Method and device for improving traffic safety

• US 7,830,274 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kolb, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US12/068,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/903, 340/993, 701/117, 701/207, 701/209, 701/210
• US Class Current: 340/905
• 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 danger area from a control center via a communication unit;

performing at least one of a collision calculation or a calculation of the alert zone for the at least one exclusion zone or danger area based on the determining and the retrieving; 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 danger area by way of a counter maneuver, wherein

a radius of an inner circle belonging to the at least one exclusion zone or danger area is determined as a function of speed of the transport device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein description data for the at least one exclusion zone 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 center at specified intervals and, as soon as a position lying within a specified outer circle belonging to the at least one exclusion zone or to danger area is transmitted for the first time to the control center, the information is transmitted back about the at least one exclusion zone or danger area from the control center to the transport device, and

the transport device constantly continues determining the current position and, as a position is determined which lies on the inner circle, 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 a relatively greater radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively faster speed of the transport device, and a relatively smaller radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively slower speed of the transport device.

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

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a relatively greater radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively faster speed of the transport device, and a relatively smaller radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively slower speed of the transport device.

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

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a relatively greater radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively faster speed of the transport device, and a relatively smaller radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively slower speed of the transport device.

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

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a relatively greater radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively faster speed of the transport device, and a relatively smaller radius of the inner circle is determined for a relatively slower speed of the transport device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one warning message 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 configured to determine a current position and a current direction at specified intervals;

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

a collision unit configured to perform a collision calculation and configured 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 danger area, upon a warning condition being fulfilled, wherein

a radius of an inner circle belonging to the at least one exclusion zone or danger area is determined as a function of speed of the transport device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the warning condition is such that intrusion into the at least one exclusion zone or 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 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 danger area, upon a warning condition being fulfilled, wherein

a radius of an inner circle belonging to the at least one exclusion zone or danger area is determined as a function of speed of the transport device.

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