EP1460599B1 - Database for coding and decoding of traffic messages and method for transmitting coded traffic messages - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a database and a method for the transmission of traffic reports according to the preamble of the independent claims, as are known, for example, from EP 0 930 736.

By means of the Radio Data System (RDS) digitally encoded information is transmitted via FM (ultra-short wave) FM broadcasting, which on the one hand enable automatic tuning of radio receivers designed to receive and evaluate RDS information, and on the other hand the information of the user (DIN / EN 50067). The latter include the so-called TMC (Traffic Message Channel) standard (ISO 14819-1, -2, -3) transmitted digitally coded traffic messages that can be considered in current radio receiver navigation system combinations and in the calculation of a route.

These traffic TMC messages contain event or event codes associated with at least traffic events, as well as location or location codes associated with locations within a traffic route network and / or geographic locations. For the transmitter-side coding of an event location, ie for converting an event location into a location code, a database is required which contains such an assignment, for example in tabular form. Likewise, for the receiver-side decryption of the transmitted location code, that is to say for the assignment of a location, moreover in the case of an output of the message to the user and also of a location name, a database required, which in turn allows the same assignment of places and possibly place names to place codes. Such a database represents the "location code list" used, for example, by broadcasters for generating TMC traffic reports, as well as those used by receivers for decoding received TMC traffic reports.

In the current location code list, mostly locations on motorways and federal roads are coded, and to a very limited extent on other, traffic-relevant roads. The coding on highways is relatively simple, since only simple places, such. As exits, motorway junctions, rest areas, tunnels, bridges and the like must be coded. Federal roads are usually very roughly coded, z. B. only between places or town centers. Other roads are usually coded only as a whole element, so without any subdivision. Within built-up areas coded locations are usually absent or coded very roughly, i. H. For example, groups of intersections are summarized as so-called "poles".

While solutions for extended coding of inner-city locations exist for advanced transmission methods, such as TPEG via the ILOC method or further transmission possibilities via DAB (digital audio broadcasting) with AGORA, there is still no satisfactory solution for detailed coding of inner-city RDS Places. This is due to the fact that coding of inner city locations according to the previous methods (ISO 14819-1, -2, -3), which provide a limited address space for location codes, quickly exceed the resulting maximum number of locations in a location code list would.

Advantages of the invention

A database according to the invention having the features of independent claim 1 and a method according to the invention for transmitting digitally coded traffic reports with the features of the independent method claim advantageously allow detection of inner city locations by location codes in the location code list within the existing one RDS-TMC system. Consequently, the invention makes it possible to code exact locations within an inner-city or inner-city road network without having to make changes to the existing system in terms of technology, in particular the address space available for addressing the referenced locations, or costly new developments become necessary.

This is inventively achieved in that are within a traffic route network within localities only the places are assigned location codes or represent the intersections or junctions, connect to the at least three thoroughfare sections or road sections with pass character.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

It is particularly advantageous that a location to be coded, which according to the above is at least two thoroughfares, is assigned a separate location code at least for a part of the thoroughfares adjoining the location.

Furthermore, it is of particular advantage if the location codes are assigned references to the respective location code preceding and following in the course of the road, if such previous and subsequent location codes are available.

This is based on the consideration that the locations of traffic disruptions which lie on a road section between two location codes are transmitted in coded form in such a way that the location code of a location adjacent to the road section concerned and a direction of travel are transmitted. The transmission of a single location code and a direction of travel makes it possible, using the information present in the location code list, which for each location code contains the location codes of a preceding and a subsequent location on the same street, to exactly determine the street segment concerned. The exact procedure is described for example in EP-B-0 263 332. However, this approach has been satisfactory when a location described by a location code is uniquely assignable to a road section or street. This is in the case of intersections or junctions in a local road network usually However, this is not the case, since an intersection or junction is regularly part of at least two roads. If only a single common location code was assigned to such an inter-urban crossing or confluence location, an unambiguous assignment of the coded location to a road would not be possible. Therefore, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each location within an inner-city road network to be encoded is assigned as many location codes as passing-through roads connect to this junction. This advantageously allows the location of a traffic incident in the known manner based solely on a location code and a direction of travel.

