DE102021209149B4 - Method for operating a journey break management system, journey break management system and transport vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operating a journey interruption management system (4), with which at least one journey interruption (5) of at least one transport vehicle (1) during a transport journey (2) for transporting several passengers (3) can be managed, wherein the following steps are carried out:
- detecting vehicle information of the transport vehicle (1) and/or route information of the transport journey (1) and/or passenger information of at least some passengers (7) of the plurality of passengers (3) with a detection unit (6), and/or
- Providing vehicle information of the transport vehicle (1) and/or route information of the transport journey (2) and/or passenger information of at least some passengers (7) of the plurality of passengers (3),
- transmitting the provided and/or recorded vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information to an electronic evaluation unit (8) of the journey interruption management system (4),
- Determining a potential interruption of a transport journey (2) to carry out a primary action (9) depending on the provided and/or recorded vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information to carry out a primary action (9),
- Determining at least one secondary action (10) different from the primary action (9), which can additionally be carried out during the at least one interruption of travel (5), by the electronic evaluation unit (8), and
- Providing information regarding the at least one secondary action (10) to the transport vehicle (1) and/or to at least some passengers (7).

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a journey interruption management system with which at least one journey interruption of at least one transport vehicle can be managed during a transport journey for transporting several passengers.

Furthermore, the invention relates to an electronic journey interruption management system with an electronic evaluation unit. Furthermore, the invention relates to a transport vehicle with an electronic journey interruption management system.

For example, the US 6 542 812 B1 A navigation device that enables more efficient navigation. Information about a user of the navigation device can be taken into account for this purpose.

From the CN 1 03 874 023 A A mobile device is disclosed which can be used to ensure that a passenger on a transport journey does not miss or overlook an exit at a stop.

The EP 2 789 980 A2 discloses a method for planning a trip and a trip break based on the driver's wishes.

Furthermore, the DE 10 2007 044 812 A1 a multi-seat navigation and entertainment system for a vehicle.

An object of the present invention is to make a break in a transport journey more efficient for passengers by allowing the passengers to make more diverse use of the time during the break.

This problem is solved by a method, an electronic journey interruption management system, and a transport vehicle according to the independent patent claims. Useful further developments arise from the dependent patent claims.

• - Erfassen von Fahrzeuginformationen des Beförderungsfahrzeugs und/oder von Routeninformationen der Beförderungsfahrt und/oder von Passagierinformationen zumindest einiger Passagiere der mehreren Passagiere mit einer Erfassungseinheit, und/oder
• - Bereitstellen von Fahrzeuginformationen des Beförderungsfahrzeugs und/oder von Routeninformationen der Beförderungsfahrt und/oder von Passagierinformationen zumindest einiger Passagiere der mehreren Passagiere,
• -..Übermitteln der bereitgestellten und/oder erfassten Fahrzeuginformationen und/oder Routeninformationen und/oder Passagierinformationen an eine elektronische Auswerteeinheit des Fahrtunterbrechungsverwaltungssystems,
• -..Bestimmen einer potentiellen Fahrtunterbrechung einer Beförderungsfahrt zur Durchführung einer Primärhandlung abhängig von den bereitgestellten und/oder erfassten Fahrzeuginformationen und/oder Routeninformationen und/oder Passagierinformationen zur Durchführung einer Primärhandlung,
• - Ermitteln zumindest einer von der Primärhandlung unterschiedlichen Sekundärhandlung, welche zusätzlich bei der zumindest einen Fahrtunterbrechung durchgeführt werden kann, durch die elektronische Auswerteeinheit, und
• - Bereitstellen einer Information bezüglich der zumindest einen Sekundärhandlung an das Beförderungsfahrzeug und/oder an zumindest einige Passagiere.

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a journey interruption management system, with which at least one journey interruption of at least one transport vehicle can be managed during a transport journey for transporting several passengers, wherein the following steps are carried out:

• - Recording vehicle information of the transport vehicle and/or route information of the transport journey and/or passenger information of at least some of the multiple passengers with a recording unit, and/or
• - Providing vehicle information of the transport vehicle and/or route information of the transport journey and/or passenger information of at least some of the passengers,
• -..Transmitting the provided and/or recorded vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information to an electronic evaluation unit of the journey interruption management system,
• -..Determining a potential interruption of a transport journey to perform a primary action depending on the provided and/or recorded vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information to perform a primary action,
• - Determination of at least one secondary action different from the primary action, which can additionally be carried out during the at least one interruption of the journey, by the electronic evaluation unit, and
• - Providing information regarding the at least one secondary action to the transport vehicle and/or to at least some passengers.

The proposed method enables a journey break to be carried out more efficiently, as a wide variety of offers can be made available to passengers during the break. It creates the possibility of providing intelligent and needs-based information management for journey break actions on the system side. This allows passengers to be presented with system-generated information on possible primary and secondary actions before reaching the break. This allows passengers to make better use of the time during a journey break by providing or offering them at least one secondary action. In addition to the actual main action or primary action, which is primarily carried out during the break, one or more secondary actions can be offered to passengers. Thus, for example, the primary action can be refueling the transport vehicle. As secondary actions, passengers can participate in a sporting activity or a service during the refueling process. For example, vehicle various secondary actions are provided.

In particular, the method is a computer-implemented method.

The transport vehicle can, in particular, be a means of transport for the carriage of passengers or people. For example, the transport vehicle is a bus, such as a long-distance coach. In particular, a transport vehicle can be understood as any vehicle.

For example, the transport vehicle can be operated semi-autonomously, in particular fully autonomously. In particular, the transport vehicle can have an internal combustion engine and/or an electric drive unit.

The transport vehicle carries out a scheduled journey from a starting point to a destination. During this time, passengers can board and/or disembark.

In particular, a transport journey with the transport vehicle is understood to mean a journey with at least two passengers. In particular, the transport journey can carry four, ten, or 60 passengers, for example. For example, a transport journey can be a long-distance journey on a motorway.

The journey interruption management system is specifically designed as an electronic journey interruption management system. The journey interruption management system can be, for example, a central processing unit, a backend, a server, or a data cloud. Using the journey interruption management system, a wide variety of transport journeys can be managed simultaneously.

