DE102010033658A1 - Method for utilizing image information of traffic camera in navigation system of vehicle, involves providing camera position corresponding to moment of map section that is displayed on navigation system, and displaying selection of symbol - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves determining an instant position of a vehicle and/or inputting a target position of the vehicle and a driven route of the vehicle. An Internet service is associated with a navigation system through a data transmission device. The navigation system for a traffic camera is determined on a displaying unit (1). A position of the determined traffic camera is provided corresponding to a moment of a map section that is displayed on the navigation system, and selection of a symbol (2) is displayed. A data list is input by a user, and/or predetermined online sites are downloaded.

Description

The invention relates to methods for using traffic cameras in in-vehicle or via the Internet provided navigation systems, as well as navigation systems or vehicles in which the methods are used.

Navigation systems are widely used as mobile or fixed in-vehicle systems and allow a variety of types of route planning. The TMC system ("Traffic Message Channel"), which many navigation devices can access, additionally enables the detection of traffic jams and their consideration in route planning. This system provides congestion information with a certain topicality, with a predetermined bandwidth available for the transmission of traffic reports.

The DE 10 2008 057 045 A1 discloses a method for providing the content of an Internet page, which for example represents the image of a traffic camera, wherein an off-vehicle delivery device is required. The DE 10 2008 052 460 A1 discloses a traffic status system that includes a traffic camera as well as a remote command center.

The object of the present invention is to provide alternative methods, in particular simplified methods for using traffic information. The object has been solved by the main and the secondary claims, the associated subclaims and other modifications listed in the description.

Traffic information can be understood to mean all types of information characterizing and / or describing a traffic situation, in particular information that can be generated by means of traffic cameras or their image information. The term image information is to be construed broadly in the context of the invention and includes the image data actually supplied by the camera, ie unchanged raw data, but possibly also further processed image data, for example, in terms of image detail, resolution, color depth (including gray scale depth) or contained additional information such as traffic camera identification or viewing direction compared to the raw data or were compressed with loss of data or loss of data. The image information used in the methods described below may be the unchanged raw data or the further processed image data. The further processing can also take place within the process of the invention, for. B. using standard methods for data decompression, and can be made by the in-vehicle navigation system, or by external Internet services, which is used in the context of a method according to the invention.

The term Internet address used in the context of the invention is also to be interpreted broadly and includes any information that allows access to the desired image information via the Internet, for example a web address, a URL ("Uniform Resource Locator"), an IP address. Address or a hyperlink (for example in an internet page or web page).

A traffic camera is then in a basic setting in the range of a position (eg the current position of the vehicle, a start, intermediate or destination position for a route calculation), an area or a route when the field of view or the surveillance area of the respective Traffic camera, (usually the place for the surveillance of the traffic camera has been installed, for example, an intersection, a tunnel entrance or the section of a highway), this position, this area or this route at least partially detected. Optionally, the area can also be entered by the user. For example, it may be determined that any traffic camera that is in a particular radius or area around the desired target position provides useful image information.

The invention, in which the image information of one or more traffic cameras is accessed, will be described in more detail below, regardless of the wording usually with mention of a single traffic camera, the described principle can be extended to several traffic cameras, or when mentioning several traffic cameras the principle can be restricted to a traffic camera.

In a first method according to the invention, the image information of at least one traffic camera in the navigation system of a vehicle, which can be permanently installed or mobile, is used, wherein in a first step a) the current position of the vehicle is determined, for. Via the GPS system, the Galileo system, or other positioning system based on satellites or radio sources, for example. Alternatively, a user may enter a destination position for which a map section is to be displayed on the navigation device, or a route with starting position, optionally one or more intermediate positions, and a destination position. Should the subsequent search for traffic cameras not be limited to the exact positions entered (eg traffic cameras exactly along one specified route), so a search area can also be entered. This can be determined, for example, by the scale of the navigation map section of the navigation system (with all traffic cameras being displayed in the map section according to the current scale), by specifying a search radius around the current or the entered destination position, or by specifying frame or boundary points for a search area.

