Method of exchanging navigation information

A method of exchanging navigation information between a terminal, an offboard vehicle navigation device in particular, and a control center is described, the navigation information including route information for at least one route between a starting point and a destination. The method involves the following steps: a) verifying a starting point reference ID and/or starting coordinates and verifying a destination reference ID and/or destination coordinates and b) calculating route data and transmitting to the terminal a route response containing at least parts of the route data, the route data corresponding to at least one complete route from the starting point to the destination or at least one partial route from the starting point to an intermediate point located between the starting point and the destination at least as a function of the length of the route from the starting point to the destination.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of exchanging navigation information between a terminal, an offboard vehicle navigation device in particular, and a control center, the navigation information including route information for at least one route between a starting point and a destination.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

It is known that for a route search, a connection between a starting point and a destination is searched according to specific criteria. To this end, it is necessary to enter route guidance information elements that define at least the starting point and destination. Such an entry may be made, for example, using a keyboard connected to a vehicle navigation device. If the vehicle navigation device includes a route guidance element database, it is possible to immediately verify the route guidance element data entered by comparing it with the entries of the route guidance element database. Novel vehicle navigation devices that are, for example, described as hybrid vehicle navigation devices or as offboard vehicle navigation devices, do not provide a complete route guidance element database within the navigation device. Moreover, in such vehicle navigation devices, the route search procedure is located outside the vehicle navigation device and is performed in a control center. There are known offboard navigation methods that transmit a route between a starting point and a destination. However, these known methods do not make it possible to enter a destination offline and are not capable of segmenting routes or updating the calculated route in an abbreviated procedure during the route guidance procedure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The fact that the following steps are provided in the method according to the present invention:a) verifying a starting point reference ID and/or starting coordinates and verifying a destination reference ID and/or destination coordinates andb) calculating route data and transmitting to the terminal a route response containing at least parts of the route data, the route data corresponding to at least one complete route from the starting point to the destination or at least one partial route from the starting point to an intermediate point located between the starting point and the destination at least as a function of the length of the route from the starting point to the destination,

makes a segmented transmission of routes and route corridors possible, which makes it possible to include present traffic influences and/or disturbances. Moreover, the transmission time may be adjusted by segmenting the route based on the needs of the terminal. This also applies in particular in the event of wrong trips for the transmission of alternative routes.

In the method according to the present invention, it is preferably further provided that the intermediate point has a verified intermediate point reference ID and/or verified intermediate point coordinates. In the present context, verified reference IDs or verified coordinates are understood to be reference IDs or coordinates that may be unambiguously assigned to corresponding route guidance database entries, which are stored in a database to which the control center has access.

In connection with the verified intermediate point reference ID and/or the verified intermediate point coordinates, the method according to the present invention preferably also provides that the verified intermediate point reference ID and/or the verified intermediate point coordinates are transmitted from the control center to the terminal. Such a transmission of content specific to the control center makes the transmission of new route queries shorter. Moreover, it is not necessary for the user to re-enter the destination.

In the method according to the present invention, it is preferably also provided that the terminal is a mobile terminal and that additional route data is requested from the control center via the terminal or via a separate device before the intermediate point is reached, the additional route data corresponding either to at least a complete route from the intermediate point to the destination or at least to a partial route from the intermediate point to an additional intermediate point. Of course, the method according to the present invention is not limited to subdividing the route into three partial routes, but instead a subdivision into more than three partial routes is possible. The number of the partial routes and the length of the partial routes may be adapted to the length of the total route in particular. In short routes in particular, it may be advantageous not to subdivide the route at all, but instead to transmit the complete route data directly to the terminal or to the separate device.

Moreover, the method according to the present invention provides that the mobile terminal or the separate device transmits the verified intermediate point reference ID and/or the verified intermediate point coordinates to the control center if additional route data is requested. To this end, in the route calculation, the control center selects only those intermediate points to which it is possible to unambiguously assign corresponding route guidance-database entries, so that the corresponding reference IDs and/or the corresponding coordinates are immediately available.

