WO2011134647A1

WO2011134647A1 - Method and device for generating traffic information

Info

Publication number: WO2011134647A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/002105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sten Ruppe; Jan Schulz; Mathias Haberjahn; Andreas Luber; Karsten Kozempel; Sascha Bauer
Original assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
Priority date: 2010-04-29
Filing date: 2011-04-20
Publication date: 2011-11-03
Also published as: EP2564381A1; DE102010018815A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for generating traffic information, wherein the device comprises at least one detector (8), wherein a spatial position of the detector (8) can be determined at least with respect to the geographical area, wherein the detector (8) comprises means for detecting at least one signal of at least one first transmitter unit (20), wherein the detector (8) comprises means for identifying an identifier of the first transmitter unit (20), wherein the detector (8) comprises means for transferring at least the identifier of the first transmitter unit (20) to a central unit (13) for generating traffic information, wherein by means of the detecting means a signal of the first transmitter unit (20) can be detected, which is used for the data communication of the first transmitter unit (20) with at least one further communication unit (21).

Description

Method and device for generating traffic information

The invention relates to a method and a device for generating

Traffic information.

The generation of traffic information forms an essential basis for improved traffic planning or traffic control, especially in the urban area. For a generation of traffic information or a

Traffic data collection may include methods of generating local

Traffic information, distance-based traffic information or spatial (area-wide, network-wide) traffic information can be distinguished. Local traffic information concerns e.g. a traffic flow at a traffic light system. Route-related traffic information serve, for example, the monitoring of a motorway section. Area-wide or spatial

Traffic information serves here in contrast to the local or

route-related traffic information of a traffic planning or traffic control in a spatial area, which usually comprises a plurality of traffic nodes or traffic sections. For example, a spatial area may be a city area.

Of particular interest is information about routes of road users.

Various sensors are used to collect traffic information. These can be subdivided into stationary or mobile sensors. For example, traffic information can be extracted from signals, for example, from

Induction loops, video-based monitoring devices, radar-based

Monitoring devices, radio-based monitoring devices,

infrared-based monitoring devices, Bluetooth ™ -based

Monitoring equipment, WiFi-based monitoring equipment,

Airborne monitoring equipment or RFID-based

Monitoring devices are generated. Traffic information is also generated from so-called Floating Car Data (FCD). There are also approaches

Generate traffic information from so-called floating phone data. It should be noted that specific sensors, such as induction loops, only for Generating local traffic information is appropriate. By contrast, other sensors or methods, for example the FCD-based methods, can be used to generate spatial traffic information.

In general, the signals of all sensors that serve to generate local, distance or spatial traffic information are transmitted to a central unit for generating traffic information. This can determine from the entirety of transmitted traffic information a current, accurate and comprehensive traffic situation.

DE 10 2007 013 220 A1 discloses a method for generating

Traffic information and its localization within a spatial area. Here, by means of a first evaluation of collectively detected signals indicating a presence of sensors in the spatial area, collective

Traffic information is determined in the form of collective data that can be assigned to at least one traffic flow of vehicles present in the area. This is at least a part of the sensors in vehicles. By means of a second evaluation of individually detected signals, which in each case indicate the presence of a single sensor in a localizable subarea of the spatial area, individual traffic information in the form of individual data is determined, each of which can be assigned to a single vehicle. Then by means of a

Combination of collective data and individual data such

Traffic information generated, which relate to the at least one traffic flow.

Many of the previously described sensors are not suitable for determining routes of road users, as they are for a clear

Vehicle Recognition and thus provide for a calculation of a travel time between two route points insufficient information. The route of a vehicle can be determined in particular only if a specific vehicle can be recognized. This is possible, inter alia, if a vehicle can be assigned a unique, individual identifier that can be repeatedly detected. There are approaches such as the automatic detection of number plates of vehicles. The advantage is that vehicles do not have to be equipped with special positioning or communication devices or transponders. However, such procedures are subject to strict privacy policies, making their approval difficult or even impossible in certain countries.

Another exemplary method, which allows the recognition and recognition of vehicles based on so-called RFID chips. In this cooperative method, an infrastructure-side detector detects an identifier, for example an RFID address, of an RFID chip mounted on the vehicle. A disadvantage of this solution is that a vehicle for this purpose must be equipped with a non-standard in the vehicle RFID chip.

