Method for selecting and processing traffic information

p0001The invention relates to a method for selecting and preparing traffic information for a driver of a motor vehicle.

p0002The driver of a motor vehicle are provided information in many ways. These include, in particular transport information, inform the driver about disturbances in the traffic flow. Widely used is the transmission of relevant traffic reports on the radio. This can be periodically performed, for example every half hour. In addition, traffic information can be transmitted as a data telegram and are therefore always available in the vehicle. In particular, the so-transmitted traffic information can also be further processed in the vehicle. Moreover, it is also known to transmit traffic information over a cellular network to a mobile user.

p0003Received traffic information can be especially used in planning the route in navigation systems. Here, the currently available traffic information can be taken into account on the one hand before driving with route planning. On the other hand newly added traffic information can be taken into account even after route planning, as they relate to the planned route. From the<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE19956108A1"><text>DE 199 56 108 A1</text></patcit> is this a method for dynamic guidance of a motor vehicle, including any received while driving traffic information known. After initially one route is calculated, and there are route guidance information output to the calculated route. During the trip, traffic information is received and filtered are relevant for the calculated route traffic information. Will receive traffic information about traffic obstructions on the calculated route while driving, so a further route calculation starts and detour routes are calculated for several turning points where a departure from the original route is possible. The turning points are between the current position of the vehicle and the reported beginning of the traffic obstruction. The driver can select one of the calculated detour routes and then receives routing information to this new ro ute.

p0004This method is applicable only when a destination is entered and calculated a route to this destination. However Especially with recurrent journeys such as between home and work, however, the driver does not need routing information and is therefore in most cases without the input of a drive object and on the output of the route guidance information. In these cases, the known navigation system does not make the filtering of traffic information and not to support the driver in the occurrence of traffic delays on its route by proposing, for example, a detour route.

p0005From the <patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE10108994A1"><text>DE 101 08 994 A1</text></patcit> discloses a method for selecting traffic information. Here, the information transmitted from the information center are also linked to data on the road sections concerned with the information. In the terminal equipment in a vehicle, a filtering of the received information is performed based on the current vehicle position, and there are output only the information relating to the current position of the vehicle. This indeed is a filtering of the traffic information is achieved, so that it is easier for the driver to filter out possibly for him relevant traffic information. Another driver support is provided in this case is not.

p0006From the <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="DE19535576A1"><text>DE 195 35 576 A1</text></patcit> is a process for navigational support to a vehicle driver, in which the current Ortposition is determined, a route is determined and obtained current traffic information for this route and displayed to the driver. The destination is derived automatically by probability considerations based on a comparison of stored driving information from the past with the current driving information. This process provides a driver assistance routine trips without a destination must be entered by the driver. The process in this case supports the driver but only when a single destination with sufficient accuracy can be determined. However, it does not provide assistance if the unambiguous assignment of a single probable your destination is not possible.

p0007Object of the invention, a method for selection and preparation of traffic information for a driver of a motor vehicle further so that the traffic information is filtered firstly in terms of their relevance to the driver and the driver is supported on the occurrence of relevant traffic incidents in the detour of the obstruction is, although an unambiguous destination can not be determined and a route planning was not carried out.

p0008The object is achieved by the method specified in claim. 1

p0009With the inventive method, the vehicle position and direction of travel are determined. The determination of the vehicle position in particular by the evaluation of satellite navigation signals, the longitude and the latitude of the current vehicle position can be determined. The determination of the direction of travel can be done by evaluating two successively performed positioning. Subsequently, the determined vehicle position is associated with a road based on road map data. This road map data can in varying levels of detail, for example in the vehicle, to be carried, for example, on a CD-ROM or on a DVD, or the road map data can be transferred from an external body in the vehicle. By comparing the vehicle position with the road map data, the vehicle on a street can be assigned. The streets are this usually provided with numbers where roads of different types can be distinguished by an additional letter, for example in Germany. About a receiver for traffic information, the traffic information is received as a data stream in a conventional manner. In the receiving apparatus, it usually is a radio receiver or a mobile radio device. The traffic reports include information about a traffic obstruction and a hit by the traffic obstruction stretch. The traffic messages are received as data, for example, according to the RDS-TMC standard and can be used by the receiving device. Subsequently, the received traffic messages with the possible routes of the vehicle are compared. Here therefore relevant to one of the possible routes of the vehicle traffic delays are determined.

