FR3054706A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UPDATING MAP DATA DURING A TEMPORARY STOP OF A VEHICLE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for updating stored mapping data, comprising: - a check (21) of the availability of an update of the data with the dismounted storage unit, - if an update the download (22) and the installation (23) of mapping data are then available in a memory of the onboard storage unit, - a step for determining (24) whether the guidance system is in use, - If the guidance system is in use, a step of waiting for a reception (25), a message comprising a remaining time indicating a time remaining before the passage of the non-state signaling device in the on state, - Determination (26) of a stopping time of the vehicle from the time remaining received, - If the stopping time is greater than a predetermined threshold (S) then the restart (27) from the mapping database.

Description

Holder (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Société anonyme.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA Public limited company.

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TEMPORARY UPDATING OF A VEHICLE.

MAP DATA DURING A STOPPAGE

FR 3 054 706 - A1 (5 /) The invention relates to a method for updating stored cartographic data, comprising:

- a verification (21) of the availability of an update of the data with the unloaded storage unit,

- If an update is available then the download (22) and the installation (23) of mapping data in a memory of the on-board storage unit,

a step for determining (24) if the guidance system is in use,

- If the guidance system is in use, a step of waiting for reception (25), of a message comprising a time remaining indicating a time remaining before the passage of the device for signaling the non state passing to the passing state,

- Determination (26) of a vehicle stopping time from the remaining time received,

- If the downtime is greater than a predetermined threshold (S) then the restart (27) of the mapping database.

i

Method and device for updating cartographic data during a temporary stop of a vehicle

The present invention relates generally to the updating of map data stored in a storage unit on board a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to the updating of mapping data when the vehicle carrying the mapping data benefits from a possibility of wireless connection with an on-board storage unit.

It is known in the prior art to update mapping data by wireless link. In particular, document KR20090098165 describes a method for providing an updated map service using a wireless connection and a navigation service system to the user. Such a solution, especially when it is fully automated, allows the user to have a system that is always up to date, without having to take care of the updates himself. However, this automatic solution may result in the unavailability of the navigation service, during the update process, for a determined period of time. This drawback is particularly disadvantageous for a user when this unavailability occurs during navigation.

An object of the present invention is to respond to the drawbacks of the prior art document mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to propose an updating method which avoids unavailability of the navigation service due to a update of the cartography.

For this, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for updating mapping data stored in a storage unit on board a vehicle comprising a guidance system using said data, with mapping data stored in a storage unit. disembarked, depending on the state of a signaling device, associated with a transmitter and comprising at least one passing state and one non-passing state, comprising:

- a check of the availability of an update of data with the landed storage unit,

- If an update is available then download map data to a memory of the on-board storage unit,

- Installation of the downloaded map data, said method being characterized in that it further comprises:

- a step to determine if the guidance system is in use,

- If the guidance system is in use, a step of waiting for reception, by wave, of a message from the signaling device, said message comprising a time remaining indicating a time remaining before the passage of the signaling device from the non-passing state to the passing state,

- Determination of a vehicle stop time from the remaining time received,

- If the downtime is greater than a predetermined threshold then restarting the mapping database.

Thanks to the invention, the customer experience is transparent: an update requires no user intervention. In addition, an update of cartographic data does not cause any unavailability of the navigation service which would be perceptible by the customer.

While waiting for a sufficient duration (in other words, a duration greater than or equal to the unavailability duration linked to the installation of the update), we ensure that the unavailability of the navigation service system occurs before restarting the stopped vehicle at a signaling device (for example, a three-color).

The invention makes it possible to maintain display, the current guide instruction (for example staying on the motorway for 100 km) while the updating of the data is being installed and therefore during the unavailability of the navigation service.

The invention makes it possible to have the latest data updates very quickly after they are made available on the unloaded storage unit.

Advantageously, the threshold is greater than or equal to a period of unavailability of the guidance system linked to the restarting of the mapping base.

