Process for a vehicle control and information system

• US 6,070,123 A
• Filed: 12/02/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Beyer, Rolf, Guenther, Bernd, Fleck, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US08/973,562
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 701/2, 701/33, 701/201, 701/202, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/210, 701/211, 455/466, 455/7, 455/39, 340/988, 340/990
• US Class Current: 701/209
• 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: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A process for a vehicle control and information system in which data and traffic-related information are transmitted by means of at least one radio-transmission system between a vehicle and a central unit. A data-processing unit in the central unit and/or a data-processing unit in the vehicle are used to calculate at least one route, and the route data is transmitted by means of the data-transmission system between the vehicle and the central unit. The data-processing unit in the central unit and/or the data-processing unit in the vehicle simulate in real time the motion of the vehicle, the real-time simulation being carried out both in the vehicle-mounted data-processing unit and in the data-processing unit in the central unit using signals which are it transmitted over the radio transmission system. The vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the motion of the vehicle is displayed in the vehicle together with additional information relevant to the traffic.

Claims

1. A process for a vehicle control and information system, where trip and traffic-relevant information are transmitted between a vehicle and a central unit by means of at least one wireless transmission system, the vehicle and the central unit each having a data processing unit, the process comprising the steps of:

calculating at least one trip route in the central data processing unit or in the vehicle data processing unit;

transmitting the trip information between the vehicle and the central unit over the at least one wireless transmission system;

simulating the trip by the vehicle in real-time in the central data processing unit and/or in the vehicle data processing unit by having a virtual trip route, which corresponds to the actual trip route of the vehicle, running in the respective data processing unit, where the real-time simulation runs completely independently of the actual trip by the vehicle;

performing a real-time simulation in the vehicle data processing unit as well as in the central data processing unit, the real-time simulations being synchronized by signals that are relayed over the at least one wireless transmission system; and

displaying in the vehicle the vehicle position determined by the real-time simulation of the trip as well as additional traffic-relevant information.

2. The process according to claim 1 and comprising the further step of:

selecting by the central unit the additional traffic-relevant information on the basis of the position of the vehicle derived from the real-time simulation and relaying this information to the vehicle via the at least one wireless transmission system.

3. The process according to claim 2, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

4. The process according to claim 3, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

5. The process according to claim 2, and comprising the further step of:

summoning information, especially travel related services information and/or traffic-relevant information, from the vehicle by means of the vehicle control and information system.

6. The process according to claim 2, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.

7. The process according to claim 6, and comprising the further step of:

summoning information, especially travel related services information and/or traffic-relevant information, from the vehicle by means of the vehicle control and information system.

8. The process according to claim 1, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

9. The process according to claim 8, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

10. The process according to claim 8, and comprising the further step of:

summoning information, especially travel related services information and/or traffic-relevant information, from the vehicle by means of the vehicle control and information system.

11. The process according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.

12. The process according to claim 11, and comprising the further step of:

summoning information, especially travel related services information and/or traffic-relevant information, from the vehicle by means of the vehicle control and information system.

13. The process according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of:

summoning information, especially travel related services information and/or traffic-relevant information, from the vehicle by means of the vehicle control and information system.

14. The process according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless transmission system is a digital mobile wireless system.

15. A process for a vehicle control and information system, where trip and traffic-relevant information are transmitted between a vehicle and a central unit by means of at least one wireless transmission system, the vehicle and the central unit each having a data processing unit, the process comprising the steps of:

calculating at least one trip route in the central data processing unit or in the vehicle data processing unit;

transmitting the trip information between the vehicle and the central unit over the at least one wireless transmission system;

simulating the trip by the vehicle in real-time in the central data processing unit and/or in the vehicle data processing unit by having a virtual trip route, which corresponds to the actual trip route of the vehicle, running in the respective data processing unit, where the real-time simulation runs completely independently of the actual trip by the vehicle;

performing a real-time simulation in the vehicle data processing unit as well as in the central data processing unit, the real-time simulations being synchronized by signals that are relayed over the at least one wireless transmission system;

displaying in the vehicle the vehicle position determined by the real-time simulation of the trip as well as additional traffic-relevant information;

determining the actual position of the vehicle by means of the data processing unit in the vehicle;

comparing the actual position of the vehicle with the current position of the vehicle in the real-time simulation of the trip by means of a positioning system, in particular through a wireless positioning system; and

correcting the position of the vehicle in the real-time simulation of the trip if a set tolerance limit for the deviation of the actual vehicle position from the current vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip is exceeded.

16. The process according to claim 15, and comprising the further step of:

selecting by the central unit the additional traffic-relevant information on the basis of the position of the vehicle derived from the real-time simulation and relaying this information to the vehicle via the at least one wireless transmission system.

17. The process according to claim 16, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

18. The process according to claim 16, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.

19. The process according to claim 17, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

20. The process according to claim 15, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

21. The process according to claim 20, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

22. The process according to claim 15, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.

23. A process for a vehicle control and information system, where trip and traffic-relevant information are transmitted between a vehicle and a central unit by means of at least one wireless transmission system, the vehicle and the central unit each having a data processing unit, the process comprising the steps of:

calculating at least one trip route in the central data processing unit or in the vehicle data processing unit;

transmitting the trip information between the vehicle and the central unit over the at least one wireless transmission system;

simulating the trip by the vehicle in real-time in the central data processing unit and/or in the vehicle data processing unit by having a virtual trip route, which corresponds to the actual trip route of the vehicle, running in the respective data processing unit, where the real-time simulation runs completely independently of the actual trip by the vehicle;

performing a real-time simulation in the vehicle data processing unit as well as in the central data processing unit, the real-time simulations being synchronized by signals that are relayed over the at least one wireless transmission system;

displaying in the vehicle the vehicle position determined by the real-time simulation of the trip as well as additional traffic-relevant information; and

synchronizing the real-time simulation of the trip in the central data processing unit with the real-time simulation of the trip in the vehicle data processing unit when;

data concerning the trip route sequence is entered on a data input terminal in the vehicle; and

/or

the vehicle position on the virtual trip is corrected by the vehicle data processing unit.

24. The process according to claim 23, and comprising the further step of:

selecting by the central unit the additional traffic-relevant information on the basis of the position of the vehicle derived from the real-time simulation and relaying this information to the vehicle via the at least one wireless transmission system.

25. The process according to claim 24, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

26. The process according to claim 25, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

27. The process according to claim 24, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.

28. The process according to claim 23, and comprising the further steps of:

entering information regarding the trip, in particular the starting point and destination, on a data entry terminal in the vehicle;

conveying that same information to the data processing units in the vehicle and in the central unit; and

forming the basis of the real-time simulation from that information specifying the trip route and the start time of the trip.

29. The process according to claim 28, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on the data entry terminal in the vehicle.

30. The process according to claim 23, and comprising the further step of:

correcting the vehicle position in the real-time simulation of the trip on a data entry terminal in the vehicle.