p0010The determination of the possible routes the vehicle can take place in different ways. In one embodiment, only one possible route is assumed, and, although the currently traveled road by the vehicle in the driving direction that has been determined as the direction of travel of the motor vehicle. This is a sensible option, for example during long motorway journeys. If it was determined, for example, that the vehicle runs on the product bearing the label "A7" motorway in southern direction, so only the traffic messages are filtered as relevant, relating to the past of the current vehicle position to the south stretches the "A7" motorway.

p0011In another embodiment, the possible routes are determined on the basis of stored destinations or routes of previous trips. If the vehicle, for example the last five destinations approached deposited, then a search corridor be established, extending from the current vehicle position to each of those locations. It only those traffic messages are then taken into account regarding this search corridors. Alternatively, all z. B. can be observed in removing sense possible routes between the current vehicle position and the previously approached objectives regarding the occurrence of traffic delays. Furthermore, complete routes travel history can be stored in the vehicle, such as the route between home and work, so that exactly the traffic information regarding this stored previous route are selected as relevant.

p0012In another alternative embodiment, be determined as potential routes those roads that are in a predetermined angular segment to the direction of travel of the vehicle. For this, no further information about stored objects or previously used routes required, however, the detection range is, however, extended beyond the current road beyond. About the size of the predetermined angular segment of the degree of reduction of the traffic information received can be set.

p0013In another embodiment, the possible routes are calculated using a statistical observation Road. This road monitoring may for example relate to how often the driver has traveled a particular stretch, when the stretch was last traveled or how frequently the track is frequented. Based on these statistics, a probability space be spanned so that a reduction in the traffic information can be obtained using the determined probabilities. Thus, for example, be set so that all traffic information considered relevant, lying on roads that are traveled at least every y days on average and maximum x kilometers. Alternatively, all traffic information can be selected, which affect road sections, which are not further away from the current vehicle position as a default value. By collecting this statistical data exactly tailored to the customer criteria can be established. In particular, this can be parameterized by the user himself.

p0014If a relevant traffic conditions on one of the possible routes of the vehicle is detected, an intermediate goal on the affected by the relevant traffic obstruction possible route is now inventively defined, the intermediate target is on the possible route in the direction of travel of the vehicle behind the affected by the traffic obstruction stretch. The intermediate target is thus a point at which a diversion route through the traffic obstruction leads back to the originally viewed as a possible route route. Climbs the vehicle, for example, the highway "A7" between junctions no. 34 and no. 35, in the direction of travel of the vehicle, a road blockage was reported ahead of the vehicle between junctions no. 37 and no. 38, as would be the exit no. 38 the first possible intermediate objective to which a bypass route could be traced back to the "A7" motorway again. In addition, all further subsequent connection points, so the connection points no. 39, no. 40, no. 41, ..., possible intermediate targets. Of the possible intermediate targets can be a selected automatically. Alternatively, however, a list of possible intermediate targets can be created, whereby a desired intermediate destination against the list of possible intermediate destinations can be selected. During an intervention by the driver to select the interim target is not needed in the first variant, is in the second variant, a freedom of choice as to the point at which he wants to return to the original route the driver admitted.

p0015After determining the interim target a route calculation starts now for the first time. In this route calculation, a route from the current vehicle position is calculated at the intermediate destination, said affected by the relevant traffic congestion link is avoided. The calculated route is thus a detour route with respect to the considered traffic obstacle. As an alternative to the calculation of the route from the current vehicle position, the route can also be calculated from a position in the direction of travel of the vehicle in front of the current vehicle position from position to the intermediate target. This variant is advantageous for example when the vehicle is still relatively far from the reported traffic obstruction and still can continue for a certain time on the currently traveled road. In this case, the detour route can be calculated, for example, of a connection point from where the vehicle must leave the current highway to use the detour route.