A unique identification address (MAC address) of terminals with Bluetooth ™ interface allows unambiguous identification of these so-called Bluetooth ™ terminals, such as mobile or navigation devices. In this case, the fact can be used that Bluetooth ™ interfaces of such Bluetooth ™ terminals are often permanently activated and thus at any time a connection request, which can also be referred to as inquiry and will be described in more detail below, allow via their Bluetooth ™ interfaces. In principle, via a connection request of a first Bluetooth ™ terminal, further Bluetooth ™ terminals with activated Bluetooth ™ interfaces can be detected and identified, whereby the further Bluetooth ™ terminals must be in a discoverable state. In the Discoverable state, the respective Bluetooth ™ terminal is visible to other Bluetooth ™ terminals. In a so-called undiscoverable state, the respective Bluetooth ™ terminal is not visible to all, but only to certain other Bluetooth ™ terminals, particularly those Bluetooth ™ terminals which are a MAC address of the undiscoverable state Bluetooth ™ ^" device.

Bluetooth ™ terminals are organized in so-called piconets, consisting of one master and up to seven slaves. Before a master and a slave can exchange data, it is necessary for the slave to synchronize its so-called frequency hopping sequences to those of the master. This is realized in the context of the previously mentioned connection setup, the inquiry. The Bluetooth ™ Terminal that wants to connect to other Bluetooth terminals, is in the role of the master. The master first sends identification packets (ID packets) with a General Inquiry Access Code (GIAC) in accordance with what is known as an inquiry hopping sequence. Any Bluetooth ™ terminal that receives this GIAC and is in a discovery state responds to this request. The master carrying out the connection request sends out, for example, two Inquir packets on two different frequencies per time window, for example in the even-numbered time slots. Then he waits for response signals in the odd time slot. This can be referred to as Time Division Multiplexing or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). For example, there may be 32 inquiry-hopping frequency bands divided into two frequency trains each having 16 frequencies. A transmission of ID packets on the different frequency trains is repeated eg 265 times in each case. The GIAC is transmitted, for example, one after the other over the 32 standardized carrier frequencies. A slave in the Inquiry Scan state looks for Inquiry packets at these 32 frequencies, but changes the frequencies more slowly than the Master to increase the likelihood of coincident coincidence with the Master. For example, a slave looking for a master may listen on any of the 32 frequencies for 11, 25 milliseconds every 2.56 seconds. If a slave has received an ID packet with a GIAC, it waits for a second packet. If he has also received this, he sends back a so-called frequency hopping selection packet (FHS packet), which contains a necessary MAC address and a time stamp for a synchronization of the hopping frequency. It should be noted that only the FHS packet contains the necessary information for establishing a connection. From this point on, the master knows the MAC address of the slave and the

Connection establishment can be aborted at this point, since the slave for the master is now uniquely identified. Usually, the previously described search process and connection setup process of the master takes between three and five seconds. In practice, the maximum Inquiry time is around ten seconds, but may be up to 31 seconds in rare cases.

Thus, Bluetooth ™ terminals can be over the previously described

Connection establishment process can be uniquely and repeatedly identified. In this case, the FHS packets can be evaluated and the MAC address contained therein can be stored with the time stamp contained therein. Also, the same MAC address be identified again. However, the prerequisite here is that the Bluetooth terminal is in a so-called discoverable state. As previously mentioned, in the Discoverable state, the respective Bluetooth ™ terminal is visible to other Bluetooth ™ terminals. In particular, the respective Bluetooth ™ terminal in the Discoverable state will respond to the GIAC of any other Bluetooth ™ terminal. Thus, the Bluetooth ™ terminal is discoverable in the Discoverable state for any other Bluetooth ™ terminal.

A disadvantage of the detection of such terminals and thus also in the detection of road users is that a connection request, ie a search of defined by the Bluetooth ™ standard frequency bands for participants to

Dial-up connection, deliberately designed robust, is spatially very limited and usually takes a period of three to five seconds to complete. The problem of spatial limitation can be improved with directional antennas, for example. Here, the predetermined reception area is extended in a preferred direction and reduced in other directions.

EP 2 009 610 A2 discloses a method for determining a traffic quantity relating to a route of a road network, in particular a travel time or a source-destination relationship, wherein for an individual vehicle the times at which the vehicle enters the route are detected and then an exit from the track happens. In this case, an individual value of the traffic variable is determined at least from the detected times, wherein the times assigned to the vehicle are detected anonymously. To carry out the method is a

Device for determining a route network related

Traffic size provided, which has a detection unit at the exit and a corresponding detection unit at the entrance of the route. To everyone

Detection unit is from a passing vehicle, which a

corresponding vehicle unit carries with it, transmitted an identification record. For the transmission of the identification data set are the vehicle unit and the

