DE102016220966A1 - Determination of position-based information - Google Patents

Abstract

In the determination of position-based information by a navigation system of a motor vehicle, there is a need to enable the determination with the most current possible data on the one hand and the highest possible availability on the other hand. For this purpose it is proposed that a navigation system is set up to access position-based information on map data of a digital map, the map data being stored in a local data memory of the navigation system, the map data comprising first map data and different second map data. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of determining the first and second map data required for the determination of the location-based information, transmitting a request message for requesting the required second map data to an off-vehicle data server, receiving the requested required second map data from the off-board data server and storing the requested second map data required the local data store.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for determining position-based information by a navigation system of a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a navigation system for a motor vehicle for determining position-based information as well as a motor vehicle with such a navigation system.

Modern vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, often have built-in navigation systems with which position-based information can be determined. For example, the current geographical position of the motor vehicle can be determined and a route to a destination can be calculated. Navigation systems also allow searches for specific destinations, such as restaurants, shops, government agencies, museums and the like. For such calculations, navigation systems have digital maps stored in the vehicle. There is a need to keep the digital map stored in the vehicle always as up to date as possible. It is known to update the digital map in whole or in part as frequently and as extensively as possible.

Modern vehicles also often include wireless data communication devices with external vehicle communication subscribers. For example, vehicles may be set up to exchange data with the Internet via mobile radio networks. Such data communication devices open up a possibility for updating a digital map stored in the vehicle, namely by obtaining the updated map data via the mobile radio connection. As a rule, the data volume that can be transmitted over such a cellular connection is limited for technical and economic reasons, it is problematic to update the entire digital map frequently via a cellular connection.

Thus, there are currently many different versions of a digital map in motor vehicles on the market (even a single model and manufacturer). Map updates (so-called "updates") are often offered and carried out only at intervals of a few months.

To solve this problem is known as an alternative approach to outsource the functions of the navigation system as well as the data storage of the digital map to a vehicle-external server. The determination of the position-based information is then no longer made in the vehicle and by the vehicle, but in and by the vehicle-external data server. This approach has advantages: the data server can always contain the most up-to-date map data as well as other data, such as data. Traffic information, weather information and forecasts are made available. Also, the data server may have a greater computing power than a navigation system suitable for use in the motor vehicle, so that e.g. a plurality of alternative driving routes can be quickly calculated and compared with each other. The disadvantages of this approach are the increased demands on the data connection between the vehicle and the vehicle-external server. Firstly, the exchange of larger amounts of data is necessary, which requires a data connection with high capacity. On the other hand, the data connection should exist at all times, which currently can not be guaranteed, for example due to geographical coverage gaps of mobile networks.

There is thus a need to enable the determination of position-based information with the most current possible data on the one hand and with the highest possible availability on the other hand.

The object is achieved in a method with the features of independent claim 1. Further aspects of the invention relate to a navigation system having the features of independent claim 7 and a motor vehicle according to claim 9. Advantageous developments of the invention are subject matter of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a method for determining position-based information by a navigation system of a motor vehicle is proposed. The term position-based information is to be understood broadly within the scope of the invention and in particular includes all information which can be determined by means of previously known navigation systems. These include, but are not limited to, navigation information. Location-based information further includes such information as is known to be used for and / or as a result of what are known in the art as location-based services.

The navigation system is set up to access position-based information on map data of a digital map, the map data being stored in a local data memory of the navigation system. Thus, the position-based information in the motor vehicle and by the motor vehicle (by means of the navigation system) are determined, for which purpose the map data stored in the local data memory is used.

It is understood that the navigation system and the local data storage can form a common structural unit, but that is not mandatory. Likewise, the navigation system and the data memory may be separate but connectable or interconnected by a data connection. Also with regard to other components of the navigation system is not mandatory that these are combined in a single structural unit.

According to the invention, the map data comprises first map data and different second map data. In other words, a distinction is thus made between two types of map data, wherein both map data, ie both the first map data and the second map data, can be used to determine the position-based information.