Advantageously, the step for determining the stopping time of the vehicle further comprises steps of:

determination of a number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and in front of said vehicle, determination of an additional stopping time (heap) taking into account the number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and îo in front of said vehicle.

According to one embodiment, the step of determining the number of vehicles includes steps of:

reception, by wave, of messages from surrounding vehicles, said messages comprising information from 15 geolocations of said vehicles, determination, among the surrounding vehicles having sent messages, of vehicles located between the signaling device and said vehicle, from geolocation information

According to another embodiment, the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of:

determination of a distance between the vehicle and the signaling device, estimation of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the signaling device from the determined distance.

Advantageously, the step of determining the number of vehicles includes steps of:

data acquisition from sensors on board the vehicle, estimation of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the signaling device from data from the vehicle sensors.

Advantageously, the additional stop time is a function of the number of vehicles so that the greater the number of vehicles, the longer the additional stop time.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a device for updating map data stored in a storage unit on board a vehicle comprising a guidance system using said data, with map data stored in a landed storage unit, as a function of the state of a signaling device, associated with a transmitter and comprising at least one passing state and one non-passing state, comprising:

means for verifying the availability of an update of data with the on-board storage unit, means then downloading data from i5 mapping in a memory of the on-board storage unit, if an update is available, means for installing the downloaded map data, said device being characterized in that it further comprises:

0 - means for determining to determine whether the guidance system is in use, means for receiving, by wave, a message from the signaling device, said message comprising a time remaining indicating a time remaining before the passage of the signaling device from the non-passing state to the passing state, means for determining a vehicle stopping time from the remaining time received, means for restarting the database mapping, if the downtime is greater than a predetermined threshold.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising an onboard storage unit storing map data, updated with map data stored in a storage unit off the vehicle by the method according to the invention.

Advantageously, the motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a device for updating data according to the invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates an example of a system according to the invention; îo - Figure 2 illustrates a flow diagram representing the method according to the invention.

The accompanying drawings may not only serve to complete the invention, but also contribute to its definition, if necessary.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of nonlimiting example, that the vehicle is of the automobile type. This is for example a car. However, the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It relates in fact to any type of land vehicle capable of carrying out movements and maneuvers on the ground. Thus, it also relates to motorcycles, coaches, trucks, utility vehicles and construction machinery.

FIG. 1 represents a motor vehicle 101 communicating

0 with a landed server 102 via a wide area network 103.

The vehicle 101 comprises a guide unit 101.1, otherwise called navigation unit, arranged to determine a path to be traveled for a user of the vehicle. The vehicle 101 also includes map data stored in an on-board storage unit 101.2, and used by the guidance unit 101.1. The on-board storage unit 101.2 is shown separate from the navigation unit 101.1, but it can very well be integrated therein. The mapping data stored in the on-board storage unit 101.2 represents the state of the roads on a given date, hereinafter called version date.

0 The vehicle 101 in FIG. 1 also includes an on-board communication unit 101.3 which regularly interrogates the unit of β

off-land storage 102, via wireless connection. Typically, the wireless connection or link is a radio wave connection (3G, 4G, ...). The on-board communication unit 101.3 is shown separate from the on-board storage unit 101.2 and the navigation unit 101.1, but they can very well be installed on the same computer.

Of course, depending on the work, the creation of a route, new countries or regions mapped, the mapping data must be regularly adapted and corrected.

ίο It is important to note that the invention can only be implemented on condition that the vehicle 101 includes means of communication suitable for exchanging messages by means of waves. In addition, the signaling device must be equipped with means of communication capable of exchanging messages by means of waves.

Preferably, the communication means of the vehicle and the communication means of the signaling device are arranged so as to transmit messages with a short range, for example using the wireless communication standard Car2X, Bluetooth, WiFi or even 5G.

The updated cartographic data are stored in the landed server also called the landed storage unit 102, and they too are assigned a version date and / or a version number.

The landed server 102 is for example a generic computer comprising at least one memory and a processor on which is installed a database storing the cartographic data.

