Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Determination of travel data based on the start point and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-16
2001-03-06
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Determination of travel data based on the start point and...
C701S210000, C701S205000, C340S991000, C340S992000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199009
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a computer-assisted navigation method for a vehicle equipped with a terminal. The invention also relates, to the terminal in the vehicle and to a traffic information center.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Navigation systems for computer-assisted navigation of a vehicle equipped with a terminal in a traffic network, which use a digital map of the traffic network, are known. A route to be recommended to the driver of the vehicle equipped with the terminal can either be determined in the terminal or determined in a traffic information center and transmitted to the terminal. However, a traffic jam, an accident, a recently closed road, a driver error, or other types of anomalies may mean that the route actually taken by the vehicle differs from the recommended route. Systems which use a digital map to lead the driver back onto the recommended route which he/she has left are known.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to achieve optimum navigation for a vehicle even if the vehicle leaves a recommended route. The object is achieved by a method for computer-assisted navigation of a vehicle having a terminal in a traffic network, comprising the steps of receiving a desired destination at the terminal in the vehicle as a user input, determining the first recommended route to the desired destination, monitoring a current position of the vehicle as the vehicle travels toward the desired destination, determining whether the vehicle turns off of the first recommended route, performing a plausibility check when it is determined that the vehicle has turned off of the recommended route to determine whether the turn off of the recommended route was inadvertent, and determining a second recommended route in response to the step of performing the plausibility check.
Whereas known systems attempt in all cases to lead a driver leaving a recommended route back to the recommended route as soon as possible, the invention is based on the assumption that the driver has not always left a recommended route inadvertently each time, but that the driver has reasons for a preference which is different than the first recommended route. If a discrepancy is detected between the current position and/or direction of travel and the recommended first route, a route or route section which is preferred by the driver of the vehicle and is assumed to exist, at least up until a plausibility check is performed, is determined and is taken into account. A second recommended route to the destination position is determined, at least to the extent that a plausibility check is carried out and that, provided that the plausibility check is positive, it is used in the second route. The method is in this case independent of the way in which data about a route is transmitted. A vehicle may leave a route on the basis of the current vehicle position and/or on the basis of the current direction of travel of the vehicle; the way in which the departure is associated with the recommended route depends on how the recommended route is shown. A preferred route section is a route which differs from the first recommended route only in part, e.g. in a section in the direction of travel.
Previous driving habits can be taken into account not only when a vehicle leaves a recommended route but also when a route is first calculated.
On the basis of the recommended route, the terminal in the vehicle provides the user of the terminal, i.e. the driver of the vehicle, with navigation advice. For example, the terminal provides information about opportunities for turning off which the driver is to take and/or a graphical representation of the route or a section of the route.
The route can be calculated in the terminal. This can also be done in a traffic information center, in which case data about the recommended route are transmitted to the terminal by radio, particularly mobile radio. Determining the route in the terminal has the advantage of autonomous navigation, whereas determining the route in a traffic information center has the advantage that a terminal is inexpensive and that traffic data in a traffic information center can be used directly.
The principle of assuming that, at least in some cases, the driver leaves the recommended first route because of a preferred route or route section which differs from the first recommended route can be implemented in different ways. Thus, for example, when a vehicle leaves a route, a plausibility check can first be carried out to determine whether it is plausible that the driver has left the recommended route on account of a preferred route or route section (for example on account of traffic jams known to the driver or which the driver can see, traffic obstacles, etc.), that is to say that the driver has not left the route inadvertently. The parameters for the plausibility check in the terminal can be modified by radio via a traffic information center.
It is also possible for a vehicle's departure from a route to be taken into account in a traffic information center in that, particularly when a number of vehicles are leaving a route in the same area, there can be assumed to be an obstacle, such as a traffic jam, or an accident on the first route, so that, for recommending routes for other vehicles, at least one section of the first route after the point of departure is avoided.
If a plausibility check determines a known point of departure, i.e. a preferred route differing from the recommended route, the preferred route or route section can be determined in different ways and used to determine a second recommended route, which includes the known point of departure, to the destination position.
For example, it is possible to prevent a road from being rejoined, that is to say the first recommended route from being overlapped by the second recommended route on a section of road extending up to a minimum distance behind the point of departure on the first recommended route—if this is possible and helpful in the traffic network; this means that, in particular, an assumed traffic jam, or accident can be bypassed after the point of departure.
The current position and direction of travel of the vehicle can be recorded in different ways. The position can be recorded by a GPS. The direction of travel can be recorded by repeated GPS recording and difference formation and/or by taking into account turns of the steering wheel of a vehicle and/or by a compass and/or by a system which records changes in direction. Furthermore, a position for determining the direction of travel is alternatively or additionally possible on the basis of the journey of a vehicle being followed on a digital map, in particular taking into account turns of the steering wheel or changes in direction and/or a distance meter (odometer).
Data is expediently transmitted from the terminal to a traffic control center by radio, in particular by mobile radio.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5652706 (1997-07-01), Morimoto et al.
patent: 5742240 (1998-04-01), Asanuma et al.
patent: 5841366 (1998-11-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 6026346 (2000-02-01), Ohashi et al.
patent: 6032121 (2000-02-01), Dietrich et al.
patent: 6052645 (2000-04-01), Harada
Meis Josef
Oppler Jens
Stangier Peter
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Mannesmann Sachs AG
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