Detection units equipped with appropriate communication means for wireless data transmission. It is essential that for the proposed method, the vehicle device carried by the vehicle communicates directly with the detection units and transmits the identification data record directly to the detection units. DE 10 2008 017 568 A1 describes a method for determining source-destination demand data of traffic flows of a plurality of road users and thus a method for generating traffic information. The document teaches that each movement of a single road user from a source area to a destination area is detected by means of mobile radio signaling relating to a mobile terminal carried by the individual road user. In this case, a local change of mobile radio terminals is traceable by the signals that are generated in the mobile network. It is further stated that it is now possible using the described teaching, based on already existing

Mobile data movement data to generate novel information that is of great importance for transport planning. Thus, a use of available in the mobile radio options for determining the position of mobile terminals for generating movement data, which in turn are the basis of a determination of source-destination demand data of traffic flows, taught. However, a position determination of mobile radio terminals in mobile networks is carried out by the fact that the mobile terminal selects a radio cell with the best signal strength, wherein a change of an assignment of a mobile terminal to a radio cell in a so-called home location register (HLR) registered becomes. The position determination is thus carried out via a transmitter-side evaluation of signal strengths of a communication of the transmitter, in this case the mobile terminal, with a so-called Base Transceiver Station (BTS), wherein a BTS is associated with a respective radio cell.

It raises the technical problem, a method and an apparatus for

Generation of traffic information to provide a precise current, in particular with a high refresh rate, and comprehensive determination of a traffic situation in a predetermined spatial area allow. In particular, there is the technical problem of enabling a fast and unambiguous identification of the largest possible number of road users, on the basis of which traffic information, in particular information about individual routes

Road users, can be generated. The solution to the technical problem arises from the objects with the

Features of claims 1 and 9. Further advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims.

A method is proposed for generating traffic information within a spatial area. Here, the term traffic information includes e.g. an average travel time or travel speed of a road user in the spatial area. Next, traffic information can be called something

Trouble information, e.g. Congestion information, included. Next you can

Traffic information contain information about a traffic volume. The traffic information may also include information about routes traveled by road users. The spatial area preferably comprises a plurality of traffic nodes, e.g. Intersections, and traffic sections, e.g. Track sections. The spatial area can be predetermined here. For example, the spatial area may include a city area or parts of a city area. Thus, the method according to the invention is not limited to a local area, e.g. a crossroads.

Of course, it can also be used only to generate traffic information for such a local area.

In this case, a spatial position of a detector with respect to the spatial area is determined. For example, a detector can determine its spatial position, ie its own spatial coordinates, at least with respect to a coordinate system of the spatial area. In this case, these spatial coordinates of the detector can either be previously known or can be determined with a sufficiently high accuracy with means for determining the spatial position. Thus, the detector is thus spatially referenced with respect to the spatial area. Also, the spatial position of the detector may be previously known and available for a subsequently explained central unit for generating traffic information.

Furthermore, the detector detects at least one signal of at least one first

Transmission unit. For this purpose, the detector has a receiving unit, e.g. an antenna, on. The receiving unit and thus the detector is in this case a predetermined

Receiving area assigned. In this case, the detector can only receive signals from transmission units which are located within its reception range. Of the The receiving range of the detector can be defined, for example, as the spatial area in which a transmitting unit having a predetermined signal strength can be located so that the strength of the signal received by the detector is greater than or equal to a predetermined receiving power. The reception area thus also defines a spatial area relative to the detector. If the detector receives a signal with a signal strength greater than or equal to the predetermined reception strength, then the associated transmission unit is located at a distance from the detector which corresponds at least to the maximum spatial extent of the reception area with respect to the detector.

The at least first transmission unit may in this case be a vehicle-mounted or a vehicle-independent transmission unit. Vehicle-bound means that the first transmission unit is fixedly arranged in or on the vehicle and a position of the first transmission unit changes with the position of the vehicle to the same extent.

For example, a Bluetooth ™ or Internet-enabled infotainment system of a vehicle may be a vehicle-mounted transmission unit. Here, the

vehicle-mounted transmission unit, for example, a WLAN interface to

Communication according to one of the IEEE 802.11 standards, in particular one

Communication according to IEEE 802.11 a, b, g or p standard. A WLAN interface for communication according to the IEEE 802.11 p standard guarantees that it is a vehicle because the IEEE 802. Up standard was developed for vehicle-to-X communication. About the IEEE 802.11 p standard it is with the

Method possible to directly recognize and recognize a vehicle. Also, an IEEE 802.11p-enabled WLAN unit is always firmly connected to a vehicle, i. the position of the transmitting unit can not change independently of the vehicle.

Further, the on-vehicle transmission unit may be, for example, a Wi-Fi Direct ™ interface. The associated communication standard allows direct device communication (device to device) via so-called Wi-Fi Direct ™ signals without the need for a home network or hotspot (access point). The corresponding communication standard therefore competes directly with the Bluetooth ™ standard, which also enables direct device communication.

