Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Determination of along-track or cross-track deviations
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-05-22
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Determination of along-track or cross-track deviations
C701S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236935
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and a device for the destination guidance assistance of a vehicle driver, to whom instructions are issued, which are derived from a comparison of a route predetermined by route guide points and of vehicle positions determined in each case.
Destination guidance systems lead the vehicle driver actively to his selected destination. For this purpose, the vehicle driver is given situation-dependent information on the route segment which still remains. This information is based, as a rule, on the current position of the vehicle, which is determined for example, via a satellite navigation system, and on additional information, such as direction, speed, change of direction, etc. From these particulars, instructions, such as, for example, “turn off to the right after 100 meters, can be issued to the vehicle driver as a result of the comparison with the entered or predetermined route. If the vehicle driver does not follow the instructions or, for example, turns off the required course without any instruction, a so-called “false trip” occurs.
Recognition of whether a false trip has occurred, on the one hand, is in any case necessary for the vehicle driver's information and, on the other hand, is required in order, if appropriate, to calculate a new route to the destination. False trips of this kind can be recognized from the fact that, for example, the current position of the vehicle deviates from the predetermined route by more than a predetermined tolerance or that a predetermined direction change angle is not adhered to when the vehicle turns off. However, devices for determining the position and for measuring a direction change angle and other variables describing the actual route fundamentally have measuring errors. As a result of a threshold value comparison of these variables, information reduction, in which only the statement “deviation” or “no deviation” remains, is carried out for display or for further evaluation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is, in a method and a device for the destination guidance assistance of a vehicle driver, essentially to avoid this information reduction.
In the method according to this invention continuous or quasi continuous deviation dimensions from the predetermined route, provide information, also to be issued to the vehicle driver, which information is derived by comparison between variables describing the predetermined route and variables obtained in each case from the determined positions of the vehicle.
The advantage of the method according to this invention is that information relating to the size of the deviation, which information ultimately also represents the probability of a false trip, is available to the vehicle driver or for further processing.
In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to this invention, a variable describing the predetermined route has an extreme value on the straight center line between the route guide points and values which increase or decrease at a predetermined gradient as a function increasing distance from the straight line. The deviation dimension corresponds to the variable describing the predetermined route, at the determined position of the vehicle. At the same time, there is preferably provision for the variable describing the predetermined route to have a maximum on the straight line and to become zero at predetermined distances from the straight line.
By means of this embodiment of the invention, a kind of corridor is defined between two route guide points in each case, the edges of the corridor ultimately being indistinct and depending on the gradient and on the subsequent information processing. Thus, for example, in a digital road map it is possible for every path between two route guide points to store a gradient of the variable describing the predetermined route, which gradient is adapted to the actual course of the road linking the route guide points. If a road link between two route guide points is straight, such a corridor needs to take into account only the abovementioned measuring errors. A nonstraight course of the road is taken into account, in addition to the measuring errors, in the gradient or the width of the corridor.
In a further advantageous design of the method according to the invention, a variable describing the predetermined route describes a vehicle movement taking place opposite to the destination direction. In this situation the deviation dimension corresponds to the variable describing the predetermined route. This takes into account the fact that a false trip is highly improbable in the case of slight movements opposite to the destination direction, since such movements may occur, for example, on an S-bend of the road within the corridor. However, the same rearward movement may be a sign of a false trip if it takes place in an edge region of the corridor.
In another advantageous embodiment, a variable describing the predetermined route has an extreme value at the predetermined value of a turn-off angle at a route guide point and changes at a predetermined gradient with an increasing deviation from the angle. The deviation dimension corresponds to the variable describing the predetermined route, in the case of a determined turn-off angle of the vehicle. At the same time, there is preferably provision, in the case of the predetermined angle, for the variable describing the predetermined route to have a maximum and to fall to zero up to predetermined angular deviations.
This embodiment serves primarily for recognizing a false trip at route guide points. It is perfectly possible, however, according to this embodiment, to recognize a false trip even in the course of a road between two route guide points, if, for example, a turn-off angle is measured, although the road is straight or has a slight curve.
If there is only one deviation dimension, this may be indicated to the vehicle driver in a suitable way. If a plurality of deviation dimensions are derived, the invention, provides for comparing a plurality of deviation dimensions, derived from various variables describing the predetermined route, with a threshold value in each case and for logically interlinking the signals obtained from this comparison.
In another modification, a plurality of deviation dimensions derived from various variables describing the predetermined route are added and the sum obtained is compared with a threshold value. At the same time, there is preferably provision for assessing each of the deviation dimensions by means of a predetermined factor prior to addition.
Which of the abovementioned methods is used depends, in particular, on the set object.
In another modification of the method according to the invention, in order to determine a false trip at a turn-off point, the difference between a deviation dimension in the case of a correct vehicle trip and a deviation dimension obtained with the aid of the determined vehicle position is formed, and the difference is compared with a predetermined threshold value. This development contributes to recognizing a false turn-off at an early stage, even when there has not or not yet been a direct check of the turn-off angle.
Finally, in the method according to the invention, there may be provision for carrying out an assessment of the deviation dimensions, including the preceding individual manner of driving of the vehicle driver and/or of the vehicle.
In a device according to the invention, the object is achieved in that a computer is connected to at least a position sensor, a road map, a memory and input and display devices, and in that the computer operates according to a program, by means of which, for information, also to be issued to the vehicle driver, relating to deviations from the predetermined route, continuous or quasi continuous deviation dimensions are derived by comparison between variables describing the predetermined route and variables obtained in each case from the determined positions of the vehicle.
Advantageous developments and
Helmstadter Gerald
Schmischke Kai
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Mannesmann VDO AG
Mayer Brown & Platt
Pipala Edward
Speer Richard A.
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