EP3534348A1 - Method and system for transferring road sign information via a cellular mobile radio network - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one road user (11) currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to at least one vehicle, via a cellular mobile network (100), in which the traffic sign information from at least one traffic sign system (10) to a central Server (110) are transmitted, the transmitted traffic sign information is linked to a location of the at least one traffic sign system (10) and together with location information of the at least one traffic sign system (10) from the central server (110) within at least one cell (A, B) of the cellular network (100) are broadcast by means of at least one broadcast / multicast message, within which at least one cell (A, B) the at least one road user (11) is at the time of broadcast. The present invention also relates to a corresponding system and a mobile radio terminal suitable for carrying out the method.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a system for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one road user currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to at least one vehicle, via a cellular mobile radio network.

Currently, a status of permanent traffic signs such. As speed limits, stored in maps for navigation systems for vehicles. However, today there is no efficient way to provide dynamic changes of traffic sign systems, such as changing speed limits, changing overtaking bans, traffic lights, etc. to a road user, in particular a driver of a vehicle.

Modern vehicles today are often equipped with cameras to detect traffic signs and dynamically fade into an in-vehicle navigation system or a dashboard of the vehicle. However, such optical systems have the distinct disadvantage that a state of dynamic, i. H. of a time-varying traffic sign must first be recorded. On the one hand, optical systems are subject to limitations in a range which can be detected by the systems, on the other hand environmental conditions such as, for example, rain, fog or smoke etc. influence the quality of the images of the optical systems.

Currently, so-called Vehicle-2-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-2-Infrastructure (V2I) systems are under development. Such systems are almost ready for series production. In particular, the Vehicle 2 Infrastructure systems have been developed Thus, traffic signs, ie "infrastructure" a current status via a radio protocol other road users, especially vehicles, ie "vehicle" can provide. However, a radio range is limited to 500 to 1000 m. In addition to such a direct dissemination of status information of traffic signs or traffic sign systems systems are currently under development, which transmit a status of the respective traffic signs permanently or regularly to a so-called backend server. This back-end server, which is typically operated by a respective automaker, makes this data transmitted to it on status information of traffic signs then available to the back-end server car fleet via a normal mobile radio connection.

From the WO 2017/026992 A1 For example, a method is known according to which a first carrier for a user device for transmitting an uplink communication to an application server is provided by a network node. The user device is configured for vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. The method described may also include setting up a second carrier for the application server to send downlink communications to the user device. Further, the method may also include transmitting uplink and downlink communications between the user device and the application server.

By respective transmission of respective status information of traffic signs to each individual vehicle, the status information of the respective traffic signs is limited to only a specific part of vehicles, which in turn means that utilization of the valuable radio resources used in this case is not particularly high or efficient.

Accordingly, it was an object of the present invention to provide a possibility, in particular dynamic changes of traffic signs or of traffic sign systems to provide road users in the most efficient manner possible.

To achieve this object, a method, a system and a mobile station with the features of the independent claims are presented. Embodiments of the method, the system and the mobile radio terminal are apparent from the dependent claims and the description.

According to the invention, a method for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one road user currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to a vehicle, via a cellular mobile radio network is presented. In the method according to the invention, the traffic sign information is transmitted from at least one traffic sign system to a central server, the transmitted traffic sign information associated with a location of the at least one traffic sign system and together with location information of at least one traffic sign system from the central server within at least one cell of the mobile network by means of at least one broadcast or multicast message, wherein the at least one cell within which the broadcast or multicast message is broadcast is that cell in which the at least one road user is located at the time of broadcast.

According to the invention, it is therefore proposed to transmit or broadcast traffic sign information within a restricted geographical area.

In one possible refinement, the traffic sign information is calculated prior to broadcasting, in which at least one cell the at least one traffic participant currently affected by the traffic sign information will be located at the time the at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast. Furthermore, this is at least one cell as defining the at least one cell within which the at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast. As a rule, the at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast at least in the cell in which the at least one traffic sign system is located.

