On-demand update of map data used by a vehicle's navigation system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the updating of mapping data used by a navigation system (2) in a motor vehicle (1). The invention also relates to a device (100) implementing such a method, as well as a motor vehicle (1) comprising such a device. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: On-demand updating of mapping data used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of navigation systems on board motor vehicles. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of the vehicle. The invention applies to motor vehicles such as land motor vehicles, in particular cars. State of the prior art

[0002] It is known that the navigation systems of current motor vehicles, in particular those on board passenger cars that are marketed today, operate by using mapping data on the basis of which they establish routes based on journeys stipulated by drivers. It is also known that road infrastructures are constantly undergoing modifications, which requires the ability to update the mapping data of vehicle navigation systems. To do this, the owner of a vehicle must generally go to a dealership so that the mapping data can be updated. However, this is restrictive insofar as his vehicle is made unavailable for the time necessary to update the mapping data and, depending on the case, this period can be relatively long.Furthermore, it is generally not possible to remotely update the map data used by a navigation system in relation to a particular journey that a driver wishes to make. In such a case, the owner of a vehicle generally has no other choice but to update all the map data, whether remotely by means of one or more downloads, by using a dedicated data storage medium that he connects to his vehicle's navigation system or by visiting a dealership. In other words, even if a driver is only interested in the map data relating to a particular journey that he wishes to make, he must in any case accept that his vehicle will be unavailable for a relatively long period of time, while all the map data in the navigation system is updated.Furthermore, when a manufacturer provides means to perform remote mapping data updates (i.e. . OTA (Over-The-Air), i.e. by means of one or more downloads, the need to update all the mapping data implies a longer download time, during which time the navigation system is unavailable, and this also generates a significant load on mobile communication networks and the Internet, which adversely affects the fluidity of overall data traffic. Summary of the invention

[0003] The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. The invention aims in particular to provide a solution to enable an owner of a motor vehicle who has a navigation system on board to be able to update the map data of the navigation system on demand according to a journey that he wishes to take, without having to suffer unavailability of the navigation system or his vehicle. The invention more specifically aims to provide a method and a device that make it possible to update remotely and in advance the map data of a navigation system of a motor vehicle according to a particular journey to be taken. By these means, the invention aims to improve the ergonomics of motor vehicles, while minimizing the congestion of mobile communication networks and the Internet.

[0004] In order to achieve these aims, the invention relates, according to a first aspect, to a method of managing, by a computer device on board a motor vehicle, the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: i. determining whether an entry of a planned journey has been made by means of an entry interface of the navigation system, said entry interface being arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle or independent of the vehicle and communicating with the navigation system by means of radio frequency signal communication equipment of the vehicle, said entry stipulating at least one destination located more than two hours' drive from a place of residence of the vehicle, a date of completion of said journey and a departure time or a desired arrival time; and, where it is established that this is the case, ii. determine, based on said journey, data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded; iii. determine, based on the data determined in step ii), data characterizing a download duration; iv. determine data characterizing a duration of availability before said date for downloading data; and v. manage a first download of said data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded based on said date, said download duration and said availability duration.

[0005] According to a variant, said first set of mapping elements to be downloaded may comprise: • all traffic lanes located in a first geographical area containing said place of residence if at least one of these is not already part of the mapping data which is used at the current time by the navigation system; • all traffic lanes located in a second geographical area containing said destination; • all traffic lanes located in a third geographical area which extends up to a pre-established distance from the traffic lanes included in a preferred route between said place of residence and said destination which are located outside said first geographical area and said second geographical area.

[0006] According to another variant, said first geographical area may correspond to a first administrative region and said second geographical area may correspond to a second administrative region.

[0007] According to yet another variant, said distance may be equal to 50 km.

[0008] According to yet another variant, said entry may stipulate at least one step to to be carried out on said route and said first set of map elements to be downloaded may include all the traffic lanes located in a fourth geographical area containing said stage.

[0009] According to yet another variant, said fourth geographical zone may correspond to a fourth administrative region.

