EP2210062A1

EP2210062A1 - Method for operating a mobile navigation device in a vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP2210062A1
Application number: EP08801293A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eugene Fox; Richard Malingkas
Original assignee: Navigon AG
Current assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH
Priority date: 2007-10-16
Filing date: 2008-09-08
Publication date: 2010-07-28
Also published as: WO2009049578A1; DE102007049761A1; US20100286862A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile navigation device (1) in a vehicle (2), wherein the vehicle (2) is equipped with a data bus (4) on which data (vehicle data) can be transmitted, and wherein the data bus (4) has a data interface (5) for the wireless transmission and reception of data, and wherein the mobile navigation device (1) comprises a data interface (7) for the wireless transmission and reception of data, comprising the following steps: a) transmitting process data of the vehicle (2) (vehicle data) via the data bus (4) and the wireless data interface (5) of the vehicle (2) to the navigation device (1), b) receiving the vehicle data at the wireless data interface (7) of the navigation device (1), c) editing and processing the vehicle data in the navigation device (1), particularly for controlling the routing process, and d) transmitting process data of the navigation device (1) (navigation device data) via the wireless data interface (7) of the navigation device (1) to the vehicle (2), e) receiving the navigation device data at the wireless data interface (5) of the vehicle (2), f) editing and processing the navigation device data in the vehicle.

Description

September 8, 2008

Method for operating a mobile navigation device in a vehicle

The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile navigation device in a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

From the state of the art mobile navigation devices are known which can be used independently of the vehicle electronics in a vehicle in order to guide the driver from a starting point to a destination point. Usually, the navigation devices are equipped with a satellite receiving antenna to receive and evaluate satellite position signals. Taking the data from a route network database into consideration, the navigation device then calculates a route and issues a maneuver instruction depending on the current position. These mobile navigation devices have their own housing and can easily be removed from the vehicle. As a result, the navigation devices can be used flexibly in different vehicles. In addition, the devices can be produced inexpensively.

A disadvantage of the known mobile navigation devices is that they essentially no data exchange with the vehicle control enable. Therefore, in particular sensor data from sensors installed in the vehicle, for example speed and / or acceleration sensors, can not be transmitted to the mobile navigation device. If, nevertheless, a corresponding data exchange between the mobile navigation device and the data bus of the vehicle is desired, the navigation device must be wired to a corresponding interface of the data bus. This wiring is extremely complicated and complicated. In addition, due to the large number of different vehicle types, a large number of errors can occur during the wiring of the navigation device, so that the corresponding assembly is only possible by trained specialist personnel.

Based on this prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to enable a comprehensive data exchange between the mobile navigation device and the data bus of the vehicle in a simple manner.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the dependent claims.

The basic idea of the invention is that both the mobile navigation device and the vehicle bus are equipped with a wireless data interface. Via the wireless data interface, process data of the vehicle, which are to be referred to below generally as vehicle data, can be transmitted to the mobile navigation device and received there. This vehicle data can then be processed in the navigation device and further processed, in particular in order to control the routing process. At the same time, it is provided according to the method according to the invention that process data of the navigation device, which are to be referred to below as navigation device data in the opposite direction, are transmitted to the data bus of the vehicle via the wireless data interface. The navigation device data are thus available in the vehicle control for further processing and further processing, and can be used in particular for controlling control processes in the vehicle.

The bidirectional data exchange according to the invention between the mobile navigation device on the one hand and the data bus of the vehicle on the other hand can be carried out at the request of the user. However, this is cumbersome in most cases and reduces user comfort. It is therefore particularly advantageous if the navigation device data and vehicle data are automatically exchanged between the navigation device and the vehicle bus. In other words, this means that no user intervention is required for carrying out the data exchange, but the corresponding instances in the vehicle bus or in the navigation device automatically transmit the necessary data.

For maximum comfort and maximum performance, the navigation device should be integrated into the vehicle's data bus via the wireless data interfaces. In other words, according to this embodiment, the navigation apparatus represents only one among many instances connected via the data bus of the vehicle and exchanging data with each other. When using the vehicle, the vehicle controller would then check each time after the system start whether a navigation device is present on the wireless data interface. After detecting a navigation device at the corresponding data interface, the navigation device would be controlled as one of many instances of the vehicle control via the vehicle bus or data from the navigation device to the vehicle control.

In order to be able to easily integrate the navigation device into the data bus of the vehicle, a common data transmission protocol, in particular a standard data transmission protocol, should be used for wireless data transmission between the navigation device and the vehicle. In this way, corresponding data adjustments can be made. conditions and data configurations are avoided by the user. If, for example, both the navigation device and the data bus use a data interface in accordance with the Bluetooth data transmission standard, the navigation device can be integrated into the data exchange with the data bus of the vehicle in a very simple manner.

