METHOD FOR COMPUTING AN ENERGY EFFICIENT ROUTE

• US 20130245943A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Hiestermann, Volker, Van Essen, Robert Joannes, Bastiaensen, Edwin, T'Siobbel, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/533
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Probe data is analyzed to derive Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) and an Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) for each road segment or link in a digital map network. The Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) profiles are calculated during defined time spans whereas the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) is based on the LSP for the time span corresponding only to free flow traffic conditions. All of the LSPs can used to create a respective energy cost for each time span, or only the OLSP (18) can be used (or alternatively the RRDSL 16 or LRRDSL 17) to calculate an energy cost for the free flow conditions only. The energy cost can be used to predict the energy required by a vehicle to traverse the link. Navigation software can use the energy cost to plan the most energy efficient route between two locations in the digital map. Sensory signals can be activated if a driver strays from the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (18) to achieve extremely high levels of energy efficiency.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for providing energy efficient navigation directions via a navigation device, said method comprising:

deriving at least one Longitudinal Speed Profile (LSP) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment;

calculating one or more routes and an associated energy cost for each of the one or more routes from an origin to a destination based on the at least one LSP of at least one predetermined road segment; and

providing a route from the origin to the destination calculated to be the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs via the navigation device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the at least one LSP is statistically derived from bundled probe data.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the derivation of the at least one LSP includes determining a given Longitudinal Speed Profile (LSP) individually per direction of travel along the associated road section.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

deriving a raw road design speed limit (RRDSL) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment; and

calculating a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the RRDSL.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

deriving a legal raw road design speed limit (LRRDSL) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment; and

calculating a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the LRRDSL.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.

28. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

deriving an optimal longitudinal speed profile (OLSP) on a basis of one or more kinetic energy simulations for various vehicle types or categories for the predetermined road segment; and

calculating a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the OLSP.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the LSP is indexed with respect to a predetermined time period.

31. The method of claim 21 further comprising creating an acceleration profile based on the at least one LSP.

32. A navigation for device providing energy efficient navigation directions, the navigation device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, the processor being arranged to;

derive at least one Longitudinal Speed Profile (LSP) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment;

calculate one or more routes and an associated energy cost for each of the one or more routes from an origin to a destination based on the at least one LSP of at least one predetermined road segment; and

provide a route from the origin to the destination calculated to be the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs via the navigation device.

33. The navigation device according to claim 32, wherein the at least one LSP is statistically derived from bundled probe data.

34. The navigation device according to claim 33, wherein the derivation of the at least one LSP includes determining a given LSP individually per direction of travel along the associated road section.

35. The navigation device of claim 32, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

derive a raw road design speed limit (RRDSL) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment; and

calculate a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the RRDSL.

36. The navigation device of claim 35, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.

37. The navigation device of claim 32, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

derive a legal raw road design speed limit (LRRDSL) from probe data associated with a predetermined road segment; and

calculate a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the LRRDSL.

38. The navigation device of claim 37, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.

39. The navigation device of claim 32, wherein the processor is further arranged to:

derive an optimal longitudinal speed profile (OLSP) on a basis of one or more kinetic energy simulations for various vehicle types or categories for the predetermined road segment; and

calculate a free flow condition for the predetermined road segment using the OLSP.

40. The navigation device of claim 39, wherein the calculated free flow condition for the predetermined road segment is used when calculating the most energy efficient route of the calculated one or more routes based on the energy costs.