Integration of position and road charging data

• US 9,159,171 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Titan Intelligence Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Telit Automotive Solutions Nv (TUS International Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brands, Jan Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JELANI A
• Application Number:
  US13/383,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20120116667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,903 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/469, 701/532, 705/13, 705/400, 705/417, 713/193, 340/539.13, 340/928, 340/357.59, 455/414.2, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed wherein positioning data and road charging data depending on a vehicle position may be inserted into a combined data stream. The positioning data and road charging data may be provided with the same protocol type such as a national marine electronics association, NMEA, protocol or NMEA 0183 protocol. The combined data stream therefore comprises a mixed sequence of positioning data protocol messages and road charging data protocol messages.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile element for a vehicle which, in operation, receives positioning data formatted according to a protocol output by a position data receiver;

a road charging calculator that, in operation, calculates road charging data depending on at least one of the actual vehicle position, time, and traffic condition; and

a convertor which, in operation, converts the road charging data into the protocol type of position data output by the position data receiver;

wherein the mobile element further, in operation, combines the positioning data and the converted road charging data depending on the vehicle position into a combined data stream formatted according to said protocol; and

wherein the protocol type is a National Marine Electronics Association, (NMEA), protocol.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combined data stream comprises a mixed sequence of positioning data protocol messages and road charging data protocol messages, and the positioning data protocol messages and the road charging data protocol messages are arranged to maintain a time relationship in the combined data stream.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is implemented as, or provided in, an on board unit of an automotive vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display at least one of a vehicle position, navigation data, and the road charging data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one of a navigation application;

an information platform; and

a display that is configured to display at least one of a vehicle position, navigation data, and the road charging data.

6. An automotive vehicle comprising apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road charging data are converted into the protocol format by adding a message starting character and at least four characters identifying a source and a type of message.

8. A method implemented in a mobile unit comprising a positioning data receiver and a road charging calculator, the method comprising:

one of receiving and generating positioning data formatted according to a protocol, using the positioning data receiver, depending on an actual vehicle position;

outputting the positioning data from the position data receiver;

providing a convertor in the mobile unit, wherein the converter converts the road charging data into a format according to the protocol of the positioning data output by the position data receiver; and

combining the positioning data and the converted road charging data, obtained from the convertor,

depending on vehicle position, into a combined data stream; and

wherein the positioning data and the road charging data are provided in a National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) protocol.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the method includes at least one of:

arranging positioning data protocol messages and road charging data protocol messages to maintain a time relationship in the combined data stream, the combined data stream comprising a mixed sequence of positioning data protocol messages and road charging data protocol messages,

converting road charging data into the protocol type of the positioning data; and

calculating actual road charging data depending on at least one of the actual vehicle position, time, and traffic condition.

10. A non-transitory program product, comprising executable software code for carrying out the method according to claim 8.

11. The non-transitory program product according to claim 10, wherein the program product is one of a storage and a data carrier.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein converting the road charging data into the protocol format comprises:

adding a message starting character; and

adding at least four characters identifying a source and a type of message.

13. A mobile apparatus, comprising:

a positioning data receiver configured to provide positioning data formatted according to a protocol;

a road charging calculator configured to provide road charging data;

a convertor configured to convert the road charging data into the protocol format of positioning data output by the position data receiver; and

an element configured to combine the positioning data from the positioning data receiver and the converted road charging data from the convertor, according to a vehicle position, into a combined data stream; and

wherein the positioning data and the road charging data are provided in a National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) protocol.

14. The mobile apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the combined data stream, the positioning data and the road charging data are arranged to maintain a time relationship.

15. The mobile apparatus of claim 13, wherein the road charging data are converted into the protocol format by adding a message starting character and at least four characters identifying a source and a type of message.