Which type of navigation device data is transmitted from the navigation device to the vehicle is basically arbitrary. According to a variant of the method, control commands for controlling processing processes in the vehicle are transmitted. Thus, ultimately all function modules of the vehicle can in principle be controlled or controlled by the navigation device. An example would be the control of lighting equipment.

If, for example, the navigation device determines that the current position of the vehicle lies in a tunnel by evaluating the position signals, a control command for switching on the vehicle lighting can be transmitted to the data bus of the vehicle in order to effect a corresponding activation of the vehicle headlights.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also conceivable that certain navigation data of the navigation device, in particular data for describing a maneuvering instruction, are transmitted to the data bus of the vehicle. This navigation data can then be displayed on a display device of the vehicle, for example on an already present in the vehicle display. In this way, functional modules of the vehicle, which are present in the vehicle anyway, can be shared by the navigation device, in order to increase the comfort of use without incurring additional costs.

It is also conceivable, in particular, for the output of maneuvering instructions of the navigation device to transmit a control command to the radio device in the vehicle for lowering the volume. This will prevent the radio from drowning out the maneuvering instructions of the navigation device. Even the excessive spending of the maneuvering instructions is avoided. Known mobile navigation devices are usually equipped with a high-quality display device, for example a touch screen. According to a preferred variant of the method, this display device of the navigation device can also be used to use functional components of the vehicle. For this purpose, a corresponding user interface for controlling the functional components of the vehicle, for example for controlling the heating system, the ventilation system and / or the air conditioning system, can be displayed on the display device. The user commands are then entered by the user on the display device of the navigation device and transmitted from the navigation device to the data bus of the vehicle. Subsequently, the user commands can then be executed in the functional component of the vehicle. Without additional costs, user comfort can thus be increased considerably, especially in lower-priced vehicle models, since the display device of the navigation device is used to control functional components of the vehicle.

According to the invention, data is not only transmitted from the navigation device to the vehicle bus, but the data transmission is bidirectional in the opposite direction. This is used according to a further variant of the method to transmit data to at least one pressure sensor, with which the air pressure in the tires of a vehicle is monitored, to the navigation device. This measured value is then compared with a value stored in the navigation device for the description of the tire size and corrected for deviations, the tire size. If, for example, the tire speed is available at the same time, the vehicle speed can be determined extremely accurately from the tire speed and the exact tire dimensions. This provides a very precise additional position signal for position determination. Another basic idea is to use the display device of the navigation device for displaying vehicle data. For this purpose, the corresponding vehicle data is transmitted from the vehicle bus to the navigation device and displayed on its display device. As a result, in turn, the display device of the navigation device, for example, the touch screen, can be used without additional costs to display the driver additional data in detail.

This display option by using the display device of the navigation device is particularly advantageous for displaying vehicle error messages. Instead of triggering a warning lamp in the dashboard of the vehicle, as it has been customary for displaying vehicle error messages, the vehicle error message can be transmitted in detail to the navigation device and displayed there in a suitable manner.

In addition, since the display device of the navigation device has a very large display area, vehicle error messages may be accompanied by associated behavioral notices. That is, the corresponding behavioral statements are displayed on the display together with the vehicle error message. If, for example, the oil pressure in the engine drops, the corresponding error message can be displayed on the display device of the navigation device and the driver can at the same time be advised to immediately switch off the engine of the vehicle. The same applies, for example, if the cooling water exceeds a certain maximum temperature. It is thus possible to avoid reading the corresponding operating instructions in the printed operating instructions of the vehicle.

Since known mobile navigation devices have no data exchange with the data bus of the vehicle, the operating state of the navigation device can not be controlled depending on the operating state of the vehicle. This means that the driver after turning off the Vehicle must also turn off the navigation device or switch to a stand-by mode. If this does not happen, then the battery of the navigation device and / or the battery of the vehicle can be emptied in an undesired manner. The inventive wireless data exchange between navigation device and vehicle data bus, it is possible to transmit corresponding vehicle data describing the operating condition of the vehicle to the navigation device and automatically turn off the navigation device depending on these data or automatically switch to a stand-by mode , If, for example, a signal is transmitted in the data bus that the ignition key has been removed, it can be concluded that the vehicle is switched off and thus the navigation device no longer needs to be used.

The shutdown of the navigation device or switching to stand-by mode should preferably be delayed in order to exclude an over-fast shutdown or switching of the navigation device.

As far as the navigation device is equipped with a radio transmitter for wireless remote data transmission, the inventive method can be further expanded. Namely, vehicle data can then be transmitted, after being received at the navigation device, from the radio transmitting device of the navigation device to a receiving server and further processed there.

