EP0958565B1 - Transmission of localized traffic information - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and devices for informing a User of a terminal about the traffic situation in a traffic network.

Information that is relevant to traffic is referred to below as "traffic information". This traffic information includes, in the narrower sense, the known messages about traffic jams, accidents, disabilities, etc., but also measurement data such as speed or the number of vehicles that pass through a measurement cross section. In a broader sense, however, this also includes information about the environment such as weather information ("freezing rain", "fog") and restrictions (speed restrictions, residents, truck ban, water protection area, etc.). In this context, traffic information also includes information about tolls or tolls.
Up to now, traffic information has related in particular to the sections of a road network. General information (such as "fog") ultimately always refers to individual sections of the route. Systems known and used today therefore reference the information to the sections of the route. A well-known example is verbal radio reports (eg "Traffic jam 5 km on the A3 between ... and ..."). Systems are also known which transmit these messages in coded form. Here, as in the RDS / TMC example, reference is made to a coded road section.

Approaches to the quantitative integration of area-related traffic information in Traffic situation models are from the applicant, for example, in the patent applications DE-P 195 26 148.8 and DE-P 196 50 844.4 have been proposed. Also the transmission of measured quantitative data, especially of medium speed values is known (WO 90/05969 Martell et al.).

Common to these procedures is that the transmission of increasingly detailed Information reaches both technical and ergonomic limits. On On the technical side, the available transmission bandwidth is the main factor or limiting communication costs, on the ergonomic side is too see that a lot of largely redundant information is transmitted or is shown because one characteristic (e.g. fog) covers many sections of the route can extend.

Another serious disadvantage of route-related information is therein, on the central side as well as on the receiving side to a "common", i.e. both known route network must be referred. Returns the headquarters of the Information reference "4711", which defines a certain section of road, see above This reference must be known to the receiving device for further processing must therefore have or use the same "road map".

There is still a reference to a very limited subnetwork, especially the motorway network practicable (see RDS / TMC). However, this approach applies to the whole Road network expanded, so the procedure, if technically at all feasible, very uneconomical. In particular, the problems of common reference system very quickly extremely complex if the whole Road network maintained and updated both on the central side and on the end device side must become.

The object of the present invention is to reduce the information in the traffic information with the greatest possible avoidance of quality losses. The The task is solved by the independent claims. With a central-sided Information reduction by converting route-related into area-related traffic information becomes the amount of information to be transmitted reduced; with such a reduction in information on the terminal, the Information for further processing and / or simplified or more concise Presentation optimized.

The object is achieved by the method according to claim 1.

The presented invention avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The System consists of one (or even several) "control centers" that hold the traffic information collect and provide and at least one recipient or Buyer of this traffic information. Traffic information is provided by the Central transmitted to the receiver via a communication channel. The The basic idea of the invention is that which is usually route-related Information collected by means of a processing unit in to convert area-related information and thus the traffic information into Provide form of area-related information.

The processing unit can advantageously be used on the central side as well as on the receiving side. In the first case, this results in a drastic reduction in the information transmitted, ie the advantage lies primarily on the technical-commercial side. In the second case, a drastic reduction in redundant information is achieved, which has an advantageous effect above all from an ergonomic point of view, particularly when it comes to the display. This different sequence is shown in the accompanying drawings.
In the method according to the invention, the information is preferably in quantitative form, that is to say with more than binary quantification, for example quaternary. However, the method can also be used advantageously if certain features such as "fog", "water protection area" or the like are quantified by simple binary affiliation (yes / no). Other features, such as tolls in a route in front of the vehicle terminal in the direction of travel, can also be quantified in differentiated quantitative information (e.g. price per km), but in the form of the above yes / no assignment.

Fig. 1

einen Datenflußplan der Verkehrsinformationen für ein Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig. 2

einen Datenflußplan der Verkehrsinformationen für ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel

Fig. 3

eine Umwandlung streckenbezogener in gebietsbezogene Verkehrsinformationen und

Fig. 4

die Definition eines Gebietes.

Features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing. It shows

Fig. 1

a data flow plan of the traffic information for an embodiment,

Fig. 2

a data flow plan of the traffic information for a further embodiment

Fig. 3

a conversion of route-related to area-related traffic information and

Fig. 4

the definition of an area.