p0016As the driver, although in many cases knows the main routes along which it is moving, but with possible detour routes is less familiar for certain sections, a guidance issue is finally started, and there are route guidance information to the calculated route, that is, the bypass route, output , The output of the route guidance information can especially with reaching the interim target again be stopped because the driver then is returned to the original major road.

p0017The invention thus provides a method is provided which on the one hand from the incoming traffic reports filtering out the relevant traffic reports, even if the driver does not use an existing navigation system for route guidance. In contrast to known navigation process route planning and the issue of routing information will only be started when during the journey undergoes relevant traffic message. A driver who drives on a him known route and therefore deliberately avoided route guidance by a navigation system, but then gets in case of a necessary detour route the necessary routing information to the then calculated detour route.

p0018In one embodiment of the process the traffic information is filtered by a distance criterion. This can, for example, traffic information, although relating to the currently traveled route, however, relate to a more distant track section will not be considered, so that the number of traffic information is reduced.

p0019The road map data can in particular from an on-vehicle storage, such as a CD-ROM or a DVD is read. Alternatively, it is also possible to transmit the road map data from a remote location in the vehicle, for example by means of a mobile radio link. In a specific embodiment, the road map data can also be transmitted with the traffic reports. In this case, the respective traffic message area to be a traffic bulletin road map data transmitted and can for example be used for the calculation of the detour route.

p0020The invention is explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment and the drawing. Show it:<dl id="dl0001"><dt>figure 1</dt><dd>a flow chart of the method according to the invention;</dd><dt>figure 2</dt><dd>a road map section for explaining the method according to the invention;</dd><dt>figure 3</dt><dd>sorting or display possible interim targets and the associated road sections;</dd><dt>figure 4</dt><dd>the essential components of a navigation system for performing the method according to the invention.</dd></dl>

p0021In Figure 4 the components of a composition suitable for performing the inventive method navigation system for motor vehicles are shown schematically. A central component of the navigation system, the computing unit is 1. The processing unit 1, a control unit 2 is connected, can be made through the entries. With the computing unit 1, a visual output unit 3 is connected, via for example a selection list to select a interim target or guidance information can be output. The routing information can still be audibly output through a speaker. 4 The input unit 2 and the output unit 3 may also be designed as a combined input / output unit in the form of a touch screen. In such a configuration, for example, targets or milestones can be selected directly by touching the screen.

p0022The computation unit 1 is further connected to a database 5 which includes the map data. In the embodiment, the map data stored on a DVD and be read by a DVD reader and transmitted to the computing unit. 1 Based on the map data can be performed by the arithmetic unit 1 at a known starting point and destination, a route calculation.

p0023For determining the current vehicle position, the navigation system further includes a receiver 6 for receiving satellite navigation signals. To conduct an independent satellite positioning, the navigation system further comprises a direction sensor 7 and a distance sensor 8, which are also connected to the computer unit 1, so that by means of a suitable computer program with these signals, a position determination is possible. Further, the arithmetic unit 1 is connected to a radio receiver 9, which is designed to receive RDS-TMC signals. Thus received traffic information from the radio receiver 9 can be forwarded to the computer unit 1 and are used as in known navigation systems into account when planning a route. Such dynamic navigation system is so far known.

p0024In the known navigation systems always a calculated route must be present in order to take into account traffic information. The invention on the other hand provides a method by which the relevant traffic information is selected and a route calculation and output of driving instructions are only started when relevant traffic information. The inventive method is implemented as a computer program and runs on the computing unit. 1

p0025Based on the figure 1, the method will be described in its essential steps. The starting point here is the situation that a driver is traveling with his vehicle, the navigation system, as described in Figure 4 which. The driver, since he knows the driving distance, entered a destination into the navigation system. Consequently, no route from the navigation system initially calculated, and no guidance notes issued to the driver. The navigation system is turned on, however. The navigation system determines the position of the vehicle on the basis of satellite navigation signals received by the receiver 6 in step S1. For two successive position fixes the direction of travel is determined beyond. In step S2, the vehicle position is associated with a road. For this purpose, the position data is compared with the map data which are stored on the database. 5 In this way it is known on which road the vehicle is and in what direction it is traveling.