A break in the journey is specifically a break or interruption of the transport journey being carried out. For example, a break in the journey is carried out or planned when the transport vehicle needs to be refueled. A break in the journey can therefore also take place when a driver of the transport vehicle needs to comply with their driving and rest times. For example, the break in the journey can last 15 minutes, in particular 30 minutes, or optionally 45 minutes. The duration of the break in the journey always depends on the primary action or primary activity to be carried out. For example, the break in the journey is carried out at a rest area, service station, rest house, rest area with sanitary facilities, parking lot or a bus stop. In particular, the break in the journey takes place where the primary action can be carried out. The primary action can be, for example, a refueling process, charging process, rest period for the driver, tire change, service, repair work, a driver change, or a planned stop for boarding or disembarking passengers. In particular, these examples are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to provide an insight into possible primary actions. For example, a break in the journey may occur at a motorway service station along a motorway or trunk road.

In particular, the location or geographical position of the break is where the primary action is immediately located. In the example of a motorway service station, a possible primary action would be refueling at a gas station or electric charging station. Thus, the primary action takes place in the immediate vicinity of the position of the parked transport vehicle. For example, the primary action takes place within a range of five meters, ten meters, or 50 meters in the immediate vicinity of the currently parked transport vehicle during the journey and during the break.

For example, the vehicle information of the transport vehicle and/or the route information of the transport journey and/or the passenger information of at least one of the multiple passengers can be continuously, in particular automatically, recorded using the electronic recording unit. This can occur before the start of the transport journey or automatically during the transport journey. For example, the recording unit can be an electronic recording unit or an electronic recording system with multiple units. For example, the electronic recording unit can be part of the transport vehicle or designed as a vehicle-separate unit. It is also conceivable that this information is not recorded separately, but is provided to the journey interruption management system by external information points or external units. This can be done via communication connections. With the help of the electronic evaluation unit of the journey interruption management system, at least one potential journey interruption for carrying out the primary action can be determined or generated depending on the information provided and/or recorded.

The electronic evaluation unit can, for example, be an external computing unit unit or one or more units in the journey break management system.

Likewise, at least one secondary action or multiple secondary actions can be determined or identified by the electronic evaluation unit. For example, vehicle information, route information, passenger information, the interruption of the journey, a location, a type, and/or an estimated duration of the interruption of the journey, and/or a type and/or an estimated duration of the primary action can be taken into account when determining the secondary action. A secondary action adapted to and corresponding to the respective interruption of the journey and primary action can thus be calculated or identified. The secondary action is thus identified in such a way that it can be offered during the interruption of the journey, and can be used and performed by passengers, in parallel with the primary action.

The determined primary action and/or secondary action can be transmitted and provided as information to the transport vehicle and/or to at least one of the passengers. This can be done, for example, using a communication unit of the journey interruption management system. This information can also be provided to the driver of the transport vehicle.

For example, a secondary action can be understood as a service. In particular, the secondary action can be an activity performed by the passengers themselves. It is also conceivable that the secondary action is a service offered by a third party.

In particular, the secondary action is to be understood as being carried out in a zone or surrounding area around the location of the break. For example, the secondary action can be reached on foot from the parked transport vehicle at the break in one minute, in particular five minutes, in particular ten minutes. In particular, the secondary action is located in an area that is directly adjacent to an area of the primary action. In particular, a geographical and temporal boundary can be taken into account when determining the secondary action. These depend on the location of the break and the duration of the break and/or the primary action. In particular, after the primary action has been completed, the secondary action should also be completed so that, for example, the transport journey can be continued after the primary action has been completed. In particular, after the primary action has been completed, all passengers of the transport vehicle should reboard the transport vehicle so that the transport journey can continue. It is therefore advantageous if the secondary action and the primary action are coordinated with each other in terms of location and time. This allows the entire break in the journey to be made more efficient.

In one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a type and/or location and/or duration and/or urgency of the at least one journey interruption is determined by the electronic evaluation unit as a function of the vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information, in particular the type and/or location and/or duration and/or urgency of the at least one journey interruption is output visually and/or acoustically to a main passenger of the transport vehicle and/or at least some passengers. Thus, the journey interruption can be provided and carried out to meet the most diverse needs of the transport vehicle and the passengers. By taking into account the provided and/or recorded information, the electronic evaluation unit can be used to determine a precisely tailored and situation-adapted journey interruption to the respective currently prevailing situation of each transport journey. Thus, the journey interruption can be determined and subsequently carried out in a situation-adapted manner by taking into account a wide variety of information. Consequently, the journey interruptions of a transport journey can be carried out more efficiently. This results in a more efficient journey overall, as breaks and pauses can be arranged more efficiently.

The type and/or location and/or duration and/or urgency of the at least one interruption to the journey can be taken into account by the electronic evaluation unit when determining the at least one secondary action. For example, the secondary action can be referred to as an additional service that can be offered to passengers in addition to the primary action during the interruption.

The type and/or location and/or duration and/or urgency of the at least one interruption of the journey can be output to the main passenger and/or the at least some passengers via an output unit such as a mobile device or a transport terminal, visually and/or acoustically and/or haptically.

The main passenger could, for example, be a driver of the transport vehicle. It is also conceivable that the main passenger in an autonomous transport journey could be a tour guide or a contact person for the transport journey. Thus, the relevant information regarding the interruption of the journey could be digitally provided to the main passenger as the tour guide, for example, via a mobile device.

In one embodiment of the invention, depending on potential secondary actions desired by the passengers, the electronic evaluation unit checks whether the type and/or urgency of the break in the journey can be changed due to the required primary action and can determine an alternative break in the journey during which the primary action and additionally several secondary actions can be carried out. This makes it easier to address the concerns and wishes of the passengers, since the break in the journey is carried out in such a way that the passengers can fulfill as many wishes and interests as possible based on the secondary action. In other words, the electronic evaluation unit can be used to check whether the currently planned break in the journey can be postponed or changed with regard to the potential secondary actions. The electronic evaluation unit takes into account the required primary action, such as refueling or loading the transport vehicle. If the required primary action can be postponed or brought forward in time, the electronic evaluation unit can determine at least one alternative break in the journey. This alternative break is determined in such a way that the primary action and at least several of the potential secondary actions can be offered and carried out. Thus, the alternative break can be offered or carried out more efficiently and comprehensively than the currently determined break.