In a second step b) is determined based on a list that contains data on at least one traffic camera, whether or which traffic cameras are in the range of the current position, target position or the route. In the list, which can be used as the basis for all methods according to the invention, various data can be contained on the respective traffic cameras, in particular data on the location of the traffic camera, for. Geographic coordinates, the site indicated by street names, house numbers or other location specifying designations or codes; Data on the viewing direction or the acquired field of view or surveillance area; Data on the operating hours of the traffic camera or the frequency of image updates; Data on the image format, the resolution, the color or grayscale depth of the images; or data for compression or encryption of the image data. As an essential part of the list contains information about access to the image information on the Internet, such as the Internet address of the respective traffic camera, and their surveillance area and / or location. The list is preferably standardized, may be organized in a usual way in one or more databases and is stored in the navigation system, for example in an internal memory of the navigation system, such as a RAM or an internal hard drive. Alternatively, it may be stored in a memory device associated with the navigation system that can be accessed during operation of the navigation system, but which can be removed outside of the operation. Examples of such associated memory devices include CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, and memory cards (often referred to as a "flash card" or "memory card"), such as cards labeled "CompactFlash," "Memory Stick," "Multimedia Card "," Secure Digital Memory Card ", and" xD-Picture Card "are known, their various subtypes, or other devices for storing digital information.

Based on the information stored in the list on the surveillance areas and / or locations of the listed traffic cameras, the navigation system determines in the second step b), whether and which traffic camera or traffic cameras in the range of the current position of the vehicle, the target position or the Driving route of the vehicle are located.

The filing and the evaluation of the data can be carried out both in the navigation system and on a computer external to the vehicle, in particular by an Internet service, which is connected to the vehicle via a data transmission device.

On the display device of the navigation system, a selectable symbol is displayed in a third step c) for each detected traffic camera, which may be, for example, a graphic symbol (eg the contour of a camera), a number, a letter, a sequence of numbers and / or letters (eg the location of a traffic camera as a street name and house number), a word, an abbreviation, an acronym, a geometric figure, an icon or a pictogram. In this case, a list can be shown on the display device, which provides information about the detected traffic cameras, for example their location and / or further information (eg the distance of the vehicle to the traffic camera, information on the operational readiness of the camera or its direction of view). Alternatively, the display device can map a map section in which the positions of the traffic cameras and optionally further information (eg location information such as street names) are represented by the symbols. If the search area in which traffic cameras were searched for is smaller than the area detected on the map section, then the search area can be marked within the map area. Conversely, it can be pointed out that there are other detected but not yet displayed traffic cameras outside the displayed map section. The symbols for the traffic cameras can be selected by the user, for example by customary means such as touch-sensitive screens, keyboards, cursor or voice controls.

The visualization takes place in an advantageous manner, in particular by fading in miniaturized or symbolic camera images. These camera images can be enlarged by the user by means of an appropriate control function. In addition, these camera images are arranged particularly advantageously in a chronological maneuver list corresponding to the driving course, so that the sequence of camera images corresponds to the expected driving course.

According to one embodiment of the method, the user can to a certain extent select one or more of the symbols in a step d), whereby the Internet address stored in the list for the associated traffic camera is activated, So accessed via the Internet to the image information of the traffic camera and this is displayed on the display device. Accordingly, the method of the invention does not require a centralized traffic control system that provides image information from traffic cameras, but conveniently accesses information freely available on the Internet. The selection can be made so that only the image information of a traffic camera is displayed, for example on the entire available area of the display device or a part thereof. If, in addition, further traffic cameras were detected, then the user can specify that their image information is again displayed individually. For example, a defined or selectable dwell time can be used as the basis for each image information (for example the image currently being shown by a traffic camera), or it can be determined that the image information of the current traffic camera is after passing or at a fixed or definable distance before or after their passage is replaced by the nearest in the direction of travel traffic cameras. Alternatively, the user may specify that the image information of several or all of the detected traffic cameras be displayed simultaneously on the display device, for example in a plurality of optionally resizable windows for each camera image information. The arrangement of the window can be done in rows or columns next to or below each other, z. B. two windows next to each other, or 2 × 2, 2 × 3, or 3 × 3 window next to each other, or embedded in a map section with respect to the associated symbol, for example, positioned on the associated symbol or connected by a line. The visualization of the image information can be carried out by the navigation system, in particular based on the raw data supplied by each traffic camera via the Internet.

The data contained in the list can be entered manually by the user, either directly into the navigation system itself or into the memory device associated with the navigation system during the execution of the method. For example, in a simple case, the user enters an Internet address of a traffic camera and its location. Furthermore, it is possible to access Internet sites where information about one or more traffic cameras can be found (as offered, for example, by various regional traffic center traffic junctions). Data on traffic cameras can also be created via an automatic search function of the navigation system, for example via control of known Internet pages for retrieving information about traffic cameras, or via search functions that examine the content of Internet pages using search parameters on whether they provide information via traffic cameras , and display them to the user or automatically extract the data required for the list and enter it in the list. Another source for the lists or their extension are Internet sites for update services (support and update services) of manufacturers of navigation systems, which use the inventive method.