p0026About the radio receiver 9 S3 RDS-TMC data is received in step, which contain information about traffic conditions. This information includes, but information on the distance, which is affected by the traffic obstruction. By comparing these data with the road on which the vehicle road and the road map data can be determined in step S4 whether the traffic message is relevant to the current road. If this is not the case, steps S1 to S4 in a loop to be repeated continuously.

p0027If it is determined in step S4 that the traffic reports for the current road is relevant, as in step S5, an intermediate target is set. For this, the next possible ascent is calculated on the current road behind the traffic event in an automated process, including the sent by the traffic information location and length of the traffic event. This is done by the accumulation path is long followed in the database until the retention section was abandoned and a new entry is found. When ambiguities, for example on a motorway junction, the highway is followed, where the traffic event is. In an alternative method variant various Auffahrmöglichkeiten can be found on the busy road and provided on the display unit 3 to choose from. The driver can then select the desired drive as an intermediate target. Instead of a list of possible entrances to driveways can be highlighted on a map display on the display unit. 3 In case of a touch screen, the driver can then select the desired drive by touching it.

p0028Once a waypoint has been selected automatically or manually set a route from the current location to this interim destination, so a driveway on the previously busy road calculated in step S6. The calculated route is thus a detour route with respect to the traffic obstacle. In step S7, then driving instructions are issued to the driver regarding this proposed route.

p0029In an alternate embodiment, a plurality detour routes may also initially be calculated at different milestones and displayed on the visual output unit 3 to choose from. In this case, the driver can directly select one of the detour routes, without having to first an intermediate target.

p0030Figure 2 shows a section of a road map, which further clarified the inventive method. A vehicle 20 travels on the highway marked "A90". A route planning was not carried out, and there will be no definitive guidance instructions. An incoming traffic report indicates a traffic jam on the busy highway "A90" between the starting point 21 and end point 22, the navigation system then selects automatically as a stopover point 23, which is the first driveway on the motorway "A90" behind the jam concerns. The navigation system will calculate a detour route 24 from the current position of the vehicle 20 to the intermediate target 23. Then, the driver output driving instructions regarding Umleitroute 24th The driving instructions are issued until the vehicle has reached the intermediate target 23, in which the driver again is on the originally used motorway "A90".

p0031In the embodiment, the current road is selected as the only possible route. By exception they may be selected as the possible routes of course several routes, as has been previously described.

p0032In addition to the automatic selection of the interim target of the driver can also buy several milestones are offered for selection. This can then be distinguished, which road are the individual milestones. 3a shows this sort, in the intermediate targets, belonging to different roads, can be found and selected in a simple manner. The vehicle 20 is located here on the highway "A5" in the direction of travel 'Kassel' (Fig. 3b). In the direction of travel there is a storage which is to be avoided. Behind the storage but will be in short intervals two motorway junctions, where the highway "A5" with the "A66" highway or the "A648" highway crosses. In a first list 31 are now the various entrances to the highway "A5" in the same direction 'Kassel' listed behind the accumulation path. In the lists 32, 33 junctions on the motorway "A66" from the intersection are listed with the highway "A5", namely the direction of travel 'Fulda' in List 33 and the direction of travel 'Wiesbaden' in list 32. In the lists 34, 35 are the possible entrances to the highway "A648", starting from the intersection listed with the "A5" highway, again according to the two directions of travel. The driver can first select one of the lists, depending on whether or not to his journey to the jam still on the "A5" in the direction of 'Kassel' or on the "A66" or the "A648". In this way it is ensured that a suitable driveway is used as an intermediate target for route calculation, although a destination of the driver has not been previously entered into the navigation system.