Information and control system for vehicles

• US 20040064248A1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schweizer, Philippe, Ibanez, Miguel, Holze, Harald
• Granted Patent: US 7,139,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

An information and/or control system for a vehicle includes a positioning unit (1) for determining a current geographic position of the vehicle, a map unit (4) containing information at least regarding routes (10a, 10b, . . . ) on which the vehicle may travel, and an interface unit (5) for selective output of information from the map unit (4) as a function of the current geographic position. Furthermore, information, referred to as a virtual traffic sign (13a, 13b . . . ), regarding properties of a section of a drivable route (10a, 10b . . . ) is stored in the map unit (4) in correlation with a geographic position along this route. This information is outputable by the interface unit (5) when the distance of the vehicle from this geographic position is less than a limit value.

Claims

1. An information and/or control system for a vehicle having a positioning unit (1) for determining a current geographic position of the vehicle, a map unit (4) containing information at least regarding routes (10a, 10b, . . . ) on which the vehicle may travel, and an interface unit (5) for selective output of information from the map unit (4) as a function of the current geographic position, wherein also information, referred to as a virtual traffic sign (13a, 13b . . . ), regarding properties of a section of a drivable route (10a, 10b . . . ) is stored in the map unit (4) in correlation with a geographic position along this route and is able to be output by the interface unit (5) when the distance of the vehicle from this geographic position is less than a limit value.

2. The information and/or control system as recited in claim 1, characterized by a signal generator (6) for receiving the virtual traffic sign from the interface unit (5) and for outputting a message to a driver of the vehicle.

3. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface unit (5) is capable of controlling function groups of the vehicle as a function of the virtual traffic sign (13c).

4. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein it includes virtual traffic signs (13c) of a first type for which the limit value of the distance is zero and whose geographic position is assigned so that the vehicle reaches this geographic position shortly before it reaches the section of the route to whose properties the virtual traffic sign (13c) refers.

5. The information and/or control system as recited in claim 4, wherein a direction is assigned to the virtual traffic sign (13a, 13c, 13d), and the interface unit (5) outputs the virtual traffic sign only when the vehicle is approaching from the assigned direction.

6. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein it includes virtual traffic signs (13a, 13b, 13d) of a second type for which the limit value of the distance is different from zero, and whose geographic position is located in the section of the route to whose properties the virtual traffic sign refers.

7. The information and/or control system as recited in claim 6, wherein the limit value of the distance for a virtual traffic sign of the second type is a function of the speed of the vehicle.

8. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface unit (5) is connected to at least one sensor (7, 8, 9) of the vehicle and is capable of outputting or not outputting the virtual traffic sign (13b) as a function of a detection result of the sensor.

9. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the virtual traffic sign includes at least one of the following types of information regarding the route section:

a curve,

an inclination,

a bottleneck,

an increased risk of black ice,

an object of tourist interest,

a gas station, or a repair shop.

10. The information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein the virtual traffic sign includes at least one of the following types of information:

a shift command for an automatic transmission,

an on/off command for headlights of the vehicle,

a control command for controlling the light distribution of the headlights.

11. A data carrier for an information and/or control system as recited in one of the preceding claims, wherein it carries information regarding the geographic position of routes on which the vehicle may travel as well as virtual traffic signs, each being assigned to a geographic position along this route.