

Service: Intelligent Yellow Pages description

This service enables the targeted approach to objects / shops certain search strategies after the customer has previously submitted a non-specific Expressed interest / shopping needs and the time available to him.

The product benefits for this service are the following:

• - Implementation of non-specific interests / shopping requests in concrete POIs / Business categories.
• - Taking into account a customer's time budget.
• - Route optimization, that is: no unnecessary driving around.
• - Dynamic route guidance.

A typical screen mask of this service is shown in Fig. 18.

Example 1: A customer wants to use Saturday for shopping and gets into his car. He has a certain (non-specific) purchasing need, which he communicates to the VT Center. He  z. B. buy an English Chippendale chest of drawers. He is ready for 3 hours Time to invest, the start of the journey is immediately after the suggestion of the VT Center. The VT Center find all the antique shops nearby that can be reached in 3 hours. It is also possible to fax a broadcast request to everyone in question Direct business and ask them to send corresponding offers to the VT Center by e- Send mail back by a certain time.

This list is sent to the customer with the attached telephone list. The customer can then call the stores to determine if they have one or more dressers on offer. The customer can then modify the list by deleting transactions from it or by changing the order in accordance with the telephone information. The customer is then sent the final list after appropriate calculations, which he confirms (cf. Fig. 18).

During the trip, he is informed that there is a traffic jam between shop 3 and 4 Original route is so that it is now guided through a bypass.

With this service, he can access the same database as for the "Personalized info push services".

Example 2: The customer wants various things between business appointments or on weekends Make errands and therefore uses the "Intelligent Yellow Pages" to be single-minded dynamically integrate a suitable business into the existing route or to start. A corresponding key word is sufficient, and the position, Opening times, telephone number, etc. of the shop is known.

Step 1a: Route entry - at home on the PC

After logging in on the PC, the customer selects the "Intelligent Yellow Pages" service. There he receives an input mask in which the following points are to be entered:

A. Need (what?)
Shopping: Here you can enter all possible items, articles, products, etc. These are then assigned to the corresponding stores.
Fun, Wining & Dining, Culture: No article can be entered here, only the category or the item.

B. Number of objects / shops (time?)
Self-explanatory, configurable from 1-10.

C. Time budget (time?)
Instead of 2. (taking into account the time budget), the customer can also enter how much time he would like to invest in the procurement of the item.

D. Estimated length of stay per property / business (time?)
This is taken into account when planning the route. Can be parameterized in 5 minute steps. E. Start time (time?)
Here the customer can choose between the following options:

• - immediately
• - Date, time for start and end as well as periodicity (with corresponding Input screen)

F. Starting point
Here are the options: At home and office or address 1, 5.

G. Search strategy
See route calculation

The following menu is under this mask:

• - Button: "Calculate tour"; see below "route calculation";
• - Button: "Back" leads back to the main menu.

Step 1b: Route Entry Operator

• - The customer uses the rotary pushbutton to select the "Intelligent Yellow Pages" option from the main menu and activates it by pressing the Enter button, after which the submenu appears:
  • - operator
  • - Manually
• - The customer selects "Operator", on which the ground floor sets up a voice call to the VT Center. The following appears on the screen:
  Text: "Intelligent Yellow Pages active". This display remains active until a route is sent from the VT Center.
• - The operator is immediately recognized by the operator and greeted personally. The operator asks
  • - According to the type of need;
  • - According to the time available;
  • - According to the estimated length of stay per store;
  • - Desired end point of the shopping tour;
• - The customer provides the relevant information.

Step 2: route calculation

When calculating the route, the current and the forecast traffic situation involved.

The calculation algorithm can follow the following strategies:

• - Perimeter strategy: successively circle around the customer's location until that desired number of shops has been reached. The customer can use this to see what shops are nearby. But then it is not necessary optimal way to visit these shops as part of a tour.
• - Cake slice strategy: span 8 "cake slices" with an opening angle of 90 Degrees and an origin at the customer's location. Spread a little extra (tbd) circle around the location. The perpendicular bisection of a piece of cake corresponds to the 8th Directions of the compass rose. The radius should be selected twice as long as the radius the circular strategy. Then select the piece of cake where the X shops sell the shortest radius can be achieved.
• - Combinatorics: Choose from a (geographically limited) population of Objects all x-tuples (x = number of desired stores) and calculate the Travel distance for all permutations, starting at the customer's location over all x Stations and ending at the location again. This is the most mathematically complete Solution.
• - Product Price: Find out X stores where the cheapest (for an item or the shopping cart) comes first and then search for the appropriate route between these X trades and the start or end point using the TSM algorithm.
• - Specialty store / Quality: Prefer stores that are a specialty store for an item are. Example: If you want to buy a suit, prefer men's outfitter Supermarket.
• - Accumulation: Try to buy the items in as few shops as possible.