Furthermore, it is of particular advantage that the at least two location codes describing a single location (for at least two subsequent thoroughfares) are assigned references to the or each other location codes which describe the same location. This allows the use of the location database for simple route calculation in a car navigation system.

drawings

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and are explained in more detail below.

• Figur 1 einen Empfänger für digital codierte Verkehrsmeldungen mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Datenbasis zur Decodierung der empfangenen Verkehrsmeldungen,
• Figur 2 den Ausschnitt eines innerörtlichen Verkehrswegenetzes mit darin markierten Orten, denen erfindungsgemäß Ortscodes zugeordnet sind,
• Figur 3 einen willkürlich gewählten Ausschnitt aus der aktuell gültigen location code list für das Gebiet der Bundesrepublik Deutschland gemäß oben erwähnten Spezifikationen mit den im Zusammenhang mit vorliegender Erfindung wesentlichen Einträgen.

Show it

• FIG. 1 shows a receiver for digitally coded traffic reports with a database according to the invention for decoding the received traffic reports;
• FIG. 2 shows the detail of an inner-city traffic route network with locations marked therein, to which location codes are assigned according to the invention,
• Figure 3 shows an arbitrarily selected section of the currently valid location code list for the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany according to the above-mentioned specifications with the essential in connection with the present invention entries.

Description of the embodiments

The receiver 200 shown in FIG. 1 for receiving digitally coded traffic reports, hereinafter referred to as traffic message receivers 200, comprises a known radio receiver 210. In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the radio receiver 210 is for receiving VHF (ultra-short-wave) signals. FM broadcasting transmitted broadcasts trained. As mentioned above, in the case of FM-FM broadcasting in the context of the RDS system in addition to the actual radio program digital information is transmitted, which include, inter alia, digitally coded traffic information. The digitally encoded (TMC) traffic information messages contained in the received broadcast signal are supplied to a traffic message decoder 220. An output device 230 is connected to the output of the traffic message decoder, via which the traffic messages decoded from the received traffic message signals are output for the information of the user. The output device advantageously comprises means for optically and / or acoustically outputting the traffic reports in a format which is easy for the user to understand, preferably as a spoken or written message.

In order to implement the received traffic message codes, that is to say the digitally coded traffic reports, the decoder uses a database 240 in which at least all the location codes, but preferably also event codes, potentially contained in the traffic message codes are stored. With regard to the location codes, the database is preferably constructed so that they are stored as addresses in at least one table, while in the addresses associated memory fields of the at least one table at least places are stored. In this way, upon receipt of a location code by the latter within the database 240, the associated memory field can be addressed and its content, ie the location associated with the location code, can be read out. In the database 240, further information such as place names and / or further information describing the locations, such as, in particular, location coordinates, are preferably stored in the database 240.

The place name obtained from the received location code by decoding described is either as a font output on a display of the apparatus or in a spoken form using an output means included in the output means 230 Speech output device that converts the place name into a language information, outputable.

In an analogous form, the database comprises at least one more of the location table analogously formed assignment table, in all event codes contained in a digitally coded traffic events events, especially traffic events, such as "congestion", "slow-moving traffic", etc., as in the above-mentioned ISO standards are assigned.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the location name or the location name representing information obtained by decoding 220 from the received traffic message codes, in particular the location coordinates describing the location, can be forwarded to a vehicle navigation system 250. The same applies analogously to the events derived from the event codes or information representing them.

The navigation system 250 takes into account the decoded traffic message signals in a route calculation from a start to a destination in the form of increased resistances for the sections affected by traffic disturbances. Thus, for example, a blocked by a traffic jam section of highway increased resistance to be assigned, so that the route calculation underlying optimization algorithm, for example, according to Ford Moore calculated a route bypassing the affected highway section, if the route including the bypass has a lower total resistance , as a route involving the blocked motorway section.

A decoding table contained in the database 240 is shown in excerpts in FIG. In the so-called "location code list" according to FIG. 3, the entries in column S1 represent the actual "location codes" or location codes. In column S5 these are assigned specific locations within the traffic route network, in this case the road network. In the columns S8 and S9, the location code of the preceding and the following coded location on the same street is assigned to each location code or to each location coded by means of the location code, if such predecessor or successor locations exist at all.