Unattached vehicles means that a position of the first transmission unit can change independently of the position of the vehicle. However, one can Change the position of the first transmitting unit with the position of the vehicle, if the first transmitting unit is carried in the vehicle. For example, a Bluetooth ™ or Internet enabled mobile device, which is carried by a motor vehicle driver or occupant, may be a non-mobile transmitting unit.

According to the invention, the signal of the first transmission unit is used for a data communication of the first transmission unit with a further communication unit or a data communication with a plurality of further communication units. In this case, the signal of the first transmitting unit can be used exclusively for a data communication of the first transmitting unit with the further communication unit or a plurality of further communication units. The at least one further communication unit is different here from the previously described detector. In particular, the signal of the first transmitting unit does not serve for data communication between the first transmitting unit and the detector or a desired transmission of data between the first transmitting unit and the detector.

In this case, the detector can receive signals from one or more transmission units that are transmitted by the transmission unit or units in accordance with one or more communication standards.

The detector determines an identifier of the first transmitting unit. The first transmission unit is thus assigned an identifier. Preferably, the identifier is a unique one

ID. If the identifier is a unique identifier, then advantageously the first transmitter unit can be uniquely identified. If the identifier is not unique, e.g. a multiple used identifier, e.g. further information, e.g. Information received earlier in time can be used to uniquely identify the first transmission unit. In this case, the detector can determine the identifier directly from the detected signal of the first transmission unit. In addition, the detector can interrogate the identifier from the transmitting unit. For this purpose, the detector may additionally comprise means for establishing a data-related communication with the first transmitting unit, for example a detector-side transmitting unit, by means of which a data-related

Communication of the detector with the first transmission unit is possible. In particular, the detector can by means of the means for establishing a data communication send a connection request to the first transmitting unit, wherein upon successful connection request, a preferably unique identifier of the first transmitting unit is transmitted to the detector. For example, the detector may include a Bluetooth ™ interface by means of which the previously described Bluetooth ™ based connection request is feasible to Bluetooth ™ terminals that are in a discoverable state. However, it should be noted that a connection setup by means of such a connection request can be too slow, for example, in driving

Detect vehicles with Bluetooth ™ devices quickly enough. As a result, not every Bluetooth ™ terminal that supports the Bluetooth

Connection request passing detector is detected.

Furthermore, in terms of data technology, the detector transmits at least the identifier of the first transmitting unit to a central unit for generating traffic information. The detector can also transmit at least its spatial position and the identifier of the first transmission unit to the central unit for generating traffic information. Furthermore, information about the spatial position of the detector can be linked to information about the identifier of the first transmission unit. This can be done, for example, with the central unit described below. Also, the detector may associate the information regarding its own spatial position with the information regarding the identifier of the first transmitting unit and then transmit it to the central transmitting unit.

The detector may also provide further information, e.g. a time of detection of the first transmitting unit, with the identifier of the first transmitting unit and optionally the own spatial position link and transmitted to the central unit. The linking and transmission of further data is also conceivable.

By linking the identifier with the spatial position of the detector, a so-called indirect spatial referencing of the first transmitting unit takes place. The predetermined reception range of the detector results in a spatial referencing of the first transmission unit with respect to the detector, wherein an accuracy of this spatial referencing is not more accurate than a spatial extent of the reception range. Since a spatial position of the detector with respect to the spatial area is known, there is thus an indirect spatial referencing of the first transmitting unit with respect to of the spatial area. This can also be described as indirect location of the first transmission unit.

The method thus makes it possible to determine a spatial position of the first transmission unit with respect to the spatial area exclusively on the basis of the known or determinable spatial position of the detector and of the signal transmitted by the first transmission unit for communication with at least one further communication participant and detected by the detector. In this case, it does not matter whether the first transmitting unit has means for determining its own spatial position with respect to the spatial area or has access to such information. The method is therefore also applicable to transmitting units that have no or only imprecise

Information regarding your own spatial position. The term inaccurate here is an accuracy that is less than a predetermined accuracy understood. Thus, e.g. Transmitting units that provide only roughly resolved spatial traffic information or their spatial position is only inaccurately referenced, are also used to generate traffic information with a higher resolution. A significant advantage, however, results from the

Ability to use transmit units to generate traffic information whose spatial position is not referenced. Such transmission units may be, for example, laptops, mobile phones, PDAs and other (end) devices, in particular Bluetooth ™ terminals or WLAN terminals, which are connected via one or more

Communication protocols can communicate with other communication participants. Since such devices are available in a variety, this can increase the amount of location information significantly.