For example, passengers can initiate the desired potential secondary actions via their mobile devices or corresponding input units in the transport vehicle. This can be recorded and taken into account by the electronic evaluation unit. The electronic evaluation unit can, for example, take into account the potential secondary actions that are desired by the majority of passengers when determining the alternative break in the journey. The selection of the potential secondary actions takes place, for example, via a democratic decision-making process using the electronic evaluation unit. It is also conceivable that the individual secondary actions are assigned a specific level of importance and/or urgency. The electronic evaluation unit can therefore decide for itself that the potential secondary actions with the highest level of importance and/or urgency are given priority.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the electronic evaluation unit checks the availability of the at least one secondary action for a time of the at least one break in the journey, and if the at least one secondary action is not available at that time, an alternative secondary action is determined. Alternatively or additionally, the alternative secondary action is issued to the transport vehicle and/or the at least one passenger for selection; in particular, a number of secondary actions and/or a duration of the at least one secondary action and/or a scope of the at least one secondary action is determined depending on the at least one break in the journey. In particular, the check regarding the availability of the at least one secondary action is carried out continuously, in particular continuously, by the electronic evaluation unit. Thus, it can be checked at any time whether the secondary action can actually be offered to the passengers at the break in the journey. This can prevent passengers from being unable to perform a secondary action during the break in the journey. Consequently, the continuous checking of availability can ensure that the break in the journey can be perceived as pleasant and comprehensive for the passengers.

For example, the electronic evaluation unit can be connected to a wide variety of external information points via communication technology, so that the availability of the secondary action, in particular the planned one, can be constantly checked or retrieved using a wide variety of information. If the electronic evaluation unit determines that at least one secondary action is not available during the break in the journey, for example because it is already fully booked or cannot be carried out for technical reasons, at least one secondary action can be identified as an alternative. When determining the alternative secondary action, the type and/or duration and/or extent of the unavailable secondary action are taken into account. This means that despite the unavailability of at least one secondary action, the passenger can be offered an adequate alternative secondary action can be provided during the break in the journey.

In order to inform the transport vehicle and in particular the passengers of the transport vehicle about the unavailability of the secondary action, corresponding information can be automatically issued or made available to the passengers and in particular to the transport vehicle when the unavailability is determined. This can be done automatically with the help of the electronic evaluation unit when the unavailability of the secondary action is determined. Furthermore, the newly determined alternative secondary action can be electronically transmitted to the transport vehicle using the electronic evaluation unit so that, for example, the driver of the transport vehicle is informed. In addition, the at least one alternative secondary action can be visually and/or acoustically output to the passengers via input and/or output units. This gives the passengers an overview of the alternative secondary action now available. This can give the passengers the decision to decide whether the alternative secondary action corresponds to their wishes and/or interests and whether they wish to take advantage of it. For example, confirmation and/or approval of the alternative secondary actions by the passengers can take place via the input and/or output unit.

Preferably, the electronic evaluation unit can determine or ascertain the number of secondary actions and/or the duration of the at least one secondary action and/or the scope of the at least one secondary action based on the at least one break in the journey. This makes it possible to determine which secondary actions can be carried out within the time window of the break in the journey. In this case, the respective duration of the secondary action and the distance of the secondary action from the primary action during the break in the journey can be taken into account. Depending on the duration of the break in the journey and in particular on a location and/or duration of the primary action, the electronic evaluation unit can determine or ascertain which secondary action can be offered at all and, if an alternative time window exists, this time window can be filled with several secondary actions. This allows the stop or break during the break in the journey to be used as efficiently as possible.

In a further exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a first secondary action and at least one second secondary action are determined using the electronic evaluation unit, wherein the two secondary actions are prioritized depending on a respective urgency of the two secondary actions, in particular a time and/or location of the at least one interruption to the journey is determined by the electronic evaluation unit depending on the respective urgency of the secondary action. With the aid of the electronic evaluation unit, several secondary actions can therefore be determined so that, depending on the interruption to the journey, the time available during the interruption to the journey can be more extensively utilized by the multiple passengers through a wide variety of secondary actions. In particular, when determining the at least two secondary actions and/or the multiple secondary actions, the vehicle information and/or the route information and/or the passenger information and the interruption to the journey and/or the location and/or the type of interruption to the journey and/or an estimated duration of the interruption to the journey and/or the type and/or estimated duration of the primary action can be taken into account.

Furthermore, the electronic evaluation unit can categorize or classify the identified secondary actions, so that each of the secondary actions can be assigned a level of urgency or importance. In other words, the identified secondary actions can be prioritized based on their respective urgency. This is advantageous because if individual secondary actions are given high priority by the electronic evaluation unit, they can be given preferential treatment. Thus, for example, during a journey interruption, passengers can be offered the secondary actions that have the highest priority compared to the other secondary actions.

Furthermore, it is conceivable that the interruption of the journey could be dynamically changed or adjusted depending on the respective priority of the secondary action and, in particular, the urgency or importance of the secondary actions. If the electronic evaluation unit determines that the secondary action has a high priority or the highest urgency, a new interruption of the journey can be determined. In particular, the location and/or time of the interruption of the journey are adapted to the urgency of the secondary action. This could be the case, for example, if a passenger requires a medical or healthcare service as a secondary action.