On the basis of this information, after receiving a location code and a heading code in the form of a directional bit, the receiver can locate an event on a stretch of road located between the location represented by the location code and an encoded location adjacent the designated travel direction , For example, the location code 12048 in conjunction with a positive direction of travel would mark the motorway section of the "A620" motorway between motorway junctions 12048, ie "Wallerfangen" and 12049, as "Saarlouis-Mitte".

In column S4 the street codes are each assigned street numbers which indicate which street the location code is to be assigned to. The location codes 12048 and 12049 mentioned in the above example are associated, for example, with junctions of the "A620" motorway.

For example, in the case of motorway junctions may be assigned to the same place and different location codes. This is the case, for example, in the case of the "Saarlouis motorway intersection", which is assigned the location code 12047 for the "A620" motorway and the additional location code 12485 for the "A8" motorway. The purpose of this multiple assignment results from the requirement that a route section should be uniquely identifiable by a location code and the direction of travel bit. If, for example, the "Autobahndreieck Saarlouis" only a single location code available, would be due to location code and direction no clear assignment of the event to a road, namely either "A8" or "A620" and thus no unique assignment of a section possible.

Further, each location code or encoded location in columns S2 and S3 is assigned an identifier for the type and subtype of the encoded location, such as highway junction, highway rest area, tunnel, and so on. In column S6, each location code is further assigned a geographical area in which the coded location lies. For example, there is referenced to the location code 12048, so the motorway connection point "Wallerfangen" on the district of "Saarlouis" according to location code 640, which in turn is the location code 265, ie the state "Saarland" assigned.

In column S7 is punctiform coded locations, such as in particular highway junctions, but also rest areas, gas stations, etc. associated with a road segment comprising these coded locations or segments. In case of Location codes 12047 corresponding to "Autobahndreieck" Saarlouis "until 12072 corresponding to" Autobahndreieck Saarbrücken "this is the road segment with the location code 7172, ie the section" Saarlouis - Saarbrücken "the highway" A620 ".

In column S10, the location codes are assigned a label indicating whether the location represented by the location code is a location within a town or town. Finally, in column S11 there is a reference to an intersecting road for the location codes, if such exists at all, and this is further recorded by location codes. In the case of location 12047 for "A620 - Autobahndreieck Saarlouis", reference is made, for example, to location 12485 for "A8 - Autobahndreieck Saarlouis".

According to the invention, this database, ie the existing location code list, is used to expand locations within closed towns or cities. Due to the limited by the specifications of the aforementioned ISO standards maximum number of possible location codes is to make a meaningful selection of places to be coded. According to the invention, this selection is based on a selection scheme, which provides that within a traffic route network within localities, only the locations are assigned location codes which represent intersections, to which at least three through-road sections connect. In other words, therefore, at least one junction must have a thoroughfare on another continuous thoroughfare.

This diagram is explained below using the example of the section 100 of an inner-local traffic route, in this case the road network, illustrated in FIG.

The road network 100 connects at the points 10 mentioned in connection with FIG. 3 correspondingly to "motorway junction Wallerfangen" and 11 corresponding to "motorway junction Saarlouis-Mitte" and comprises further traffic junctions, ie junctions 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 19 as well as intersections 15 and 16. Intersections are understood to be those junctions to which at least four sections of road connect.

• "1" mit den Punkten 11, 12 ,13, 14
• "2" mit den Punkten 14, 16
• "3" mit den Punkten 11, 15, 16
• "5" mit den Punkten 10, 15, 17, 16.

Through streets in the sense of the present invention are the streets

• "1" with the points 11, 12, 13, 14
• "2" with points 14, 16
• "3" with the points 11, 15, 16
• "5" with the points 10, 15, 17, 16.

• "4" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 12 und 18
• "6" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 17 und 19.

Residential street or traffic-calmed zone or similar, so no through road in the sense of the present invention are the roads

• "4" between the traffic junctions 12 and 18
• "6" between the traffic junctions 17 and 19.