The following example underlines the importance of the method according to the invention: There are already various devices on the market that are carried in the car and with the help of a - usually satellite-based - location based on a likewise provide the driver with help or instructions on how to navigate. A Traffic disruption can take the form of a verbal traffic jam message (e.g. "Traffic jam 3 km on A3 between ... and ... "). Ideally this should be Message in the further navigation or route planning can be considered. at The integration of such singular reports immediately raises the question of how Traffic situation looks on a possible bypass route. Through the In principle, the driver is only "blind" in the transmission of singular messages Reference to the non-referenced sections of the route. For this reason, the Detailing, especially with regard to subordinate streets, can be increased significantly. So if traffic information as the basis for decisions about Alternatives (to the route, to the means of transport or similar) are also to be used via the Alternative information will be provided. (This was here on the technical The example of the navigator illustrates, but applies in general.) Further details come up but to the limit: if, for example, traffic information also about city centers a route-related provision of the information is hardly needed anymore practical. A very large number of roads would be named for this all contain the same information (such as "werstopft"). From the user's perspective the problem can be simply described in the example chosen: "The whole Downtown is congested. "So here is just a blanket statement. The essence of the invention now resides in integrating this qualitative approach implement efficient, technically and commercially feasible processes.

In the first step, quantitative traffic data is collected or assumed. This is useful because in the further steps averaged in some form must become. In a preferred form, these are, for example, those on the average speeds traveled in individual sections of the route. Other measurable quantities such as travel times, number of vehicles or similar are however also possible. In practice, it is unlikely to have data on everyone Route sections exist. It is therefore usually necessary to have the measurement data supplemented by plausible assumptions. The assumptions can just be made structural features (road type, speed limit, etc.) or can also be derived from more complex empirical databases (curve lines). Possible procedures for this are described in the subclaims.

In the second step, the generalization of the information is carried out technically Averaging takes place over several sections of the route within an area. The A lot of individual information on many sections of the route is thus averaged Converted information for all sections of the route in this area. In concrete terms For example, an average speed would be determined.

For practical use, it can be advantageous to use different ones Distinguish between road classes, i.e. own averages for highways, Inner city streets, etc. because e.g. the statement "60 km / h" different types of roads have different meanings. additional or alternatively, it is proposed to use the maximum possible type of road or allowed speed and thus a relative value (e.g. 80% of the maximum speed). Disability (-20%) is equivalent to this. This procedure has particular importance in the transmission of weather-related disabilities decisive advantages, as a flat rate for a measure of the degree of disability can be given for all road types can (e.g. with fresh snow, fog or the like).

The averaging process itself can be applied to a given area (e.g. City limits). It is an advantageous embodiment of the invention but also to determine areas of equal values, i.e. the area based on the to define available data. Here, too, must reduce information additional averaging process take place, since here the criterion is exact equality cannot be used, but in practice via a Speed range (e.g. between 50 and 60 km / h) is averaged. A The particularly preferred form is thus the provision in the form of Contour surfaces, which in the special case of speeds are called isotaches be designated.

By doing so, there is a high degree of redundant information waived, so the information condensed. This can be used to advantage on the one hand with compression on the central side. The condensed (Area-related) information can thus be cost-effectively via the Communication channel are transmitted. On the other hand, the procedure can also be based on the receiving side advantageous for display and / or further processing be applied. This is particularly useful if it is powerful Transmission channels (such as DAB = digital audio broadcast) are available, but the information should be presented compactly or based on the area should be processed further. This advantage is particularly the case with (Automatic) integration or feeding of information into a self-sufficient Navigation device apparently. Without putting excessive strain on the transmission channel and without problems with referencing to possibly incompatible Route systems (i.e. the route sections of a digital map) are hampered the information (for the area) is complete, if averaged, provided and can be used for further processing in device-internal reference systems (i.e. the on-board card) can be converted.

The method was representative of speeds Traffic information is explained, but is also related to other traffic-related variables transferable. For example, application to congestion probabilities is possible or similar measures for disabilities or usage restrictions. Also the specification of fundamental restrictions such as Areas for pure Resident traffic, traffic-calmed zones, zones closed to heavy goods traffic, Water protection areas etc. can be realized by this procedure. A There is another possible application when specifying cost functions such as Toll etc.

