Issuing a warning signal using a navigation device

Abstract

Method for issuing a warning signal by means of a navigation device (100) with the following steps: - determining a position and a direction of movement of a user of the navigation device (100), - Check whether the user is approaching a hazard, using map data based on the position and direction of movement, and, if the check shows that the user is approaching a hazard, - Assessing a hazard to the user at the hazard point, taking into account the frequency with which the user has passed the hazard point and / or the time elapsed since the user last passed the hazard point, so that an assessment result is provided, and, depending on the assessment result, - Output the warning signal to the user.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for outputting a warning signal by means of a navigation device and a navigation device for carrying out the method.

[0002] A known navigation device is capable of calculating a route from a current position of the navigation device to a destination position. The current position is usually determined using a satellite navigation system, for example, using GPS, GLONASS, COMPASS, or GALILEO. The destination position is usually derived from a destination that a user of the navigation device enters into the navigation device using an input unit. Alternatively, the destination position can also be estimated, for example, from a vehicle's driving history.

[0003] The route is typically calculated using a processing unit in the navigation device. Map data is used for route calculation, which is typically stored in a non-volatile memory unit of the navigation device, for example, on a CD-ROM, hard disk, or flash memory. The map data represents geographical objects and associated information, such as streets, paths, intersections, squares, railway lines, waterways, buildings, bridges, landforms, national borders, parking facilities, rest areas, towns, traffic regulations, and speed limits.

[0004] The route can be displayed on a map on a display unit of the navigation system, for example, on a touchscreen. This allows the user to develop a spatial understanding of the route and plan maneuvers in advance.

[0005] A maneuver is a movement performed by a movable object (such as a person, a vehicle, or a robot) to follow a route.

[0006] Such a maneuver can be generated by the processing unit, taking into account the route, position, and map data. Furthermore, the navigation system can provide route-based guidance to the user.

[0007] “Guidance” is a process in which a movable object (such as a person, a vehicle or a robot) is guided along a route.

[0008] During route guidance, maneuvering instructions are issued to the user using an output unit of the navigation system. Such maneuvering instructions are a request to perform a specific maneuver.

[0009] A known navigation device enables a user to be warned of a hazard location derived from map data.

[0010] The term “hazard location” refers to a location where there is an increased probability of one of the following events occurring: - Injury or other impairment of a person’s health, - Damage to an object, for example a vehicle.

[0011] However, it can happen that a warning about a hazard is issued even though the user would be aware of the hazard at that location without the warning. This is especially the case when the user is moving in an area they are familiar with. This can lead to the user being overwhelmed with an excessive number of warnings.

[0012] On the other hand, it may happen that a warning about a hazard is not issued even though the user is unaware of the danger at that location. This may be because the navigation system underestimates the danger. The prior art, which is to be assumed here, is based on the documents US 2017 / 0 132 924 A1, DE 10 2014 225 625 A1, US 2013 / 0 338 914 A1, US 2004 / 0 267 455 A1, DE 101 03 401 A1, DE 10 2004 014 540 A1, and DE 10 2010 018 331 A1.

[0013] The object of the invention is to warn a user of a navigation device about a danger point only if he would not be aware of the danger there without the warning.

[0014] The object is achieved by the method according to the invention for issuing a warning signal by means of a navigation device, which comprises the following steps: - Determining a position and a direction of movement of a user of the navigation device, - Check whether the user is approaching a hazard, using map data based on the position and direction of movement, and, if the check shows that the user is approaching a hazard, - Assessing a hazard to the user at the hazard point, taking into account information about the user's past behaviour at the hazard point, so that an assessment result is provided, and, depending on the assessment result, - Output the warning signal to the user.

[0015] Consequently, the hazard to the user is assessed taking into account information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location. This is based on the idea that this behavior is an indicator of the user's awareness of the hazard location. This means that the behavior serves as a measure of the likelihood that the user will pay attention to the hazard location (even without a warning). Thus, the assessment result represents a presumed user-specific hazard.

[0016] Furthermore, the warning signal is issued to the user depending on the assessment result. Thus, the warning signal is issued depending on the user's individual hazard. This ensures that the user is only warned of a hazard if they would not have been aware of the hazard without the warning.

[0017] In particular, the warning signal can be issued if the hazard intensity of a suspected user-specific hazard at a hazard location approaching the user exceeds a predefined hazard intensity threshold. On the other hand, the warning signal can be omitted if the hazard intensity does not exceed a predefined hazard intensity threshold.

[0018] In one embodiment of the invention, the danger point has at least one of the following features: - an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route, - an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located, - a change in the direction of a traffic route on which the user is located, - a high accident frequency.