• "4" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 15 und 18,
• "6" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 13 und 19 und
• "7" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 18 und 19

handele es sich beispielsweise um Zubringerstraßen zu Wohnstraßen oder verkehrsberuhigten Zonen bzw. Durchgangsstraßen durch Wohngebiete, denen im Rahmen vorliegender Erfindung entweder Durchgangscharakter zu- oder auch abgesprochen werden kann.At the other roads or street sections

• "4" between the traffic junctions 15 and 18,
• "6" between the traffic junctions 13 and 19 and
• "7" between the traffic junctions 18 and 19

For example, these are feeder roads to residential streets or traffic-calmed zones or thoroughfares through residential areas, which in the context of the present invention can either be granted a transit character or can be denied.

In a first embodiment of the database according to the invention, it is assumed that said feeder or residential thoroughfares do not have a thoroughfare in the sense of the present invention.

10 -

Einmündung von Autobahn "A620" (zwei Abschnitte) und Durchgangsstraße "5" (ein Abschnitt),

11 -

Kreuzung von Autobahn "A620" und zwei Durchgangsstraßen "1" und "3",

14 -

Einmündung von Durchgangsstraße "1" (zwei Abschnitte) und Durchgangsstraße "2",

15 -

Kreuzung von Durchgangsstraße "3" (zwei Abschnitte) und Durchgangsstraße "5" (zwei Abschnitte),

16 -

Kreuzung von drei Durchgangsstraßen "2", "3" und "5".

According to the aforementioned scheme, the following traffic nodes are accordingly to be provided with location codes

10 -

Intersection of A620 motorway (two sections) and through road "5" (one section),

11 -

Intersection of highway "A620" and two thoroughfares "1" and "3",

14 -

Junction of thoroughfare "1" (two sections) and through road "2",

15 -

Intersection of thoroughfare "3" (two sections) and thoroughfare "5" (two sections),

16 -

Intersection of three thoroughfares "2", "3" and "5".

In analogy to the procedure according to FIG. 3, all roads adjoining a location to be encoded or encoded receive their own location code in order to enable unambiguous identification of a road section solely on the basis of the location code and the direction of travel.

Punkt 10 -

Ortscode 510 für Straße "5"

Punkt 11 -

Ortscode 111 für Straße "1"

Punkt 11 -

Ortscode 311 für Straße "3"

Punkt 14 -

Ortscode 114 für Straße "1"

Punkt 14 -

Ortscode 214 für Straße "2"

Punkt 15 -

Ortscode 315 für Straße "3"

Punkt 15 -

Ortscode 515 für Straße "5"

Punkt 16 -

Ortscode 216 für Straße "2"

Punkt 16 -

Ortscode 316 für Straße "3"

Punkt 16 -

Ortscode 516 für Straße "5"

The following location codes are assigned here.

Point 10 -

Location code 510 for street "5"

Point 11 -

Location code 111 for street "1"

Point 11 -

Location code 311 for street "3"

Point 14 -

Location code 114 for street "1"

Point 14 -

Location code 214 for street "2"

Point 15 -

Location code 315 for street "3"

Point 15 -

Location code 515 for street "5"

Point 16 -

Location code 216 for street "2"

Point 16 -

Location code 316 for street "3"

Point 16 -

Location code 516 for street "5"

Preferably, in analogy to the cross-references according to column S11 of FIG. 3, all the assigned location codes are assigned a cross-reference to the location code of the same node on at least one other adjacent thoroughfare. For example, the new location code 216 is assigned a cross-reference to the location code 316, this a cross-reference to the location code 516 and this in turn a cross-reference to the location code 216.

Furthermore, already existing location codes are assigned a cross-reference to a new location code added according to the invention. For example, the existing location 12048 (Saarlouis Wallerfangen) assigned a cross-reference to the new location 510 and also umgekeht.

• "4" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 15 und 18,
• "6" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 13 und 19 und
• "7" zwischen den Verkehrsknotenpunkten 18 und 19

im Gegensatz zum ersten Ausführungsbeispiel Durchgangsstraßencharakter im Sinne vorliegender Erfindung haben.In a second exemplary embodiment of the database 240 according to the invention, it is assumed that said feeder or residential thoroughfares or sections

• "4" between the traffic junctions 15 and 18,
• "6" between the traffic junctions 13 and 19 and
• "7" between the traffic junctions 18 and 19

in contrast to the first embodiment have thoroughfare in the context of the present invention.

