Patent Abstract:
A method for navigation by road users in the area of a traffic congestion, includes the steps of determining a group of road users in the area of the traffic congestion, who are users of a predetermined service, the capturing of travel data of the members of the group, the determining of driving maneuvers for the members of the group based on the captured driving data and the outputting the driving maneuvers to the associated members of the group. The driving maneuvers are coordinated with one another, in order to reduce the effects of the traffic congestion for the members of the group.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
       [0001]    Different navigation systems are known for the navigation by road users from a current position to a specified destination position. In them, the present position of the road user is usually determined and, based on the traffic resistances on sections of the road network on which the road user is located, as advantageous a route as possible is determined and output for the road user. For the determination of the route, current traffic data, for instance, with respect to a temporary traffic obstacle, may also be processed. The road user usually includes a motor vehicle, particularly a passenger car. 
         [0002]    A determination device for determining the routs may be provided onboard the motor vehicle or at a central location. In the first case, the current traffic data may be transmitted to the road user in a wireless manner, and in the latter case, the acquisition of current traffic data may take place in any desired manner, and transmission between the road user and the central determination device usually takes place in a wireless manner. 
         [0003]    If a traffic interference occurs, the traffic flow in the region of the traffic interference is usually difficult to predict. In particular, the traffic volume in the small and smallest space about the traffic congestion may be affected by the individual decisions of the drivers of the motor vehicles affected by the traffic congestion, it being unknown what information base these drivers have available to them. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for cooperatively based navigation. 
         [0005]    A method according to the present invention, for navigation by road users in a region of a traffic congestion, includes the steps of determining a group of road users in the area of the traffic congestion, who are users of a predetermined service, the capturing of travel data of the members of the group, the determining of driving maneuvers for the members of the group based on the captured driving data and outputting the driving maneuvers to the associated members of the group. In this context, the driving maneuvers determined are coordinated with one another, in order to reduce the effects of the traffic congestion for the members of the group. 
         [0006]    The users of the predetermined service, who form a virtual group, so to speak, are able to form a real group in the manner described, whose driving maneuvers are coordinated with one another within the meaning of a collective advantage. It is known that the overall usefulness for all members of a group, in the case of group-oriented actions of each individual member is generally greater than in the case of individually based actions of each member. The members of the group may be instructed to solve the problem of the traffic congestion in the best manner possible, for all the members of the group. The average obstruction may thereby be reduced for each member of the group. A positive effect may also be output to road users that are not members of the group. An overall traffic load may thereby be reduced in the area of the traffic congestion. 
         [0007]    In one preferred specific embodiment, the driving maneuvers are determined so that driving speeds of the members of the group are made to approach one another. A repeated accelerating and decelerating of the members of the group, which is able to result in unnecessary energy consumption, may thereby be prevented. In particular, a calming effect may start on all traffic users in the area of the traffic congestion, so that an increased average speed of the road users is able to set in at the lowest deviation from average. 
         [0008]    The driving maneuvers may also be determined so that the distances between the members of the group are reduced to a predetermined maximum distance. Thereby, the group is not able to exceed a predetermined magnitude along a road. It may be simpler, thereby, to coordinate with one another the driving maneuvers of the members of the group. In addition, the road users who are not users of the predetermined service, may be squeezed out in this manner from the really formed group, whereby the real group may be easier to influence. 
         [0009]    Besides the influencing of a driving speed and an acceleration or deceleration of the members of the group, other maneuvers, such as lane change or a turning-off process, perhaps for utilizing an avoidance path or for little group-wise passing, may also be coordinated among the members of the group. 
         [0010]    In one particularly preferred specific embodiment, the predetermined service includes a social network. The social network may be provided particularly for group-based traffic management. A clear additional usefulness may be allocated to users of this network in the manner described. Such a network is known by the name WAZE. Such a network may obtain its data and information, on the basis of which navigation solutions are determined for users, from the users during their utilization of the service, 
         [0011]    The determination of the driving maneuvers may be carried out by a device separate from the road users. In particular, the determination may be made by a central entity or by a central service. The central service may be cloud-based, so that it is immaterial at which specific locality an executional entity is situated. Communication expenditure between the members of the group may be minimized by the central determination. Particularly, for n members, communication between n x n members may be avoided. Thereby, an available bandwidth may be saved and the speed of execution of the method may be increased. 
