DE102010043673A1 - Navigation system installed in vehicle, has traffic disruption detection device to detect traffic disruption by using data corresponding to driving state of vehicle, vehicle position and road class - Google Patents

Abstract

The navigation system (10) has traffic disruption detection device (26) to detect traffic disruption by using data corresponding to driving state of vehicle, vehicle position and road class. A route calculating unit (25) computes a bypass route for vehicle, when traffic disruption is detected by the traffic disruption detection device. An independent claim is included for navigation method.

Description

State of the art

The invention is based on a navigation system and a navigation method with a traffic impairment detection function according to the preamble of the corresponding independent claim.

Navigation method with a bypass route calculation in traffic congestion, wherein the corresponding navigation system in a vehicle has a route calculation device, which has a bypass route to bypass a traffic congestion upon request, are known.

Furthermore, devices and methods for monitoring the environment of a vehicle and for collecting traffic data are known. So revealed the EP 0 715 287 B1 a method and a device for obtaining information about the environment of a vehicle of a sampling vehicle fleet, in which vehicle data at certain intervals, which correspond to a predetermined time period or a predetermined distance, detected in the vehicle and transmitted together with the position data to a traffic computer. The operating states of aggregates of the vehicle are detected, and from the detected operating states characteristic features of the environment of the vehicle are determined based on predetermined decision criteria.

The DE 101 33 387 A1 discloses a method for collecting traffic data for a motor vehicle, wherein position data of the vehicle is supplied to a central station from the vehicle and traffic status messages are generated by the center on the basis of a certain number of relevant data transmitted by a plurality of vehicles.

Within the vehicle, the position data of the vehicle are temporarily stored in previously defined, constant time intervals and sent via a communication unit to the control center. Subsequently, the control center interprets the transmitted position data of the vehicle together with the position data of other vehicles or other sources on the basis of the evaluable driving profiles.

Traffic jams are often communicated to the radio stations by the police, sometimes it is also "traffic jams" that communicate this information. These jams are then reported over the radio station, whether over half-hourly messages or via TMC (Traffic Message Control), sending traffic impairments in the inaudible range of the FM signal in digital form. However, TMC is not present in every country or not every radio station broadcasts TMC. To use TMC, a TMC-capable radio receiver is required. The quality of the messages is very different. The messages are not always up-to-date and are sometimes also reported late.

As a rule, TMC services are free to receive. In some countries there are additional pay-per-view pay-TMC services that promise better quality or up-to-dateness.

Disclosure of the invention

The navigation system and the navigation method with traffic impairment detecting function according to the present invention as defined in claims 1 and 7 respectively have the advantage that detection of traffic congestion is performed by data of the driving state of the vehicle in combination with navigation information. You can detect unannounced traffic jams early to provide alternative routes to the driver relatively quickly. In addition, traffic jams are recognized not only on highways but also on rural roads and in cities.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, information that is already present in facilities of the vehicle, used and transmitted via a data bus, such as a CAN bus to the navigation system. Such information is z. B. Vehicle movements and distances to advance or following vehicles that are supplied by a radar control unit, a parking radar or a distance control automatic.

Advantageously, the driving state in the form of values for certain driving state variables is currently detected, and it is for different road classes, eg. As highway, road and city / locality, created profiles with limits of the driving state variables. The detection of a traffic impairment now takes place via the comparison of current values with predetermined limit values for the corresponding road class.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained with reference to the drawings, in which

1 shows a schematic representation of the navigation system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

2 a flowchart of the navigation method according to an embodiment of the present invention shows.

In 1 is shown a navigation system 10 with a computing unit 11 that is connected to a data store 12 which in turn is a navigation data memory 13 and a driving history memory 14 includes. The arithmetic unit 11 is still connected to a Human Machine Interface (HMI) 15 which in turn is an input device 16 and an output device 17 includes. Here is the input device 16 from a touchscreen screen and the output device from the touchscreen screen and a speaker. The arithmetic unit 11 is still with a position determining device 18 connected, here a GPS unit 19 with antenna 20 , In addition, the arithmetic unit 11 via a CAN data bus 21 with sensors 22 . 23 connected. The sensors, here a speed sensor 22 and a distance sensor 23 provide data of the driving condition of the vehicle, with the speed of the vehicle via a sensor 22 can be determined directly in the vehicle or in the navigation system. A camera 24 provides information about the road environment. The arithmetic unit 11 handles a variety of calculations and thus works as a route calculator 25 and as a device for detecting a traffic impairment 26 ,

The arithmetic unit 11 leads among other things as route calculation device 25 Navigation tasks, stores a driving history in the driving history memory while driving 14 and evaluates as a device for detecting a traffic impairment 26 continuous data of the driving state together with data of the driving history from the driving history memory 14 and navigation data from the navigation data memory 13 out. If a traffic impairment is detected, the navigation system informs 10 the driver of the vehicle via the HMI 11 calculates an alternative route and proposes it via the HMI 14 in front. The driver can now use the proposed route as a new route via the HMI 14 and navigate accordingly.