In a first method step according to the invention, the first and second map data required for determining the position-based information are determined. Thus, those map data are determined which are needed for the determination of position-based information.

In the next step, a request message for requesting the required second map data is transmitted to a vehicle-external data server. Of the previously determined required map data so only the required second map data are requested by the data server. In particular, the vehicle-external data server can be an Internet server. The vehicle-external data server can in particular be a data server of a card provider or the vehicle manufacturer. To transmit the request message, a data communication device of the motor vehicle can be used, in particular a data communication device set up for digital wireless data communication. This data can be exchanged in particular via mobile networks (UMTS, LTE, 4G, etc.) and / or WLAN.

Subsequently, the requested required second map data is received by the vehicle external data server. For this purpose, it is likewise possible to use the data communication device which receives the data via mobile radio and / or WLAN.

Finally, the requested required second map data is stored in the local data memory. After this method step, both the first map data and the second map data (thus the map data required for the determination of the position-based information) are present in the local data memory, so that the determination of the position-based information can be performed.

The invention thus provides that a part of the map data (namely, the second map data) required for the determination of the position-based information is obtained from the vehicle-external data server. The other part (the first map data) is already in the data memory of the navigation system and can be used easily. In this way it is achieved that the used second map data are always up to date. At the same time, however, excessive dependency on the vehicle-external data server (or on the data connection to it) is avoided by storing the first map data locally in the navigation system and by performing the actual determination of the position-based information in the navigation system, ie locally in the motor vehicle.

The elements of the map data of the digital map are also referred to as map objects in the context of the present disclosure. For example, a map object may be a street or a street segment (also referred to as a "link") or a "point of interest" (POI). A map object can be assigned an object identifier and / or a version number. Furthermore, one or more attributes can be assigned to a map object. For example, a map object that is a link can be assigned as attributes a maximum speed limit, a passing ban, a driving ban for certain vehicle types, and the like.

Essential to the invention is that the first and second map data are different from each other. In particular, certain types of map objects or attributes associated with particular map objects may be associated with the first or second map data. It is essential that this assignment is determined in advance. In particular, it is not provided that the affiliation of a map object or an attribute to the first or the second map data is changed during the course of the method according to the invention. It should be noted that, of course, in the context of a reorganization of the map data, which may also be designated as editorial, the affiliation of a map object or an attribute to the first or the second map data could be changed. However, this affiliation should be established at least for the duration of the execution of the method according to the invention.

It should be expressly noted that it is possible and in some circumstances even advantageous for a particular map object (eg a link) to be the first map data and certain the map object associated attributes (eg, a maximum speed applicable to the link, other prohibitions and / or bids, slope information, weather information, etc. valid for the link) are associated with the second map data. In other words, it is by no means required that a map object and the attributes assigned to it have to be assigned the same type of map data.

In some embodiments of the invention, the position-based information includes a route to a desired destination. In other words, the determination of the position-based information thus involves the determination of one (or more alternative) travel routes from the current location of the motor vehicle (or from another geographical position) to a desired destination.

In some embodiments of the invention, the position-based information comprises at least one "point of interest" (POI). A POI describes a destination, an address, and / or geographic location that could be of interest and / or importance to a user of the navigation system. POIs can be divided into categories and arranged. Examples of such categories are: attractions, restaurants, shopping, petrol stations, train stations, airports, parking lots, government offices and many more. In other words, the determination of position-based information thus includes the determination of one or more POIs. For example, a user request for Italian restaurants within 5 km of their own location may trigger a determination of all POIs that meet this requirement.

The idea according to the invention can be used profitably in a variety of ways. In this case, the invention can be configured in many ways so that it satisfies several and / or different requirements.

In an advantageous embodiment, the second map data comprise map objects which are subject to frequent and / or short-term changes. By always receiving such data from the data server, their relevance can be ensured.

Alternatively or additionally, the first map data may include map objects that are indispensable for a particular function, in particular the determination of a route to a desired destination, whereas the second map data may include map objects or attributes that are useful but not mandatory, for example POIs, traffic information, weather information, maximum speed limit or similar.

