Route calculation method

• US 20040049335A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Ralf, Schmidt, Heinrich, Hoeveling, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/201
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

A method for calculating a route from a starting location to a destination location is described; it is characterized in that the route is calculated after specifying at least one pass-through destination location by way of at least one pass-through destination point, which is situated in a circumscribed area of the at least one pass-through destination location specified by a specified criterion.

In contrast with the route calculation method known from the related art, the specified pass-through destinations are not part of the trip route, but instead, except for a specified circumscribed area, they function as vaguely specified interpolation points for influencing the route calculation.

Claims

1. A method for calculating a route from a starting location to a destination location,

wherein after specifying at least one pass-through destination location, a pass-through destination point is determined automatically for each of the at least one pass-through destination location, this pass-through destination point being situated in a circumscribed area of the at least one pass-through destination location, determined by a specified criterion, and the route is calculated via the at least one pass-through destination point.

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein

in a first step, the starting location is set as the starting point for the route calculation, and a first pass-through destination location of the at least one pass-through destination location is set as the pass-through destination;

in a second step, a route segment is calculated from the starting point to the pass-through destination point which is determined automatically and is situated in an interception range about the pass-through destination, determined according to the criterion specified;

in a third step, the end point (=pass-through destination point) of the previously calculated route segment is set as the starting point for the calculation of an additional route segment;

in the case of additional pass-through destination locations, the next pass-through destination location of the at least one pass-through destination location is set as the pass-through destination, and the process is continued with the second step;

in the case of no additional pass-through destination locations,

in a fourth step the route segment is calculated from the starting point, set in the third step, to the destination location; and

the route is obtained by arranging the calculated route segments in a sequence.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the specified criterion is a predefined distance from the pass-through destination.

4. The method as recited in claim 3,

wherein the specified distance is a fixedly specified or specifiable distance value.

5. The method as recited in claim 3,

wherein the specified distance is derived from calculated route information, in particular the calculated route length.

6. The method as recited in claim 3,

wherein the specified distance is a fixedly specified or specifiable distance value or it is derived from calculated route information, in particular the calculated route length, depending on which criterion defines a wider circumscribed area.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the specified criterion is a change in road class which is necessary to reach the pass-through destination.

8. The method as recited in claim 7,

wherein the specified criterion is a change in a road class to a road of a lower class road, this change being necessary to reach the pass-through destination.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the specified criterion is a change in road class which is necessary for reaching the pass-through destination as recited in claim 6 or 7, within a specified distance from the pass-through destination as recited in one of claims 3 through 6.