Now, an example of criteria with thresholds of the driving state quantities for the road classes, highway, country road and town / village is given. The road class is identified by the navigation data for the current position or based on an evaluation of the camera image.

For example, the following criteria are used to detect traffic congestion on motorways: information based on map data / GPS data, stationary / rolling, slow-moving vehicle, speed below a limit speed of 40 km / h over a certain observation period (eg 1 minute); Bumper to bumper (parking radar), z. B. Front distance less than 8 m for one minute; No extraordinary steering movements previously (eg last 2 minutes), driving in the parking lot, driving to a gas station etc.

The detection of a traffic impairment on rural roads: takes place, for example, by the following criteria: information based on the map data / GPS data standing / rolling vehicle, d. H. Speed below a limit speed of z. 10 km / h, over a certain observation period (eg 2 minutes), or speed for one minute below a second limit speed of 40 km / h; Bumper to bumper (parking radar), z. B. Front distance less than 8 m for observation period 2 minutes; when detecting traffic lights increase the observation time z. B. to 4 minutes.

The detection of a traffic impairment in cities / localities is carried out, for example, by the following criteria: information based on the map data / GPS data stationary / rolling vehicle, d. H. Speed below a limit speed of z. 10 km / h over a certain period of observation (3 minutes); Bumper to bumper (parking radar), z. B. distance forward less than 8 m for the observation period 3 minutes; when detecting traffic lights or a crossing increase the observation time z. For 4 minutes; Taking into account the position such as proximity to the intersection or near the traffic lights The detection of traffic lights or intersections can be done on the basis of navigation data or an evaluation of the camera image.

In the case of speed limits, the limit speed or the second limit speed can be reduced or the duration of the observation can be extended. The detection of speed limits can be based on navigation data or due to an evaluation of the camera image.

Advantageously, a congestion probability is calculated by means of a comparison of various information, in particular the data of the driving state, with the driving history. This allows the following procedure. First, only the speed is used as a criterion determining the driving condition. If, according to the above-mentioned speed criteria, there is presumably a traffic impairment, another sensor is added, for example the distance sensor at the front. If, even after the above-mentioned criteria for the distance presumably a traffic impairment, so more sensors can be added, also to confirm the criteria of the previous sensors or modify. For example For example, a brightness sensor or a camera image analyzer may report darkness, a rain sensor or signal from the wiper activity may report rain, or a temperature signal may indicate smoothness - in these cases, the limit speed or the second limit speed may be reduced or the duration of the observation extended.

Now, based on 2 with the flowchart 30 an embodiment of the navigation method of the present invention with reference to the in 1 described navigation system described.

Starting from a vehicle with a navigation system 10 that is a route calculator 25 The method begins with method step a) input of route information and calculation of a route. the navigation system now navigates to the calculated route. Now, in the form of a loop, a group of process steps takes place, beginning with method step b) determining values of a driving state, a vehicle position and a road class. The driving state includes the speed of the vehicle according to the speed sensor 22 over the CAN bus 21 supplied data and in this example, the distance to the vehicle ahead in accordance with the distance sensor 23 over the CAN bus 21 supplied data and the distance to the following moving vehicle according to another sensor via the CAN bus 21 supplied data. The vehicle position is from the GPS system 19 determined and from the arithmetic unit 11 aligned with navigation data.

This recognizes the navigation system 11 to the currently used road and its road class. Now, method step c) determines limit values for a typical driving condition for the road class. These limits are one or more minimum speeds for the driving state component speed and minimum distances for the driving state components of the distances, each with an associated observation period. The limit values are contained in the navigation data and assigned to the road class. It follows process step d) Evaluate whether there is a traffic impairment by comparing the values of the driving state with the limit values for the typical driving state. If there is no traffic impairment, the current run of the loop is terminated and the loop continues with step b). If there is a traffic impairment, then step e) calculates and proposes an alternative route.

The method step d) can be carried out in many ways, depending on the equipment of the vehicle with sensors or the navigation system with computing power. In the in 2 illustrated embodiment of the invention with sub-steps of the method is tested in step d1), whether a limit is exceeded and with what probability a traffic impairment exists from the previously considered indicators. There are three situations possible. If traffic congestion can be ruled out because of too high speed or because of the different indicators, it will be over branch 31 branches to b) and the loop continues there. If a jam is detected in the synopsis of the various indicators, so will branch 32 branched to e). If there is an average likelihood of traffic congestion and a traffic disturbance can neither be detected nor ruled out, then branch 33 branches to d2). In method step d2) it is checked whether data of further sensors or navigation information is available. If no data from other sensors or navigation information is available via branch 34 branches to b) and the loop continues there. If data from other sensors or environmental information is available via branch 35 branches to d3). In d3), it is checked for the next sensor in a predetermined order of the sensors, whether data of this sensor or environmental information requires a shift of a limit value or an observation period of the previously considered sensors. These values are overwritten if necessary. Thereafter, process step d1) takes place again.

