Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-08
2002-10-01
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S033000, C701S035000, C701S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06459967
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, automatic positioning and navigational aids for guiding the driver to a desired destination can be provided so as to increase driving safety and improve driving comfort. The values for positioning are, for example, supplied by a GPS satellite navigation system (global positioning system). In addition, sensors or detectors that supply data regarding the vehicle, e.g. the rotational speed of the wheels, the distance traveled or the corners that the vehicle has taken, may be provided in the vehicle, in particular for the navigational aids.
Furthermore, that data regarding vehicle operating statuses, e.g. the fuel tank level, vehicle speed or temperatures, can be determined and used to provide a display, a warning or other measures, in the vehicle independently of positioning or navigational aids having sensors or detectors.
As a general rule, these two systems - the first system for positioning and navigational aids, and the second system for determining data regarding vehicle technical operating statuses—function independently of one another, especially as many motor vehicles are equipped with the second system but not the first. If both systems are used simultaneously in a motor vehicle, considerable expenditure with regard to components, space, and current consumption is involved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject matter of the present invention has the following advantages: the number of components required and the associated costs can be reduced by using the sensors or detectors jointly for at least two systems. Furthermore, data which per se are only obtained and evaluated in one of the systems can also be evaluated in the other system or systems and used for various novel functions or purposes, without additional sensors or detectors for these data being required. Thus novel functions, particularly relating to driving safety and driver aids, can be implemented in a plurality of systems at low cost. This applies not only to systems in widespread use today but also to further future systems that supply traffic-specific telematics data. Telematics is an IT term that combines the words ‘telecommunications’ and ‘informatics’ and relates to the use of IT components, methods and systems in digital telecommunications.
Below is a list giving the meanings of the characters and abbreviations used in the following description and in the drawings.
ABS
Anti-lock Brake System
CAN
Controller Area Network
FIS
Driver Information Systems
FS
Trip
GALA
Speed-dependent Volume Adaptation
GPS
Global Positioning System = Satellite Navigation System
KF
Comfort Functions
MF
Mobile Communications
NAV
Navigation
S
Sensor Systems for Data
TIM
Traffic Information Memory
TK
Fuel Tank
TBF
Vehicle Technical Operating Statuses
VF
Vehicle Speed
Thus in the present invention good use is advantageously made of the fact that much of the data determined in the vehicle, e.g. the rotational speed of the wheels, vehicle speed or the fuel tank level, is required not only to provide displays regarding vehicle technical operating statuses according to the aforementioned second system but also for positioning and navigational aids according to the aforementioned first system, or can be used to implement novel functions and driver aids. In the opposite direction, certain data in the first system, e.g. regarding route conditions, the route to be taken or weather conditions, may be useful for influencing technical operating statuses in the vehicle. They can be used to trigger procedures for adapting the vehicle or driving style to the prevailing circumstances. These adaptations may be made by the driver, who is provided with a recommendation via a display, which he then carries out. Alternatively, the adaptations may be made automatically without the involvement of the driver, e.g. a rear fog light is switched on if conditions are foggy. In both instances, new data required in a system are not generated via additional sensors or detectors; instead, data are supplied by the other system by way of data exchange. Thus each datum can be generated just once, using a given sensor or detector.
A first embodiment type of the present invention is based on a vehicle in which data are determined in the first system using a first group of sensors or detectors and in the second or further system using a second or further group of sensors or detectors, some of the data in both or a plurality of systems being the same. Then costs can be reduced by combining sensors or detectors for gathering the same data for the two or further systems into a single sensor or detector that functions for both or further systems. For the sake of simplicity, the embodiments described below relate to two systems only. In Table 1 provided below, examples of data of this kind that are utilized in at least two systems are given. Note that some of the data supplied by a given sensor or detector can be evaluated and used for completely different functions and purposes in the two systems.
TABLE 1
2
nd
System: Vehicle
1
st
System: Radio/Driver
Technical Operating
Information Systems
Statuses
GPS receiver
Navigation
Novel telematics
functions (e.g.
determining the
location of a stolen
vehicle)
Vehicle speed
Navigation, speed-
Display
dependent volume
adaptation, block/enable
user entries or displays
Wheel impulses
Navigation
Speed measurement
or ABS
Reverse gear engaged
Navigation
Display or trans-
mission control
Rear window pane
Navigation
Display
heating switched on
Mobile communications
Telematics
Mobile phone and
and mobile phone
novel telematics
receiver,
functions
respectively,
(see above)
Engine speed
Speed-dependent volume
Display, engine
adaptation
speed limitation
Light switched on
Illumination, day
ight
Illumination, display
design
or warning buzzer
Ignition key inserted
Prompt input
Prompt input
Ignition switched on
Prompt input
Prompt input,
display
Clock time, wireless
Traffic Information
Display, time-
communications clock
Memory messages,
controlled functions
calculation of estimated
(e.g. switching on
time of arrival, selection
stationary-vehicle
of relevant traffic-
heating/air
related messages, impact
conditioning)
on choice of route (e.g.
amount of traffic is often
time-related)
Vehicle-specific data,
Navigation
Tire pressure,
such as tires (e.g.
chassis
pressure, size, type)
adjustments
According to a second embodiment type of the present invention, data that are not present in the first system are determined and utilized in the second system. The data present in the second system are then additionally sent to the first system for evaluation. There are fewer cost savings associated with this type of embodiment. However, the advantage thereof is that novel functions and options can be implemented in the first system, i.e. the system for positioning and navigational aids, without additional sensors or detectors being required for this purpose in the first system. Examples of this embodiment type are shown in Table 2 below.
TABLE 2
2
nd
System: Vehicle Data
1
st
System: Radio/Driver
(Vehicle
Information
Technical Operating Statuses)
Systems, Navigation
Vehicle-related problems, e.g.
Automatic display of vehicle repair
problems relating to the hydraulic
shops or/and route guidance to a
fluid or brake fluid, brake lining
vehicle shop, may be automatically,
thickness inadequate, problems
if necessary as intermediate
relating to fluid pressure or
determination
engine temperature, etc.
Service-related problems, e.g. fuel
Automatic display of gas stations
tank empty, washer water
or/and route guidance to a gas station,
container empty, etc.
maybe automatically, if necessary as
intermediate destination
Range calculated
Impact on choice of route or on
suggested intermediate destinations
(gas stations)
Clock time, wireless
Traffic Information Memory
communications clock
messages, calculation of estimated
time of arrival, selection of relevant
traffic-related messages, impact on
choice of route (e.g. amount of traffic
is often time-related)
Journey so far/periods spent
Impact
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Pipala Edward
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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