FR3091103A1 - air quality mapping by aggregating data from human powered vehicles, and related vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for a human-powered land vehicle (40a, 40b, 40c… 40n), comprising at least one sensor (11) configured to measure at least one datum relating to the air quality and the means (12) for transmitting said at least one datum in association with geolocation datum, to a central platform (20) Figure to be published with the abstract: FIG. 1

Description

Description

Title of the invention: air quality mapping by aggregation of data from human-powered vehicles, and related vehicle

Technical area

The invention relates to the field of transport using vehicles with a small ecological footprint, such as in particular human-powered vehicles. The invention also relates to the creation of an air quality map based on information collected in particular on these vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The issue of air quality management, especially in large cities, is increasingly important and poses many problems.

First, obtaining a precise map requires a very fine mesh of measurements so that this map is precise enough to be usable. In practice, such a network would generate significant costs for the deployment of a sensor network, but also for the maintenance of this network.

In addition, the question arises of how best to use such mapping, which includes determining practical interests for users but also considering the positive impact that such knowledge can bring to the overall management of the air quality at the scale, in particular, of an urban agglomeration.

Few systems allow considering all of these issues in a global manner.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution which at least partially overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.

To this end, the present invention provides a method comprising • a step of collecting information from remote and distributed devices, at least part of which are mobile devices on board vehicles, said information comprising at least one piece of data geolocation and data relating to air quality;

• a step of aggregating said information in order to constitute a map of air quality.

According to preferred embodiments, the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics which can be used separately or in partial combination with one another or in total combination with one another:

• the method further comprises a step of optimizing a route between at least two locations as a function of said cartography in which the optimization takes into account said cartography of air quality;

• the method further includes a step of transmitting said mapping to a telecommunications terminal associated with one of said vehicles.

Another implementation of the invention relates to a software product comprising instructions configured to carry out the method as described above when it is implemented on an information processing platform.

Another implementation of the invention relates to a device for a human-powered land vehicle, comprising at least one sensor configured to measure at least one datum relating to air quality and means for transmitting said at least data in combination with geolocation data, to a central platform.

According to preferred embodiments, the invention comprises one or more of the following characteristics which can be used separately or in partial combination with one another or in total combination with one another:

• said geolocation data is obtained by a geolocation device integrated into said at least one device;

• said geolocation data is obtained from a telecommunications terminal.

Another implementation of the invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one device as described above.

Another implementation of the invention relates to a centralized platform having means for • collecting information from remote and distributed devices at least part of which are mobile devices on board vehicles, said information comprising at least one geolocation data and data relating to air quality;

• aggregate said information in order to constitute a map of air quality.

According to embodiments, the platform can also include means for transmitting said map to telecommunication terminals associated with said vehicles.

Another implementation of the invention relates to a system comprising a platform as previously described and at least one device as previously described.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

[Fig.l] schematically represents a general architecture according to an implementation of the invention.

[Fig.2] schematically shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[Fig.3] schematically represents one of the air quality according to an embodiment of the invention.

Description of the embodiments

According to an implementation of the invention, one of the goals is to go up in real time a maximum of information relating to the air quality. To do this, devices are proposed to be installed on non-polluting vehicles and a platform configured to receive and aggregate the information provided by these devices, as well as possible other types of devices, in order to constitute a cartography of the air quality.

Different types of vehicles can be taken into account. However, it should be considered that the vehicle itself must not disturb the measurement of air quality. As such, essentially non-polluting vehicles can be taken into account.

But also the users of this type of vehicle are the most concerned by air quality.

It can be human-powered vehicles, such as bicycles, scooters, roller skates, skateboards, etc.

The invention is also capable of adapting to electric vehicles (gyroroue, electric scooter, hoverboard, Segway ...)

Figure 1 shows a general architecture according to an implementation of the invention.

