TECHNIQUE FOR PROVIDING TRAVEL INFORMATION

• US 20150081216A1
• Filed: 09/11/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Elektrobit Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bartels, Florian
• Granted Patent: US 9,989,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/532
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3641 Personalized guidance, e.g. limited guidance on previously travelled routes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A technique is described for providing travel information for route segments repeatedly covered by a vehicle, wherein the travel information is indicative of map data changes extractable from map data update information. A method aspect comprises the steps of determining whether the vehicle is likely to travel along repeatedly covered route segments; selecting map data changes that are associated with the repeatedly covered route segments the vehicle is likely to travel; and generating travel information on basis of the selected map data changes and providing the travel information to a driver. Provided are also a computer program product and a device implementing the described method.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing travel information for route segments repeatedly covered by a vehicle, wherein the travel information is indicative of map data changes extractable from map data update information, the method comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is likely to travel along repeatedly covered route segments;

selecting map data changes that are associated with the repeatedly covered route segments the vehicle is likely to travel; and

generating travel information on basis of the selected map data changes and providing the travel information to a driver.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method steps are performed during driving and while a route guidance is inactive.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving map data update information; and

extracting map data changes from the received update information by comparing the received map data update information against map data information that is to be updated.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one of the map data changes and the map data update information via an air interface.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein map data changes are extracted in accordance with one or more filtering conditions.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing each map data change with a validity date indicating the temporal validity of the change.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the selecting step comprises filtering map data changes in accordance with their validity dates.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein each map data change is provided with an extraction date.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the selecting step further comprises filtering map data changes having an extraction date older than a predetermined point in time.

10. The method according claim 1, wherein the determining step further comprises evaluating at least one of detected position data and detected driving condition data in order to determine the current position and the upcoming route segments the vehicle is likely to travel.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising suppressing the travel information generation for route segments in case the travel information was already provided to the driver at least once during at least one previous travel along the route segments.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the map data changes comprise at least one of changed traffic rules, changed accessibility conditions of route segments and changed POI data.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program product comprising program code portions for performing the steps of claim 1.

14. A device configured to provide travel information for route segments repeatedly covered by a vehicle, wherein the travel information is indicative of map data changes extractable from map data update information, wherein the device comprises:

a determining unit configured to determine that the vehicle is likely to travel along repeatedly covered route segments;

a selecting unit configured to select map data changes that are associated with the repeatedly covered route segments the vehicle is likely to travel; and

a generating unit configured to generate travel information on basis of the selected map data changes and to provide the travel information to a driver.

15. The device of claim 14, further comprising a storage unit comprising at least one of a map database in which updatable map data are stored and a database in which extracted map data changes are stored.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising an extraction unit configured to extract map data changes from received updated map data by comparing the updated map data against map data information that is to be updated.

17. A navigation device comprising the device of claim 16.