In addition or as an alternative, it may be provided in the method according to the present invention that the control center also transmits an unambiguous route ID to the terminal or to a separate device in step b).

In this connection, it is preferably also provided that the mobile terminal or the separate device transmits the route ID to the control center if additional route data is requested. This makes it possible to simplify the access to already calculated route data in the control center. Moreover, it is also conceivable, for example, to use such route IDs for the calculation of the services provided by the control center.

In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the present invention also provides that step a) includes the following sub-steps:a1) transmission of an address resolution query to the control center,a2) transmission of an address resolution response from the control center to the terminal or to a separate device anda3) transmission of a route query to the control center.

Before step a1) is implemented, the user preferably enters route guidance element data that relates at least to one route guidance element. The route guidance element data entered is then transferred to the control center by the address resolution query, preferably via an online connection between the terminal and the control center. The verification of the starting point reference ID and/or the verification of the starting coordinates and the verification of the destination reference ID and/or the verification of the destination coordinates may then be performed, for example, by a multistage communication process between the control center and the terminal. If, for example, it is not possible to unambiguously assign several route guidance elements such as, for example, city or street names, to corresponding database entries, the control center may return a selection of database entries from which the user may then select the correct entry. In this connection, it is possible to transmit the corresponding reference IDs directly with the selection or not to transmit the reference ID for an entry selected until the user has selected a response to the selection.

In the method according to the present invention, it is also preferably provided that one parameter or a plurality of the following parameters are transmitted to the control center in step a1) or in step a2):geographic coordinates,one address or a plurality of addresses as a set of attributes such as city, street, house number, zip code,one reference ID or a plurality of reference IDs already verified in the control center,one telephone number or a plurality of telephone numbers,one map segment or a plurality of map segments,geometric road descriptions,one text description or a plurality of text descriptions,one sound recording or a plurality of sound recordings,photographic and/or video recordings,customer information, a user/use profile in particular such as vehicle type, speed range, route optimization wishes.

With respect to sub-step a2), the method according to the present invention also preferably provides that one parameter or a plurality of the following parameters are transmitted:unambiguous or partially unambiguous reference IDs for the individual addresses or their sub-attributes such as city, street, house number, zip code,time information as a set of attributes such as year, month, day, hour, minute, second,message time stamp,desired travel time.

Such an implementation of sub-steps a1) and a2) results in a flexible and convenient user interface for the entry of route guidance element data to verify starting points and destinations.

The method according to the present invention preferably also provides that in step a3) the unambiguously verified starting point reference ID and/or the unambiguously verified starting coordinates and the unambiguously verified destination reference ID and/or the unambiguously verified destination coordinates are transmitted in order to be able to perform the route calculation based on unambiguous information.

In this connection, the method according to the present invention may also provide that in step a3), one information item or a plurality of the following information items are transmitted:one abort criterion or a plurality of abort criteria for the route calculation, in particular maximum data volume, maximum waiting time until data transfer, distance,coding of terminal capabilities, in particular with reference to the display capabilities and/or the audio capabilities,user preferences, in particular the type of desired supplemental information in the route data,time information as a set of attributes such as year, month, day, hour, minute, second,personalized driving profile,traffic information and/or route disturbances (for example, manual, Traffic Message Channel (TMC), etc).

The transmission of the route response to the terminal performed in connection with step b) preferably includes one information item or a plurality of the following information items in the method according to the present invention.supplemental map attributes, in particular distances and/or trip time, street/road classes, street names, graphic and or acoustic route guidance instructions,images, photographic and/or video recordings,sound recordings,traffic reports,supplemental information such as advertisingdata header information, in particular language and/or country identification, reference system, coding used, coordinate coding, route data format, flags concerning existing supplemental attributes,time information as a set of attributes such as year, month, day, hour, minute, second,message time stamp,travel time.

