Method and device for improving traffic safety

• US 20080191902A1
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kolb, Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/006 in accordance with predefined flight zones, e.g. to avoid prohibited zones

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention improves traffic safety in the field of aviation and in the field of shipping, and also in road traffic. In at least one embodiment, a method achieves this by determining at specified intervals a current position and a current direction, retrieving geographical description data for at least one exclusion zone or one danger area from a control center and from this data, by way of a warning condition, issuing at least one warning message, provided the warning condition has been fulfilled. In at least one embodiment, the warning condition is selected in such a way that intrusion into the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area can be securely prevented by way of an appropriate counter maneuver.

Claims

1. A method for improving traffic safety for a transport device, comprising:

determining at least one current position and one current direction at specified intervals in the transport device;

retrieving geographical description data for at least one exclusion zone or one danger area from a control center via a communication unit;

performing at least one of, at least from the determined at least one current position, the determined at least one current direction and the retrieved geographical description data, a collision calculation or a calculation of the alert zone for the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area; and

issuing at least one warning message upon a warning condition being fulfilled, the warning condition being selected to prevent intrusion into the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area by way of an appropriate counter maneuver.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein description data for the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area is currently retrieved at specified intervals.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport device sends the current position to the control system at specified intervals and, as soon as a position lying within a specified outer circle belonging to the exclusion zone or to the danger area is transmitted for the first time to the control system, the information is transmitted back about the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area from the control system to the transport device, and wherein the transport device constantly continues determining the current position and, as a position is determined which lies on an inner circle belonging to an exclusion zone or to a danger area, the warning message is issued.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one warning message contains instructions for the counter maneuver.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radius of the inner circle is determined as a function of the speed, with a relatively greater radius being determined for a relatively faster driving speed, and with a relatively smaller radius being determined for a relatively slower speed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the warning messages becomes more intense if an appropriate counter maneuver is not initiated.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the radius of the inner circle is determined as a function of the speed, with a relatively greater radius being determined for a relatively faster driving speed, and with a relatively smaller radius being determined for a relatively slower speed.

8. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the warning messages becomes more intense if an appropriate counter maneuver is not initiated.

9. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the radius of the inner circle is determined as a function of the speed, with a relatively greater radius being determined for a relatively faster driving speed, and with a relatively smaller radius being determined for a relatively slower speed.

10. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the warning messages becomes more intense if an appropriate counter maneuver is not initiated.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the radius of the inner circle is determined as a function of the speed, with a relatively greater radius being determined for a relatively faster driving speed, and with a relatively smaller radius being determined for a relatively slower speed.

12. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of the warning messages becomes more intense if an appropriate counter maneuver is not initiated.

13. A device for improving traffic safety of a transport device, comprising:

a navigation unit to determine a current position and a current direction at specified intervals;

a communication unit to retrieve geographical description data for at least one exclusion zone or one danger area from a control center; and

a unit for collision calculation to issue a warning message based upon the determined position, the determined direction and the retrieved geographical description data for the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area, upon a warning condition being fulfilled.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the warning condition is such that intrusion into the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area is preventable by way of an appropriate counter maneuver.

15. A device for improving traffic safety of a transport device, comprising:

means for determining a current position and a current direction at specified intervals;

means for retrieving geographical description data for at least one exclusion zone or one danger area from a control center; and

means for issuing a warning message based upon the determined position, the determined direction and the retrieved geographical description data for the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area, upon a warning condition being fulfilled.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the warning condition is such that intrusion into the at least one exclusion zone or one danger area is preventable by way of an appropriate counter maneuver.