If, for example, a safety device of the vehicle, in particular an airbag, is triggered, an emergency call routine in the navigation device can be started after receipt of the corresponding signal from the vehicle bus and automatically an emergency call signal can be transmitted to an emergency call receiver server.

Alternatively or in addition thereto, it is also conceivable that after receiving a vehicle error message from the vehicle bus in the navigation device, an error routine is started and automatically an error signal from the Radio transmitter to a service receiving server, which is installed for example in an authorized workshop is transmitted.

This extension of the method according to the invention can be realized in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner if the radio transmitting device is a mobile radio part integrated into the navigation device. Since navigation devices are increasingly equipped with a mobile radio part, and increasingly mobile devices with a navigation software to the navigation device, this functionality can then be realized without significant additional costs.

The inventive method allows the access of the navigation device to all data that is transmitted via the data bus of the vehicle. In particular, all sensor data which is exchanged via the vehicle bus can be evaluated and further processed in the navigation device. This is of particular interest with regard to the core task of the navigation device, namely the determination of the current position. If the signal quality of the position signals of the GPS satellites received by the navigation device falls below a certain quality level, for example because the vehicle is in an underpass or insufficient satellite reception is possible due to low street canals, the signal evaluation of vehicle-mounted position-determining sensors, for example speed sensors, can automatically be carried out. Gyrosensoren or acceleration sensors, to be switched. For determining the position, these position determination sensors of the vehicle are then evaluated.

In order to use uniform mobile navigation devices in a variety of vehicles for sensor evaluation, it is particularly advantageous if the number of sensors whose vehicle data can be processed and evaluated in the navigation device is automatically configured. The configuration of the system for using the sensor data the vehicle bus can then be done without configuration by the user.

As far as a radio device with wireless data interface, such as a Bluetooth data interface, is present in the vehicle, this can be readily used for data transmission to the navigation device.

Various aspects of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be exemplified below.

It shows:

Fig. 1 shows the structural structure of the functional modules of a vehicle and a mobile navigation device for performing the method according to the invention.

1 shows a mobile navigation device 1 and a vehicle 2 with functional modules shown by way of example. In addition, in Fig. 1, a receiving server 3 is still shown as a block diagram, which can exchange data with the mobile navigation device 1. Data can be exchanged in the vehicle via a data bus 4 of the vehicle 2. On the data bus 4, a wireless data interface 5 is provided, which can wirelessly exchange data with a wireless data interface 7 in the mobile navigation device 1. In this way, the mobile navigation device 1 is integrated into the data architecture of the vehicle data bus 4. In the mobile navigation device 1 is also a GPS receiver unit 6 and a central processing unit 8 is available, which together with a navigation unit 1 1 can determine the current position. In a database 10 Wegnetzdaten are stored to describe a geographical area, such as the road network in Germany.

In the vehicle 2, two groups of function modules are to be distinguished. The group of vehicle sensors 12 includes, for example Temperature sensor 14, a rain sensor 15, a GPS satellite sensor 16, a gyro sensor 17, a speed sensor 18 and a crash sensor 19, which is installed, for example, in an airbag. The group of functional modules 13 comprises an air-conditioning module 20 for controlling the heating, ventilation and the air conditioning, a radio device 21, a brake unit 22, an accelerator 23 and a lighting device 24 or a turn signal 25. All data of the different sensors 14- 19 and The various function modules 20-25 can be controlled or read out via the vehicle bus. The corresponding data can be transmitted to the navigation device 1 via the wireless data interfaces 5 and 7. Also in the opposite direction data from the navigation device 1 can be transmitted via the data interfaces 5 and 7 in the vehicle bus and forwarded to the sensors or function modules.

In addition, a radio transmitter 9 is provided in the navigation device 1, with a wireless data exchange with the offboard server, which serves as an emergency call receiving server or service receiving server, for example. Data from the sensors 14- 19 or the function modules 20-25 from the vehicle 2 can in this way first be transmitted to the navigation device 1 and from there via the radio transmitter 9 to the reception server 3. The corresponding signals can be evaluated in the receiving server 3 and also suitable control commands can be transmitted back to the radio transmitter 9 of the navigation device 1 in order to trigger suitable measures in the vehicle. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