In connection with the method according to the present invention, it is preferably also provided that verified starting point reference IDs and/or verified starting coordinates and/or verified destination reference IDs and/or verified destination coordinates are stored in the terminal and/or in the separate device. In this manner, it is possible to build up a data set requiring only a small amount of storage space for frequently used starting points and destinations.

In a similar manner, it may be provided in the method according to the present invention that user-dependent and/or terminal-dependent verified starting point reference IDs and/or verified starting coordinates and/or verified destination reference IDs and/or verified destination coordinates are stored in the control center. This data may be made available, for example, to a user or to a terminal after the user or the terminal has appropriately identified himself or itself, it also being possible in this case to implement a type of personal address book.

In the method according to the present invention, it is preferably also provided that one sub-step or a plurality of sub-steps a1), a2) and a3) are repeated if no response is received after a predetermined time span. To this end, appropriate time counters may be started at defined points in time, the corresponding sub-step being repeated after their expiration.

In the method according to the present invention, it may be provided that the separate device is embodied as a mobile telecommunications terminal. In this connection, it is possible, for example, to implement one step or a plurality of steps a1), a2) and a3) using a cellular phone, for example, via SMS messages.

Furthermore, it may be provided that the separate device is embodied as a computer, for example, a computer connected to the Internet. At the end of the communication process between the computer and the control center, a route ID, for example, may then be transmitted from the control center to the computer, it being possible to provide such route IDs, for example, to be entered by the user into a vehicle navigation device in order to download a route already calculated at this point in time.

The method according to the present invention may provide that sub-steps a1) and a2) are repeated in alternation until at least one starting point reference ID and/or starting coordinates and one destination reference ID and/or destination coordinates are verified, specifically independent of whether the communication between the control center and the terminal occurs in the form of a vehicle navigation device, a mobile telecommunications device or a computer.

In some embodiments of the method according to the present invention, it may be provided that sub-step a2) is only executed if a starting point reference ID and/or starting coordinates and a destination reference ID and/or destination coordinates have not yet been verified. For example, it is possible that a user may directly request a route with unambiguous reference IDs that are requested, for example, from a list stored in the terminal. It is likewise conceivable that the route guidance element data entered by the user is unambiguous. In such a case, to speed up the method, it may be provided that the control center responses directly by transmitting the route data.

The same applies to each terminal, each vehicle navigation device in particular, that is designed to participate in the method according to the present invention.

FIG. 1shows an example of a message sequence in an error-free sequence executed by one embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the meaning of the reference numerals BZ used inFIG. 1being obtained from the following Table 1.

TABLE 1BZMeaning101Terminal102Central processing unit103Address resolution query (address)104Time counter105Address resolution106Address resolution response ([partially] resolved addresses)107User selection108The above sequence is repeated until it has been possible to resolvethe address unambiguously.109Route query (start, destination)110Time counter111Route calculation112Route response ([partial] route)113Route guidance114Route query (start, destination)115Since the central processing unit generally subdivides the route intoseveral segments, the terminal must make several route queriesbefore the destination is reached.116Time counter117Route calculation118Route response ([partial] route)