In one embodiment, it can further be provided that preferred secondary actions of at least some passengers are entered via an electronic input unit, and these preferred secondary actions are transmitted to the electronic evaluation unit. When determining the at least one secondary action, it is checked whether at least one of the preferred secondary actions is available at the at least one break in the journey. This makes it easier to address the wishes, preferences, or interests of the passengers. The break in the journey can thus be offered in a more pleasant and possibly more relaxing way for the passengers. With the help of the electronic input unit, which is, for example, integrated into the transport vehicle or designed as a mobile device, the passengers can electronically enter their preferred or desired secondary actions. For example, the electronic input unit can be a touch-sensitive screen. The entered preferred secondary actions can be provided or transmitted to the electronic evaluation unit of the electronic break management system via electronic communication links. The electronic evaluation unit can thus take into account the information entered by some passengers when determining or calculating the at least one secondary action. The electronic evaluation unit can take into account that at least one of the preferred secondary actions is available at the upcoming break. Likewise, if it determines that none of the preferred secondary actions is available at the planned break, the electronic evaluation unit can intelligently calculate an alternative break where at least one of the preferred secondary actions is available. This ensures that the interests and wishes of the passengers can be met as best as possible at the upcoming break.

In one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the at least one secondary action is output optically and/or acoustically to the at least some passengers on at least one transport terminal of the transport vehicle and/or on a mobile terminal, in particular the at least one secondary action can be confirmed or rejected by the at least some passengers by means of an electronic input unit.

With the help of the transport terminal and/or the mobile device, at least one secondary action can be issued to the passengers for selection. For example, a transport terminal can have several individual input and output units within the transport vehicle. Preferably, an input and output unit of the transport terminal can be provided at each passenger seat position. It is also conceivable for the transport terminal to be a central unit within the transport vehicle. The transport terminal can also be designed as a web application, so that passengers can select specific secondary actions that they prefer, for example, before starting the transport journey. The mobile device can, in particular, be a passenger's smartphone and/or tablet. In particular, the secondary action can be issued to all passengers for selection via their own smartphones and/or tablets. By being able to select the secondary action, each passenger has the option of confirming or rejecting the at least one secondary action. Thus, each passenger can decide for themselves whether they wish to perform the at least one secondary action or whether they prefer an alternative secondary action. This can be done via the transport terminal.

In a further embodiment, it is provided that, upon confirmation of the at least one secondary action by at least some passengers, the at least one secondary action is reserved and/or booked by the trip interruption management system for a usage time that correlates with the at least one trip interruption. This ensures that the secondary actions confirmed and thus desired by the passengers are actually available during the trip interruption. The confirmed secondary actions of the passengers can, for example, be automatically reserved and/or booked and/or kept free for the usage time during the trip interruption using the electronic evaluation unit. This allows the passengers to actually perform the desired secondary action. For example, the booked and/or reserved secondary actions can be assigned to the passengers. For example, booking information and/or reservation confirmation regarding the secondary action can be electronically transmitted to each passenger using the transport terminal or a mobile device. The passenger thus knows the time and/or location of the booked or reserved secondary action.

In one embodiment, it can be provided that at least some passengers a list of secondary actions, in particular additional services, is provided. This allows at least some passengers to select the relevant secondary actions. The secondary actions specified in the list are, for example, internally classified into levels based on their importance and/or urgency using the electronic evaluation unit. The secondary actions can be divided into levels from non-critical to critical on the system side. For example, when selecting secondary actions by some passengers, it may happen that some passengers want a first secondary action and others want a second secondary action. If these secondary actions cannot be carried out at the same time during the break in the journey due to time and location, a decision-making process takes place. If the selected secondary actions are classified into a non-critical level, the electronic evaluation unit can make a democratic decision, in particular a majority decision. This democratic decision is carried out up to a predetermined threshold regarding the classification of the secondary actions. If one or more of the selected secondary actions are of a critical level, i.e., highly urgent or important, the system will make a decision based on the importance and/or urgency of the secondary action. Specifically, if, for example, some and/or only one person or passenger is suffering from illness, motion sickness, kinetosis, a health restriction, or another health-impairing situation, the system can assess such a medical situation to the effect that an interruption to the journey is urgently required for a secondary medical action. The interruption to the journey is therefore carried out so that this secondary medical action, which is highly urgent, is carried out as quickly as possible, despite the preferences of the other passengers. In this case, no democratic decision-making process would take place, since the system would initiate or plan an immediate break due to the urgency of the situation.

In a further embodiment, the transport journey may be undertaken along a country road. During such a transport journey, the electronic evaluation unit can determine specific travel interruption options along such a country road. In this application, for example, the electronic evaluation unit can identify a public parking lot or a large gas station as a possible trip interruption depending on the route of the country road. The electronic evaluation unit can determine whether such a public parking lot or other public stopping point offers special services such as supermarkets, hairdressers, bakers, casinos, beauty salons, sports activities, bank branches, service providers, tobacco shops, information centers, pharmacies, or other shops and/or services for daily needs in the vicinity. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive, but merely provide a brief overview of possible examples. Thus, the electronic evaluation unit can offer the available services or offers to the passengers of the transport journey at such a public parking lot along the country road as secondary actions. It is also conceivable for the vehicle to interrupt its journey in an urban area, particularly a city center. During such a break, passengers could be offered the most diverse and comprehensive secondary services available in a city center.

In a further embodiment, it can be provided that the break times of a driver of the transport vehicle are taken into account as the primary action when determining the interruption of the journey. This would be the case if the vehicle were a manually or semi-autonomously driven vehicle. The electronic evaluation unit can determine whether the driver's driving and rest times are being observed. If the driver's break times are imminent, the electronic evaluation unit can take this into account when determining the interruption of the journey, so that in this case, compliance with the break times by the driver is carried out as the primary action.

In one embodiment, it can be provided that environmental information of the location of the break is taken into account when determining the secondary action. In particular, a weather situation and/or weather conditions can be taken into account. If the electronic evaluation unit determines that precipitation is to be expected during the passengers' stay at the break, secondary actions that would be offered outdoors can be excluded. Thus, in such a weather situation, secondary actions that are preferably offered indoors or at least can take place under one roof, are offered preferentially to passengers.

Furthermore, environmental information can be considered when determining the secondary activity, including the ground conditions or the subsurface of a potential secondary activity that can be offered preferentially during the upcoming break. In other words, if it is determined that only paved surfaces are available in the vicinity of the break location, specific sports activities can be excluded as secondary activities. Similarly, if it is determined that green spaces and/or even soccer fields or hockey pitches are available in the vicinity of the break location, these activities can be offered to passengers as potential secondary activities.

