Navigation Assistance, Driver Assistance System, as Well as Method for Navigating at Least One Means of Transportation

• US 20090306886A1
• Filed: 11/24/2006
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Mueller, Ruediger
• Granted Patent: US 9,261,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes

Abstract

A navigation assistance system for a vehicle enables possible routes from the starting point to a destination to be ascertained with the aid of route network data, a preferred route being specified, and at least one driving recommendation that guides at least one user along the specified route being output, such that no driving recommendations are output that are superfluous for and therefore irritating and/or disturbing to the operator of the vehicle. The number of times or the frequency with which the vehicle has already previously passed at least one location point or junction point of the preferred route is ascertained, and the at least one driving recommendation for this point of the preferred route is suppressed if the ascertained number of times or frequency reaches at least one threshold value.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A navigation system, comprising:

navigation assistance unit for a transportation vehicle, including;

a route calculation unit configured to a) ascertain possible routes from a starting point to a destination with the aid of route network data, and b) specify a preferred route among the possible routes, wherein the route calculation unit includes a counting module configured to ascertain one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route; and

a route guidance unit configured to output at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation that guides at least one user along the preferred route, wherein the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation to be output for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is suppressed if the ascertained number or frequency of previous passing of the at least one specified section is at least equal to a specified threshold value.

22. The navigation system as recited in claim 21, wherein in ascertaining the one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route, only instances of passing which satisfy at least one specified condition are counted.

23. The navigation system as recited in claim 22, wherein the at least one specified condition includes at least one of:

a) the transportation vehicle is within at least one of a specified time interval and a specified geographical area;

b) the transportation followed the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation output for the at least one specified section of the preferred route; and

c) the transportation vehicle has a qualified passing ratio at least equal to a specified threshold ratio, wherein the qualified passing ratio is a ratio between

     1) instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one section of the preferred route, and

     2) instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that follows the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

24. The navigation system as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

at least one memory unit configured to store information relating to the movement of the transportation vehicle, including information relating to at least one part of a travel route traveled by the transport vehicle.

25. The navigation system as recited in claim 24, wherein the storing of the information relating to the movement of the transportation vehicle is restricted to at least one of a specified time interval and a specified geographical area.

26. The navigation system as recited in claim 24, wherein:

the counting module ascertains, on the basis of the information stored in the memory unit, one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section on the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section on the preferred route, on the basis of the information stored in the memory unit; and

wherein the route calculation unit further includes at least one processor module configured to ascertain, on the basis of the one of the number or the frequency ascertained by the counting module, at least one probability of the transportation vehicle passing the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

27. The navigation system as recited in claim 25, wherein:

the counting module ascertains one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section on the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section on the preferred route, on the basis of the information stored in the memory unit; and

wherein the route calculation unit further includes at least one processor module configured to ascertain, on the basis of the one of the number or the frequency ascertained by the counting module, at least one probability of the transportation vehicle passing the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

28. The navigation system as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

at least one position-finding unit configured to a) record the movement of the transportation vehicle, and b) ascertain the route traveled by the transportation vehicle.

29. A method for providing navigation assistance for a transportation vehicle, comprising:

ascertaining possible routes from a starting point to a destination with the aid of route network data;

specifying a preferred route among the possible routes;

ascertain one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route; and

outputting at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation that guides at least one user along the specified route, wherein the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation to be output for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is suppressed if the ascertained number or frequency of previous passing of the at least one specified section is at least equal to a specified threshold value.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising at least one of:

storing information relating to the movement of the transportation vehicle, including information relating to at least one part of a travel route traveled by the transport vehicle;

ascertaining, on the basis of the information stored in the memory unit, one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section on the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section on the preferred route; and

ascertaining, on the basis of the one of the number of times or the frequency ascertained, at least one probability of the transportation vehicle passing the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one specified section of the preferred route are not counted in ascertaining the one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route, if the instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation satisfies at least one specified condition.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the at least one specified condition is defined by a ratio between 1) instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one section of the preferred route, and 2) instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that follows the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein in ascertaining the one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route, the one of the number of times or the frequency is reset to zero and the ascertaining process is started over at least one of:

if the at least one specified section of the preferred route is passed by the transportation vehicle in a manner deviating from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation; and

dependent on at least one specified time interval.

34. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the specified threshold value for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is determined individually, provided that the transportation vehicle passes the at least one specified section of the preferred route in a manner that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation.

35. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the specified threshold value for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is increased if the transportation vehicle does not follow the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

36. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation to be output for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is suppressed only for at least one of a specified time interval and a specified geographical area.

37. The method as recited in claim 36, wherein the at least one of the specified time interval and the specified geographical area is one of:

a) defined by the user of the navigation assistance in the transportation vehicle;

or b) ascertained automatically, by ascertaining the frequency with which the particular destination is selected.

38. A computer-readable data storage medium for storing a computer program having a plurality of instruction codes which, when executed on a computer, controls a method for providing navigation assistance for a transportation vehicle, the method comprising:

ascertaining possible routes from a starting point to a destination with the aid of route network data;

specifying a preferred route among the possible routes;

ascertain one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route; and

outputting at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation that guides at least one user along the specified route, wherein the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation to be output for the at least one specified section of the preferred route is suppressed if the ascertained number or frequency of previous passing of the at least one specified section is at least equal to a specified threshold value.

39. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the method further comprises at least one of:

storing information relating to the movement of the transportation vehicle, including information relating to at least one part of a travel route traveled by the transport vehicle;

ascertaining, on the basis of the information stored in the memory unit, one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section on the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section on the preferred route; and

ascertaining, on the basis of the one of the number of times or the frequency ascertained, at least one probability of the transportation vehicle passing the at least one specified section of the preferred route.

40. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation for the at least one specified section of the preferred route are not counted in ascertaining the one of a) the number of times the transportation vehicle has previously passed at least one specified section of the preferred route, or b) the frequency with which the transportation vehicle has previously passed the at least one specified section of the preferred route, if the instances of passing of the at least one specified section of the preferred route that deviates from the at least one driving instruction or driving recommendation satisfies at least one specified condition.