Figure 1 shows a rough abstracted data flow plan for the embodiment with a Conversion of route-related data into area-related data in the Central, while Figure 2 is a roughly abstracted data flow plan for the Embodiment of converting route-related traffic information into represents area-related traffic information in the terminal.

In FIG. 1, route-related traffic data are measured in step 1, historical databases etc. collected and interpolated if necessary. The route-related Data will be made available to the head office in step 2 for any Further processing, such as traffic forecasts, etc. Step 3 in a processing unit the route-related (denoted by S) Traffic information in area-related (labeled G) Traffic information converted. Then in step 4 area-related traffic information (G) via a communication channel, in particular radio channel, such as a mobile radio channel, in particular Short message channel (GSM-SMS) from the center to a recipient in one Terminal device transmitted in a vehicle. The transmitted are in the recipient area-related (G) traffic information to the user of the device optically and / or acoustically represented and / or evaluated and for example for Navigation recommendations taken into account. The transformation shown route-related traffic information into area-related traffic information in a processing unit in the center has the advantage that the over the Communication channel amount of information to be transmitted reduced.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the conversion of the route-related (S) Traffic information in area-related (G) traffic information in one Terminal shown in a vehicle. In step 11, route-related Traffic data collected and possibly supplemented by interpolation etc. So far the Collection and interpolation have not already taken place at headquarters, the route-related traffic information is transmitted to the head office in step 12. From this, route-related are used in step 13 via a communication channel Information is transmitted to a receiver in a terminal in a vehicle. The transmitted traffic data is stored in the receiver in step 14. from Recipients will also receive route-related traffic information (S) Processing unit on the end device transmitted. From the processing unit In step 15, route-related traffic information is broken down into territorial Traffic information (G) converted and sent to a presentation and / or Evaluation unit transmitted in the terminal. The area-related information can be displayed to the user of the terminal area-related (step 16). Area-related information can also be further evaluated and used for example for the creation of navigation recommendations or the like become.

Figure 3 illustrates the assignment of route-related traffic information in area-related traffic information in the traffic center or in the terminal. Route-related information is recorded and / or through historical Databases and / or hypotheses on the spatial and / or temporal course added. Route-related traffic information (= "data" in Figure 3) each for individual sections of the route in the transport network. In the Processing unit in the terminal or in the control center should do this route-related traffic information can be assigned to individual areas. An area is defined either arbitrarily or according to predefinable parameters. For a given area there is a route-related one Traffic information checked whether the route section or the route sections, to which the traffic information relates, contained in the specified area is. If it is included, it is used to average the traffic information in the given area. For example, the averages of all known speeds in a certain spatial area are taken into account become. The average traffic information for this area (for example, the average of the speeds in the area) is the area-related Average, i.e. the area-related traffic information for this area.

Figure 4 shows an example of the definition of an area (as it is for example in Figure 3 is used). Due to traffic information ("data") too at least one section of a transport network is over the amount of Traffic information, in particular speeds, defines an area; here a value interval for the traffic information (data) is specified (this can for example, a speed interval). For those sections of the route An area is formed for which traffic information is available in the value interval. In addition, other parameters, such as maximum area sizes, and / or Road courses or the like are taken into account. For example, in one certain spatial area route sections in which the Speeds (= traffic information = data) between two given Values are defined as an area. The area obtained can also be used as mean-related area should be referred to as located in this area Traffic information with a specific (approximately in the middle of the value interval mean). It is also possible, alternatively or in addition to Definition of an area for this area (according to FIG. 3) an area-related To determine the mean.

Claims (21)