[0010] According to yet another variant, step v) may comprise the steps of: • determine, based on said date, data characterizing a progress status of said first download; • determine, based on said data characterizing a state of progress of said first download, whether said first download will be completely carried out before said date; and, when it is established that this will not be the case, • cause the interruption of said first download; • determine data characterizing a second set of map elements to be downloaded which includes all traffic lanes located in the second geographic area; and • trigger a second download of said data characterizing a second set of map elements to download.

[0011] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle, the device comprising at least one information processing unit, comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium configured to implement a method as described above.

[0012] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a navigation system and which incorporates a device as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

[0014] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0015] [Fig.2] is a functional diagram of a device according to the invention; and

[0016] [Fig.3] is a diagram of the steps of a method according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0017] [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. This conventionally comprises a navigation system 2, which makes it possible to interact with a satellite positioning system (e.g. GPS) and to determine routes based on mapping data that it uses and which are stored on a dedicated data storage medium. The vehicle 1 according to the invention further comprises radiofrequency signal communication equipment 3, which makes it possible to communicate with remote communicating entities, in particular with a portable communication device 4 which executes an application emulating an input interface of the navigation system 2 and with a remote server 5, which, among other things, makes it possible to perform on-demand downloads of mapping data that can be used by the navigation system 2.Advantageously, the vehicle 1 according to the invention also carries a device 100 for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as described below, which implements a method for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle within the meaning of the present invention, as described below.

[0018] When implementing the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention is activated as soon as it determines that an entry of a journey project is carried out by means of an entry interface of the navigation system 2, such an entry of a journey project stipulating a destination which is more than two hours' drive from the place of residence of the vehicle, a date for the journey and a time of departure or a desired arrival time. And once such an entry is made, the device 100 according to the invention determines mapping data to be downloaded depending on the journey, it establishes a corresponding download duration, a duration of availability for downloading data and it takes into account all these aspects to manage the updating of the mapping data of the navigation system 2 so that it can be completed before the planned date of completion of the journey. As will be seen below, it is in this way that the device 100 according to the invention significantly improves the ergonomics of the navigation systems of motor vehicles, and therefore of the motor vehicles which incorporate such systems.

[0019] In [Fig. 2] is illustrated in more detail the device 100 for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle according to the invention. It is fundamentally a computer device, which comprises at least one information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, on which is recorded in particular a program which comprises program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the invention described below, and an input and output interface 103 allowing the reception and transmission of data. Preferably, the device 100 according to the invention is hosted on an independent computer and it interacts via its input and output interface 103 and by means of a wired communication network of the vehicle (egCAN, Ethernet) with the navigation system 2 and with the radio frequency signal communication equipment 3. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention is an integral part of the navigation system 2. Thanks to these means, the device 100 according to the invention is advantageously able, in particular, to determine whether an entry of a route project has been made by means of an entry interface of the navigation system 2 and to manage one or more downloads of mapping data from the server 5.

[0020] According to the invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the implementation of a method for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle, as described below in connection with [Fig.3].