The vehicle 101 and the landed server 102 communicate via a wide area network 103 such as a fixed communication network 105 (or WAN for Wide Area Network), for example the Internet network to which the vehicle connects by a wireless link (3G, 4G, ...).

0 In the example, the signaling device is a three-color light 102.

The tri-color light 102 controlled by a signal and changes color to pass successively from red to green and orange. The time between each color change can be fixed or determined by another device, for example depending on road traffic.

The signaling device includes or communicates with a transmitter. The transmitter regularly transmits messages indicating in particular:

- the state of the signaling device (in other words, the color of the lamp lit in the case of a three-color light),

information on the location of the signaling device (for example GPS coordinates),

- a duration before a change of state of the signaling device (in other words, before a change of color of the lamp lit in the case of a three-color light).

A first step represented in FIG. 2 is a step consisting in checking 21 the availability of an update with the landed server 102. This checking is done, for example, by noting and comparing version dates of the cartography data of the on-board storage unit 101.2 and on-board server map data 102.

This step of comparing the version dates amounts to knowing whether

0 the on-board cartographic data is older than the unloaded cartographic data. Other methods are possible, such as comparing the version number.

The data format used makes it possible to update the cartography by region or country incrementally. In other words, only the obsolete data (older on the on-board storage unit 101.2 than the map data of the off-loaded server 102) are identified as having to be updated. It should be remembered that, by contrast, a non-incremental update involves downloading all of the cartographic data each time the data is modified.

0 If an update is available then the download module

101.3 downloads 22 the update file (s) into a storage memory, for example of the eMMC type, otherwise a chip with a flash memory. But it could also be a mechanical storage like hard drive. In some cases, the data volume can reach several megabytes. It is estimated that it takes an average of one minute to download five megabytes of data. Therefore, a download of an update of around 20 megabytes can take more than four minutes.

The duration of this stage being variable and not being known a priori, it is understood that it is preferable to make sure to have a sufficient energy reserve to carry it through. The invention makes it possible to carry out this step when the vehicle 101 is in operation (in other words, the engine is running), so that the computers on board the vehicle 101 are powered by an alternator or an alternator-starter if the battery or batteries ( s) of vehicle 101 are emptied.

By carrying out this step, when the vehicle 101 is switched off, there is the risk of draining the battery or batteries of the vehicle 101 without however carrying out step 22 to its end.

At this stage the mapping data is not yet integrated into the mapping database.

The next step comprises the installation 23 of the data downloaded into the cartographic database. During installation, the news

0 data replace the old ones in the database.

This taking into account of the data has no impact on navigation. The navigation service is always available. This step is also known as merge (or merge in English) of the data in the database.

The installation step 23 of the new mapping data is a function of the volume of this data. The time required for this installation is on the order of one minute for five megabytes. The volume of data is very variable because it depends on the countries selected, and on the date of the last update of the NAC for the country concerned. So we can have

0 volumes ranging from a hundred kilobytes to several tens of megabytes. The installation time for an update can therefore vary from a few seconds of installation to around ten minutes.

At this stage, the new mapping data is not yet usable by the navigation unit 101.1. This data will be usable after restarting the 101.2 mapping unit. It is this restart of the 101.2 mapping unit that causes the navigation service to be unavailable.

At the end of this step, the update process then waits for a signal indicating that a restart of the mapping module is possible.

îo During the next step, the updating device determines 24 whether the navigation service (also called guidance system) is in use.

If the service is not in use the mapping module can be restarted immediately.

is On the other hand if the guidance system is in use, then the updating device waits for reception of a message coming from a signaling device.

During the next step, the vehicle, and more particularly the communication module, receives 25, by wave, a message

0 from the transmitter associated with the signaling device. As explained above, the message comprises a time remaining Tr before the passage of the signaling device 102 to a passing state.

The updating device determines 26 of a stop time Ta of the vehicle from the time remaining Tr before the passage of the signaling device to a passing state.

The stop time Ta of the vehicle is an estimate of the time during which the vehicle will be stopped because of the signaling device.

This estimate of the stop time Ta is intended to be compared with a predetermined threshold S1.