         [0012]    The driving maneuvers may be determined in such a way that, in the area of a lane narrowing, the members of the group are guided from the affected lane according to the manner of a zipper. The zipper method that is usual in the case of lane narrowing, and whose execution frequently leads to differences of opinion between the road users, may thereby be executed in an improved manner. Traffic flow is able to be speeded up thereby and coordinating difficulties between the road users reduced. 
         [0013]    In one specific embodiment, one of the road users includes a motor vehicle, and the driving maneuvers are output in such a way that the motor vehicle automatically initiates the driving maneuvers. This may take place, in particular, in connection with an existing assistant for supporting the driver. The assistant may include, for example, a speed assistant having optional range spacing or a lane assistant, which are able to intervene actively in the driving behavior of the motor vehicle. The expenditure for implementing the method may be lowered by this integration. In addition, because of the integration with an existing assistant, the acceptance by the driver of the motor vehicle may be increased with respect to the method described. 
         [0014]    In one specific embodiment, it may be determined that the number of members of the group exceeds a predetermined value, and the members may be assigned to subgroups that are independent of one another, the method continuing in each case to be carried out on the subgroups. Consequently, the growth of the number of members to a number that can no longer be handled efficiently is able to be avoided. The groups created may be guided individually through the area of the traffic congestion, whereby a mutually negative effect of the road users is able to be avoided. 
         [0015]    One member of the group, whose driving speed exceeds a predetermined value, may be discharged from the group. By this procedure the entire group may, in the final analysis, be dissolved as soon as the traffic congestion is no longer present. 
         [0016]    A computer program product has program code means for carrying out the method described when it is run on a processing device or is stored on a computer-readable data carrier. Using the computer program product, a navigation device onboard a motor vehicle may be put in a position of carrying out the method described. 
         [0017]    A device for navigation by a road user in the area of a traffic congestion includes a determination device for determining that the road user is a user of a predetermined service, and for the assignment of the road user to a group of such road users, a capturing unit for capturing driving data of the road user, a determination device for determining driving maneuvers coordinated with one another for the members of the group, based on the captured driving data, in order to reduce the effects of the traffic congestion for the members of the group, and an output device for the output of the driving maneuver determined for the road user to the road user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a device and a system for a cooperatively based navigation. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a traffic situation for explaining the cooperatively based navigation. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a method for the cooperatively based navigation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a system  100  and a device  105  for cooperatively based or group-based navigation. 
         [0022]    Device  105  is applied onboard a motor vehicle  110 . Device  105  includes a processing unit  115 , an interface  120 , a communication unit  125  and a user interface  130 . Processing unit  115  is connected to interface  120 , communication unit  125  and user interface  130 . Interface  120  leads to a control unit  135  of vehicle  110 . 
         [0023]    In one specific embodiment, control unit  135  is equipped to provide, via interface  120 , driving data of motor vehicle  110 , particularly a current position, a speed, an acceleration, a destination or an impending driving maneuver. In this context, control unit  135  may include a navigation system, particularly a satellite navigation system. In one specific embodiment, processing unit  115  and control unit  135  may also be integrated or even be coincident. 
         [0024]    Control unit  135  may be designed to accept commands via interface  120 , and to influence the motion of motor vehicle  110  directly, as a function of the commands. The influencing may particularly relate to a speed, and acceleration or deceleration or a directional steering of motor vehicle  110 . In one specific embodiment, two control units  135  are provided, control unit  135  for providing driving data being executed separately from control unit  135  for picking up commands. In another specific embodiment, processing unit  115  and one of the two control units  135  may be integrated or even be coincident. 
         [0025]    User interface  130  may have any optional, usual elements for interaction with a user, particularly an optical, acoustical or haptic input or output. The user is normally a driver of motor vehicle  110 . Processing unit  115  may be designed to carry out an output via an interface  120  and/or user interface  130 . 
         [0026]    System  100  includes a plurality of motor vehicles  110 , which are each equipped with a device  105 , a communication system  140  for wireless communication with communication units  125 , as well as a central processing unit  145 . Central processing unit  145  may be replaced by a service in a network, especially by a cloud-based service. Although basically any motor vehicles  110  are able to communicate with the central communication system  140 , it is advantageous to utilize actualities of communication system  140  in order to address in common specifically those motor vehicles  110  which are located close to one another. Communication device  140  may include, for instance, a radio cell of a cell-based telephone network, and motor vehicles  110  are able to stay within the radio cell. 