13 -

da Einmündung des Durchgangsstraßenabschnitts "6" zwischen 13 und 19 auf Durchgangsstraße "1" (zwei Abschnitte).

In addition to the traffic nodes coded in the first exemplary embodiment, location codes are then to be assigned to the following traffic nodes.

13 -

at the junction of the through road section "6" between 13 and 19 on the thoroughfare "1" (two sections).

Punkt 13 -

Ortscode 113 für Straße "1"

Punkt 13 -

Ortscode 613 für Straße "6"

Punkt 15 -

Ortscode 615 für Straße "6".

The following additional location codes will be assigned here.

Point 13 -

Location code 113 for street "1"

Point 13 -

Location code 613 for street "6"

Point 15 -

Location code 615 for street "6".

12 -

nur zwei angrenzende Durchgangsstraßenabschnitte der Straße "1", da der Abschnitt 12-18 der Straße "4" keinen Durchgangscharakter besitzt,

17 -

nur zwei angrenzende Durchgangsstraßenabschnitte der Straße "5", da der Abschnitt 17-19 der Straße "6" keinen Durchgangscharakter besitzt,

18 -

keine anschließende Durchgangsstraße,

19 -

keine anschließende Durchgangsstraße.

The nodes are therefore not coded or coded

12 -

only two adjacent thoroughfares of the road "1", since the section 12-18 of the road "4" has no transit character,

17 -

only two adjacent thoroughfares of the road "5", since the section 17-19 of the road "6" has no transit character,

18 -

no subsequent thoroughfare,

19 -

no subsequent thoroughfare.

In order to be able to generate and transmit coded traffic information as described, a database corresponding to the above-described database 240 is also required by a broadcasting station or a service provider supplying a broadcasting station in which the corresponding location codes and further references and assignments are assigned to potential event locations.

The use of a described database thus enables a method for transmitting digitally coded traffic reports, the traffic reports comprising at least one traffic event and a location of the event, the event location being transmitted in encoded form as a location code located in a receiver at a location in a traffic route network and / or or a geographical location, which is characterized in that within a traffic route network 100 within localities only the locations of location codes 111, etc. representing intersections are indicated to the at least three thoroughfare sections, for example sections of the roads "1", Connect "3", "A620".

For example, based on the described database 240, the location of a traffic incident 50 on the road section 11-12 of the road "1" would be encoded in the following form.
Event code - location code 111 - direction +.

This would be interpreted in the receiver 200 as
Event on road "1" (since 111 is assigned to road 1 and points to road number "1" in column S4 of the location code list and road 1 to road segment in column S7) between location 111 and next location in ascending direction (since positive Direction of travel), ie 113 or 114 according to the first or second embodiment.

Claims (6)

1. Database for coding traffic messages which comprise at least one event location or for decoding digitally coded traffic messages which contain at least location codes, where the database contains location codes associated with locations within a traffic route network and/or with geographical locations for the purpose of coding or for the purpose of decoding,
   characterized
   in that within a traffic route network (100) the only locations with associated location codes within towns are those which are junctions (111, 311) or convergences to which at least three thoroughfare sections (1, 3, A620) are linked.
2. Database according to Claim 1, characterized in that the location to be coded has a respective dedicated location code (11, 31) associated with it for at least some of the thoroughfares (1, 3) linked to it.
3. Database according to Claim 2, characterized in that the at least two location codes (111, 311, A620) describing a single location have associated references to at least one of the respective other location codes (A620, 111, 311) describing the same location.
4. Database according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the location codes (32) have associated references to the respective preceding (31) and succeeding (33) location codes in the course of the road, provided that such preceding and succeeding location codes (31, 33) are available.
5. Method for transmitting digitally coded traffic messages, where the traffic messages comprise at least one traffic event and a location for the event, the event location being transmitted in coded form as a location code which can be associated with a location in a traffic route network and/or with a geographical location in a receiver,
   characterized
   in that within a traffic route network (100) the only locations with associated location codes (111, 311) within towns are those which are junctions or convergences to which at least three thoroughfare sections (1, 3, A620) are linked.
6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the location to be coded has a dedicated location code (11, 31) associated with it for each thoroughfare (1, 3) linked to it.

Images