According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, after determining the traffic cameras lying in the region of the current position, the entered destination position and / or the route, their Internet addresses are processed directly by the navigation system as web pages and displayed in the vehicle's own Internet browser. For this purpose, a separate, intended for the Internet browser display device can be used. If the navigation system and the internet browser use the same display device, all or part of their available area may be used, with the remainder used if appropriate for other displays of the navigation system. Alternatively, the navigation system sends the Internet addresses of the detected traffic cameras to an Internet server or in general to an Internet service, which offers the visualization of the image information of the traffic cameras and possibly other operating options, for example as a web page. Examples of further control options are the enlargement or reduction of the images of the traffic cameras, the selection of partial sections, the setting of the update frequency of the images shown in the vehicle's own Internet browser, the change in image resolution or color depth (for example, depending on the for the transmission in the vehicle Currently available transmission speed), the sub-selection of traffic cameras in the event that an Internet address is not assigned to a single traffic camera, but a selection among multiple traffic cameras allows (for example, two traffic cameras on the same bridge, but facing in opposite directions) , the retrieval of additional information about the traffic cameras or the traffic situation detected by them. The Internet service then provides the visualization of the image information of the traffic cameras on the vehicle's own Internet browser, possibly taking into account the operating options perceived by the user.

According to a further method for using the image information of traffic cameras in a vehicle, in a first step i) an in-vehicle navigation system transmits the current position of the vehicle and / or a target position of the vehicle and / or a travel route of the vehicle Vehicle to an Internet service, such as a specific server. In a step ii), the Internet service determines whether or which traffic cameras are located in the area of the current position, the destination position and / or the route, for example, accessing internal lists via traffic cameras or, in turn, accessing external lists. In particular, the internal lists, the external lists or their combination may provide a complete or substantially complete list of traffic cameras in a particular area (eg a continent, such as Europe, a state, such as Germany or Austria, a state, a government district , a county, a city, a geographical area without administrative boundaries, or a traffic center such as a motorway junction). According to one embodiment, in a step iiia), the image information of the detected traffic cameras via an in-vehicle Internet browser in the context of the Internet service will be displayed as a web page, where appropriate, the above-mentioned other control options can be offered. Alternatively, the Internet service transmits the image information of the determined traffic cameras to the in-vehicle navigation system in a step iiib). In this case, processing of the image information may possibly also be carried out within the Internet service, for example by means of selected operating options, or within the vehicle-internal navigation system. According to a further alternative embodiment, the Internet service in a step iiic) transmits a list of the Internet addresses of the determined traffic cameras, for example their hyperlinks, to the in-vehicle navigation system. This can bring under access the respective Internet addresses, the image information of the traffic cameras on a display device, for example, displaying the image information in the context of the navigation system, or as part of the on-board Internet browser. In all three embodiments, further intervention possibilities can be provided by the user, for example switching off the displayed image information, changing it (changing the position of the display within a display device or an on-board Internet browser, changing the resolution or color depth). Furthermore, it can be provided that the image information of a traffic camera is not automatically displayed when available, but first selectable icons appear on the display device or the vehicle's own Internet browser, possibly on a map section whose selection triggers the presentation of the image information.

According to another method for using the image information of traffic cameras in a vehicle, a user enters in a first step i) via an Internet service information on a start position, a destination position and optionally one or more intermediate positions, on the basis of which by the Internet service a route is calculated. Alternatively or additionally, the user inputs one or more geographic locations, based on which the internet service creates a map image of the one or more geographic locations. In a second step ii), the Internet service transmits the calculated route and / or the created map image to an Internet traffic camera service. The information originally entered by the user can also be transmitted. The Internet traffic camera service may be related to, or independent of, the Internet service for determining the route or map image. In a third step iii), the Internet traffic camera service determines whether or which traffic cameras are located in the region of the travel route, the geographical positions or the map image, and transmits the image information of the determined traffic cameras as web pages to the vehicle. There they can be viewed, in particular, with the vehicle's own internet browser on a display device. The method according to the invention thus also makes it possible, without the in-vehicle navigation system, to calculate a route calculation or a map image of geographical positions of interest while simultaneously incorporating the traffic cameras determined by the image information. In a particular embodiment, the basis of the route calculation is the specification of a start position, a destination position and possibly one or more intermediate positions (for example, cities to be traveled on the route), whereupon the traffic camera Internet service transmits the image information of the traffic cameras in the vehicle , which lie in the range of the calculated travel route. Thus, an optimal supply of the user with image information of relevant traffic cameras is guaranteed. In another embodiment, one or more geographic locations are the basis for route calculation or map mapping. It can be specified that traffic cameras in the range of these geographical positions are determined, if they are of particular interest to the user. As in the aforementioned methods, intervention options by the user or the display of selectable symbols can also be provided before the actual image information of the traffic cameras is displayed.

