Method for determining altitude or road grade information in a motor vehicle

• US 20050209775A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Entenmann, Volker
• Application Number:
  US11/085,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209775A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/00 Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A method for determining altitude or road grade information in a motor vehicle includes evaluating altitude or road grade information stored in a digital map by analyzing a GPS signal and/or vehicle data-based estimated altitude or road grade information. When indicated based on the evaluation, the altitude or road grade information is corrected and used as the current altitude or road grade information.

Claims

1. A method for determining altitude or road grade information in a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

evaluating first altitude or road grade information stored in a digital map by analyzing at least one of a GPS signal and vehicle data-based estimated altitude or road grade information; and

when indicated based on the evaluating, correcting the first altitude or road grade information and using the corrected first altitude or road grade information as current altitude or road grade information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing the corrected first altitude or road grade information in the digital map.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating the first altitude or road grade information using at least one digital terrain model.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising generating the first altitude or road grade information using at least one digital terrain model.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the analyzing the GPS signal is performed with respect to a current vehicle altitude.