Method and system for ascertaining at least one road-related information item

• US 9,625,263 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Fuehrer, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/714,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20150330794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 701409
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0137 for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A method is provided for ascertaining at least one road-related information item, including the following steps:

• • ascertaining a position of a location on a road, starting from which a mobile user device of a communication network crossed the road, based on the position data of the user device,
  • ascertaining a waiting time during which the user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road,
  • ascertaining a position of a light signal system as a road-related information item, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position.

A corresponding system is also provided, as well as a corresponding computer program.

Claims

1. A method for ascertaining at least one road-related information item, comprising:

ascertaining, by a processing device, a position of a location on a road, starting from which a mobile user device of a communication network crossed the road, based on position data of the user device;

ascertaining, by the processing device, a speed of the user device at least one of before the crossing, during the crossing, and after the crossing;

ascertaining, by the processing device, a waiting time during which the user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road; and

ascertaining, by the processing device, a position of a light signal system as the road-related information item, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position;

based on the ascertained user device speed, ascertaining, by the processing device, which type of traffic-light system, selected from a plurality of traffic-light system types, the light signal system is, the plurality of traffic-light system types including a pedestrian traffic light and a light signal system for vehicles; and

updating a digital map with the road-related information item.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

ascertaining, by the processing unit, a crossing direction of the user device; and

based on the ascertained crossing direction, ascertaining, by a processing device, an orientation of the light signal system as another road-related information item.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, based on the ascertained waiting time, ascertaining, by the processing device, a duration of a red phase of the light signal system as another road-related information item.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising ascertaining, by the processing device, a crossing time that a user requires for crossing the road.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising ascertaining, by the processing device, a date for the ascertained waiting time.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

in the case of a plurality of user devices, ascertaining, by the processing device, a time that has passed between a first user device and a last user device being still able to cross the road before an additional user device had to wait again before crossing; and

based on the ascertained waiting time, ascertaining, by the processing device, a duration of a green phase of the light signal system as another road-related information item.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

updating the digital map with the ascertained type of traffic-light system.

8. A system for ascertaining at least one road-related information item, comprising:

a processing device of the system that;

ascertains, based on received position data of a mobile user device of a communication network, a position of a location on a road, starting from which the user device crossed the road,

ascertains a speed of the user device at least one of before the crossing, during the crossing, and after the crossing;

ascertains a waiting time during which the mobile user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road, and

ascertains a position of a light signal system as the road-related information item, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position;

based on the ascertained user device speed, ascertains which type of traffic-light system, selected from a plurality of traffic-light system types, the light signal system is, the plurality of traffic-light system types including a pedestrian traffic light and a light signal system for vehicles; and

update a digital map with the road-related information item.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a communication interface for receiving the position data of the user device over the communication network.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the processing device further updates the digital map with the ascertained type of traffic-light system.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable memory medium storing a computer program for ascertaining at least one road-related information item, the computer program, when executed by a processing device, configured to cause:

ascertaining a position of a location on a road, starting from which a mobile user device of a communication network crossed the road, based on position data of the user device;

ascertaining a speed of the user device at least one of before the crossing, during the crossing, and after the crossing;

ascertaining a waiting time during which the user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road; and

ascertaining a position of a light signal system as the road-related information item, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position;

based on the ascertained user device speed, ascertaining which type of traffic-light system, selected from a plurality of traffic-light system types, the light signal system is, the plurality of traffic-light system types including a pedestrian traffic light and a light signal system for vehicles; and

updating a digital map with the road-related information item.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable memory medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processing device, is further configured to cause:

updating the digital map with the ascertained type of traffic-light system.

13. A computer system for updating a digital map, comprising:

a processing device configured to process position data of a mobile user device, wherein the processing device is configured to carry out the following;

ascertain a position of a location on a road, starting from which the mobile user device of a communication network crossed the road, based on position data of the user device;

ascertain a speed of the user device at least one of before the crossing, during the crossing, and after the crossing;

ascertain a waiting time during which the user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road;

ascertain the position of the light signal system, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position;

based on the ascertained user device speed, ascertain which type of traffic-light system, selected from a plurality of traffic-light system types, the light signal system is, the plurality of traffic-light system types including a pedestrian traffic light and a light signal system for vehicles; and

update the digital map with the ascertained position of the light signal system.

14. The computer system as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a communication interface for receiving the position data of the mobile user device over the communication network,

wherein the communication interface communicates the received position data of the mobile user device to the processing device, and

wherein the communication network is a mobile radio network or the Internet.

15. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein the processing device is further configured to update the digital map with the ascertained type of traffic-light system.

16. A method for ascertaining at least one road-related information item, comprising:

ascertaining, by a processing device, a position of a location on a road, starting from which a mobile user device of a communication network crossed the road, based on position data of the user device;

ascertaining, by the processing device, a speed of the user device at least one of before the crossing, during the crossing, and after the crossing;

ascertaining, by the processing device, a waiting time during which the user device had to wait at the location before the user device crossed the road; and

ascertaining, by the processing device, a position of a light signal system as the road-related information item, based on the ascertained waiting time and the ascertained position;

based on the ascertained user device speed, ascertaining, a road user type from a plurality of road user types, the plurality of road user types including a vehicle and a pedestrian; and

updating a digital map with the road-related information item based on the ascertained road user type.