Step 3a: Route output on the PC

After entering the parameters and route calculation, the customer receives a station list according to FIG. 11.

The above example is for the arrival of several shops (in, in the shopping area thought). It is done when selecting the "piece of cake" strategy. With the strategy "Radius" only the objects found are listed; listing directions not applicable. By specifying the preference it can be specified whether one or more Wants to approach objects.

The customer also has the option of using an entry from the station list Dial phone number. If it turns out in conversation with the business that it does not have the desired object / service, the Prioritize the customer / object from the station list accordingly or even Clear.

Step 3b: Route output operator

After the calculation, the operator will inform the customer that he has a result has achieved and asks the customer whether he should read it to him so that you can go online Can make modifications. There is no call to a store here. Only transactions can be deleted from the list or the length of stay in the shops are changed. In conversation, customer and operator can agree that the operator sends a station list with the respective modifications to the ground floor. This can be repeated several times until the customer talks to the operator completed. The customer can then create a dynamic route with the existing one Start data from the existing station list or continue the list after modify and then report to the VT Center as final.

In parallel to the dialogue, after the initial calculation and every further intermediate step, a Message sent to the vehicle, in which the result in the form of a station list is listed. The screen contains the relevant content. If the number of Stations is so large that it can no longer be displayed on a screen a scroll function is available.

Step 4: route confirmation

Here the customer now has the following menu:

• - Button: "Recalculate tour", to be used after prioritization. The result is one changed station list  
• - Button: "Show tour" the objects / shops on his route are on one Look at map.
• - Button: "Confirm route" the service is started, the customer is noted.
• - Button: "Back" Return to the service input mask.

If he chooses the button "Confirm route", it will be followed by a new one Screen appears that the trip will start at XX.XX h. After renewed Confirmation takes you back to the main menu.

Step 5a: start of the route

The customer gets into his vehicle, activates the VT system using the ignition key and selects the "Intelligent Yellow Pages" item from the main menu ( Fig. 15). The VT-Center then downloads the route to the customer and the journey can begin.

The following menu opens as shown in Fig. 18):

• - Display: selected categories, total tour duration, total tour length and the next object / business (name, address, distance, travel time). This display appears for X seconds, after which the navigation mode ( Fig. 19) appears. It can be called up again by first going to the main menu and then "Intelligent Yellow Pages". It then remains visible until the customer chooses "back".
• - Button: "List tour." The station list appears in tabular form. Here is the Possibility to call individual objects / shops.
• - Button: "Show tour." The station list appears as a map
• - Button: "Start tour" and then return to the main menu (will then inactive while the service is running)
• - Button: "End tour early." Route guidance to the end point is initiated.
• - Button: "Back." A return to the main menu follows.

If the customer gets back into his vehicle from a store, the above should Screen with its buttons reappear.

Step 5b: start of route with operator

After finishing editing on the ground floor, the customer can continue the service by clicking one of the buttons:

• - "Confirm station list, start dynamic route guidance immediately";  
• - "Confirm station list, start dynamic route guidance later" (after which in a The options for the desired start time are entered in the input field can).

Then there is a jump back to the main menu, but it should be noted that this service is active (e.g. by colored background). It has to be with the customer at all times be able to cancel the service. This leads to a return to the main menu.

As a second option, the customer can confirm in conversation with the operator that the station list is in order and that the dynamic route guidance can begin. The VT Center sends a corresponding command to the EG.

Step 6: dynamic route guidance

See dynamic business trip planning. The navigation mode is active while driving, a display according to FIG. 19 appearing on the screen. The individual service mode can be displayed by selecting it from the main menu.

Step 7: notifications in stations

The customer receives a call or SMS from the VT Center if he is suspected of being in stopping a shop that it's time to move on to the next station. The Notifications are dynamically adjusted depending on the current one Arrival time at a station.

Step 8: early return

If a customer in a store has the right one before completing the route Has found the object of purchase, he can by pressing the button "Premature Return "from the VT-Center a route for the journey home to its starting point Requests.

Step 9: end of route

see dynamic business trip planning

Other services: inclusion of standard services

With current telematics, the following services are usually available to a customer:

• - emergency call
• - Breakdown report
• - traffic information or
• - Dynamic route guidance

These services are provided by a combination of known devices for the Navigation in connection with a GATS-based VT Center lili a customer rendered. A user interface is available, which is via interfaces is controlled.