1. Method of informing a user of a terminal device about the traffic situation in a road network by means of traffic information transmitted from a control centre to the terminal via a communications channel, whereby traffic information relating to at least one section in the road network is converted into information relating to an area within the road network; whereby the area-related (localised) information is displayed to the user of the terminal; whereby what is used as the section-related traffic information are the speeds currently being driven at on the relevant road sections or those which are possible for these sections according to calculations made at the control centre, or measured values derived from these; whereby, for a restricted spatial area, an average value is formed over the road sections within this area for these data; and whereby this average value is defined as traffic information for this area.
2. Method as in Claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the conversion to localised traffic information takes place at the control centre, and in that the traffic information is sent in the form of localised information to the receiver.
3. Method as in Claim 1,
   characterised in that
   section-related traffic information is sent via the communications channel, and in that the conversion of section-related traffic information into localised traffic information takes place in the terminal.
4. Method as in one of the preceding Claims,
   characterised in that
   the section-related traffic information is roughly pre-classified according to the type of road or roads to which it relates, and in that the conversion of the section-related traffic information into localised traffic information takes place, in each case, separately for each of these road types.
5. Method as in Claim 4,
   characterised in that
   the rough classification includes, at least, the following types of road: motorway, national highways and urban roads.
6. Method as in Claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the section-related speeds are calculated in relation to the speed which is possible and/or permitted on the road section differentiated by this speed, and in that, in the averaging process across the road sections, information representing the relative level of obstruction to a vehicle within the road section is calculated.
7. Method as in one of Claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in that,
   in the case of road sections for which no measured data are available at the control centre, traffic data are supplemented by plausible assumptions, particularly by typical values corresponding to the road type.
8. Method as in Claim 7,
   characterised in that,
   in order to form plausible assumptions about road sections for which no current measured data are available, characteristics dependent on the road type and/or relating to the road's structure, and/or empirical values dependent on the time of day, are incorporated.
9. Method as in one of Claims 1 to 8,
   characterised in that
   the spatial area is predetermined at random or in dependence on predeterminable conditions, in particular in dependence on geographical factors, and in that the averaging process is carried out over this predetermined area.
10. Method as in one of Claims 1 to 9,
    characterised in that,
    in a processing unit for converting section-related traffic information to localised traffic information, spatial areas are established which exhibit essentially the same traffic data; in that control parameters are defined in the processing unit which allow the localised resolution and/or the permitted deviation for the averaging process to be controlled; and in that the traffic information is provided and/or displayed in the form of areas with approximately the same traffic conditions.
11. Method as in Claim 10,
    characterised in that
    the traffic information is provided and/or displayed in the form of contour areas with the same average values.
12. Method as in Claim 11,
    characterised in that
    the traffic information is provided and/or displayed in the form of isotachs (contour areas with the same speed).
13. Method as in one of Claims 1 to 12,
    characterised in that
    the localised traffic information shows a measure of the probability of a traffic jam inside an area.
14. Method as in one of Claims 1 to 13,
    characterised in that
    the traffic information shows any access restriction applicable within the area in question, and/or any liability to the payment of charges for driving through the area.
15. Method as in Claim 14,
    characterised in that
    the traffic information shows, in particular, the speed restriction applicable in the area, and/or any restriction of access or thoroughfare relating to the vehicle class or load, in particular for non-residents, heavily-loaded vehicles, vehicles carrying hazardous materials or similar, and/or any tariff classification applicable within the area for the use of the road network.
16. Terminal device with a receiver for receiving section-related traffic information transmitted via a communications channel,
    in particular for implementing the method as in one of the Claims 1, 3 to 15,
    whereby a data system technology processing unit for the conversion of section-related traffic information to localised traffic information forms part of the terminal device or is connected to it in terms of data technology, and whereby there is an optical and/or acoustic user interface for the display of localised traffic information or of information based on this.
17. Terminal device as in Claim 16,
    characterised in that
    the terminal device has a radio receiver, in particular a mobile telephony receiver, and is installed in a vehicle.
18. Terminal device as in Claim 17,
    characterised in that
    the receiving apparatus at the terminal device is connected in terms of data technology to a device for planning a route and/or for navigating along a route; in that this additional device has a digital road map or a data link connection to a digital road map; in that there is a device for converting localised information based on the digital road map into section-related information; and in that, by means of the device for route planning and/or navigation, section-related and/or localised information can be incorporated.
19. Terminal device as in one of Claims 16 to 18,
    characterised in that
    there is a graphical display or a connection to a graphical display, whereby localised traffic information in the form of contour areas with the same average values can be shown using the display.
20. Terminal device as in Claim 19,
    characterised in that
    contour areas which can be shown on the display have the same speed over the area or have the same probability of a traffic jam, and/or have the same user charges for a section of the road network.
21. Control centre for implementing the method as in one of Claims 1 to 15,
    whereby there is, in the centre, a data system technology processing unit or a connection to a data system technology processing unit, by means of which processing unit section-related traffic information can be converted into localised traffic information, whereby there is, in the centre, a device for transmitting localised traffic information to the user of a terminal device.

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