According to the depiction ofFIG. 1, the following sequence occurs: First, a terminal101, an offboard vehicle navigation device, for example, sends an address resolution query103to central processing unit102. The address resolution query contains route guidance element data entered by the user in a suitable manner. The route guidance element data may include, for example, city and street names in the presumed or abbreviated notation. This data may be entered using a keyboard, a voice input device or in any suitable manner. Central processing unit102performs the address resolution in block105. To this end, central processing unit102compares, for example, the route guidance element data transmitted with address resolution query103with the database entries available in central processing unit102in order to verify a starting point reference ID and/or starting coordinates and a destination reference ID and/or destination coordinates to the extent possible based on the route guidance elements transmitted. If it is not possible to assign an unambiguous reference ID to one route guidance element or a plurality of route guidance elements, the most probable database entries with respect to this route guidance element are combined, for example, into a list. After the address resolution, central processing unit102transmits an address resolution response106to terminal101. Terminal101monitors the on-time arrival of the address resolution response by starting a time counter104shortly after address resolution query103is sent; the time counter is set to a predefined value. In the case shown, address resolution response106arrives before the expiration of time counter104, as is depicted by the horizontal position of the corresponding arrow and the expiration of time counter104, which is denoted by an “x”. Address resolution response106contains the already unambiguously verified reference IDs and one list or a plurality of lists for the route guidance elements that have not yet been unambiguously verified. In block107, the user may make an appropriate choice from these lists in order to complete the set of reference IDs. Block108only contains the indication that the operating sequence depicted is repeated until it has been possible to resolve the addresses unambiguously. After all reference IDs are present, terminal101starts a route query109, for example, by sending a verified starting point reference ID and a verified destination reference ID to central processing unit102. Based on this data, central processing unit102performs a route calculation. In the case depicted, the route has a length from start to destination which prompts central processing unit102to first calculate only one partial route. After the partial route is calculated, control center unit102sends a route response112to terminal101, route response112containing corresponding route data for the partial route. Furthermore, the route response preferably contains an intermediate point reference ID, which unambiguously identifies the intermediate point that determines the end point of the partial route. Terminal101monitors the (on-time) arrival of route query112by starting a time counter110shortly after route query109has been sent. In the case depicted, however, route response112arrives before the expiration of time counter110, as can be seen in the depiction ofFIG. 1. In block113, terminal101starts the route guidance. Shortly before terminal101has reached the intermediate point, it sends a new route query114to central processing unit102. Block115contains the indication that the central processing unit generally subdivides the route into several segments so that the terminal must makes several route queries before the destination is reached. Route query114preferably contains the intermediate point reference ID, which central processing unit102may use as a new starting point for the route calculation. Central processing unit102performs such a route calculation in block117. As a response to route query114, central processing unit102sends an additional route response118to terminal101, route response118containing route data for the remaining route or an additional intermediate route. Terminal101monitors the (on-time) arrival of route response118by starting a time counter116shortly after route query114has been sent. In the case depicted, however, route response118arrives on time. Subsequently, it is possible for the terminal to continue the route guidance, which, however, is no longer shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 2shows an example of the operating sequence of one embodiment of the method according to the present invention in which a time counter expires after the address resolution query is transmitted, the meaning of the reference numerals BZ used inFIG. 1being obtained from the following Table 2.

According to the depiction ofFIG. 2, the following operating sequence occurs: A terminal201sends an address resolution query203to a central processing unit202. The address resolution query may be an address resolution query corresponding to address resolution query103ofFIG. 1. Shortly after address resolution query203is sent, terminal201starts a time counter204in order to check the (on-time) arrival of an address resolution response. According to the depiction ofFIG. 2, time counter204expires before an address resolution response is received from central processing unit202. Therefore, after the expiration of time counter204, terminal201sends a new address resolution query206to central processing unit202. Shortly after this address resolution query206is sent, terminal201restarts a time counter207. The address resolution takes place in block208. Subsequent to the address resolution, central processing unit202sends an address resolution response209to terminal201, in this case before the expiration of time counter207. The further operating sequence may then correspond to that shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3shows an example of the sequence of an embodiment of the method according to the present invention in which a time counter expires after a route query is transmitted, the meaning of the reference numerals BZ used inFIG. 3being obtained from the following Table 3.

According to the depiction ofFIG. 3, the following operating sequence occurs: A terminal301sends a route query303to a central processing unit302. Shortly after route query303is sent, terminal301starts a time counter304to check the (on-time) arrival of a corresponding route response. In the case depicted, central processing unit302does not send a route response to route query303due, for example to a temporary overload. Therefore, after time counter304has expired, terminal301sends a new route query306to central processing unit302, which then performs a route calculation for a complete route or a partial route in block308and then transmits a route response309to terminal301, which arrives at terminal301before the expiration of time counter307. The further operating sequence may then correspond to the one shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4shows an example of the operating sequence of one embodiment of the method according to the present invention in which the route calculation is performed immediately after an unambiguous address resolution, the meaning of the reference numerals BZ used inFIG. 4being obtained from the following Table 4.