In general, the traffic sign information is transmitted from several or a plurality of traffic sign systems to the central server. This means that, as a rule, respective traffic sign systems transmit respective traffic sign information relating to them or from them to the central server. The respective traffic sign information of a respective traffic sign system are linked to a respective location of a respective traffic sign system of the plurality of traffic sign systems and emitted together with respective location information of the respective traffic sign system from the central server within at least one cell of the mobile network by means of the at least one broadcast / multicast message. It is conceivable that for each traffic sign system whose traffic sign information is to be broadcast, in each case a broadcast / multicast message is generated and broadcast in at least one cell, in particular at least in the cell of the mobile radio network in which the respective traffic sign system is located. In order to increase the efficiency of the system, it is proposed according to the invention that the traffic sign information from several traffic sign systems be combined in a single broadcast / multicast message and collectively as a broadcast / multicast message in the at least one cell of the mobile radio network, in particular in the cell in which the several traffic sign systems are in common, are broadcast. Accordingly, prior to generation of the broadcast / multicast message, the location information of the plurality of traffic sign systems providing the traffic sign information is evaluated as to which traffic sign systems are located together in a cell so that their respective traffic signal information to be broadcasted is summarized can be broadcast in a common broadcast / multicast message.

It should be noted that on the part of the central server in the run-up to the broadcast those cells of the mobile network are evaluated, in which the broadcast / multicast message and thus the traffic sign information of a particular traffic sign system or from the several traffic sign systems to come to broadcast. Mainly those road users are to be addressed by means of the broadcast / multicast message, which are currently affected by the respective traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign installations or at least part of the traffic sign information of the traffic sign systems in broadcasting the broadcast / multicast message, d. H. which are in the vicinity of the respective location of the respective traffic sign installations and are also aligned relative to at least one of the traffic sign installations, and / or move relative to at least one of the traffic sign installations, that they are directly affected by the traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign system, d. H. must take this traffic sign information into consideration when driving on.

In general, a broadcast message reaches all road users who are at the time of broadcasting the broadcast message within the cell within which the broadcast message is sent locally. In the nature of the broadcast message, it is obvious that none of the receivers or road users or a mobile terminal included by the receiver or road user is explicitly indicated, but in principle broadcast by all road users or by mobile communications terminals that are configured for this purpose Receive messages, and which are located at the time within the broadcast message broadcasting cell. Alternatively, the traffic sign information may also be broadcast in the form of a multicast message, with the road users or the ones from. To receive the multicast message These covered mobile devices must have previously register with the central server. It is conceivable that the road users or the mobile stations covered by these generally register for receiving such multicast messages in order to use this service.

Due to specific information within the broadcast / multicast message with respect to an orientation of the traffic sign system relative to the lane course and / or an indication of vehicles or vehicle types that are affected by the traffic sign information, it is conceivable thereby a kind of preselection of the Traffic sign information to make currently affected road users, with filtering on the basis of this information ultimately usually takes place at the respective road user or covered by the respective road user mobile terminal itself. It is conceivable that a respective road user has implemented in a configured for receiving broadcast / multicast messages mobile terminal or receiving module, a filter unit based on the aforementioned information within a respective broadcast / multicast message preselection with respect to the specific Traffic participant can make and therefore only those broadcast / multicast messages are processed and possibly come within the vehicle for display, which are actually relevant for the respective vehicle of the respective road user. It is also conceivable that only the traffic sign information of the broadcast / multicast message are displayed by filtering that affect the respective road user. In addition, there is generally the possibility that a road user can activate and also deactivate a receiving module or mobile radio terminal comprising it for receiving broadcast / multicast messages, wherein upon deactivation of the receiving module or the mobile radio terminal for receiving broadcast / multicast messages. Multicast messages do not receive any broadcast / multicast messages that are broadcast within the cell in which the road user is currently located.

