Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-02
2001-07-03
Nguyen, Tan (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S209000, C340S990000, C340S991000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06256582
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and a device for navigational assistance to a vehicle driver who is issued instructions which are derived from a comparison of a route, prescribed by route reference points, and respectively determined positions of the vehicle.
Systems for assisting the navigation of vehicles have become known in which after inputting the start point and destination this information is transmitted from a vehicle unit into a fixed computer (traffic computer). There, a digital map base is used to determine a route between the start point and destination. This route is transmitted to the vehicle unit in the form of a list of route reference points. Data are also transmitted on the route reference points, in particular the type of the route reference point, for example an intersection, a junction, a rotary intersection. Finally, the distances between the route reference points are transmitted to the vehicle unit. These systems are also known as off-board navigation systems.
In the known systems, the guidance information is transmitted to the driver in the form of symbolized representations of the guidepoints, especially the intersections and junctions. The vehicle driver lacks any information on the next segment of the roadway. He must therefore put his complete trust in the functionability of the system. Furthermore, imprecise calculation of vehicle position and complex street segments can cause the vehicle driver to change lanes rapidly when this is not necessary.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to improve how the information is represented for the vehicle driver.
This object is accomplished using the process in accordance with the invention in that the guide point and connections between the guideposts are graphically represented for at least a section of the predetermined roadway. This representation can occur in that only the section of the roadway that is in front of the vehicle is represented or in that only a part thereof is represented. The current position of the vehicle is then located on the lower edge of the display, while the representation of the roadway and the guide points move to correspond to vehicle movement.
The method according to the invention is suitable for off-board systems. In these systems it is provided that data which describe the prescribed route and the route reference points are transmitted from a fixed computer to a vehicle unit located in the vehicle.
For the purpose of further improving the orientation of the driver, it is provided in a development that the representations of the route reference points also contain symbols for roads which diverge from the route reference points and do not lie on the prescribed route. It is advantageous in this case if the symbols are short lines which differ from the connections between the route reference points.
In order to be able to make a better estimate of the position of the vehicle within the route, in particular the relationship between the track covered and that lying ahead, it can also be provided, however, in the case of the method according to the invention that, furthermore, a symbol for the respectively determined position of the vehicle is represented.
If a vehicle deviates from the prescribed route, in the known systems an alternative route which leads to the destination at least partly on a different stretch is calculated. There is a description of a method in patent application Ser. No. 196 16 071 of the applicant which calculates alternative routes as a precaution even before the vehicle deviates from the prescribed route, and transmits them to the vehicle unit. It can therefore be provided within the scope of the method according to the invention that, furthermore, stretches and route reference points are represented which lie on alternative routes.
A development of the method according to the invention consists in that, furthermore, data on the traffic conditions are transmitted and represented in the form of symbols assigned to the respective route reference points and/or the stretches lying between the route reference points. These data can relate, to traffic obstructions such as jams, blockages or weather influences.
A device in accordance with the invention for guidance support for the driver of a vehicle comprising a graphical display apparatus (display) for outputting instructions that are derived by comparing the roadway predetermined by guidepoints to the positions of the vehicle that are determined, in which data that describe the predetermined roadway and guidepoints are transmitted from a fixed computer to a vehicle unit in the vehicle, is characterized in that the guidepoints and connections between said guidepoints graphically represent at least a part of the predetermined roadway.
For further improving the orientation of the driver, in a further development of the device in accordance with the invention it is provided that the representations of the guidepoints also contain symbols for streets outgoing from the guidepoints, which streets are not located on the predetermined roadway. It is advantageous for they symbols to be short lines that differ from the connections between the guidepoints.
In the device in accordance with the invention it can further be provided that one symbol is represented for each position calculated for the vehicle.
The device in accordance with the invention can furthermore be designed such that each guidepoints the vehicle approaches can be graphically represented to include at least one directional arrow. It is possible for this representation to be switched on either as an alternative with the road map, or in addition to the road map, it being the case that the representation of the respective route reference point reproduces the road layout at the route reference point, for example a rotary intersection.
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Helmstadter Gerald
Schmischke Kai
Mannesmann VDO AG
Mayer Brown & Platt
Nguyen Tan
Speer Richard A.
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