METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF A VEHICLE

• US 20110172915A1
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INIT Innovative Informatikanwendungen In Transport- Verkehrs- und Leitsystemen GmbH
• Original Assignee: INIT Innovative Informatikanwendungen In Transport- Verkehrs- und Leitsystemen GmbH
• Inventors: Fuchs, Alois, Binder, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3611 using character input or menus, e.g. menus of POIs character input methods in general G06F3/0233
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard

Abstract

A method for determining the location of a vehicle using a GPS receiver (9) and a predefinable coordinate system, in particular a city map, a map, a nautical chart or the like, comprises the following method steps: determination of the GPS coordinates by means of a GPS receiver or some other suitable method, for example Gallileo, beacon, etc., projection of the determined coordinates onto the coordinate system and correction of the GPS coordinates or the projected coordinates in the sense of compound navigation. A corresponding device is specified.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for determining the location of a vehicle using a GPS receiver and a predefinable coordinate system, especially a city map, a map, a nautical chart or the like, said method comprising:

determining GPS coordinates by means of the GPS receiver or another appropriate method, for example, Galileo, beacon, etc.;

projecting the determined coordinates onto the coordinate system; and

correcting the GPS coordinates or projected coordinates in the sense of dead reckoning,

wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of previously determined or projected coordinates by means of the history,

wherein the path of the vehicle with an unsteady path trend is smoothed or corrected according to the history, and

wherein correction of the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of the quality of GPS reception.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the correcting occurs by means of previously determined or projected coordinates and/or data determined by additional sensor technology.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of a determined direction and/or direction change of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein a compass or gyro is used to determine the direction change.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of the path covered by the vehicle, preferably by means of odometer.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of a speed and/or speed change of the vehicle.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of the time and/or time trend.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein correcting the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of the quality of the GPS reception, preferably with consideration of the predefinable minimum number of received satellites.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the determined position of the vehicle is checked by means of a plausibility test, preferably involving the history and optionally by means of data obtained from additional sensor technology.

24. A device for determining the location of a vehicle using a GPS receiver and a predefinable coordinate system, especially a city map, map, nautical chart or the like,

said device configured such that GPS coordinates are determined by means of GPS receiver and projected onto the coordinate system, and the GPS coordinates and the projected coordinates are corrected in the sense of dead reckoning,

wherein correction of the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of previously determined or projected coordinates by means of the history,

wherein the path of the vehicle can be smoothed or corrected according to the history, and

wherein correction of the coordinates in the coordinate system occurs with consideration of the quality of GPS reception.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein an odometer and/or a compass or gyro is provided for correction of the coordinates.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the GPS receiver, odometer and/or gyro are arranged in a box as a functional unit.

27. The device according to claim 24, wherein a processor for process control and processing of the data and of data memory to provide the coordinate system and to enter the original and corrected data is provided.