General requirements for the end devices

Figs. 12 to 14 show the essential for carrying out the process the components required as terminals are used:

• - Latest generation screen navigation system 7 'D'
• - On-board computer 10 as a personal computer with software

Update ability:
The navigation system 7 is fundamentally updateable. No other special update mechanisms are planned for the demonstrator.

Localization:
The navigation system has a GPS supply for locating the vehicle 6 . Interrelationships between individual services:

• - The Perso Push Service may run for route and schedule changes at Business trip service or the 'yellow' page service.
• - Transfer of the geographical position of a POI into the navigation.

Communication:
The navigation is controlled via:

• - Audio In (for output via the vehicle speakers),  
• - Video In (CVBS input),
• - CAN bus 11 .

'Audio In' is used for voice output; Via 'Video In' any images can be shown on the display 8 of the navigation 7 . Key operations by the customer, which he carries out on the keypad 9 (man-machine interface), are to be signaled via the CAN bus 11 . At the same time, there should be the possibility of controlling certain navigation functions via the CAN bus 11 .

'Events' to signal the navigation to other devices via CAN:

• - Actuation of the rotary pushbutton
• - Press the 'Return' key
• - Press the 'Info' button
• - Pressing a 'Mode' button, with which it should be possible between the Standard functionalities of navigation and functionalities of the route planner and switch the route guide back and forth.

In addition, it is necessary that the navigation when selecting the route planner and Route guide automatically starts via the 'Mode' button, 'Audio In' and 'Video In' evaluate.

In this way, it should be possible to use the on-board computer 10 , which has a CAN interface, a CVBS output and a sound card, to select the route planner and route guide using the 'Mode button', the menu structure on the display 8 of the navigation 7 , output sounds via the sound system of the vehicle and evaluate user interactions. Depending on these user interactions, the on-board computer 10 should then change the individual displays of the menu tree on the display 8 of the navigation 7 and - if required in the corresponding menu - also output sounds.

Media / interfaces

The vehicle-side system consists of:

• from the navigation system 7 , with the aid of which a convenient display and menu navigation are made possible. Via the audio part available in the navigation there is also the possibility of audio output in the vehicle.
• - From the on-board computer 10 , which evaluates the inputs made by the user via navigation 7 and then initiates actions (such as a service request or the display of a new screen menu).

protocol

There is a 100 Kbit / s CAN (Controller Area Network) connection 11 between the navigation system 7 and the on-board computer 10 . There is an audio input for the output of noises. Images can be displayed via a CVBS connection.

Man-machine interface 9 (MMI) in the vehicle contains e.g. B. input units

• - rotary pushbutton
• - Mode button
• - Return key
• - Info button

screen
A graphic display with 320 × 200 color pixels and 5 inches diagonal is provided as screen 8

Voice output
The voice output is carried out using the navigation system via the vehicle speakers.

Description of the requirements for the VT control center 12

In this section, various features of the control center 12 are described, which it has to provide in its implementation.

Central architecture:
As can be seen from FIG. 12, the control center 12 is connected to the on-board computer 10 of the car 6 , a video screen 8 , the PC 13 and optionally to the Internet 14 or a database 15 .

The central office 12 requires extensive data for the provision of the services, such as, for. B. geographic data, data on places of interest, data from the "Yellow Pages", etc. B. from the Internet 14 or a database 15 is flexible.

Data is input / output by means of a specific terminal 33 and a standard mobile telephone 34 . The corresponding software / hardware components for processing and adapting the data to these end devices are installed in the control center 12 .

The on-board computer 10 of the vehicle 6 is the link between the specific terminal 7 (display 8 ) and the control center 12 . The communication between the on-board computer 10 and the control center 12 ideally takes place via GSM 17 (TCP / IP connection).

Display 8 and on-board computer 10 are connected to one another via the CAN bus 11 . The on-board computer 10 receives signals via user input from the man-machine interface 9 and is responsible for the transmission of the graphic data to the screen 8 . The control center 12 is still able to send short messages by SMS.

The function of the control center 12 is implemented in the form of a server. This server houses all software components that are required to demonstrate the intended services. Fig. 13 shows the structure of such a server 12 with the installed services platforms 18-21.

Services to be mapped

Generally
A service platform 18-21 is provided for each service, all of which run on the server. Several content provider agents / processes will run on each platform, which will give the other agents / processes access to the content data.

At least three service platforms 18 , 20 , 21 will run on the server, and one service platform 29 and 30, respectively, on the personal computer 13 and on the on-board computer 10 . This is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

On the platform of the dynamic business trip planning 18 there will be an agent / a method 22 for route planning and one for the calendar service 23 . The route planner 22 takes the calendar of the calendar agent / method 23 as input for route planning.