Bluetooth ™ devices communicate using a familiar Bluetooth ™ standard. WLAN terminals can, for example, communicate via the IEEE 802.11 standard, but in particular also via the IEEE 802.11 p standard, the IEEE 802.11 b standard, the IEEE 802.11g standard or the IEEE 802.11h standard. Even with such a communication, it is conceivable to determine or extract an identifier by means of a detector from a communication between two WLAN terminals different from the detector. In addition to determining an identifier from a communication between two WLAN terminals, the IEEE 802.11 p standard, as well as the IEEE 802.11b standard, enables the IEEE 802.11g standard and the IEEE 802.11 h standard, advantageously an identification of a unique identifier, namely a device address, a transmitting unit, which can be queried by the detector via a so-called probe request directly from a WLAN terminal.

Furthermore, the central unit determines the generation of traffic information

Traffic information within the spatial area of at least the transmitted data of the detector. Here, the central unit

Link traffic information of several directly located transmission units or sensors and of course also of several indirectly located transmission units to determine the traffic characteristics known to those skilled in the art. In particular, the central unit may determine so-called start-destination matrices (O / D matrices) and use the traffic information it calculates to plan traffic flows in the spatial area. In particular, the central unit can determine a route of a road user from a unique identifier and the corresponding time stamps.

The proposed method results in an advantageous manner that also position information of transmitting units that are not spatially referenced directly with respect to the spatial area, can be used to generate traffic information. This increases the amount of information that can be used to determine traffic parameters. Information such

Transmitting units are particularly available with a high refresh rate. This advantageously enables a precise, up-to-date and comprehensive determination of traffic parameters in the spatial area.

In a further embodiment, the detector is a stationary detector. Stationary detectors here are detectors whose position does not change over time relative to the spatial area and can also be referred to as infrastructure-side detectors. For example, such stationary detectors in

Traffic lights, street signs, crash barriers or similar roadside stationary elements are integrated. It should be noted that a position of the stationary detector with respect to the spatial area must be determined once. This position can then be used in linking the spatial referencing of the detector an identifier of a transmitting unit is assumed to be known. This results in an advantageous manner that no re-determination of the spatial position of the detector is necessary.

Alternatively, detectors may also be mobile detectors. For example, such detectors may be integrated in vehicles. It should be noted that the mobile detectors must have means for determining their own spatial position or have data access to such information. For example, in mobile detectors, a spatial referencing by means of a

satellite-based position determining means, such as a GPS sensor done. Of course, other methods for the spatial referencing of mobile detectors are conceivable. This results in an advantageous manner that information of such detectors can cover not only a static, spatially fixed area, but a geographically changing area.

In a further embodiment, the detector additionally determines a relative position of the first transmitting unit with respect to the detector and transmits this relative position to the central unit for generating traffic information. A determination of a relative position here refers to the determination of an information which enables a more accurate spatial referencing of the first transmission unit with respect to the detector. For example, the determination of the relative position comprises the determination of a distance between the first transmitting unit and the detector and / or a direction vector from the detector to the first transmitting unit. Here, the

Direction vector spatially referenced with respect to the spatial domain or with respect to the detector, wherein a spatial referencing with respect to the detector in a spatial referencing with respect to the spatial domain is convertible.

As a result, an accuracy of the spatial referencing of the first transmitting unit with respect to the detector is improved. In this case, a determination of the position may, for example, be understood as the determination of a distance of the first transmitting unit from the detector. Alternatively or cumulatively, a spatial

Orientation of the first transmitting unit to be determined with respect to the detector.

As a result, an improvement of the indirect location is advantageously made possible, whereby an improved quality of the traffic information is achieved. In a preferred embodiment, the detector determines the relative position of the first transmitting unit depending on a strength of the signal received by the first transmitting unit. In this case, for example, a distance of the first transmitting unit from the detector can be determined via known relationships between a signal strength and a distance. Next, via a known directional characteristic of

Receiving unit of the detector and a direction vector between the detector and the first transmitting unit can be determined. This results in an advantageous manner that only the signal strength of the detected or received signal and no additional information for determining a relative position of the first transmitting unit with respect to the detector must be present.

In another embodiment, the detector is a detector for WLAN signals and / or Bluetooth ™ signals and / or Wi-Fi Direct ™ signals and / or GSM signals. This results in an advantageous manner that a large number of mobile devices can be used for the determination or generation of traffic information.