It is conceivable that the respective broadcast / multicast message is broadcast only within that cell of the mobile network in which the traffic sign system or the traffic sign systems themselves is or are located, which are relatively easily evaluated depending on the determined respective location of the traffic sign systems can. Furthermore, however, it is also conceivable that the traffic sign information of a respective traffic sign system or of several traffic sign systems is also broadcast in one or more cells adjacent to the cell in which the respective traffic sign system or the plurality of traffic sign systems is located, as a result the driven speeds of the respective road users are not all road users who are affected by the traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign systems or are concerned, when broadcasting the broadcast / multicast message already in the immediate vicinity of the respective traffic sign systems, but approaching this so, that knowledge of the traffic sign information at the time of broadcasting the broadcast / multicast message is also of high relevance to these road users, so that they are not informed too late.

With the aid of the at least one broadcast / multicast message relating to respective traffic sign information of a respective traffic sign system, the respective traffic sign information can be transmitted simultaneously to a plurality of road users currently affected by the traffic sign information. This means that no separate transmission from the central server to a single vehicle or road user takes place here, but rather a transmission of a message in the form of the broadcast / multicast message takes place within a respective cell of the cellular mobile radio network and thereby all of them Cell located road users who are configured to receive messages over the cellular mobile network, this broadcast / multicast message can receive and therefore can view the respective traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign system. This can be resources saved and traffic sign information is transmitted efficiently. For this purpose, however, the road users must have mobile terminals or terminals that are designed to be able to receive broadcast / multicast messages from the central server or to activate such a service or service for receiving broadcast / multicast messages. Furthermore, the road users must be in the cell in which the broadcast / multicast message is sent out. It is conceivable that a respective road user, in particular a vehicle, sees such broadcasted broadcast / multicast messages either on-call, ie only has to become active in order to view incoming messages, or as so-called automatic displays, for example in the form of a Ticker in a standby display of the vehicle recognizes.

The cellular mobile network may be a 2G (second generation) public mobile network, such as a GSM network with GERAN (GSM EDGE Access Network) network, having a 3G (third generation) public mobile network, such as a UMTS network UTRAN (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Net-work) network, a 4G (fourth generation) public mobile network, such as an LTE network or a 5G (fifth generation) public mobile network, such as an NR network.

In a possible embodiment, a network based on the LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard or the NR (3GPP New Radio) standard is selected as the cellular mobile radio network. In the context of the present disclosure, a network constructed and operating in accordance with the LTE standard is referred to as an LTE network and an NR network is constructed and operated as an NR network.

In a further embodiment, it is conceivable that the traffic sign information is transmitted by means of eMBMS or SC-PTM using an eMBMS protocol.

eMBMS (evolved Multimedia Brodcast Multicast Service) is a mobile extension, i. H. Broadcasting via LTE to distribute content to many users simultaneously. Part of eMBMS is a signaling channel within a cell of the cellular mobile network, via which a mobile device located in the present case at a road user can tell the cellular mobile radio network which content or channels it wants to receive. It is ultimately adjustable whether the respective road user wants to receive a broadcast / multicast message or not, d. H. whether this service is activated with him or not.

It is conceivable that, on the one hand, the message is broadcast as a broadcast message and is accordingly received by all road users within the respective cell whose message receivers or UMTS receivers support eMBMS as a component of the mobile terminals covered by the road users. It is also conceivable that the message is broadcast as a multicast message and therefore can only be received by those road users within a respective cell, the or their respective mobile devices previously logged by means of an authentication procedure at the central server or coupled to this transmission unit to have. In general, the use of the eMBMS results in savings both in the radio network and in the transport network.

Preferably, the respective traffic sign information is broadcast by SC-PTM.