It is particularly advantageous if the first map data include road data, in particular topological road data. In particular, road data includes links, ie those map objects that describe the road and / or path network depicted by the digital map. Further, the road data may include map objects interconnecting links (e.g., road junctions, driveways, exits, and the like). The term "topological road data" is to be understood as the map data which at least shows the geographical position of the links (road sections) and their connection to one another. In other words, the topological road data forms that part of the map data that is indispensable for determining a route from a starting location (e.g., the current location of the vehicle) to a destination. The advantage of the aforementioned embodiment is therefore that such a route can be determined in any case, even if a data connection to the vehicle external data server is temporarily not available. Further map data (namely, the second map data), which are also useful but not mandatory for determining a route, can be obtained from the vehicle external data server according to the invention as soon as the corresponding data connection exists again. The embodiment shown is also advantageous because of all map data, road data rather rarely change and in particular are not subject to short-term changes. Road data are therefore particularly suitable for permanent local data storage (as the first map data) in the navigation system.

In further advantageous embodiments of the invention, the second map data comprise at least one attribute of at least one road section and / or at least one map object which is not a road section, in particular a POI. This is advantageous because, on the one hand, such map data are useful, but not absolutely necessary for determining a route, and, on the other hand, because such map data can change quite frequently and it is therefore particularly expedient to always use it from an external vehicle source ( namely the vehicle-external data server), where the most up-to-date data management can be guaranteed.

Particularly advantageous is a combination of the last-described embodiments of the invention. In other words, such a combination could be described such that the first map data include the map data strictly necessary for determining a travel route, whereas the second map data includes all the other map data.

• - Bestimmen der Gültigkeitsdauer der für die Bestimmung der positionsbasierten Informationen benötigten zweiten Kartendaten,
• - Übermitteln einer Anforderungsbotschaft zur Anforderung der benötigten zweiten Kartendaten, die nicht im lokalen Datenspeicher gespeichert sind oder deren Gültigkeitsdauer überschritten ist.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, at least a portion of the second map data stored in the local data memory is assigned an attribute that is a validity period or that results in a validity period. The following steps are carried out:

• Determining the validity period of the second map data required for the determination of the position-based information,
• - Transmission of a request message for requesting the required second map data that are not stored in the local data store or whose validity period is exceeded.

In other words, the peculiarity of this embodiment is that the second map data required for the determination of the position-based information is not always requested by the vehicle-external data server. On the contrary, those (second) map data which are already present in the local data store and whose validity period has not yet been exceeded are used to determine position-based information, ie not requested (again) by the vehicle-external data server. If, however, the validity period of the second data is exceeded, they are requested by the vehicle-external data server (and subsequently received and stored in the local data memory, whereby the previous second data whose validity period has been exceeded can be overwritten). In this way, the data volume to be transmitted via the data communication device can be further reduced and at the same time the timeliness of the map data can be guaranteed.

The validity period may include a time (date) up to which the map data is valid. In this case, it can be determined directly whether the validity period has been exceeded.

The validity period may include a date of origin, which indicates a creation or transmission of the map data. In this case, an indication of a validity period is required to determine whether the validity period has been exceeded. For example, it can be provided that the period of validity is two weeks from the date of origin. The validity period is two weeks in this example.

The validity period can be the same for all the second data stored in the local data store. For example, it may be provided that the validity of all locally stored second data ends once a week (e.g., every Sunday). Furthermore, it is conceivable that the validity of all locally stored second data ends with the current use of the motor vehicle and / or with the current use of the navigation system. For example, the second data stored locally when the vehicle is parked and / or at the end of an active route guidance of the navigation system (i.e., on arrival at the set destination) could be given an exceeded validity period, thereby precluding subsequent reuse of that data. Alternatively, the locally stored second map data could also be deleted in these cases.

The validity period may be different for the second data stored in the local data store. In particular, each card object and / or each attribute can be assigned its own validity period.