In a further embodiment, the duration of the journey interruption can be taken into account when determining the secondary action. Thus, the secondary actions are selected such that after completion of such a secondary action by at least one passenger, the passenger can simultaneously return to the transport vehicle before the journey continues. For example, more secondary actions can be selected, which can be performed consecutively without exceeding the duration of the journey interruption.

In a further embodiment, it can be provided that a respective age and/or a respective age group of some passengers is taken into account when determining the secondary action. Depending on the age of the passengers, age-appropriate secondary actions can be selected. This is particularly advantageous since younger age groups have different interests than, for example, senior citizens. Thus, the electronic evaluation unit can analyze the respective age groups of the passengers, for example using the recording units, and select and offer appropriately adapted suggestions for secondary actions to the passengers.

In a further exemplary embodiment, it can be provided that, in order to determine the at least one secondary action, an estimated distance between such a secondary action and the primary action during the journey interruption is taken into account. The electronic evaluation unit only provides those secondary actions which, starting from the primary action, in particular from the location of the transport vehicle during the journey interruption, are accessible to the passengers within the time window of the journey interruption. In this case, care is taken to ensure that the passengers can walk to the secondary action after exiting the transport vehicle during the journey interruption, in particular on foot, and that they can also walk back to the transport vehicle after completing the secondary action, even before the transport vehicle ends the journey interruption and resumes the transport journey.

In a further embodiment, it can be provided that the secondary actions are determined by the electronic evaluation unit by comparing a maximum number of participants in the secondary action with the number of passengers. Preferably, a secondary action is selected that is also perceptible by at least some of the passengers. It is also conceivable that the passengers are divided into groups so that, for example, in a first round, a first group of passengers performs the secondary action and then, in a second round, a second group of passengers performs the secondary action. All of this can be taken into account in advance by the electronic evaluation unit.

For example, when determining the secondary activity, factors such as childcare options, the capacity of a rest stop or rest area, or whether the secondary activity is a paid service can be taken into account. Likewise, the electronic evaluation unit can determine whether, for example, the secondary activities desired by passengers can even be offered at a rest stop where the break is made.

For example, the electronic evaluation unit can continuously monitor the utilization of at least one secondary activity, the primary activity, and the location during the journey interruption. This allows a continuous picture to be created, which particularly shows passengers the utilization of the activities during the upcoming journey interruption. Continuous updates can be carried out. Should it be determined that the utilization during the time of the journey interruption is too high to be able to offer passengers sufficient activities or services, the electronic evaluation unit can, for example, propose an alternative journey interruption or an alternative primary action or alternative secondary actions are identified and offered to the passengers.

In particular, the system selects secondary actions that can be reached by a passenger on foot at the location of the break, particularly within a predefined time interval. The time interval can be specified depending on the estimated duration of the break and thus the duration of the primary action.

A further aspect of the invention relates to an electronic trip interruption management system with an electronic evaluation unit, wherein the electronic trip interruption management system is designed to carry out a method according to the previous aspect or an advantageous development thereof. In particular, the method described above can be carried out with the electronic trip interruption management system just described.

For example, the electronic journey break management system can be a central processing unit, a backend, a decentralized processing unit or a data cloud.

In particular, the electronic journey break management system can be used to manage multiple transport vehicles. In particular, the electronic journey break management system can be advantageously applied to vehicle fleets.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a transport vehicle with an electronic journey interruption management system according to the previous aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof.

For example, the transport vehicle can be a semi-autonomous or fully autonomous vehicle. In particular, the transport vehicle is a passenger car, a truck, or a bus. In particular, the transport vehicle serves to transport at least two, and in particular several, passengers.

In particular, the transport vehicle may have an electronic vehicle guidance system.

An electronic vehicle guidance system can be understood as an electronic system designed to guide a vehicle, specifically a transport vehicle, fully automatically or fully autonomously, in particular without requiring driver intervention. The vehicle automatically performs all required functions, such as steering, braking, and/or acceleration maneuvers, monitoring and detecting road traffic, and corresponding reactions. In particular, the electronic vehicle guidance system can implement a fully automatic or fully autonomous driving mode of the motor vehicle according to level 5 of the SAE J3016 classification. An electronic vehicle guidance system can also be understood as a driver assistance system (ADAS), which supports the driver in partially automated or semi-autonomous driving. In particular, the electronic vehicle guidance system can implement a partially automated or semi-autonomous driving mode according to levels 1 to 4 of the SAE J3016 classification. Here and below, "SAE J3016" refers to the corresponding standard in the June 2018 version.

The at least partially automatic vehicle guidance may therefore include driving the vehicle according to a fully automatic or fully autonomous driving mode of Level 5 according to SAE J3016. The at least partially automatic vehicle guidance may also include driving the vehicle according to a partially automated or semi-autonomous driving mode according to Levels 1 to 4 according to SAE J3016.

An evaluation unit can be understood, in particular, as a data processing device. The evaluation unit can therefore, in particular, process data to perform arithmetic operations. This may also include operations for performing indexed access to a data structure, such as a look-up table (LUT).

The evaluation unit can in particular contain one or more computers, one or more microcontrollers and/or one or more integrated circuits, for example one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or one or more single-chip systems (SoCs). The evaluation unit can also contain one or more processors, for example one or more microprocessors, one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) and/or one or more signal processors, in particular one or more digital signals. digital processors, DSP. The evaluation unit can also include a physical or virtual network of computers or other of the aforementioned units.

In various embodiments, the evaluation unit includes one or more hardware and/or software interfaces and/or one or more memory units.

Advantageous embodiments of the method are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the electronic journey interruption management system and the transport vehicle.

In particular, advantageous embodiments of one aspect can be regarded as advantageous embodiments of all other aspects and vice versa.

The invention also includes further developments of the inventive journey interruption management system and the inventive transport vehicle, which have features already described in connection with the further developments of the inventive method. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the inventive journey interruption management system and the inventive transport vehicle are not described again here.

The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. The single figure shows a schematic representation of a transport vehicle during a transport journey.