A set of land vehicles 40a, 40b, 40c ... 40n are equipped with devices 10 for land vehicle. Such a device comprises at least one sensor 11 configured to measure data relating to air quality and means 12 for transmitting this information in association with geolocation data, to a central platform 20.

The sensor (s) can perform different measurements of air quality. Several sensors can therefore be provided in order to carry out measurements of different metrics: CO2 rate, microparticle rate, etc.

The device 10 also has means for acquiring a geolocation.

This geolocation can be obtained by a geolocation device 13 integrated into said at least one device. This geolocation device can comply with the GPS standard (for “Global Positioning System” in English).

According to another implementation, the geolocation is obtained from a telecommunications terminal 30. This telecommunications terminal can be integrated or embedded in the vehicle itself. It can also be the telecommunications terminal of the vehicle user. The “smartphone” type terminals in fact have geolocation means (GPS, etc.), and close communication means, making it possible to exchange geolocation data with the device 10.

A mechanism can be provided according to which the device searches in priority if a nearby telecommunication terminal can provide it with geolocation data and if this is not the case use its own means 13. Such a mechanism allows 'Save the energy of the device 10 and thus extend its autonomy, assuming that this device is less easy to recharge than a communication terminal of the "smartphone" type.

According to one embodiment, the information transmitted to the platform 20 contains a time stamp. This time stamp preferably corresponds to the date and time of the measurement by the sensor 11. It can also correspond to the date and time of the transmission by the transmission means 12. In the case where no time stamp is is transmitted, the platform 20 can associate a time stamp with the information received, based on the date of the time of reception of this information.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the devices 10 transmit their information repeatedly over time. This transmission can for example be periodic. Thus, the platform 10 receives a stream of information, each containing an association between at least one piece of data relating to air quality and one piece of geolocation data, and possibly a time stamp.

When the device has several sensors, different embodiments are possible, in particular the transmission of all the data relating to the air quality from the different sensors within the same message transmitted to the platform 20.

According to one embodiment, the instants for transmitting information depend on the geolocation. For example, a movement of the device 10 can trigger the increase in the frequency of transmissions, while parking the device in the same place can trigger the return to a fairly low "default" frequency, this frequency may be zero.

The transmission frequency may possibly be proportional to the speed of movement of the device.

Thus, according to this implementation, more data relating to air quality is transmitted to the platform when the device covers a larger geographic space. If the device remains on site, it is a priori useful only to refresh the data captured at a much lower frequency, only guided by dynamic changes in air quality in a specific location, which occur a priori according to a fairly slow speed. It can be envisaged that in the event of non-mobility, the device does not even transmit any more information to the platform.

The platform 20 receives information streams transmitted by a plurality of devices 10. These devices are, at least in part, on board vehicles 40a, 40b, 40c ... 40n. As described above, these vehicles are typically non-polluting and / or human-powered vehicles.

The platform can also receive information transmitted from other types of devices, in particular fixed devices. These can be attached to different elements of the road network (bus shelters, etc.) or urban buildings.

The platform 20 can be implemented by a server or by a server farm, or by an abstraction layer such as a "cloud".

As mentioned above, the platform can implement a method, as illustrated in Figure 2, for collecting, SI, information from the devices 10 and aggregation, S2, of this information in order to constitute a mapping air quality.

These devices are distant and distributed in space so as to form a mesh of a space to be mapped. This space can correspond to an agglomeration, a city, or even a district (downtown ...).

This mapping can be implemented by assigning the information received on the map using geolocation data.

When the amount of information collected becomes large, the mapping becomes complete and covers the space to be mapped with a good mesh.

It is possible to assign to a piece of information a circular geographic area of the mapping centered on the geolocation data and with a predetermined radius.

FIG. 3 illustrates such a mapping, in which the different colors represent different levels of values for a piece of data, or aggregated data, for air quality.

This mapping is dynamic insofar as it can be modified each time the platform 20 receives new information from a device 10.

Insofar as different types of sensors can be used, each measuring a particular metric (carbon dioxide rate, microparticle rate, etc.), the mapping can aggregate these different data.