With further advantage, the method can provide that the availability of a data connection to the vehicle-external data server is checked. If it is determined that there is no data connection to the vehicle-external data server, it can be provided that the locally stored second map data are used even if their validity period is exceeded.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a navigation system for a motor vehicle for determining position-based information. In particular, the navigation system has a data memory and a data communication device. Alternatively, the navigation system does not have its own data communication device, but is set up to transmit and receive data via a data communication device of the motor vehicle. The navigation system may be part of a further functions comprehensive control unit of the motor vehicle. Further, the navigation system may be configured such that its components are distributed to a plurality of control devices of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the control units forming the navigation system in their interaction can be connected to one another in particular via a data bus system of the motor vehicle.

• 1 eine beispielhafte Anordnung eines erfindungsgemäßen Fahrzeugs und eines fahrzeugexternen Datenservers,
• 2 Beispiele von bei der Ausführung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens ausgetauschten Daten und
• 3 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Further embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to exemplary representations. Show it

• 1 an exemplary arrangement of a vehicle according to the invention and of a vehicle-external data server,
• 2 Examples of data exchanged during the execution of the method according to the invention and
• 3 a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

Like reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent features of the illustrated embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that the illustrated figures and the associated description are merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. In particular, representations of combinations of features in the figures and / or the description of the figures are not to be interpreted as meaning that the invention necessarily requires the realization of all mentioned features. Other embodiments of the invention may include fewer, more, and / or different features. The scope and disclosure of the invention will be apparent from the appended claims and the complete description. It should also be noted that the illustrations are schematic representations of embodiments of the invention. The arrangement of the individual elements shown to each other is chosen only by way of example and can be chosen differently in other embodiments of the invention.

1 shows an example of a motor vehicle according to the invention 1 with a navigation system according to the invention 10 , The vehicle 1 further comprises a data memory 11 in which first map data 110 and second map data 111 are storable. It is immaterial whether the data store 11 two physically or logically separated data stores 110 . 111 includes or whether the first 110 and second map data 111 only distinguishable by their properties. Each of these possibilities is encompassed by the invention.

The car 1 further comprises a data communication device 12 which can in particular send and receive data by means of mobile radio (eg UMTS, LTE etc.). Via a mobile radio network can thus exchange data between the data communication device 12 and the internet 2 occur. A data server 3 , which is an Internet server, has a database 30 about always up-to-date map data.

• - zulässige Höchstgeschwindigkeit;
• - Steigungsinformationen;
• - Verkehrsinformationen.

In reference to 3 the procedure of the method will be explained in more detail. It is assumed that a user of the motor vehicle 1 want to make a trip from its location to a given destination. In step S1, the navigation system determines 10 the required first and second map data. The first map data includes the topological road data. Based on the local data store 11 stored first map data 110 can the navigation system 10 thus already calculate a route to the destination. Each of the links included in the calculated route now requires further information. For example, to be able to determine an exact estimated time of arrival and to warn the user of possible traffic obstructions, the following attributes should be requested for each of the links:

• - speed limit;
• Slope information;
• - Traffic information.

In addition, weather information should be obtained for the regions through which the calculated route leads. The information mentioned is the second map data determined in step S1.

In step S2, for those of the second map data determined in step S1, it becomes 111 in the data store 11 stored locally, determines the validity period. Those map data 111 whose validity period has not been exceeded are not requested in the later method step S3.

In step S3, a request message 4 to request the required second map data 5 to the vehicle-external data server 3 transmitted. It is understood that several messages can be transmitted in succession or in parallel, the entirety of the request message 4 form. In the 2 illustrated examples of request messages 4 are based on the database language SQL. This is only to be understood as an example. Any suitable database query protocol can be used for the query.

In step S4, the requested required second map data is requested 5 from the vehicle external data server 3 received and in step S5 in the local data memory 11 stored. The first 110 and second map data needed to determine location-based information 111 are thus in the data memory 11 before, so the navigation system 10 now determine the exact estimated time of arrival and further information.