[0021] [Fig. 3] illustrates by means of a diagram the steps of the method according to the invention. According to a first step 201 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines whether an entry of a journey project has been made by means of an entry interface of the navigation system 2. According to the invention, the entry interface of the navigation system is conventionally arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle (e.g. keyboard, touch screen, joystick, touch pad, etc.) or independent of the vehicle 1 and communicating with the navigation system 2 via wired and / or wireless communication networks and radio signal communication equipment. frequencies 3. This includes in particular an input interface emulated by an application running on the portable communication device 4, the latter communicating with the radio frequency signal communication equipment 3 by means of conventional communication protocols (e.g. Bluetooth, 3 / 4 / 5G), or an Internet portal made available by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1 through which the owner of the vehicle 1 can remotely modify certain operating parameters of the vehicle and, in particular, enter journey plans. Such entries are then transmitted to the navigation system 2 via conventional communication networks, in particular the Internet and public wireless communication networks, and via the radio frequency signal communication equipment 3.According to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention initiates the implementation of the method according to the invention when it determines that an entry of a journey project has been made, such an entry necessarily stipulating at least one destination located more than two hours' drive from a place of residence of the vehicle, a date for carrying out said journey and a desired departure time or arrival time. Optionally, the entry may also stipulate at least one stage to be carried out on the journey.Consequently, thanks to this first step of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention advantageously ensures that the updating of the mapping data used by the navigation system 2 is only carried out in the case where it is a destination relatively far from the place of residence of the vehicle 1 which must be reached, the place of residence of the vehicle having conventionally been defined in advance by the owner of the vehicle or determined over time according to habits of use of the vehicle that the navigation system 2 has previously observed. It is thus that the device 100 according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to minimize the congestion of the communication networks by only implementing the following steps of the method according to the invention in such a situation of entering a long-distance journey project.And once it establishes that such an entry conforming to the criteria set out above has been carried out, the device 100 according to the invention proceeds by implementing the following steps of the method according to the invention described below.

[0022] According to a second step 202 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded as a function of the route defined by the route project corresponding to the entry detected during the previous step of the method. Advantageously, the device 100 according to the invention establishes that this first set of mapping elements to be downloaded includes all the traffic lanes (i.e. roads and highways) located in a first geographical area containing the place of residence of the vehicle if at least one of these is not already part of the data of mapping elements which are used at the current time by the navigation system 2, all the traffic lanes located in a second geographical area containing the destination of the journey and all the traffic lanes located in a third geographical area which extends up to a pre-established distance, for example 50km, of the traffic lanes included in a preferred route, for example the fastest or shortest route, between the place of residence and the destination of the journey which are located outside the first geographical area and the second geographical area. Alternatively, when at least one stage on the journey has been stipulated, the device 100 according to the invention determines in this case that the first set of mapping elements to be downloaded also includes all the traffic lanes located in a fourth geographical area containing the stage.Preferably, the first geographical zone, the second geographical zone and the fourth geographical zone each correspond to an administrative region.

[0023] Then, according to a third step 203 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a download duration as a function of the data which were determined in the previous step, in other words as a function of the volume of data to be downloaded. To do this, the device 100 according to the invention uses for example a correspondence table recorded on its data storage medium 102 which links download sizes and corresponding durations. Alternatively, the device 100 according to the invention establishes the download duration using a pre-established mathematical formula which makes it possible to calculate a download duration as a function of a volume of data to be downloaded.Alternatively or cumulatively, the device 100 according to the invention interacts with the radiofrequency signal communication equipment 3 so that it informs it of a bandwidth value available at the current time.

[0024] According to a fourth step 204 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a duration of availability before the date of completion of the journey for downloading data. To do this, the device 100 according to the invention will at this stage seek to determine the daily availability of the vehicle 1 for downloading data, that is to say the daily duration during which the vehicle is in activity. Indeed, for downloads to be able to be carried out, it is necessary at least for the vehicle to be started, in particular for the radiofrequency signal communication equipment 3 to be active.And to determine such data, the device 100 according to the invention interacts for example with the navigation system 2 in order to determine a duration of a journey that the vehicle 2 makes daily, for example by calculating a journey time between the place of residence of the vehicle 1 and a place of work that has been previously stored. Alternatively, it can also determine the duration of availability of the . vehicle based on vehicle usage time recordings in the event that the navigation system 2 is configured to make such recordings.

[0025] Then, according to a fifth step 205 of the method according to the invention, the device 100 according to the invention manages a first download of said data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded, those determined during the second step 202 of the method, as a function of the date of the journey, the download duration, which was determined during the third step 203 of the method, and the duration of availability before the date of completion of the journey to download data, which was determined during the fourth step 204 of the method.For example, if it has determined that the journey must be made in six days, that the download time is 4 hours and that the availability time for downloading data corresponds to six hours (one hour per day), the device 100 according to the invention will then plan the initialization of a first download of the data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded six days before the date of the journey, thus leaving a margin of two days in case the availability of the vehicle is ultimately less than expected.