All of the above methods may be preset or determined by the user become (for example, when formulating desired positions for the route) that only those routes are calculated in the range at least one or a user definable number of traffic cameras is located. Alternatively, multiple routes may be calculated and offered to the user, with an assessment based on the detected traffic cameras, for example based on the number or location of the determined traffic camera, which criteria may be prior to determining possible routes or subsequent filtering criteria Driving routes can be entered. For example, the user may specify that such routes are preferred, which are monitored by a maximum number of traffic cameras or where traffic cameras are present at points designated by the user as important. In this way, the user advantageously ensures that he can already avoid congestion on the basis of image information of the traffic cameras in advance, since there is a largely complete coverage of the route with traffic cameras or at least by the user as critical marked locations (eg notorious traffic jams). Alternatively, it is also possible to determine travel routes without traffic cameras, for example if a journey is planned over more remote routes.

According to one embodiment, depending on a traffic situation that is detected by one or more traffic cameras, an alternative calculation of the travel route can take place. In particular, when a congestion on one or more traffic cameras in the area of a previously calculated route or an entered geographical position is indicated, the user may have an alternative route calculated (for example, by the in-vehicle navigation system or an internet service) for which he excludes the now-known congestion areas , for example by entering a minimum distance in which the traffic cameras are to be avoided. Alternatively, it may be stipulated that a new route should expressly pass through the area of one or more traffic cameras, for example if they showed quiet traffic in a previously viewed map section.

In all of the above-mentioned methods, the image information of one or more currently selected traffic cameras and at the same time a navigation map detail which displays the position of the one or more currently selected traffic cameras and possibly also the calculated travel route can be displayed. The positions may be indicated, for example, by corresponding icons for the traffic cameras on the navigation map. The user thus sees a current image information of a traffic camera and is simultaneously informed about their position on a map excerpt. Optionally, the positions of unchecked traffic cameras may also be indicated on the map, suitably distinguished from positions of selected traffic cameras (eg, different colors for icons of selected traffic cameras as opposed to unchecked traffic cameras, or flashing icons for selected traffic cameras and non-flashing icons for non-selected traffic cameras).

The steps mentioned in the context of the method according to the invention can be carried out repeatedly, if appropriate with omission of individual steps. For example, at the beginning of the method described in step a), only the determination of the current position (without inputting a target position), followed by step b) the determination of traffic cameras from the list, and step c) the display of symbols for the detected traffic cameras , so with the progress of the journey, the determination of the current position, so that the determination of traffic cameras and their presentation, possibly updated depending on the selected map section, at any time other inputs, such as the entry of a target position are possible.

The invention furthermore relates to vehicles or navigation systems in which the methods according to the invention are used.

The invention will now be further illustrated by way of examples, which should not be construed as limiting, with reference to the attached figures. In the figures, the same parts with the same reference numerals and the same, but individualizable parts are provided with a reference number of the same number and individualizing letter.

Showing:

1 a small map of a navigation system

2 a larger map of a navigation system, and

3 the simultaneous display of the image information of several traffic cameras.

Example 1:

A driver wants to leave this quickly after parking his vehicle in a busy downtown area. To have an optimal route to it He lets his navigation system detect the current vehicle position and himself on the display device 1 show the traffic cameras in the area of this position. He can determine the size of this area by choosing the scale of the navigation map section. The driver does not enter a scale first. On the navigation map detail with the last used scale, which covers a part of the city center, he is given the position of a traffic camera as a symbol 2a displayed ( 1 , with exemplary operating options of the navigation system). The driver chooses a different scale, which ensures that the navigation map section now represents the entire inner city and a part of the surrounding, less congested areas, and the traffic cameras therein are displayed, their associated graphical symbols for better distinctness now also by letters Marked are ( 2 ). The driver activates all the symbols of the traffic cameras found one after the other 2a . 2 B . 2c and 2d , and notes that traffic flow in the traffic camera 2d seems to be less dense than the other cameras. He lets his navigation system find a route from the city center through the traffic camera 2d covered area, as this is the most likely to ensure a quick exit from the city center.