mobile navigation device

vehicle

Ground-protected reception server

bus

Wireless data interface

GPS receiver unit

Wireless data interface

Central control unit

Radio transmitting device

road network database

navigation unit

Group of vehicle sensors

Group of

Vehicle function modules

temperature sensor

rain sensor

GPS satellite sensor

gyro sensor

speed sensor

crash sensor

Conditioning function module

radio

brakes

accelerator

lighting device

flasher

Off-board server

communication protocol

Off-board control unit

Database

Claims

claims

Method for operating a mobile navigation device (1) in a vehicle (2), wherein the vehicle (2) is equipped with a data bus (4) on which data (vehicle data) can be transmitted, and wherein the data bus (4) has a data interface (5) for wireless transmission and reception of data, and wherein the mobile navigation device (1) an input device, at the operator commands and / or location information, in particular starting points and / or destination points, can be entered, a Wegnetzdatenbank (10), a route calculation unit (1 1) for calculating a planned route taking into account the location information and the Wegnetzda- tenbank (10), wherein the route from the starting point leads to the destination, a signal receiving unit (6) for receiving position signals, in particular GPS signals, a position detection unit determining the current position from the position signals, at least one optical display device, a data interface (7) for wireless sending and receiving of data and a housing in which the

Components of the navigation device are incorporated, comprising the following method steps: a) transmission of process data of the vehicle (2) (vehicle data) via the data bus (4) and the wireless data interface (5) of the vehicle (2) to the navigation device (1), b Reception of the vehicle data at the wireless data interface of the navigation device, c) preparation and further processing of the vehicle data in the navigation device, in particular for controlling the routing process, and d) transmission of process data of the navigation device (1) (navigation device data) via the wireless data interface (7) of the navigation device (1) to the vehicle (2), e) receiving the navigation device data at the wireless data interface (5) of the vehicle (2), f) processing and further processing of the navigation device data in the vehicle (2), in particular for controlling a control process.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the navigation device data and vehicle data are automatically exchanged between navigation device (1) and vehicle bus (4).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the navigation device (1) via the wireless data interfaces (5, 7) in the data bus (4) of the vehicle (2) is integrated.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the data for wireless data transmission between navigation device (1) and vehicle (2) according to a common data transmission protocol, in particular a standard transmission protocol, are processed.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that control commands for controlling a processing process as navigation device data from the navigation device (1) to the vehicle (2) are transmitted.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the navigation device (1) when determining the current position in a tunnel, a control command for switching on the vehicle lighting on the data bus (4) of the vehicle (2) is transmitted.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the navigation device (1) navigation data, in particular for the description of a maneuvering instruction, transmitted to the data bus (4) of the vehicle (2) and the navigation data to a display device of the vehicle (2) are displayed.

8. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that when issuing a maneuvering instruction of the navigation device (1) a control command to the radio device (21) in the vehicle (2) is transmitted to lower the volume.

9. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that on the display device of the navigation device (1) a user surface for controlling functional components of the vehicle (2), in particular for controlling the heating system, the ventilation system and / or the air conditioning system (20), is displayed, after entering user commands for controlling functional components of the vehicle (2) on the input device of the navigation device (1) these user commands to the data bus (4) of

Vehicle (2) transmitted and executed in the functional components of the vehicle (2).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the data of at least one pressure sensor with which the air pressure in a tire of the vehicle (2) is monitored, to the navigation device (1) are transmitted, wherein the in Navigation device (1) stored value to describe the tire dimensions in response to the reading of the pressure sensor is corrected.

1 1. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that vehicle data after receipt at the navigation device (1) at the

Display device of the navigation device are displayed.

12. The method of claim 1 1, characterized in that a vehicle error message transmitted to the navigation device (1) and displayed on the display device of the navigation device (1).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the vehicle error message, a vehicle error message associated behavior indicator is displayed on the display device of the navigation device (1).

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that depending on the transmitted to the navigation device (1) vehicle data, the navigation device (1) is automatically switched off or switched to a stand-by mode.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the shutdown or switching to stand-by mode is delayed.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the navigation device (1) has a radio transmitter (9) for wireless remote data transmission, wherein vehicle data after reception at the navigation device (1) from the radio transmitter (9) to a receiving server (3 ) be transmitted.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that after triggering a safety device of the vehicle (2), in particular an airbag, an emergency call routine in the navigation device (1) started and automatically an emergency call signal from the radio transmitter (9) of the navigation device (1) to a Emergency call server (3) is transmitted.

1 8. The method of claim 16 or 17, characterized in that after receiving a vehicle error message of the vehicle (2) an error routine in the navigation device (1) started and automatically an error signal from the radio transmitter (9) of the navigation device (2) to a service Receiving server (3) is transmitted.

19. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 1 8, characterized in that as a radio transmitting device (9) in the navigation device (1) integrated mobile part is used.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that when determining the current position and insufficient signal quality of the position signals from GPS satellites is automatically switched to signals from the vehicle (2) built-in position determination sensors (16, 17, 18).

21. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the number of sensors (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19), whose vehicle data in the navigation device (1) can be processed and evaluated automatically configured becomes.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that for data transmission, a wireless data interface of the Ra- diogeräts (21) is used in the vehicle.