Single-cell point-to-multipoint (SC-PTM) is a special form of eMBMS-based data transmission in which the information is only transmitted in a single cell to a large number of users by means of eMBMS protocols. SC-PTM uses the eMBMS system architecture, with SC-PTM supporting the broadcast / multicast services / services across individual cells, whereby the broadcast / multicast area can be dynamically adjusted, taking into account the distribution of road users from cell to cell. The cells affected by the broadcast of the broadcast / multicast can change dynamically. For this purpose, SC-PTM transmits the broadcast / multicast services using the LTE PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel). As a result, a tremendous increase in efficiency can take place since multiple sending of messages to individual road users is unnecessary if all traffic participants affected by the traffic sign information are located in one or a limited number of mobile radio cells or radio cells.

Alternatively, the traffic sign information is transmitted via a Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) of the LTE and / or NR network. This is a downlink channel in the GSM, the one terminal, d. H. a road user, information, here traffic sign information, from a transmitting cell of the LTE and / or NR network supplies. It is conceivable that the respective road users or the mobile terminals included therein or integrated therein the transmission control channel, i. H. Listen regularly to BCCH or be reached regularly by the transmission control channel or can be reached.

In a further refinement, the traffic sign information is differentiated, evaluated, and ranked relative to each other with respect to a respective change frequency with which the traffic sign information changes over time, and respectively transmitted according to this ranking with a transmission frequency assigned to a respective ranking site. As a result, the traffic sign information can be subdivided into, for example, highly dynamic, ie very rapidly changing traffic sign information, dynamic, ie changing, but not too rapidly changing traffic sign information and static traffic sign information. Highly dynamic traffic sign information is generated, for example, by a traffic light as a traffic sign system. Dynamic traffic sign information is realized, for example, by a barrier as a traffic sign system or by, for example, a digital speedometer as a traffic sign system. Be static traffic sign information For example, from a fixed sign as a traffic sign system, such as, realized a speedometer on highways, on construction sites or, for example, a display of game changes.

It is conceivable that by means of the method according to the invention, only dynamic or highly dynamic traffic sign information from respective traffic sign systems are broadcast by broadcast / multicast message, while static traffic sign information is displayed only by the fixed traffic sign systems and / or via accessible for a respective navigation device of a road user map material be displayed.

For this purpose, it is necessary that the static traffic sign information from respective traffic sign systems are recorded once and / or at larger time intervals and stored in accessible for individual road users map material, so that when retrieving the map material by a particular road user this traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign systems issued and accordingly be displayed to the road user. Since this is static information, updated and higher frequency transmitted broadcast / multicast messages are not necessary, since their information content would not change with respect to the static traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign systems and therefore unnecessary radio resources would be used. That is, preferably high dynamic and dynamic traffic sign information is broadcast from respective respective traffic sign systems using at least one broadcast / multicast message. In addition to the respective change frequency of the respective traffic sign information, it is conceivable to classify the traffic sign information also in terms of a respective importance in the above-mentioned ranking. This means that the individual traffic sign systems must be classified according to their importance, in particular with regard to their importance for safety the traffic or the respective road user. In this case, for example, the traffic sign information, ie the status, of a respective traffic light or traffic light system for a faster changing and on the other possibly higher in importance than a speed limit of a digital speedometer or overtaking a digital traffic sign system. While the status of a traffic light is constantly changing and, accordingly, the status of the traffic light should be transmitted at a relatively high frequency, for example once per second, transmission of a respective status of speed restriction or overtaking prohibition is less critical, such as a time delay of 10 s usually should not be a problem.

For the broadcast / multicast message to be transmitted, a message format is selected having a data amount in the range of 30 bits to 40 bits, in particular in the range of 35 bits for each traffic sign system whose traffic signal information is to be broadcast in the broadcast / multicast message , A respective broadcasting / multicast message to be broadcasted comprises for each traffic sign system whose traffic sign information is to be broadcast in the broadcast / multicast message, in particular information from the following group of information: location information of the respective traffic sign system with a data volume in the range of 24 bits , Status information of the respective traffic sign system in the range of 3 to 6 bits, identity information of the respective traffic sign system in the range of up to 10 bits, information depending on a direction of at least one road user relative to the respective traffic sign system, information in dependence on a speed of the at least one road user.