         [0027]    Central communication system  140  together with central processing unit  145  may be designed for exchanging data, particularly driving data, between motor vehicles  110 . In this case, onboard of each individual motor vehicle  110 , using processing unit  115 , a driving maneuvers for guiding motor vehicle  110  may be determined based on the driving data of the other motor vehicles  110 . 
         [0028]    In another specific embodiment, the determinations of the driving maneuvers are carried out centrally for all motor vehicles  110  by processing unit  145 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a traffic situation  200  for explaining the cooperatively based navigation, which is able to be carried out using device  105  and system  100  of  FIG. 1 . A plurality of motor vehicles  110  is located on a road  205  having two lanes  210 . In this instance, motor vehicles  110 , that are shown shaded, are members of a group  200 . There is a traffic congestion  220  in the upper area of the right lane  210 , where two motor vehicles  110  are unable to be driven after an accident. Motor vehicles  110  of group  215  are receiving information on driving maneuvers, the driving maneuvers being coordinated with one another in such a way that the removal of motor vehicles  110  of group  215  past traffic congestion  220  is collectively improved. For this purpose, the driving maneuvers are coordinated with one another on the basis of driving data of the individual motor vehicles  110  of group  215 . The determination of the driving maneuvers was explained above with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0030]    The driving maneuvers may, for instance, be determined so that motor vehicles  110 , which are members of group  215 , travel as directly one behind the other or next to one another. In one specific embodiment, motor vehicles  110 , that travel directly as neighbors, may be regarded in principle as a single, large motor vehicle  110 , which is navigated over road  205 . However, other methods of behavior are possible as well. For example, guiding together the traffic flows of the two lanes  210  in the area of traffic congestion  220  according to the zipper principle may be carried out more easily if the members of group  215  travel as nearly as possible directly next to each other or in front of each other before traffic congestion  220 . 
         [0031]    In order to hold group  215  to as closed as possible, a series of driving maneuvers may be suggested, for example, to a member  110  that is at a distance from the rest of group  215 , for example, as is shown at the bottom, left, which bring this motor vehicle  110  closer to the rest of the group. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a method  300  for a cooperatively based navigation, as was explained above with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this context, method  300  may be carried out on a central processing unit  145  or, in a distributed manner, on a plurality of processing units  115  onboard of a plurality of motor vehicles  110 . 
         [0033]    In a first step  305 , positions of motor vehicles  110 , which are members of a group  215 , are determined Group  215  is defined in that its members are located in a predetermined area of a traffic obstruction  220 , and that they, or the drivers driving them are members of a social network, which preferably exists for the exchange of navigation-based data. 
         [0034]    In a following step  310 , group  215  is formed according to the criteria described. If a motor vehicle  110  which, or whose driver, is a user of the social network, is not located close enough to the rest of group  215 , an invitation may be sent to this motor vehicle  110  in a step  315 . The invitation may include one or more driving maneuvers for reaching the rest of group  215 . For the individual motor vehicle  110 , method  300  is no longer continued at this point until the vehicle may be taken up into group  215 . 
         [0035]    For the remaining members of group  215 , the method continues in a step  320 , in which it is determined whether the group has exceeded a predetermined size. In addition, it may be determined whether the number of members of group  215  is exceeding a predetermined value. If the group is too large, it may be subdivided into a plurality of subgroups in a step  325 . Method  300  may then be embodied individually for each subgroup, the individual embodiments of method  300  being able to be carried out independently of one another. 
         [0036]    If there is no reason for subdividing the group, or if the group has already been subdivided, in a step  330  driving data of participating motor vehicle  110  are determined These driving data may already be present in the form of the positions of participating motor vehicles  110  determined in step  305 . However, the driving data include additional information, particularly speeds, accelerations, maximum speeds able to be reached or travel destinations. 
         [0037]    It may optionally be determined in a step  335 , which may also be carried out at a different time, what type of traffic congestion  220  is taking place. Furthermore, in a step  340 , that is also optional, an additional traffic position in the area of traffic congestion  220  may be determined 
         [0038]    Based on the data determined, in a step  345  driving maneuvers coordinated with one another are determined for motor vehicles  110 , which are users of group  215 . Subsequently, the driving maneuvers are output to individual motor vehicles  110  in a step  350 , each motor vehicle  110  preferably receiving only that particular driving maneuver which has been determined for this motor vehicle  110 .

Technology Classification (CPC): 6