In a further embodiment, the detector is a detector for Bluetooth ™ signals, wherein the detector receives at least one signal of a Bluetooth ™ -based communication of the first transmission unit with at least one further communication unit. Furthermore, the detector evaluates the at least one signal and determines or extracts at least part of an address of the first transmitting unit from the at least one signal. In particular, the detector determines or extracts a so-called Lower Address Part (LAP) of a Bluetooth ™ device address of the first transmission unit from the at least one signal. The part of the address of the transmitting unit, in particular the Lower Address Part, in this case corresponds to the inventively proposed identifier.

The LAP can be part of a globally unique and therefore clearly assignable 48-bit Bluetooth ™ device address (MAC address) of each Bluetooth ™ device. The MAC addresses are assigned by an IEEE registration authority and created according to the IEEE 802-2001 standard. There are three parts to a Bluetooth ™ device address: the Lower Address Part (LAP), the Upper Address Part (UAP), and the Non-significant Address Part (NAP). The Bluetooth ™ Device address can accept any value except for 64 reserved LAP values for general and certain Inquiry operations. One of the reserved LAP values is reserved for the so-called General Inquiry and therefore the same for all Bluetooth ™ end devices. The remaining 63 reserved LAP values are reserved for predetermined Inquiries (Dedicated Inquiries) of special device classes. For example, the reserved LAP values can be between 0x9E8B00 and 0x9E8B3F, where the LAP value is 0x9E8B33, especially for the general inquiry.

The signal of a Bluetooth ™ -based communication of the first transmission unit received by the detector with at least one further communication unit is received and, for example, demodulated after receiving. For this purpose, the demodulation can be carried out as a function of a previously known modulation type, a previously known modulation index as well as a previously known modulation rate. For example, For example, demodulation can be performed using Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying (GFSK).

The received signal may for example comprise at least one data packet, but preferably several data packets. In a next step, a beginning of the first received data packet can then be determined. Since the structure of an access code is known, the LAP value can be determined by means of a validation with a checksum. The UAP and the NAP are not transmitted with every data packet. For a 24-bit LAP, there are 6 digits in the hexadecimal system. A length of 24 bits or 6 hexadecimal numbers in turn means 16,777,216

Combinations. Multiple occurrence of the same LAP value in a spatially limited search space, such as e.g. a city, is therefore very unlikely. Such an occurrence would also not affect a measurement statistically relevant, since it is usually measurement noise.

The proposed method advantageously makes it possible to determine the most unambiguous identification of a terminal and thus the fastest possible indirect location. It also results in an advantage that, as conventionally known, a complete connection setup, which can generally take between three to five seconds and a maximum of ten seconds in time, has to be carried out in order to carry out identification of a Bluetooth ™ terminal as unambiguous as possible. Next results in an advantageous manner that even Bluetooth terminals, the

communicate, but are in a so-called undiscoverable state, can be detected and used to determine traffic information.

This advantageously increases the number of terminals that are responsible for the

Determination of traffic information can be used. In addition, it is advantageous that the determination of the LAP value in terms of data protection law is less of a concern than the determination of a complete MAC address of a terminal.

In another embodiment, the central unit for generating traffic information from repeated transmissions determines the identifier of the first

Transmitting unit and optionally the spatial position of the respective detecting detector a trajectory of the first transmitting unit. In this case, the identifier of the first transmitting unit as well as the spatial position can be transmitted repeatedly by the same detector as well as by different detectors. Of course, it is also conceivable that different detectors each transmit their spatial position and the identifier of the first transmitting unit. By determining a trajectory results in an advantageous manner that known to those skilled

Method for generating traffic information from so-called FCD data can also be applied to the traffic information generated by means of the method according to the invention for indirect location in order to determine a precise and up-to-date traffic situation.

Further proposed is a device for generating traffic information. The device comprises at least one detector. In this case, a spatial position of the detector with respect to the spatial area can be determined. In particular, the device may comprise a detector with means for determining its spatial position at least with respect to a spatial area. Furthermore, the detector has means for detecting at least one signal of at least one first transmitting unit. Furthermore, the detector has means for identifying an identifier of the first transmitting unit. Furthermore, the detector has means for transmitting at least the identifier of the first transmitting unit to a central unit for generating traffic information. Also, the detector may include means for transmitting its spatial position and the identifier of the first transmitting unit to a central unit for generating Have traffic information.

According to the invention, by means of the detection means a signal of the first transmission unit can be detected, which serves for a data-related communication of the first transmission unit with at least one further communication unit.

By means of the device for generating traffic information, one of the aforementioned methods can be carried out in an advantageous manner.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment. The figures show:

1 shows an exemplary traffic scenario,

2 is a schematic block diagram of a generation of

Traffic information,

3 is a schematic block diagram of a determination of a lower address

Part of a Bluetooth ™ device address and

4 is a schematic block diagram of communication of a first one

Sending unit with another communication subscriber.