Example 2:

The driver of example 1 has just one after the other the image information of all the symbols 2a . 2 B . 2c and 2d considered belonging to traffic cameras. For a better comparison, he can display the image information at the same time, whereby these in different, marked by the letters areas of the display area 1 his navigation system and allow a direct comparison of the traffic flows ( 3 ).

Example 3:

When driving on a major road in a city center, a driver notices a traffic jam a few kilometers before a traffic junction known as the Dusty Place. Attempting to directly display the image of a traffic camera installed at the intersection fails because it is defective. The driver specifies that the search area should be extended to several hundred meters by the intersection entered as the target position of the search. The search determines another traffic camera, which is located hundreds of meters from the broken traffic camera on a side street and also indicating halting traffic. Although this additional traffic camera does not look at the traffic that leads directly to the intersection, the driver may conclude that the traffic is halting over a large area around the intersection and decides to drive around the area widely.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

display device

2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d

Symbol for traffic camera

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102008057045 A1 [0003]
• DE 102008052460 A1 [0003]

Claims (9)

A method for using the image information of traffic cameras in a navigation system of a vehicle, characterized in that a) the current position of the vehicle is determined and / or a target position of the vehicle and / or a route of the vehicle is input, b) the navigation system or via a data transmission device connected to the navigation system service, in particular an Internet service, based on the determined in step a) current position and / or the input destination position and / or route and a list that contains data on at least one traffic camera and is stored in the navigation system or from a memory device associated with the navigation system can be read or is stored in a storage device connected to the service, it is determined which traffic camera or traffic cameras are in the range of the current position, the target position and / or the route, c) au f a display device ( 1 ) of the navigation system for each traffic camera, which was determined in step b), or for each traffic camera determined in step b), the position of which corresponds to the map currently displayed by the navigation system, a selectable symbol ( 2 ) is shown. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in a further step d) by selecting one or more symbols ( 2 ) the Internet address of the respectively associated traffic camera deposited in the list is activated and the image information transmitted by the traffic camera is displayed on the display device ( 1 ), wherein in the case of a plurality of selected symbols, the representation of the respectively associated image information transmitted by the traffic cameras can be effected individually, successively or simultaneously one after the other. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data of the list are entered by a user and / or downloaded from predetermined Internet pages and / or created by an automatic search function of the navigation system. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after determining the lying in the region of the current position, the entered target position and / or the route traffic cameras whose Internet addresses either prepared by the navigation system as web pages and displayed in the vehicle's own Internet browser, or be sent as a list to an Internet service, which offers the visualization of the image information of the cameras and possibly other operating options as a web service that can be accessed in the vehicle from the Internet browser. Method for using the image information of traffic cameras in a vehicle, characterized in that i) an in-vehicle navigation system transmits the current position of the vehicle and / or a target position of the vehicle and / or a route of the vehicle to an Internet service, ii) the Internet Service based on a list that includes data on at least one traffic camera determines whether or which traffic cameras are in the range of the current position, the target position and / or the route and either iiia) the image information of the detected traffic cameras via an in-vehicle Internet browser iiib) the Internet service transmits the image information of the detected traffic cameras to the in-vehicle navigation system, which displays them on a display device ( 1 ), or iiic) the Internet service transmits a list of the Internet addresses of the determined traffic cameras to the in-vehicle navigation system, which, accessing the Internet address, displays the image information of the traffic cameras on a display device ( 1 ). Method for using the image information of traffic cameras in a vehicle, characterized in that i) is calculated via an internet service on the basis of details of a starting position, a destination position and possibly one or more intermediate positions, and / or on the basis of one or more geographical positions a route and / or a map image of the one or more geographical position is created (ii) the route calculated in step (i) and / or the established geographical positions are transmitted to an internet traffic camera service; and iii) the Internet traffic camera service determines whether or which traffic cameras are in the area of the travel route, the map image and / or the geographical positions, and transmits the image information of the detected traffic cameras as web pages in the vehicle. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that after calculation of a driving route on the basis of information about a start position, a target position and optionally one or more intermediate positions of the traffic camera Internet service the vehicle image information of the traffic cameras as web pages transmitted in the area the determined travel route, and that, after specifying geographical positions as the basis for a route calculation, the traffic camera Internet service determines the traffic cameras in the specified geographical positions and transmits their image information in the vehicle. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a route is calculated in dependence on the presence or absence of traffic cameras in their area. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the calculation of a driving route takes place as a function of a traffic situation detected by a traffic camera.

Images