Automatic assistance for route planning

• US 8,855,920 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Original Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum Fã¼R Luft- Und Raumfahrt E.V.
• Inventors: Gollnick, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US13/372,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20120209522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/410
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3423 Multimodal routing, i.e. combining two or more modes of transportation, where the modes can be any of, e.g. driving, walking, cycling, public transport
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A method is provided for automatically assisting the route planning between a starting point and a destination.

At least one respective traffic route is ascertained between the starting point and the destination for different means of transport by a traffic route ascertainment unit. The at least one means of transport is associated with the respective traffic route.

Emission information is ascertained by an emission ascertainment unit for each traffic route on the basis of the means of transport which are associated therewith and on the basis of the traffic route length of the respective traffic route.

The route planning is assisted between starting point and destination on the basis of the emission information.

Claims

1. A method for automatically assisting route planning between a starting point and a destination, comprising steps of:

ascertaining one or more traffic routes between the starting point and the destination with a traffic route ascertainment unit, wherein at least one means of transport from a plurality of different means of transport is associated with each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes;

ascertaining emission information with an emission ascertainment unit for each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes on the basis of

the at least one means of transport associated with the respective traffic route,

a traffic route length of the respective traffic route, and

statistical average values for energy consumptions of individual means of transport from the plurality of different means of transport, wherein the emission information is further based on emission increases resulting from current traffic information including hindrances or delays; and

assisting the route planning between the starting point and the destination on the basis of the emission information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more traffic routes of the first ascertaining step are ascertained taking into account at least one of a departure time and an arrival time.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of

ascertaining time information with a time period ascertainment unit for each traffic route of the one or more traffic routes on the basis of the at least one means of transport associated with each respective traffic route and on the basis of the traffic route length of the respective traffic route,

wherein assistance of the route planning in the assisting step is furthermore based on the time information.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the ascertaining of the time information is further based on current traffic information from the respective traffic route.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein current timetable information for timetable-controlled means of transport is ascertained from a timetable database communicatively connected to the traffic route ascertainment unit, and wherein the ascertaining of the one or more traffic routes is based on the current timetable information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more traffic routes is an intermodal transport route comprising a plurality of sub-routes associated with at least two different means of transport, emission information being ascertained for each sub-route of the plurality of sub-routes and the emission information for an entire traffic route being ascertained on the basis of the emission information from the plurality of sub-routes.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emission information is further based on different energy sources.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the different energy sources include at least one of regenerative energy sources and nuclear energy sources.

9. The method according claim 1, wherein the current traffic information includes slow moving traffic or vehicle queuing.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium for assisting route planning between a starting point and a destination, the non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions which, when executed by a data processing installation, cause said data processing installation to perform steps of:

ascertaining one or more traffic routes between the starting point and the destination with a traffic route ascertainment unit, wherein at least one means of transport from a plurality of different means of transport is associated with each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes;

ascertaining emission information with an emission ascertainment unit for each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes on the basis of

the at least one means of transport associated with the respective traffic route,

a traffic route length of the respective traffic route, and

statistical average values for energy consumptions of individual means of transport from the plurality of different means of transport, wherein the emission information is further based on emission increases resulting from current traffic information including hindrances or delays; and

assisting the route planning between the starting point and the destination on the basis of the emission information.

11. An apparatus for automatically assisting route planning between a starting point and a destination, comprising:

a traffic route ascertainment unit configured to ascertain one or more traffic routes between the starting point and the destination and to associate at least one means of transport from a plurality of different means of transport with each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes; and

an emission ascertainment unit configured to ascertain emission information for each respective traffic route of the one or more traffic routes on the basis of

the at least one means of transport associated with the respective traffic route,

the traffic route length of the respective traffic route, and

statistical average values for energy consumptions of individual means of transport from the plurality of different means of transport, wherein the emission information is further based on emission increases resulting from current traffic information including hindrances or delays,

wherein the apparatus is configured to assist the route planning between the starting point and the destination on the basis of the emission information.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is communicatively connected to a timetable database for ascertaining current timetables for timetable-controlled means of transport.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is configured to ascertain current traffic information for the one or more traffic routes.