In summary, a broadcast / multicast message comprises approximately a data amount of 35 bits per traffic sign system. It is conceivable, for each traffic sign system, for the traffic sign information to be broadcast by multicast and / or broadcast, depending on a broadcast / multicast message provided, ie, to assign the respective traffic sign system, but in order to increase the efficiency of the system, the invention proposes that the traffic sign information from several traffic sign systems are combined in a common single broadcast / multicast message and collectively as a message in the at least one cell the mobile network are broadcast. This at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast in at least one cell of the mobile radio network, in particular at least in the cell of the mobile radio network in which the traffic sign systems associated with the broadcast / multicast message are located.

It can be assumed that a density of traffic sign systems is proportional to the population density, which is why a use of a cell structure of a mobile network proves to be extremely useful, since typically smaller cities are used in cities because of a higher capacity needs than on land. While typical urban mobile radio cells have a radius <500 m, rural mobile radio cells usually have a radius in the range of 10 to 20 km. Based on typical scenarios, it can also be assumed that 100 to 250 traffic sign systems can be found per mobile radio cell, of which 50% of the traffic signal systems are traffic sign systems with dynamic or highly dynamic traffic signal information. Accordingly, the amount of data to be transmitted per broadcast / multicast message is calculated taking into account the above-mentioned amount of data for each traffic sign system (35 bits x 250 traffic sign systems): 2 = 4,365 bits. This is a comparatively small amount of data. If the broadcast / multicast messages are to be transmitted once per second on account of the dynamics of the traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign systems which they comprise, a data rate of altogether 4,375 bits / s results for transmission over the mobile radio network.

A further division of the traffic sign systems according to dynamics and importance and the associated transmission frequency of the respective traffic sign systems associated broadcast / multicast message reduces the necessary data rate accordingly. This means that the transmission frequency of a broadcast / multicast message from traffic sign systems, i. H. a so-called update rate, to couple to a need for timeliness of an indication of a status or traffic sign information of the broadcast / multicast message traffic sign systems and thus depending on the importance of the respective traffic sign systems, the status or the traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign systems is or will be transmitted more often or less often.

The location information from a traffic sign system encompassed by the broadcast / multicast message is generally recorded by means of GPS and usually comprises a longitude and a latitude of the respective traffic sign system. This location information can be stored as a bit code, for which the message reserves a data volume of about 24 bits per traffic sign system. For a status of a respective traffic sign system, a data amount in the range of 6 bits per traffic sign system is reserved in a respective broadcast / multicast message, wherein, for example in the case of a traffic light as traffic sign system one to two bits for coding the color, ie green, yellow or red, and the further bits, for example, for a period of time, as long as the respective color still stops, can be reserved. By means of a respective bit sequence or a respective bit code, the information encompassed in each case by the broadcast / multicast message can be coded and unambiguously recorded and transmitted. It is conceivable that such bit sequences or bit codes are stored in respective tables centrally and for the respective road users or for the respective mobile devices covered by the respective road users retrievable or decentralized at the respective road users, so that each one to be transmitted information one-to-one Bit string can be assigned to the stored tables and therefore includes a one-to-one information content.

In a further possible embodiment, it is conceivable that the central server is located in a cloud.

The present invention further relates to a system for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one road user currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to at least one vehicle, via a cellular mobile radio network. The system according to the invention comprises at least one traffic sign system designed to provide the traffic sign information to a central server and at least one central server adapted to receive the traffic sign information provided by the at least one traffic sign system with a location of the at least one traffic sign system connect and output the traffic sign information of the at least one traffic sign system together with location information of the at least one traffic sign system within at least one cell of the mobile network by means of at least one broadcast / multicast message, whereby the at least one currently affected road user comprising a mobile radio terminal, which is designed to receive the at least one broadcast / multicast message that receives at least one broadcast / multicast message when the at least one current b the traffic participant in the cell is within which the at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast.

