Communications: electrical – Vehicle position indication – Map display
Patent
1996-03-27
1999-11-30
Swarthout, Brent A.
Communications: electrical
Vehicle position indication
Map display
340988, 701208, 701210, G08G 1123
Patent
active
059950234
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on an orientation and navigation device for a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Various orientation and navigation devices are already known where a current vehicle position is displayed on a map of a display unit and the position is continually fed back positively. A device of this type is disclosed, for example, by Bosch Technical Reports, volume 8, 1986, issue 1/2, "EVA--An Autonomous Orientation and Navigation System for Land Craft", pp. 7-14. In addition, a satellite-navigation system called GPS system (Global Positioning System) is known, which calculates a terrestrial position based on positional data received from three or four satellites in the sky. For cleared general applications, the positional determination using the GPS System has a position-finding accuracy of about 100 m. Moreover, the accuracy also depends on the altitude position and the number of satellites being received. Therefore, in city zones where a perfect satellite reception is not always guaranteed, a positional determination is not always possible. On the other hand, it can happen when working with "travel pilot" that the magnetic-field sensor is disturbed by magnetization effects of the vehicle or by strong stray magnetic fields. When the vehicle is driven over non-digitized areas or transported on a ferry or train, the orientation is lost. The navigation device has to be reset again each time. It may be that this can be done through operator input of a few keys, but it does not take place automatically. Therefore, the ease of use is restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The advantage of the orientation and navigation device according to the present invention is that in the event of loss of orientation or faulty position finding, which is immediately recognizable on the map of the display, the position can be automatically corrected with the aid of the satellite-navigation device. It is especially advantageous that the navigation device is also set up, i.e., the present position is automatically initialized through the satellite-navigation device without the driver having to do anything. As a result, the driver is not distracted from the ongoing traffic.
By ascertaining the variation range for the satellite-based position finding, one is able to advantageously delimit the error that is recorded when the exact position of the vehicle is determined. Since the accuracy of the satellite-based position finding essentially depends, inter alia, on the number and the configuration of the satellites being simultaneously received, a relatively reliable range can be determined for the vehicle position. The vehicle position is refined/optimized by means of a comparison (map matching) in accordance with a plausibility check on the displayed map. If the street currently travelled on is situated, as determined by dead-reckoning and map matching, within the variation range of the satellite-based position finding, then one can advantageously assume that the vehicle position managed by the orientation and navigation system is correct.
It is also favorable for check-testing purposes for the satellite-based position finding to be output on the display. This allows the driver to visualize the measured position in relation to the displayed map. Also, by using the appropriate cursor keys, it is simple to manually correct the position of the vehicle on the displayed map.
Beneficial, above all, is the automatic setting up of the orientation and navigation system with the aid of the satellite-based position finding. The driver of the vehicle no longer has to do the set-up manually and is, therefore, no longer distracted from the ongoing traffic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the orientation and navigation device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the functioning of the device according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a first example of positional correction according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a se
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Von Ernst et al. "EVA -An Autonomous Orientation and Navigation System for Land Craft", Bosch Technical Reports, vol. 8, 1986, pp. 7-14.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Swarthout Brent A.
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