According to the depiction ofFIG. 4, the following operating sequence occurs: A terminal401sends an address resolution query404to a central processing unit402. In block405, central processing unit402performs an address resolution. In the case depicted inFIG. 4, address resolution query404has contained route guidance element data that makes a complete resolution of the address possible. Therefore, central processing unit402performs a route calculation in block406that may affect the complete route or segments of a route without an address resolution query being sent to terminal401. Instead, central processing unit402directly sends a route response407to terminal401. The (on-time) arrival of a reply is then checked by terminal401using a time counter403. The route guidance may already be started in block408. Although this is not shown inFIG. 4, additional partial routes may of course also be requested and calculated in this case.

FIG. 5shows an example of the operating sequence of one embodiment of the method according to the present invention under practical conditions, the meaning of the reference numerals BZ used inFIG. 5being obtained from the following Table 5.

According to the depiction ofFIG. 5, the following operating sequence occurs: A terminal501sends an address resolution query503to a central processing unit502. Address resolution query503contains the route guidance element data City=“Braunschweig,” Street=“Heirichstrasse.” The user has, however, made an error in entering the street name because he actually intended to enter “Heinrichstrasse.” Central processing unit502starts the address resolution in block504. In doing so, the database entries “Braunschweig” and “Braunsdorf” are selected as the most probable entries. The entries “Heinrich-Heine Strasse” and “Heinrichstrasse” are found for the street name “Heirichstrasse.” These database entries are transferred together with the corresponding IDs specified in Table 5 and with address resolution response505to terminal501. The user selection is then made in Block506. The user selects ID2345, which corresponds to Heinrichstrasse in Braunschweig. ID2345is transmitted to central processing unit502via an additional address resolution query507. The address resolution is continued in block508. Central processing unit502sends the already confirmed information City=“Braunschweig,” Street=“Heinrichstrasse,” and ID2345as address resolution response509. Furthermore, “Südstrasse,” “Nordstrasse” and “Weststrasse” are transmitted as possible cross streets, each with an associated ID. In block510, the user makes an additional user selection with respect to the cross street. He sends a new address resolution query511to central processing unit502, address resolution query511containing coordinates=52.123/10.234. In block512, the address resolution for the starting point is continued, it is resolved using the coordinates information. As address resolution response513, central processing unit502sends the ID 777777 for the starting point. A starting point reference ID and a destination reference ID are then present in terminal501, they are transmitted to central processing unit502in the event of a route query514from terminal501. Based on these IDs, a partial route for the first route segment is calculated in block515. Central processing unit502sends a route response516to terminal501, route response516containing the route data for the first partial route and an intermediate point reference ID=12345. The route guidance is then started in block517. Preferably, shortly before the intermediate point is reached, terminal501sends a new route query to central processing unit502. As a starting ID, route query518contains the previously transmitted intermediate point reference ID and the destination reference ID known through the address resolution. Based on these reference IDs, the route calculation for the remaining route is performed in block519. Central processing unit502then sends a route response520to terminal501, the route response containing the route data for the remaining route so that the route guidance may be continued in block521.

All the entries required to implement the method according to the present invention are not limited to keyboard entries. For example, touch screen entries or voice entries come into consideration.

The term control center as used in the present application does not absolutely require that all components making up the control center be situated physically adjacent to each other. Instead, the control center may be made up of suitable hardware and software, the hardware components being interconnected by suitable LAN and/or WAN connections, the Internet in particular.

The term terminal is also understood to be a functional unit, in this case also it is not absolutely necessary for all components to be accommodated physically adjacent to each other in a housing, for example.

The above description of the exemplary embodiments according to the present invention is only intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention and its equivalents.