The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components each represent individual, independently considered features of the invention, which also further develop the invention independently of one another and are thus also to be considered as components of the invention, either individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described exemplary embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

The single figure shows an exemplary transport vehicle 1 during a transport journey 2. With the aid of the transport vehicle 1, several passengers 3 can be transported during the transport journey 2. In particular, the transport vehicle 1 is traveling from a starting point to a destination point during the transport journey 2.

For example, transport trip 2 may be a long-distance trip, a vacation trip, a passenger transport trip, or a long-distance journey. Transport vehicle 1 may, for example, be a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, a truck, or a bus.

To ensure that the transport journey 2 is efficient and pleasant, particularly for the multiple passengers 3, the transport journey 2 can be administered or managed by an electronic journey interruption management system 4. At least one interruption of the transport journey 2 can be managed with the help of the journey interruption management system 4.

A break in the journey 5 could, for example, be a stopover, a break, a stopover, a stay at a service station, a stay at a petrol station, a stay at a motorway service station, a motorway rest area, or a motorway service station. These are just a few of the possible examples and should therefore not be considered exhaustive.

The electronic journey break management system 4 can, for example, be a central processing unit or a decentralized unit. In particular, it can be a cloud-based system. It is also conceivable that the journey break management system 4, or at least one unit of this system, is integrated into the transport vehicle.

With the help of the intelligent journey interruption management system 4, for example, a planned timetable of the transport vehicle 1, which is, for example, autonomously operated, can be adhered to. Since it is important, for example, for a provider of such a transport vehicle 2 to receive positive reviews, the electronic journey interruption management system 4 can be used for this purpose. This can, for example, prevent unnecessary delays and/or delays during the transport journey 2. By adhering to the timetables, additional costs that arise from reimbursements due to delays can be reduced. The electronic journey interruption management system 4 can, for example, Appropriate advance notice must be provided in advance of the planned break or journey interruption 5 so that an optimal, in particular time-optimized, break can be carried out as journey interruption 5.

The journey break 5 may, for example, be a stop at a rest area along a motorway, where passengers, in particular passengers 3, can take a break or a fuel or energy tank of the transport vehicle 1 can be refueled or charged.

The journey interruption management system 4 can intelligently prevent a stopover or break as a journey interruption 5 from lasting longer than the timetable of the transport vehicle 1, despite a large number of passengers 3. This can prevent or reduce, for example, long queues in front of a washroom or long waiting times at cash registers.

In particular, with the help of the journey break management system 4, a communication system with motorway service stations can be created so that various transport vehicles and various motorway service stations can be networked in an intelligent and digital manner.

For example, the electronic journey break management system 4 can be used to integrate rest areas or motorway services into a road network. This can, for example, ensure the punctuality of coordinated schedules for transport trips.

In order to make the journey break 5 more efficient, vehicle information of the transport vehicle 1 and/or route information of the transport journey 2 and/or passenger information of at least some of the passengers 7 of the multiple passengers 3 can be recorded with the aid of a recording unit 6. In particular, the recording unit 6 is an electronic recording unit, such as a recording system, a sensor system, a sensor unit, or a sensor system. The electronic recording unit 6 can, for example, be a component of the electronic journey break management system 4 and/or of the transport vehicle 1. For this purpose, the recording unit 6 can, for example, consist of several individual units.

In particular, with the aid of the recording unit 6, a wide variety of information regarding the completed transport journey 2 and all associated possible and/or occurring information can be recorded. In addition to or instead of this, this information can also already be present, so that it is simply provided. The information that has either been recorded or provided can be transmitted to an electronic evaluation unit 8 of the journey interruption management system 4. The electronic evaluation unit 8 can, for example, be a computing unit or a processing unit. The electronic evaluation unit 8 can also be a complex computer system consisting of multiple units.

With the aid of this electronic evaluation unit 8, the potential journey interruption 5 can be determined, generated or calculated based on the vehicle information and/or the route information and/or the passenger information.

The journey interruption 5 can be generated by taking into account that a primary action 9 is available for the transport vehicle 1 during the journey interruption 5. This primary action 9 is a main task or main service which the transport vehicle 1 must perform during the journey interruption 5. The primary action 9 can be, for example, a refueling process of a fuel tank of the transport vehicle 1 or an electrical charging process of an electrical energy storage device of the transport vehicle 1 or a workshop service or a break for a driver of the transport vehicle 1 or, for example, a breakdown service of the transport vehicle 1 or another repair measure on the transport vehicle 1. These are just a few of the possible examples of a primary action 9. This primary action 9 serves in particular as a basis for possible additional actions and/or activities during the break 5. In order to make the break 5 more efficient, the time for carrying out the primary action 9 should be made more pleasant for the passengers 3. For this purpose, at least one secondary action 10 different from the primary action 9 can be determined. This secondary action 10 can be offered to the passengers 3 in addition to the primary action 9 and carried out by these passengers 3. In other words, in addition to the actual main function regarding the supply and/or maintenance of the transport vehicle 1, the passenger 3 appropriate and particularly pleasant secondary actions 10, in particular additional services, are provided and offered.

For example, the at least one secondary action 10 can be determined with the aid of the electronic evaluation unit 8 as a function of the vehicle information and/or the route information and/or the passenger information and/or the journey interruption 5 and/or a type of primary action 9 and/or the estimated duration of the primary action 9. Likewise, for example, a location 11 of the journey interruption 5 and/or a type of journey interruption 5 and/or an estimated duration of the journey interruption 5 can be taken into account when generating the at least one secondary action 10. A decisive criterion can be the duration of the journey interruption 5. Firstly, the duration of the journey interruption 5 is designed such that the primary action 9 can be carried out within this time period. In addition, the further secondary actions 10 can be carried out parallel to the primary action 9.