Hereinafter, like reference numerals designate elements having the same or similar technical characteristics.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary traffic scenario 1. In the traffic scenario 1, an object 2 designates a passenger car of an older series without one

Positioning device, wherein a passenger of the object 2 operates a laptop that communicates via WLAN with not shown further communication devices. Another object 3 denotes a car with an active hands-free system via Bluetooth ™, but also without a position-determining device. The object 4 designates a vehicle of a vehicle fleet, e.g. a taxi fleet, which with

Positioning devices, such as a GPS sensor, and detectors for detection is equipped with Bluetooth and WLAN signals. Passers-by 5 are exemplified as passers-by who communicate via a mobile terminal with an activated Bluetooth ™ headset, but without a positioning device. Furthermore, a stationary infrastructure unit 6 is shown, which comprises detectors for detecting Bluetooth ™ and WLAN signals and whose spatial position within the traffic network is predetermined.

In FIG. 1, the course of travel of the objects 2, 3, 4 is indicated by arrows. In an exemplary first constellation 17, e.g. the object 4, by means of its detector, transmits the WLAN signal of the passenger's laptop in the object 2 and transmits its current position, the identifier of the laptop and the current time to a e.g. in Fig. 2 illustrated central unit 13 for generating traffic information. In a further constellation 18, the stationary infrastructure unit 6 once detects the WLAN signal of the passenger's laptop in the object 2 and the Bluetooth ™ signal of the active hands-free device in the object 3, which is a data communication of the hands-free device with a not shown in the object 3 but not shown

Mobile device is used, and transmits their current position, the ID of the laptop and the speakerphone and the current time to the central unit 13. In another constellation 19, the object 4 detects the Bluetooth ™ signal of the mobile terminal of the passer 5 and transmits the current Position, the identifier of the mobile terminal and the current time to the central unit 13th

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary block diagram for generating traffic information via the traffic scenario illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, the objects 2, 3, 5 shown in Fig. 1 are shown combined. The object 4 of the vehicle fleet comprises a mobile detector 8. The mobile detector 8 comprises a receiving unit 9, which can also be referred to as a so-called ID catcher. Furthermore, the detector 8 comprises a GPS sensor 11. The detector 8 further comprises a preprocessing unit 10, by means of which an identification of the objects 2, 3, 5 identified by the receiving unit 9 of the detector 8 is provided with information about a spatial position of the detector Detector 8 is linked. By means of a GSM module 12, this linked information is transmitted to a central unit 13 for generating traffic information. The GPS module 11 is responsible for determining the position of the object 4. In addition to a position, a time can also be determined. The pre-processing unit 10 has a Identification of objects 2, 3, 5 the corresponding position and time. In this case, there is also the possibility of further preprocessing steps, for example to determine an exact relative position of the objects 2, 3, 5 to the object 4. The data thus determined (identifier, position, time, direction vector, etc.) are sent to the central unit 13. The central unit 13 in this case comprises a receiving unit 14, a unit 15 for

Determination of a trajectory and a unit 16 for calculating traffic-relevant parameters, which calculates traffic-relevant parameters from the information transmitted by the objects 2, 3, 4 and 5.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of a determination of a Lower Address Part LAP of a Bluetooth ™ device address. Here, a detector 8, which is also shown for example in Fig. 2, receives e.g. by means of a receiving unit 9, a Bluetooth ™ signal, which is composed of a useful signal Ss and a noise signal Sn. In this case, the useful signal Ss is a Bluetooth ™ signal, which is used for the data communication of a first transmitting unit 20 with at least one further communication unit 21 (see FIG. 4). The Bluetooth ™ signal, in particular the useful signal Ss, contains several data packets.

In a first step S1, the signal resulting from the useful signal Ss and the noise signal Sn is demodulated, e.g. using Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying Demodulation. For this purpose, a modulation index and a modulation rate may be previously known, the modulation index being e.g. 0.32 and the modulation rate e.g. 4 may be.

In a second step S2, the beginning of the first received data packet is determined. It is assumed that each data packet starts with a constant 72-bit pattern, the so-called access code. This bit pattern is used to identify data packets and contains the 24-bit long LAP followed by a 34-bit checksum and 14-bits for synchronization and error detection. A complete MAC address is not included in the data packets. However, the LAP can be extracted from a data packet by a validation with the checksum. This is done in a third step S3. The receiving unit 9 of the detector 8 can detect a traffic of Bluetooth ™ devices in a 2.4 GHz band. By means of the proposed method, for each communicating Bluetooth ™ device, of which only a single

Data packet was detected, be recognized.

