DE102015208805A1 - Vehicle navigation system with different digital maps - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic navigation device for vehicles, comprising electronic storage means storing at least two different digital maps; wherein the digital maps are independently updated via wireless data transmission.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle navigation system which is adapted to work with different digital maps.

Today, car navigation systems are widely known that use satellite navigation (GPS, Galileo, Glonass) to calculate a route from start to finish for the driver. For this purpose, the navigation systems have a stored digital map. Frequently, these navigation systems offer turn-by-turn driving instructions.

This digital map will be updated in an update process, with parts or the entire digital map being updated.

At the same time there is a further development of driver assistance systems that require additional or more specific information about the environment. For example, an infotainment system requires information about points of interest (POIs) and satellite imagery, while the driver assistance function of automated or highly automated driving requires information about obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle. This information is previously stored in the same or the same digital map. When updating the road maps per se, for example because a new road has been built, the surrounding or underlying information must also be updated, such as POIs or satellite images of an intersection of an old and a new road. The digital map thus has a high consistency requirement and most of the individual components of a map can not be updated without violating the consistency requirement. This often requires an unnecessarily high data transfer, because not only is the information that often needs updating (road map) updated, but also more information (satellite images, POIs).

The invention has for its object to enable an update of the environment data according to the need.

The object is achieved by the navigation system according to the independent claim. Advantageous developments are defined in the dependent claims.

A first aspect of the invention relates to an electronic navigation device for vehicles, comprising electronic storage means storing at least two different digital maps; wherein the digital maps are independently updated via wireless data transmission. The digital maps are not different layers (sometimes called layers) of the same map. The term navigation device is understood herein to include not only the navigation incl. Route guidance as functions, but also provides various location-related functions and in particular also serves as a map memory for other functions in the vehicle.

The invention thus proposes not to store the data on the environment in a digital map, but in various maps. These can be updated independently. In this way, the consistency requirement only exists per digital map and not common to all information. In a digital map, advantageously those information are summarized that require approximately the same or similar update frequencies.

When retrieving data on an item (information such as a link) from one of the digital maps, the other or other digital maps are examined to see if there is data about the item in more recent form; and wherein these more recent data are provided as a result of the retrieval. This ensures that the most up-to-date information is made available to the user.

During the investigation, the AgoraC standard is used for referencing between the cards and thus for identifying the same elements ISO standard 17572-3 valid on May 4, 2015, which uses OpenLR standard version 1.4.2 or GPS coordinates.

The storage means store at least two of the following maps: an (infotainment) base map; a map for highly automated driving; a map with points of interests; a map with 3D models; and a map with satellite images. The base map is designed to be displayed on a display of the vehicle and manipulated on the display by the user. For example, it provides basic road information for large areas that can be quickly zoomed and moved. It is designed in such a way that it can be smoothly zoomed even in large travel routes with the limited storage facilities of the navigation system. The highly automated driving map provides many details that are updated frequently and that are not displayed to the driver of the vehicle. The update (for example, every three minutes) can only concern the part relevant to the route, so that, in particular, transitions between outdated information and new information Inconsistencies can arise. These are not visible to the user. In contrast to the frequent updating of parts of the map for highly automated driving, the infotainment base map can be updated in longer cycles, the updating always covering large parts or even the whole map, since the consistency requirements are high and especially perceived by the user ,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

1 schematically shows an electronic navigation device according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

1 schematically shows an electronic navigation device according to an embodiment. The navigation device 1 saves different cards 2 and provides different functions, including route guidance 3 is shown as an example. The stored cards are a basic infotainment card; a map for highly automated driving; a map with points of interests; a map with 3D models; and a map with satellite images. During operation, the route guidance works 3 essentially with one of the saved maps 2 , herein called active card. If one element of the active maps is also suspected in another map, which is updated more frequently than the current map, the route guidance reads 3 this item from the other cards and uses it.

The cards 2 be via a mobile connection 4 using a central server 5 updated. In doing so, each of the cards becomes 2 updated with a different update cycle.

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 non-patent literature

• ISO Standard 17572-3 [0010]

Claims (5)

 A vehicular electronic navigation device comprising electronic storage means storing at least two different digital maps; wherein the digital maps are independently updated via wireless data transmission.  The electronic navigation device of claim 1, wherein retrieving data on an item from one of the digital maps, the other or other digital maps are examined to see if there is data about the item in more recent form therein; and wherein these more recent data are provided as a result of the retrieval.  An electronic navigation device according to claim 2, wherein the AgoraC standard according to ISO standard 17572-3 valid on May 4, 2015, the OpenLR standard version 1.4.2 or GPS coordinates are used in the examination for referencing between the cards.  An electronic navigation device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage means stores at least two of the following maps: a base map; a map for highly automated driving; a map with points of interests; a map with 3D models; and a map with satellite images.  Electronic navigation device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the different digital map are not different layers of the same digital map.

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