For example, the electronic evaluation unit 8 can be used to determine the type and/or location 11 and/or duration and/or urgency of the break 5 depending on the various information that has been provided and/or recorded. Thus, the electronic evaluation unit 8 can be used to determine in advance, on the system side, an optimal and efficient stopping option for carrying out the break 5. This can, for example, be communicated to the passengers 3 in advance as information. Furthermore, the type and/or location 11 and/or duration and/or urgency of the break 5 can be output visually and/or acoustically to a main passenger 12 of the transport vehicle 1 and/or to at least some of the passengers 7. This output can be provided, for example, via a transport terminal 13 and/or a mobile device 14. The transport terminal 13 can, for example, be one unit and/or multiple units within the transport vehicle 1. For example, a corresponding unit of the transport terminal 13 can be arranged at each passenger seat. These units can be, for example, input and output units. The mobile device 14 can be, for example, a passenger's mobile device. For example, the mobile device can be embodied as a tablet, smartphone, smartwatch, or data glasses.

The main passenger 12 can, for example, be the driver of the transport vehicle 1. It is also conceivable that the main passenger 12 is a tour guide or contact person who provides the relevant information to the passengers 3 during a journey as a transport trip 2.

A further application for the transport terminal 13 and/or the mobile device 14 is that the at least one secondary action 10 is issued to the at least some passengers 7 for selection. In this case, the some passengers 7 can be given the decision as to whether or not they wish to perform the at least one secondary action 10. Thus, each of the some passengers 7 can individually confirm or reject the secondary action 10. These decisions can be provided to the electronic evaluation unit 8 so that, based on these decisions, the latter can, for example, adapt or reschedule the journey interruption 5. Thus, the respective needs of the passengers 3 of the transport vehicle 1 can be addressed individually and depending on the situation.

A further possibility of the electronic journey break management system 4 is that, for example, the confirmed secondary actions 10 are reserved and/or booked for a usage time that correlates with the at least one journey break 5. This can ensure that the desired secondary action 10 can actually be performed by at least some passengers 7 during the journey break 5. For this purpose, for example, a corresponding reservation confirmation and/or booking confirmation can be made available to each of the several passengers 7 electronically and/or in paper form. Furthermore, the electronic evaluation unit 8 can continuously check whether the at least one secondary action 10 is actually available during the journey break 5. It is particularly advantageous here if a check is carried out before the location 11 of the journey break 5 is reached to determine whether the secondary action 10 is actually available. For the availability of the secondary action 10, for example, the time and/or utilization and/or capacity of the secondary action 10 can be retrieved and checked by the electronic evaluation unit 8. This occurs, in particular, automatically.

If the electronic evaluation unit 8 determines that the secondary action 10 is not available, an alternative secondary action 15 can be independently determined by the electronic evaluation unit 8. This alternative secondary action 15 is generated in such a way that a time and/or a type and/or a scope of the at least one secondary action 10 is taken into account. Thus, at least some passengers 7 can be provided with an alternative secondary action 10 that is as adequate as possible, despite the failure of the actual secondary action 10. This can also be confirmed or rejected by the passengers 3.

A further possibility is for some passengers 7 to enter preferred secondary actions or interests and/or wishes using the transport terminal 13 or the mobile device 14. In particular, this can be done via an electronic input unit 19. This can be taken into account by the electronic evaluation unit 8 when determining the secondary action 10. Primary attention is paid to ensuring that at least one of the preferred secondary actions of some passengers 7 can be carried out during the break in the journey 5. If this is not the case, an alternative break in the journey can be determined, for example, by the electronic evaluation unit 8. However, the temporal and geographical distance between the transport vehicle 1 and the break in the journey 5 and/or the alternative break in the journey are always taken into account. This distance should not be too great in order not to generate excessive delays with regard to the transport journey 2.

It is particularly advantageous if the electronic evaluation unit 8 determines at least a first secondary action 16 and at least one second secondary action 17. For example, these two secondary actions 16, 17 can provide different offers to the passengers 3. In particular, several, in particular a large number of secondary actions 10 can be determined with the aid of the electronic evaluation unit 8. However, it must always be ensured that the determined secondary actions 10, 16, 15, 17 lie within a predetermined range with respect to the location 11 of the journey break 5. This makes it possible, for example, to understand a time- or distance-related distance to the parked transport vehicle 1 (shown here in dashed lines) during the execution of the primary action 9. This makes it possible for at least some passengers 7 to reach a corresponding secondary action from the parked transport vehicle 1 and to return to the transport vehicle 1 before the transport vehicle 2 continues its journey.

For example, the area 18 can span a surrounding area within which the passengers 3 can reach a secondary activity 10 within five minutes, in particular ten minutes, on foot.

Furthermore, with the help of the electronic evaluation unit 8, the first and second secondary actions 16, 17 can be prioritized or classified based on their respective urgency. Thus, for example, a secondary action 10 that includes a medical or doctor's examination can be assigned the highest priority. Depending on the respective prioritization of the first and at least second secondary actions 16, 17, a time and/or location of the break 5 can then be determined or adjusted. If the required secondary action 10 has a high priority, the electronic evaluation unit 8 can decide that the break 5 must be carried out earlier. Thus, a new, immediately feasible break can be determined.

For example, passengers 3 may request potential secondary actions. This can be done, for example, via the transport terminal 13 and/or the mobile device 14. The electronic evaluation unit 8 can then check whether the type and/or urgency of the journey interruption 5 can be changed or postponed based on the specified primary action 9. If this is the case, the electronic evaluation unit 8 can determine an alternative journey interruption during which the primary action 9 and at least one of the passengers' desired secondary actions can be performed.