0 The updating device then compares if the determined duration ίο is greater than a predetermined threshold S. The threshold S is determined so that its value is greater than or equal to the unavailability duration linked to restarting the mapping database. The threshold is for example 15 seconds.

If the determined duration is less than the predetermined threshold S then the updating process is on standby until the reception of a new message. In fact, if restarting was ordered at this time, this would cause the guidance system to be unavailable when it should potentially issue a new guidance instruction.

o The user would therefore be severely penalized.

The step 26 for determining a stop time Ta of the vehicle is then again executed with the new remaining time Tr received.

If the determined duration is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold (S) then the updating device emits a signal indicating to the mapping module that it can restart the mapping module.

It is understood that the stop time Ta of the vehicle is not less than the time remaining before the change of state of the signaling device. In other words, the vehicle is stopped at least during the time that the light remains red.

0 When the vehicle is the only one stopped at the level of the signaling device, it can be estimated that the stop time Ta is substantially equal to the duration before the change of state.

However, when the vehicle is stopped behind several vehicles, this estimate is imprecise and underestimates the duration of the vehicle's stop. Indeed, in this case, the vehicle does not restart when the light turns green but when the vehicle preceding it restarts 27 the mapping module.

This underestimation can lead to not triggering. In the example, it is assumed that the message received by the vehicle from

0 the transmitter indicates a change in state of the signaling device in 14 seconds.

According to the invention, the determination of the time of a stop time Ta of the vehicle further comprises steps of:

- determination of a number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and in front of said vehicle,

- determination of an additional stopping time Tas taking into account the number of vehicles stopped at said traffic light and in front of said vehicle.

The number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and in front of said vehicle (otherwise located between the signaling device and in front of said vehicle) can be estimated in several ways.

The embodiments presented below can be used separately or in parallel. When used in parallel, the results obtained by the different embodiments can be consolidated to refine the estimate (for example by averaging the results obtained by the different methods).

According to a first embodiment, the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of:

reception, by wave, of messages from surrounding vehicles, said messages comprising geolocation information from said vehicles,

0 - determination, among the surrounding vehicles having emitted messages, of the vehicles located between the traffic light and said vehicle, from the geolocation information.

This first embodiment assumes that the vehicles located between the vehicle 101 and the signaling device 101 are each equipped with communication means arranged so as to transmit messages with a short range, for example by using the Car2X wireless communication standard. .

According to a second embodiment, the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of:

0 - determination of a distance between the vehicle and the traffic light, estimation of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the traffic light from the determined distance.

The messages sent by the transmitter include geolocation data making it possible to locate the signaling device. It is thus possible to determine a distance separating the signaling device and the vehicle.

From this distance, a number of vehicles can be estimated between the signaling device and the vehicle. For example, consider an average vehicle length, divide the distance determined by this length and then retain the entire part of this division.

io For example, for an average length of vehicles equal to 4 meters and an estimated distance of 10 meters, it is considered that there are two vehicles between the signaling device and the vehicle.

According to a third embodiment, the step 202a for determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of:

is - data acquisition from sensors on board the vehicle, estimation of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the signaling device from data from the vehicle sensors.

You can also use the vehicle sensors as a camera or

0 laser scanners to estimate the number of vehicles in front of the vehicle (with these sensors we can identify whether we have a truck or a car).

According to a characteristic of the invention, the step of determining an additional stop time T _as implements a relationship in which the additional stop time T _as is a function of the number of vehicles so that the more the number of vehicles, the longer the additional downtime T _as .

For example, it is considered that for each vehicle, located between the signaling device and the vehicle, an additional second of time is added before the vehicle is restarted.

0 In our example, if we assume that two vehicles are located between vehicle 101 and the signaling device, we obtain an additional stopping time Tas equal to 2 seconds.

The stop time Ta of the vehicle is therefore equal to 16 seconds (time before a change of state of the signaling device equal to 14 seconds plus additional time Heap equal to 2 seconds).