In an embodiment, the cellular mobile radio network is an LTE network or an NR network.

In a further embodiment, the central server is located in a cloud.

The present invention further relates to a mobile radio terminal which is adapted to be used for carrying out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The mobile radio terminal according to the invention is configured as part of a road user currently affected by the traffic sign information to receive the at least one broadcast / multicast message broadcast by the central server within at least one cell of the mobile network if the at least one road user is within the broadcasting time the at least one cell is located.

Further, the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium having program code means configured to execute the method of the invention upon execution of the computer program on a computing unit. Furthermore, a computer program is claimed with program code means which is configured to execute the method according to the invention when an arithmetic unit expires.

Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The invention is illustrated schematically with reference to an embodiment in the drawing and will be described in detail below with reference to the drawing.

Short description of the drawing

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a system according to the invention for carrying out an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system 1 according to the invention for carrying out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The system according to the invention for transmitting traffic sign information via a cellular mobile radio network 100 here comprises a traffic sign system 10, a central server 110 and a plurality of road users 11, each comprising a mobile radio terminal 12 and all in a respective cell A, B, C or D of cellular mobile network 100. In this case, two of the road users 11 are located in the cell A, in which the traffic sign system 10 is located, another road user 11 is currently still in the adjacent cell B, but approaches cell A. The mobile network 100 has a built up by the cells Access network 101 and a core network 102 on. The core network 102 is shown only schematically by means of a cloud representation. The cellular mobile radio network 100, in particular the core network 102, usually has various network elements not shown here, such as an MSC (Mobile Switching Center) as a component of the switching subsystem (SSS), an SGSN (Serving GPRS Support Node), an MME (Mobility Management Entity ), etc. on. These network elements are hierarchical higher network elements than the base stations (Base Transceiver Station (BTS)) 13. The traffic sign system 10 shown here is adapted to transmit traffic sign information, in particular status information of their current operating state as well as identity information about their identity to the central server 110 or the central server 110. The central server 110 is configured to receive the traffic sign information provided by the traffic sign system 10. It is conceivable that the central server 110 retrieves the traffic sign information from the traffic sign system 10, in particular at regular intervals, or alternatively, the traffic sign system 10 itself actively the traffic sign information, in particular at regular time intervals, to the central server 110th sends. The traffic sign system 10 and the central server 110 communicate via a located in the cell A of the traffic sign system 10 base station 13, which in turn is coupled via a base station controller (BSC), not shown here to a likewise not shown here switching system (SSS) and ultimately with the For example, in a cloud localized central server 110 can exchange data. The data exchange between traffic sign system 10 and base station 13 via radio. The broadcast message to be broadcast is broadcast by the central server 110 and SSS, BSC and respective base stations 13 in cells A, B, C and / or D pre-selected by the central server 110. In general, the broadcast message is broadcast at least in the cell in which the respective traffic sign system is located, ie here in cell A. It is conceivable to broadcast the broadcast message in cells A and B adjacent to cell A as well. Typically, in the cellular mobile radio network 100 are a plurality of traffic sign systems which respectively provide the traffic sign information concerning them, such as status information, identity information, etc. to the central server 110. On average, there are about 100 to 250 traffic sign systems per cell of the mobile network, with about half of them providing changing traffic sign information, which is why these traffic sign systems are also referred to as dynamic traffic sign systems. In order to provide the traffic sign information, each of the traffic sign systems 10 includes an operation module that logs a respective status of operation of the traffic sign system, an identity module that includes the identity of the respective traffic sign system, and a communication module that is configured with the status information and the identity information the traffic sign system 10 to provide the central server 110, wherein a transmission of the traffic sign information is realized by radio technology over the mobile network.