In a step S3, this mapping can be transmitted by the platform to the telecommunications terminal 30 associated with one of the vehicles. A software application can be downloaded beforehand and installed on the terminal in order to manage and display the maps received.

This software application can allow the user to view a map for each type of data relating to air quality (CO2 ...), as well as a map aggregating all of this data. The user can switch from one card to another. He can also have access to the captured data;

The user can be geolocated on this map.

The application can also propose a route calculation to the user, either natively or by interfacing with other applications or web services allowing route calculation, taking into account the mapping than air quality. This mapping then acts as a criterion to minimize when calculating the route, in order to allow the user to avoid excessively polluted areas. It may be made possible for the user to weight this criterion in relation to the other criteria for route calculation (journey time, distance, traffic, etc.)

According to one embodiment, the module 10 can be composed of a central processor executing an operating system of the embedded Linux type. It can be implemented on an electronic card also having a GPS / GSM 2G / 3G module which allows the sending of data in mobility phase and the location of the module.

According to one embodiment, the module uses a fully integrated 2G / 3G / 4G GPS / GSM module ("system on chip") for cost savings, energy consumption and the addition of Bluetooth connectivity to interact with a module integrating LPWAN connectivity.

The fine particle concentration detection module is connected using a USB bus. A non-USB connection can also be used, allowing the detection module (sensor) to be remote to facilitate the intake of ambient air necessary for detecting the level of fine particles.

The module can be powered by a rechargeable battery and periodically goes up in mobility phase its position and the level of fine particles to a 0neM2M type server using the Co AP protocol (for "Constrained Application Protocol" in language English). This protocol is notably described on the wikipedia page:

Http s: // fr. wikipedia. org / wiki / Co AP

The location and air quality data are reported in NMEA GPRMC format. The NMEA 0183 standard is a specification for communication between marine equipment, including GPS equipment. It is for example described on the wikipedia page:

Http s: // fr. wikipedia. org / wiki / NME A_0183

The GPRMC frame can be used, for example. It provides the time, latitude, longitude, date, as well as the speed and the route on the bottom but not the altitude.

Claims (1)

Claims [Claim 1] Process comprising a step (SI) of collecting information from remote and distributed devices, at least part of which are mobile devices on board vehicles, said information comprising at least one geolocation datum and one datum relating to the quality of the 'air; - a step (S2) of aggregating said information in order to constitute a map of air quality. [Claim 2] Method according to the preceding claim, further comprising a step of optimizing a route between at least two locations as a function of said cartography in which the optimization takes into account said cartography of air quality. [Claim 3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a step of transmitting (S3) said mapping to a telecommunications terminal associated with one of said vehicles. [Claim 4] Software product comprising instructions configured to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims, when it is implemented on an information processing platform. [Claim 5] Device (10) for a human-powered land vehicle (40a, 40b, 40c ... 40n), comprising at least one sensor (11) configured to measure at least one datum relating to the quality of the air and the means (12 ) to transmit said at least one datum in association with geolocation datum, to a central platform (20) [Claim 6] Device for a vehicle according to the preceding claim, in which said geolocation data is obtained by a geolocation device (13) integrated into said at least one device. [Claim 7] Vehicle device according to claim 5, wherein said geolocation data is obtained from a telecommunication terminal (30) [Claim 8] Vehicle comprising at least device according to one of claims 5 to 7 [Claim 9] Centralized platform (20) having means for - collect information from remote and distributed devices (10), at least part of which are mobile devices on board vehicles (40a, 40b, 40c ... 40n), said information comprising at least one geolocation datum and one given relating to air quality; - aggregate said information in order to constitute a map of air quality. [Claim 10] Platform according to the preceding claim, further comprising means for transmitting said map to telecommunication terminals associated with said vehicles. [Claim 11] System comprising a platform according to one of claims 9 or 10 and at least one device according to one of claims 5 to 7.