For example, by means of the proposed method, a LAP of the device address of the hands-free device of the object 3 described in FIG. 1 and also a LAP of the device address of the mobile terminal of the passer-by 5 can be determined. In this case, the stationary infrastructure unit 6 or a Bluetooth ™ identification unit of the mobile object 4 can serve as the detector. The stationary infrastructure unit 6 and the Bluetooth ™ identification unit can both be a receiving unit 9 (see eg FIG. 2) for a 2.4 GHz Bluetooth ™ frequency band, combined with a computing unit which may be, for example, the preprocessing unit 10 shown in FIG , include. At 1,600 hops per second, it is only necessary to observe a certain number of channels in order to reliably receive all data packets transmitted in the reception area.

The LAP may be stored in a database, for example, stored in a memory device of the central unit 13 (see FIG. 2). A

Data transmission from the detector 8 to the central unit 13 can be wireless. A power supply of the central unit 13 may be provided either via a battery or via a power supply of existing infrastructure-side systems, e.g. the lighting or traffic engineering, be realized.

4 shows a schematic block diagram of a communication of a first one

In this case, data is transmitted, for example, via a Bluetooth ™ -based communication exclusively between the first transmitting unit 20 and the further communication subscriber 21. A detector 8 has a receiving area 22 and can in this case the

Data transmission between the first transmitting unit 20 and the other

Receive communication 21 receiving signals. The detector 8 may be that of data transmission between the first transmitting unit 20 and the other

For example, receive communication signals 21 serving signals, when a signal strength of the signal of the first transmitting unit 20 is greater than or equal to predetermined receiving strength.

reference numeral

1 traffic scenario

2 object

3 object

4 object

5 passerby

6 stationary infrastructure unit

7 schematic block diagram

8 detector

9 receiving unit

10 preprocessing unit

11 GPS module

12 GSM module

13 central unit

14 receiving unit

15 Unit for determining a trajectory

16 Unit for determining traffic-relevant parameters

17 constellation

18 constellation

19 constellation

20 first transmission unit

21 other communication participants

22 reception area

Ss useful signal

Sn noise signal

51 first step

52 second step

53 third step

LAP Lower Address Part

Claims

claims

1. A method for generating traffic information within a spatial area,

wherein a spatial position of a detector (8) is determined at least with respect to the spatial area,

wherein the detector (8) detects at least one signal of at least one first transmitting unit (20),

wherein the detector (8) identifies an identification of the first transmission unit (20), wherein the detector (8) transmits at least the identification of the first transmission unit (20) to a central unit (13) for generating traffic information, the central unit (13 ) for generating traffic information

Determines traffic information within the spatial area from at least the transmitted data of the detector (8),

characterized in that

the signal of the first transmission unit (20) serves for a data communication of the first transmission unit (20) with at least one further communication unit (21).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detector (8) is a stationary or mobile detector (8).

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detector (8) additionally determines a relative position of the first transmitting unit (20) with respect to the detector (8) and to the central unit (13) for

Generation of traffic information transmitted.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the detector (8) determines the relative position of the first transmitting unit (20) depending on a strength of the signal received by the first transmitting unit (20).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the detector (8) is a detector (8) for WLAN signals and / or Bluetooth ™ - Signals and / or Wi-Fi Direct - signals and / or GSM signals is.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the detector (8) a

Detector for Bluetooth ™ signals, wherein the detector (8) receives at least one signal of a Bluetooth ™ -based communication of the first transmitting unit (20) with at least one further communication unit (21), wherein the detector (8) evaluates the at least one signal and determines at least part of an address of the first transmission unit (20) from the at least one signal.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the detector (8) determines a Lower Address Part (LAP) of a Bluetooth ™ device address of the first transmission unit (20).

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central unit (13) for generating traffic information from repeated transmissions of the identifier of the first transmitting unit (20) and the spatial position of the respective detector (8) has a trajectory of the first

Sender unit (20) determined.

9. Device for generating traffic information, wherein the device

comprising at least one detector (8), wherein a spatial position of the detector with respect to the spatial area can be determined,

wherein the detector (8) has means for detecting at least one signal of at least one first transmitting unit (20),

wherein the detector (8) has means for identifying an identifier of the first transmitting unit (20),

wherein the detector (8) comprises means for transmitting at least the identifier of the first transmitting unit (20) to a central unit (13) for generating

Has traffic information,

characterized in that

a signal of the first transmitting unit (20) can be detected by means of the detection means, which serves for data-technical communication of the first transmitting unit (20) with at least one further communication unit (21).

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the detector (8) additionally comprises means for determining a relative position of the first transmitting unit (20) with respect to the detector (8).