For example, the electronic break management system 4 can be a network system with which transport vehicles can announce an intention to take a break at a rest stop. In other words, the transport vehicle 1 can offer information regarding the upcoming break 5, the primary action 9 and/or the secondary action 10. For example, the capacity utilization of such a rest stop within a certain radius from the transport vehicle 1 can be displayed to the transport vehicle 1 and in particular to the passengers 3 via screens or head-up displays. For example, each rest stop along the transport route 2 can communicate with the break management system 4. As a result, the rest stops can make all of their available primary actions and secondary actions available to the transport vehicle 1 and in particular to the break management system 4. For example, the number of current guests, the current waiting times in wash spaces, the number of free charging stations, the product range in a supermarket, a restaurant menu or other information can be made available. The passengers 3 or travelers can, for example, express their corresponding request regarding a secondary action 10 from their seat using an app on their smartphone or tablet. This makes it possible to determine for each passenger what they would like to plan during their stay at the rest stop, in particular during the break 5. For example, each passenger can rate the importance of the individual plans during the break 5. For example, a passenger can state that they would like to eat in the restaurant and relax for a certain amount of time on a massage chair. This passenger can rate the food as the highest priority and the massage chair as less important. These inputs from the passenger and all other passengers 3 can be saved, compared with the capacities of the suggested rest stops and calculated. With the help of the electronic evaluation unit 8, a speed, the fuel level, the maximum planned duration of the break and the intended arrival time of the transport vehicle 1 can be taken into account. As a result, the optimal rest stop for the transport vehicle 1 for making the journey break 5 can be output, where the transport vehicle 1 should preferably stop. For charging or refueling the transport vehicle 1, the transport vehicle 1 can be navigated directly to a corresponding charging station and fuel pump using the navigation system. Likewise, each passenger can be shown an optimal route for their break on their own display and/or smartphone and/or tablet, which also takes the importance of the individual tasks into account. For example, a woman among the several passengers 3 who has stated that she would like to buy something at a kiosk and take her baby to the changing room could be shown that the changing room in cabin X has been reserved for her for 15 minutes from the time of the arrival of the transport vehicle 1 at the journey break 5, where she should then proceed via a specific footpath towards the kiosk. This can be displayed electronically to each passenger. Thus, each passenger receives an individual schedule for the break 5. For example, the respective route can be confirmed by a passenger, so that they receive a scan code or a QR code with which they can release and carry out a reserved secondary action 10. Returning to the woman's example, the reserved washroom can, for example, be unlocked using the QR code. Likewise linked to this QR code, an electronic payment system can eliminate the need for manual payment. In particular, the individual plans of each passenger 3 during the break 5 can be monitored or tracked using a timer of the electronic break management system 4. This ensures that the transport vehicle 2 can resume immediately after the primary action 9 has been completed. If the electronic evaluation unit 8 determines in advance that individual passengers will be delayed, they can be warned or alerted to this in good time via electronic signals.

List of reference symbols

1

transport vehicle

2

transport trip

3

several passengers

4

electronic journey break management system

5

Interruption of journey

6

Registration unit

7

some passengers

8

electronic evaluation unit

9

Primary action

10

secondary action

11

Place of interruption

12

Main passenger

13

Transportation Terminal

14

mobile device

15

alternative secondary action

16

first secondary action

17

second secondary action

18

Area

19

electronic input unit

Claims (10)

Method for operating a journey interruption management system (4), with which at least one journey interruption (5) of at least one transport vehicle (1) during a transport journey (2) for transporting several passengers (3) can be managed, wherein the following steps are carried out: - recording vehicle information of the transport transport vehicle (1) and/or route information of the transport journey (1) and/or passenger information of at least some passengers (7) of the plurality of passengers (3) with a detection unit (6), and/or - providing vehicle information of the transport vehicle (1) and/or route information of the transport journey (2) and/or passenger information of at least some passengers (7) of the plurality of passengers (3), - transmitting the provided and/or detected vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information to an electronic evaluation unit (8) of the journey interruption management system (4), - determining a potential journey interruption of a transport journey (2) for carrying out a primary action (9) depending on the provided and/or detected vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information for carrying out a primary action (9), - determining at least one secondary action (10) different from the primary action (9), which can additionally be carried out during the at least one journey interruption (5), by the electronic evaluation unit (8), and - providing information regarding the at least one secondary action (10) to the transport vehicle (1) and/or to at least some passengers (7). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein a type and/or a location (11) and/or a duration and/or an urgency of the at least one journey interruption (5) is determined by the electronic evaluation unit (8) as a function of the vehicle information and/or route information and/or passenger information, in particular the type and/or the location (11) and/or the duration and/or the urgency of the at least one journey interruption (5) is output optically and/or acoustically to a main passenger (12) of the transport vehicle (1) and/or to the at least some passengers (7). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein, depending on potential secondary actions desired by the passengers (3, 7), the electronic evaluation unit (8) checks whether the type and/or urgency of the journey interruption (5) can be changed due to the required primary action (9) and an alternative journey interruption can be determined in which the primary action (9) and additionally several secondary actions can be carried out. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic evaluation unit (8) checks the availability of the at least one secondary action (10) for a time of the at least one interruption to the journey (5), and if the at least one secondary action (10) is not available at that time, then an alternative secondary action (15) is determined, in particular the alternative secondary action (15) is issued to the transport vehicle (1) and/or the at least some passengers (7) for selection, in particular a number of secondary actions (10) and/or a duration of the at least one secondary action (10) and/or a scope of the at least one secondary action (10) is determined as a function of the at least one interruption to the journey (5). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first secondary action (16) and at least one second secondary action (17) are determined with the electronic evaluation unit (8), wherein the two secondary actions (16, 17) are prioritized depending on a respective urgency of the two secondary actions (16, 17), in particular depending on the respective urgency of the secondary action (16, 17) a time and/or a location (11) of the at least one journey interruption (5) is determined by the electronic evaluation unit (8). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein preferred secondary actions of at least some passengers (7) are entered via an electronic input unit (19), and these preferred secondary actions are transmitted to the electronic evaluation unit (8), wherein when determining the at least one secondary action (10) it is checked whether at least one of the preferred secondary actions is available at the at least one journey break (5). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one secondary action (10) is output optically and/or acoustically to the at least some passengers (7) on at least one transport terminal (13) of the transport vehicle (1) and/or on a mobile terminal (14), in particular the at least one secondary action (10) can be confirmed or rejected by the at least some passengers (7) by means of an electronic input unit (19). Procedure according to Claim 7 , wherein upon confirmation of the at least one secondary action (10) by at least some passengers (7), the at least one secondary action (10) for a time of use which correlates with the at least one interruption of the journey (5) is confirmed by the journey interruption management system (4) is reserved and/or booked. Electronic journey interruption management system (4) with an electronic evaluation unit (8), wherein the electronic journey interruption management system (4) is designed to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. Transport vehicle (1) with an electronic journey interruption management system (4) according to Claim 9 .

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