Method and system for mapping road conditions by means of terminals

• US 20120283944A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teconer Oy
• Original Assignee: Teconer Oy
• Inventors: Haavasoja, Taisto
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,923 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods, computer software products, server and system for mapping road conditions, especially friction. In the method according to the invention the acceleration of the vehicle is measured b means of an acceleration sensor, the position of the vehicle is monitored by means of positioning means and the measured acceleration value is combined with the position data of the measurement location. The method compares whether the measured position-specific acceleration value exceeds the value on the server for the said area and in case the value is exceeded, a measured position-specific acceleration value is sent to the server.

Claims

1. A method for producing slipperyness data about driving conditions by means of data terminal equipment located in the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring the acceleration of the vehicle by means of an acceleration sensor,

monitoring the position of the vehicle by means of positioning means,-and

combining the measured acceleration value with the position data of the measurement position,

comparing whether the measured position-specific acceleration value exceeds the value in the database of the data terminal equipment received from the server for that area, and

in case it exceeds, sending the measured position-specific acceleration value to the server.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a message to be sent to the server on the basis of the measured acceleration and position data is formed and the said message is sent to the server via mobile connection.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein position-specific acceleration data is received from the server and saved into the database of the data terminal equipment.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a slipperyness warning is issued or a new route is calculated in case the current or planned route contains a position-specific acceleration or friction data corresponding with low friction according to the database of the data terminal equipment.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data terminal equipment is a mobile phone.

13. A method according to claim 2, wherein position-specific acceleration data is received from the server and saved into the database of the data terminal equipment.

14. A method according to claim 2, wherein a slipperyness warning is issued or a new route is calculated in case the current or planned route contains a position-specific acceleration or friction data corresponding with low friction according to the database of the data terminal equipment.

15. A method according to claim 3, wherein a slipperyness warning is issued or a new route is calculated in case the current or planned route contains a position-specific acceleration or friction data corresponding with low friction according to the database of the data terminal equipment.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer implementable instructions for controlling data terminal equipment for carrying out a method of producing friction data about driving conditions, wherein the computer software product comprises software means for controlling the data terminal equipment for carrying out the following steps:

measuring the acceleration of the vehicle by means of an acceleration sensor,

monitoring the position of the vehicle by means of positioning means,

combining the measured acceleration value with the position data of the measurement position,

comparing whether the measured position-specific acceleration value exceeds the value in the database of the data terminal equipment received from the server for that area, and

in case it exceeds, sending the measured position-specific acceleration value to the server.

7. A server configured to communicate with data terminal equipment belonging to a group of data terminal equipment, the server comprising a position-specific history log and being configured to:

receive data produced by means of the an acceleration sensor and positioning means of the data terminal equipment from a number of data terminal equipment,

save the received data into the position-specific history log of the memory,

compare the received position-specified data with the previous data in the history log,

wherein the server is also arranged to form position-specific acceleration data that can be transferred to a number of data terminal equipment, if the position-specified acceleration value received from the data terminal equipment is higher than the previous position-specific acceleration value of the history log of the server.

8. A server according to claim 7 being arranged to reduce the slipperyness reading of a certain area until it receives a new, larger reading, forming a feedback by means of which the slipperyness data maintained for the chosen area or portion of road by the server approaches the actual friction.

9. A server according to claim 7 being arranged to form a message from the position-specific acceleration data and arranged to distribute the said message to a number of data terminal equipment.

16. A server according to claim 8 being arranged to form a message from the position-specific acceleration data and arranged to distribute the said message to a number of data terminal equipment.

10. A method of producing friction data about driving conditions on a server, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data produced by means of the acceleration sensor and positioning means of the data terminal equipment from a number of data terminal equipment,

saving the received data into the position-specific history log of the memory,

comparing the received position-specified data with the previous history log of the memory, and

forming position-specific acceleration data that is transferred to a number of data terminal equipment, if the position-specified acceleration value received from the data terminal equipment is higher than the previous position-specific acceleration value of the history log of the server.

11. A method according to claim 10, in which the slipperyness reading of a certain area is reduced until it a new, larger reading is received, thus forming a feedback by means of which the slipperyness data maintained for the chosen area or portion of road by the server approaches the actual friction.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a set of computer implementable instructions for controlling a server for carrying out a method of producing friction data about driving conditions, the computer software product comprising software means for controlling the data terminal equipment for carrying out the following steps:

receiving data produced by means of the acceleration sensor and positioning means of the data terminal equipment from a number of data terminal equipment,

saving the received data into the position-specific history log of the memory,

comparing the received position-specified data with the previous history log of the memory, and

forming position-specific acceleration data that is transferred to a number of data terminal equipment, if the position-specified acceleration value received from the data terminal equipment is higher than the previous position-specific acceleration value of the history log of the server.