The central server 110, which is located, for example, in a cloud, is designed to receive and process the traffic sign information. there a location of the at least one traffic sign system 10 is linked to the identity information of the traffic sign system 10 and the status information of the traffic sign system 10. This means that, for example, in the central server 110 it can be stored in a tabular form which traffic sign system 10 is located at which location, wherein the location of a traffic sign system can generally be determined, for example, via GPS.

Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the traffic sign system 10 itself transmits location information together with the identity information, so that the central server 110 immediately already receives the location together with the traffic sign information. Furthermore, the central server 110 is adapted to bring the traffic sign information of the at least one traffic sign system 10 together with the location information of the traffic sign system 10 in a message format to broadcast this generated message as a broadcast message at least within the cell A of the mobile network, in which the Road users affected by the traffic sign information 11 are currently located. The road users 11 affected by the traffic sign information are, as a rule, those road users who are located in the vicinity of the respective traffic sign system 10, ie. H. usually within the same cell A as the traffic sign system 10 or at least within one of the adjacent to the cell A of the traffic sign system 10 cells B, C or D.

Furthermore, it is often also of importance how a particular road user 11 moves relative to the traffic sign system 10, that is to say whether he, for example, is approaching or driving away from the traffic sign system 10. In addition, it can also be of importance with which speed the road user 11 moves towards the traffic sign system 10, both with regard to the information to be transmitted to him and with regard to the cell in which the road user 11 at the time of broadcasting the traffic sign information is located. Upon receipt of the traffic sign information, it is the task of the central server 110, the traffic sign information in connection with the respective location of a respective traffic sign system 10 such that it becomes clear in which cell or in which cells the traffic sign information is to be broadcast in order to be able to reach the subscribers 11 affected by the traffic sign information of the traffic sign system 10 with the broadcast message , Because it is a broadcast message, when the broadcast message is broadcast within a cell, it is generally not possible to further differentiate which road user within the cell receives the broadcast message or not, unless the road user himself is able, in turn, to activate or deactivate at his mobile radio terminal 12 a function with which he can determine whether or not he can receive broadcast messages from the central server 110.

As an alternative to broadcasting a broadcast message, a multicast message can also be broadcast, which then can only be received by those road users 11 within the cell in which the multicast message can be broadcast, who or their respective mobile radio terminals 12 previously logged by means of an authentication method at the central server 110 or a coupled thereto not shown transmitting unit.

If several traffic sign systems 10 are located in a cell A, of which traffic signal information is to be transmitted at the same update rate, this is evaluated by the server 110 on the basis of the respective location information of the respective traffic sign systems 10 and on the basis of the traffic signal information of the respective traffic sign systems 10 to be broadcast Traffic sign information of all these traffic sign systems are then packed together with the respective location information of the respective traffic sign systems in a common for these traffic sign systems broadcast / multicast message and broadcast in the form of this common broadcast / multicast message.

The broadcast / multicast message usually comprises per traffic sign system a data amount of 30 to 40 bits, in particular of 35 bits. This means that each traffic sign system of these traffic sign systems within the common broadcast / multicast message is assigned a data amount of 30 to 40 bits, in particular of 35 bits.

Further information on the extent to which a particular road user 11 is affected by the traffic sign information of a respective traffic sign system 10, ultimately go directly from the broadcast / multicast message itself, in addition to the status information, the location of the traffic sign system 10 and the identity of the traffic sign system 10 in the Rule also includes information about which of the respective road users 11 driven speeds in which direction of the traffic sign information of the respective traffic sign system 10 are actually affected. It is conceivable, for example, that some of the traffic sign information relates only to vehicles of a certain type which, for example, may only drive below a certain speed.

Furthermore, it is conceivable, for example with regard to a traffic light system, that vehicles which move in a specific direction relative to the traffic sign system are affected or not affected by the status information of the traffic sign system. This information ultimately comes from the broadcast / multicast message itself, but can be extracted by a respective road user 11 immediately upon perception and knowledge of the broadcast / multicast message by means of his mobile terminal 12 or by means of a filter implemented therein, so that Each road user 11 can quickly determine to what extent he himself is affected by the broadcast / multicast message or not.