[0026] According to an alternative, the device 100 according to the invention then proceeds by ensuring a follow-up of the first download a few days before the date of the journey, for example two days before. At that time, the device 100 according to the invention determines data characterizing a progress status of said first download, according to which it determines whether the first download will be completely carried out before the date, for example by again using the correspondence table mentioned above.And when it establishes that this will not be the case, that is to say when it establishes that the first download will not be completed before the date of the journey, it then causes the interruption of the first download, then it determines a second set of map elements to be downloaded which includes all the traffic lanes located in the second geographical area, that is to say that which contains the destination, and it triggers a second download of this data characterizing a second set of map elements to be downloaded. Thanks to this alternative, the device 100 according to the invention offers a backup solution in which it favors as a last resort the downloading of map data which covers the geographical area which contains the destination of the journey.

[0027] Consequently, thanks to the method and the device according to the invention described above, a solution is provided to allow an owner of a motor vehicle which has a navigation system on board to be able to update on demand the mapping data of the navigation system according to a journey which he wishes to make, and this, without him having to suffer unavailability of the navigation system or his vehicle to do so. In addition, thanks to its means, the invention makes it possible to be able to remotely and in advance updating the mapping data of a motor vehicle navigation system based on a particular route to be taken. In this way, the invention significantly improves the ergonomics of motor vehicles, while minimizing the congestion of mobile communication networks and the Internet.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for managing, by a computer device (100) on board a motor vehicle (1), the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system (2) of the vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining whether an entry of a planned journey has been made by means of an entry interface of the navigation system, said entry interface being arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle or independent of the vehicle and communicating with the navigation system by means of radio frequency signal communication equipment (3) of the vehicle, said entry stipulating at least one destination located more than two hours' drive from a place of residence of the vehicle, a date of completion of said journey and a departure time or a desired arrival time; and, when it is established that this is the case, ii. determine, based on said journey, data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded; iii. determine, based on the data determined in step ii), data characterizing a download duration; iv. determine data characterizing a duration of availability before said date for downloading data; and v. manage a first download of said data characterizing a first set of mapping elements to be downloaded based on said date, said download duration and said availability duration.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said first set of mapping elements to be downloaded comprises: • all traffic lanes located in a first geographical area containing said place of residence if at least one of these is not already part of the mapping data which is used at the current time by the navigation system; • all traffic lanes located in a second geographical area containing said destination; • all traffic lanes located in a third geographical area which extends up to a pre-established distance from the traffic lanes included in a preferred route between said place of residence and said destination which are located outside said first geographical area and said second geographical area.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said first geographical area corresponds to a first administrative region and said second geographical area corresponds to a second administrative region.

4. Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that said distance is equal to 50km.

5. Method according to one of claims 2-4, characterized in that said entry stipulates at least one stage to be carried out on said route and said first set of mapping elements to be downloaded comprises all the traffic lanes located in a fourth geographical area containing said stage.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said fourth geographical zone corresponds to a fourth administrative region.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that step iv) comprises a step consisting of determining data characterizing a duration of a journey that the vehicle makes daily.

8. Method according to one of claims 2-7, characterized in that step v) comprises the steps of: • determining, as a function of said date, data characterizing a state of progress of said first download; • determining, as a function of said data characterizing a state of progress of said first download, whether said first download will be completely carried out before said date; and, when it is established that this will not be the case, • causing the interruption of said first download; • determining data characterizing a second set of map elements to be downloaded which includes all the traffic lanes located in the second geographical area; and • trigger a second download of said data creating a second set of mapping elements to download.

9. Device (100) for managing the updating of mapping data which are used by a navigation system of a motor vehicle, characterized in that the device comprises at least one information processing unit (101), comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium (102) configured to implement a method according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle (1) comprising a navigation system (2), characterized in that said vehicle carries a device (100) according to claim 9.

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