A first indicator for a traffic impairment is a shortfall of or a limit value of the speed over a predetermined observation period. Depending on the limit value and the duration of observation, this gives a certain probability of traffic impairment. It can be set to the average speed in a given time interval or to the maximum speed in a given time interval. By adding further criteria, the likelihood of traffic degradation can be increased. As the next indicator, the distance to the vehicle ahead is compared with the corresponding limit value over a corresponding observation period. Speed and distance to the vehicle ahead are the most important indicators of congestion detection.

Other indicators essentially serve to confirm or correct the assessment of speed and distance ahead moving vehicle. The third indicator can be the distance to the following vehicle. If this distance is small, this increases the likelihood of a traffic impairment, but in the case of no existing subsequent vehicle, this indicator gives no statement. As other indicators, a brightness sensor or a camera image evaluation may report darkness, a rain sensor or a windshield wiper activity signal may report rain, or a temperature signal may indicate smoothness - in these cases, the limit speed or the second limit speed may be reduced or the observation duration extended.

In process steps d2) and d3), further environmental information is taken into account. The recognition of traffic lights or an intersection can be done on the basis of navigation data or due to an evaluation of the camera image and accordingly can be made a reduction of the speed limit and / or an increase in the duration of observation in the traffic lights. In the case of speed limits, the limit speed or the second limit speed can be reduced or the duration of the observation can be extended. The detection of speed limits can be based on navigation data or due to an evaluation of the camera image. The environment information also includes the driving history of the last few minutes.

The successive addition of the sensors does not necessarily mean that the sensors record the measured data one after the other. This is just one way, the advantages of low processing power of the arithmetic unit 11 consists. Usually, the measurement data of the sensors are detected simultaneously, but evaluated successively. With a high computing power, the entire sensor information and environment information can be constantly taken into account.

In 2 is after step e) continue in step f) provided a query to the driver, for example, "your vehicle has detected a traffic jam due to the driving data. Should the route guidance be adjusted? ". The driver can now reject the proposed alternative route, then becomes via branch 36 branches to b) and the loop continues. Or the driver selects the proposed alternative route and the procedure starts from the front by branching over branch 37 after process step a).

Alternatively, the navigation device can already detect a low likelihood of traffic impairment before a query to the driver falls below the speed over an observation period and calculate another route guidance as a precaution and confirmation of traffic impairment, if the likelihood of traffic degradation is sufficiently high, this other route guidance the driver suggest.

According to the invention, a multiplicity of combinations of sensors for determining the driving condition and recognizing the driving environment are possible, which go beyond the sensors mentioned in the example, there being a multiplicity of criteria for detecting a traffic impairment which also go beyond the example goes.

A minimal version of the invention uses only the navigation device without further sensors in the vehicle, so that no interface to the data bus of the vehicle is required, and only uses the speed determined in the navigation device to determine the driving state. In this minimal version, long observation periods are preferably used and the navigation data is extensively used for recognizing the environment.

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

• EP 0715287 B1 [0003]
• DE 10133387 A1 [0004]

Claims (15)

Navigation system ( 10 ) with a traffic impairment detection function, characterized in that the navigation system ( 10 ) a device for detecting traffic impairment ( 26 ) by means of data of the driving state of the vehicle, a vehicle position and a road class. Navigation system ( 10 ) according to claim 1, wherein a route calculation device ( 25 ) is provided which calculates a bypass route in the event of a detected traffic impairment and which, on request, specifies the bypass route for bypassing the detected traffic impairment. Navigation system according to claim 1, characterized in that the navigation system a data memory for storing a driving history ( 14 ) having. Navigation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the navigation system via a data bus ( 21 ) with sensors ( 22 . 23 . 24 ) is connected to acquire the data of the driving condition of the vehicle. Navigation system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the data of the driving state of the vehicle comprise data of a speed of the vehicle. Navigation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data of the driving state of the vehicle include data of a distance to the preceding and / or following vehicle. Navigation method with a traffic impairment detection function a) entering route information and calculating a route; b) continuously determining values of data of the driving condition of the vehicle, a vehicle position and a road class; c) determining limit values for a particular driving condition for the road class; d) Assessing whether there is a traffic impairment by comparing the values of the determined driving state with the limit values for the respective driving state. Navigation method according to claim 7, comprising the method steps: (e) if there is a traffic congestion, propose an alternative route, f) calculating the bypass route if an input is made to accept the proposed alternate route. Navigation method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the data of the driving state comprise data of a speed of the vehicle. Navigation method according to claim 7, characterized in that the data of the driving state include the distance to the vehicle ahead and / or following. Navigation method according to claim 7, characterized in that the data of the driving state data comprise a maximum and / or average speed in a predetermined time interval. Navigation method according to claim 7, characterized in that the data of the driving state comprise data about steering movements in a predetermined time interval. Navigation method according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the determination of the road class to the vehicle position with navigation data or with image data of a camera. Navigation method according to one of claims 7 to 13, characterized in that the evaluation of whether there is traffic impairment uses stored data about a road environment. Navigation method according to one of claims 7-14, characterized in that the assessment of whether there is a traffic impairment takes into account stored data via traffic lights.

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