2 (a) shows a first example of an inventive data exchange between motor vehicle 1 and data servers 3 , This is a request message 4 from the motor vehicle 1 to the data server 3 Delivered to request the top speed attribute ("SpeedLimit") of the link with the identifier linkID = 4711. The data server then transmits the desired map data 5 , in this example the (in 2 symbolically represented graphically) value "100 km / h".

2 (c) shows another example of an inventive data exchange between motor vehicle 1 and data servers 3 as might occur in the course of the determination of the exact estimated time of arrival and further detailed information about the calculated route as described above by way of example. This is a request message 4 from the motor vehicle 1 to the data server 3 transmitted to request slope information ("Slopes") of the links with the identifiers linkID = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (and others, what in 2 (c) is indicated by the suffix "...").

The data server then transmits the desired map data 5 , what in 2 (c) is shown symbolically graphically with the slope curve of a particular link as a function of the geographic altitude over the route length.

2 (b) shows another example of an inventive data exchange between motor vehicle 1 and data servers 3 , This is a request message 4 from the motor vehicle 1 to the data server 3 transmitted to the request of all POIs (for example limited to a radius of 5 km around the current location of the motor vehicle, which in the in 2 (b) request message displayed 4 but not shown). The data server then transmits the desired map data 5 , what in 2 (b) is shown symbolically with a POI table. A data exchange, as in 2 (b) could be, for example, from the navigation system 10 automated at regular intervals (eg every 10 minutes or every 5 km driven distance). In this way, it can be ensured that the navigation system 10 immediately respond to a POI request from the user ("Italian restaurants nearby?"). The transferred map data 5 For example, they could have a validity period of, for example, one day so that these data remain in memory at least for the remainder of the current trip 11 remain and can be used directly from there, if necessary, without them again from the data server in the case of a concrete POI request 3 must be requested.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

motor vehicle

10

navigation system

11

Data memory (map data)

110

First map data

111

Second map data

12

Data communication device

2

Internet

3

data server

30

Database

4

request message

5

Map data (requested required second map data)

S1-S5

steps

Claims (9)

Method for determining position-based information by a navigation system (10) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the navigation system (10) is set up to access position-based information on map data (110, 111) of a digital map, the map data (110, 111 ) are stored in a local data memory (11) of the navigation system (10), the map data (110, 111) comprising first map data (110) and different second map data (111) with the steps Determining (S1) the first and second map data required for the determination of the position-based information, Transmitting (S3) a request message (4) for requesting the required second map data (5) to a vehicle-external data server (3), Receiving (S4) the requested required second map data (5) from the vehicle external data server (3) and - Saving (S5) the requested required second map data (5) in the local data memory (11). Method according to Claim 1 wherein the position-based information includes a travel route to a desired destination. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the position-based information comprises at least one "point of interest" (POI). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first map data (110) comprise road data, in particular topological road data. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second map data (111) comprise at least one attribute of at least one road section and / or comprise at least one map object that is not a road section, in particular a POI. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least a part of the second map data (111) stored in the local data memory (11) is associated with an attribute which is a validity period or from which a validity period results, with the steps Determining (S2) the validity period of the second map data (111) required for the determination of the position-based information, - Transmitting (S5) a request message (4) for requesting the required second map data (5), which are not stored in the local data memory (11) or whose validity period is exceeded. Navigation system (10) for a motor vehicle (1) for determining position-based information, wherein the navigation system (10) is set up to access position-based information on map data (110, 111) of a digital map, wherein the map data (110, 111) in a local data memory (11) of the navigation system (10) are stored, wherein the map data (110, 111) comprise first map data (110) and different second map data (111), wherein the navigation system (10) is set up, to determine the first and second map data needed for the determination of position-based information, via a data communication device (12) of the motor vehicle (1) to transmit a request message (4) for requesting the required second map data (5) to a vehicle-external data server (3), - Receive the requested required second map data (5) from the vehicle external data server (3) via the data communication device (12) of the motor vehicle (1) and - Store the requested required second map data (5) in the local data memory (11). Navigation system (10) to Claim 7 , set up to carry out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 6 , Motor vehicle (1) with a navigation system (10) according to Claim 7 or 8th ,

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