The platform for the perso / push information services 20 requires a tracking agent / method 24 which monitors the location of the user mobile phone. This localization is usually carried out using the technologies available in the vehicle, i.e. GPS. The push agent / push method 25 sends relevant data to the terminal 10 depending on the preferences and the location of the user. The necessary data are made available to the push agent / method 25 by a number of content provider agents / methods 26 , 27 .

There is an agent / method 28 on the intelligent YP platform 21 which makes the content data available. If necessary, these are queried and handed over to the route planning.

The service use is realized by a GUI agent / method 29 (GUI: Graphical User Interface), which accepts the user input, processes it, and transmits it to the server 12 . All results from the server 12 are transmitted to the GUI agent / GUI method 29 , which makes this data available to the user.

Interrelationships between individual services

The services are structured in such a way that cooperation / communication between the services is possible. So, e.g. B. the "Intelligent YP" service 21 fall back on functionalities of the "dynamic business trip planning 18 ". In such a case, the corresponding agents 22 , 23 , 28 of the different platforms communicate with one another in order to provide this service.

communication Media / interfaces

Data is input / output by means of the specific terminal 7 and a standard mobile telephone 16 . Notifications are sent to the user via SMS via the mobile phone, and communication between the specific terminal 7 and the on-board computer 10 takes place via the CAN bus 11 . The on-board computer 10 communicates with the server 12 (center) via GSM connection 17 using TCP / IP.

protocol

The following protocols and standards are required to access the hardware in the vehicle:

• - CAN protocol
• - TCP / IP
• - Networks: GSM
• - GPS

Hardware requirements

• - Server 12 : PC, at least one Pentium 2 300 MHz, with 128 MB main memory; Operating system NT 4.0
• - On-board computer 10 : depending on the interface to the vehicle (but should be sufficiently powerful; Java-compatible operating system

With synchronous service use, the user must click on the result of an order placed wait and cannot place any more orders in the meantime.

If the service is used asynchronously, it is possible to place additional orders. H. the Server must be able to do more while processing a task to be able to accept.

Service content

• - There will be a client for the use of services.
• - The client can record user settings in a profile and on the server to save.
• - Services can be selected dynamically.

A corresponding service is already available for the geographic data.

Data sources from well-known providers (e.g. Gräfe & Unzer) are available for the Perso / Push 20 and Intelligent YP 21 services. Furthermore GPS data, GSM data and cell information about a possible simulated movement of the vehicle 6 are necessary.

Control of other end devices (cell phone, PC, PDA, etc.)

According to the architecture overview above, the server must be able to control the PC 13 and cell phone 16 in addition to the on-board computer 10 .

Reference list

1

station

2nd

station

3rd

station

4

station

5

station

6

vehicle

7

navigation system

8th

screen

9

Man-machine interface

10th

On-board computer

11

CAN bus

12th

VT headquarters (server)

13

Personal computer

14

Internet

15

Database

16

Mobile phone

17th

GSM connection

18th

Service platform (dynamic business trip planning)

19th

Service platform (personal / push information services)

20th

Service platform (Intelligent YP)

21

Service platform (Park & Ride)

22

Route planner agent

23

Calendar agent

24th

Tracking agent

25th

Push agent

26

Content agent

27

Content agent

28

YP agent

29

GUI agent

30th

GUI agent

31

Communication network

32

Communication network

33

Terminal

34

Mobile phone

Claims (8)

1.Procedures for computer-aided travel planning and execution,
characterized by
that a first travel route is determined with the aid of predefined travel data and current traffic reports,
that taking current traffic data and new input data of the traveler into account, the travel route planning is continuously adapted to the traffic situation and the changed travel data and a changed travel route is output on a known navigation system and
that after confirmation of the travel routes, continuous navigation instructions are given both by voice and visually. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that that information about the start of the trip using a mobile or landline phone respectively. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the travel route planning is done both interactively via a PC and in a dialog via an operator is done. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it's a dynamic business trip planning, a personalized push of information Service, Smart Yellow Pages, traffic information and dynamic Provides route guidance as independent, freely combinable services.   5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that dynamic business trip planning based on a person’s schedule, one or more stops comprehensive travel route to keep the appointments plans, coordinates and the person to the leads to the respective stations assigned to the appointments. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that that a person’s personalized information push service is local and situation-related information about your environment or various points of interest (POI), taking into account their personal interests. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that after receiving the information, dynamic route guidance to the chosen one POI is done. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that with the help of the Intelligent Yellow Pages, a targeted approach to Objects and locations based on certain search strategies and a predefined one Time frame is done.