Claims (15)

Method for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one road user (11) currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to at least one vehicle, via a cellular mobile radio network (100), in which the traffic sign information from at least one traffic sign system (10) to a central server (110) transmitted, the transmitted traffic sign information associated with a location of the at least one traffic sign system (10) and together with location information of the at least one traffic sign system (10) from the central server (110) within at least one cell (A, B) of the mobile network (100) at least one broadcast / multicast message are broadcast, within which at least one cell (A, B) is the at least one road user (11) at the time of broadcasting. Method according to Claim 1, in which, before the traffic sign information is transmitted, it is calculated in which at least one cell (A, B) the at least one road user (11) currently affected by the traffic sign information will be at the time the broadcast / multicast message is broadcast and that at least one cell (A, B) is designated as the at least one cell within which the broadcast / multicast message is broadcast. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the traffic sign information from a plurality of traffic sign systems (10) are transmitted to the central server (110) and respective traffic sign information with a respective location of a respective traffic sign system (10) of the plurality of traffic sign systems (10) are linked together with respective location information of the respective traffic sign system (10) from the central server (110) within the at least one cell (A, B) of the mobile network by means of the at least one broadcast / multicast Message will be broadcast. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which a network corresponding to the LTE or the NR standard is selected as the mobile radio network. Method according to Claim 4, in which the traffic sign information is transmitted by means of eMBMS or SC-PTM using an eMBMS protocol. The method of claim 4, wherein the traffic sign information is transmitted via a BCCH of the LTE or NR network. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the traffic sign information is differentiated, evaluated and ranked relative to one another with respect to a respective change frequency with which the traffic sign information changes in time and respectively transmitted according to this ranking with a transmission frequency associated with a respective ranking site , The method of claim 7, wherein the traffic sign information is ranked in order of importance in addition to the respective frequency of change. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein for each of the at least one broadcast / multicast message for the at least one traffic sign system a message format with a data amount in the range of 30 bits to 40 bits, in particular of 35 bits is selected. The method of claim 9, wherein the broadcast / multicast message comprises information from the following group of information: location information of the at least one traffic sign system having a data amount in the range of 24 bits, status information of the at least one traffic sign system with a data amount in the range of 3 to 6 bits, identity information of the at least one traffic sign system, information in dependence on a direction of the at least one road user relative to the at least one traffic sign system, information in dependence on a speed of the at least one road user. A system for transmitting traffic sign information to at least one traffic participant (11) currently affected by the traffic sign information, in particular to at least one vehicle, via a cellular mobile radio network (100) comprising at least one traffic sign facility (10) adapted to provide the traffic sign information a central server (110), the at least one central server (110), which is adapted to receive the traffic sign information provided by the at least one traffic sign system (10), to associate with a location of the at least one traffic sign system (10) and the Traffic sign information of at least one traffic sign system (10) together with location information of the traffic sign system (10) within a cell (A, B) of the mobile network (100) by means of at least one broadcast / multicast message, so that the at least one currently betrof fene road user (11) comprising a mobile radio terminal adapted to receive the broadcast / multicast message that can receive at least one broadcast / multicast message when the at least one currently affected road user (11) in cell (A, B) within which the at least one broadcast / multicast message is broadcast. The system of claim 11, wherein the cellular mobile network is an LTE network or an NR network. A mobile terminal configured to be used to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and as part of a traffic participant (11) currently affected by the traffic sign information, which is transmitted from the central server (110) within at least one cell (A, B ) of the mobile network (100) radiated to receive at least one broadcast / multicast message. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium and a computer program stored on the computer readable medium having program code means configured to execute a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 when the computer program executes on a computing unit. A computer program comprising program code means configured to execute a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 when executed on a computing unit.

Images