Reading this example, it is understood that an estimate of a vehicle stopping time not taking into account the other vehicles stopped in the fire, would lead to underestimating this stopping time. This underestimation would result in the database not being restarted.

On the contrary, the improvement presented above, the updating device emits a signal to restart the database.

îo The updating device then compares whether the determined duration is greater than a predetermined threshold (S).

As explained above, the threshold S is determined so that its value is greater than or equal to the downtime associated with restarting the mapping base. The threshold is for example 15 15 seconds.

Upon receipt of this message, the computer hosting the mapping module 101.2 commands 27 to said module to restart.

The restart of the mapping module at a duration for example of the order of 15 seconds. Thus, we understand that this restart has the

0 time to run before restarting the vehicle stopped at the signaling device.

Claims (10)

1. Method for updating map data stored in an on-board storage unit (101.2) in a vehicle (101) comprising a guidance system using said data, with map data stored in an off-board storage unit (102 ), depending on the state of a signaling device, associated with a transmitter and comprising at least one passing state and one non-passing state, comprising: - a verification (21) of the availability of an update of the data with the landed storage unit (102), - If an update is available then downloading (22) of mapping data into a memory of the on-board storage unit (101.2), - Installation (23) of the downloaded map data, said method being characterized in that it further comprises: - a step to determine (24) if the guidance system is in use, - If the guidance system is in use, a step of waiting for reception (25), by wave, of a message from the signaling device, said message comprising a time remaining (Tr ) indicating a time remaining before the signaling device (102) goes from the non-passing state to the passing state, - Determination (26) of a stop time (Ta) of the vehicle from the remaining time (Tr) received, - If the stop time (Ta) is greater than a predetermined threshold (S) then the restart (27) of the mapping database. 2. Updating method according to the preceding claim, in which the threshold (S) is greater than or equal to a period of unavailability of the guidance system linked to the restarting of the mapping base. 3. Updating method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the step of determining (26) the stopping time (Ta) of the vehicle further comprises steps of; - determination of a number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and in front of said vehicle, - determination of an additional stop time (heap) taking into account the number of vehicles stopped at said signaling device and in front of said vehicle. 4. Updating method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of: - reception, by wave, of messages from surrounding vehicles, said messages comprising information on geolocation of said vehicles, - Determination, among the surrounding vehicles having sent messages, of the vehicles located between the signaling device and said vehicle, from the geolocation information. 5. Updating method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of: - determination of a distance between the vehicle and the signaling device, - estimation of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the signaling device from the determined distance. 6. Updating method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of determining the number of vehicles comprises steps of: - data acquisition from sensors on board the vehicle, - estimate of a number of vehicles between the vehicle and the signaling device from data from the vehicle sensors. 7. Updating method according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the additional downtime (Heap) is a function of the number of vehicles so that the greater the number of vehicles, the longer the time additional stop (Heap) is long. 8. Device for updating map data stored in an on-board storage unit (101.2) in a vehicle (101) comprising a guidance system using said data, with map data stored in an off-board storage unit (102 ), depending on the state of a signaling device, associated with a transmitter and comprising at least one passing state and one non-passing state, comprising: - means of verifying the availability of an update of data with the landed storage unit (102), means then downloading map data into a memory of the on-board storage unit (101.2), if an update is available, - means for installing the downloaded map data, said device being characterized in that it further comprises: - determination means for determining whether the guidance system is in use, - means for receiving, by wave, a message from the signaling device, said message comprising a remaining time (Tr) indicating a time remaining before the passage of the signaling device (102) from the non state passing to the passing state, - means for determining (26) a stop time (Ta) of the vehicle from the remaining time (Tr) received, - means for restarting (27) the mapping database, if the stopping time (Ta) is greater than a predetermined threshold (S). 9. Motor vehicle (101) comprising an on-board storage unit (101.2) storing map data, updated with map data stored in an off-board storage unit (102) of the vehicle by the method according to one of claims 1 to 7. 10. Motor vehicle according to the preceding claim, comprising a data updating device according to claim 8. 1/2 101.4