[0019] The aforementioned features are particularly characteristic of hazard areas that can be identified from map data. Therefore, the features are particularly suitable for identifying such hazard areas.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one of the following features is taken into account when assessing the danger to the user at the danger point: - a speed at which the user moves, - an acceleration with which the user moves, - a delay with which the user moves, - traffic control at the danger point, - current traffic volume, - a current day of the week, - a current season, - a current time, - current weather conditions.

[0021] The aforementioned characteristics have a particular influence on the danger at a hazardous location and are therefore particularly suitable for assessing the danger there.

[0022] In a further embodiment of the invention, the information about a user's behavior at the danger point in the past comprises one or more of the following criteria: - the frequency with which the user has passed the danger point, - a period of time elapsed since the user last passed the danger point, - a change in the direction of movement of the user at the danger point, - a speed of the user at the danger point, - a day of the week on which the user passed the danger point, - a time at which the user passed the danger point, - a delay of the user at the danger point, - acceleration of the user at the danger point, - a steering maneuver by the user of the danger zone which did not correspond to a direction of travel indicated by a direction indicator of the user's vehicle, - automatic activation of a warning device or driving safety system of a user's vehicle at the danger point, - Weather conditions at a time when the user passed the hazard.

[0023] The aforementioned criteria allow an assessment of whether the user is aware of the danger at the hazard location. For example, significant deceleration by the user at the hazard location (particularly heavy braking), significant acceleration by the user at the hazard location, steering by the user at the hazard location that did not correspond to the direction of travel indicated by a direction indicator on the user's vehicle, or automatic activation of a warning device or driving safety system on the user's vehicle at the hazard location may indicate that a critical situation existed at the time. This could lead to the conclusion, for example, that the user was unaware of the danger, which is also assumed to be the case today.

[0024] By taking into account weather conditions at a time when the user passed the hazard, a time of day or a day of the week when the hazard was passed, the critical situation can be made plausible.

[0025] Taking into account the frequency with which the user has passed the hazard area or the time that has passed since the user last passed the hazard area allows an assessment of whether and how well the user is familiar with the hazard area so that he or she is aware of the danger there.

[0026] In a further embodiment of the invention, an optimizable set of rules is used to assess the danger to the user at the hazard location. An optimization method comprising an evolutionary algorithm can be implemented to generate the set of rules.

[0027] The rule set allows the above-mentioned criteria and the above-mentioned information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location to be processed in such a way that the hazard location is assessed particularly effectively and reliably. Furthermore, the rule set can be improved using evaluation results, for example, iteratively.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention, the map data and / or the information about the user's past behavior at the danger location are transmitted from a data cloud to the navigation device.

[0029] This embodiment of the invention makes it possible to provide and update the map data and / or information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location independently of the navigation device's storage capacity. Furthermore, the map data and / or information can be provided via the data cloud to other navigation devices for their assessment of a hazard at the hazard location.

[0030] In a further embodiment of the invention, checking whether the user is approaching a hazard location and / or assessing a hazard to the user at the hazard location are carried out using a cloud service.

[0031] Such a data cloud service is understood to be an information technology service that enables users to use data and application programs provided by a computer network.

[0032] This embodiment of the invention makes it possible to save computing capacity of the navigation device, which would otherwise be required for checking whether the user is approaching a hazard location and / or for assessing a hazard existing at the hazard location.

[0033] In a further embodiment of the invention, the hazard point comprises an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located and another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located. Furthermore, when assessing the danger to the user at the hazard point, it is taken into account whether another hazard point passed by the user shortly before the hazard point also comprises an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located and another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located.

[0034] This embodiment of the invention takes into account, among other things, the case where the user passes several intersections of equal-ranking roads in succession. In this case, a warning at a later intersection can be omitted because it can be assumed that the user has already been warned at a previously passed intersection of equal-ranking roads, so that the user is already aware of the danger at the later intersection. This avoids the unnecessary output of numerous warning signals.

[0035] In a further embodiment of the invention, when assessing the danger present at the hazard location, a hazard intensity is determined for the user, and the warning signal is selected from a plurality of warning signals, taking the hazard intensity into account. This enables a type of warning adapted to the hazard intensity, so that the hazard intensity is communicated to the user.

[0036] The problem is further solved with a navigation device for issuing a warning signal. The navigation device has the following components: - a position determination unit configured to determine a position and a direction of movement of a user of the navigation device, - a computing unit configured to check whether the user is approaching a danger point using map data based on the position and direction of movement and, if the check shows that the user is approaching a danger point, assessing a danger to the user at the danger point, taking into account information about the user's past behavior at the danger point, so that an assessment result is provided, and - an output unit configured to output the warning signal to the user depending on the assessment result.

[0037] Such a navigation device enables the method according to the invention to be carried out with the advantages mentioned above.

[0038] In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to drawings. Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a navigation device according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention for issuing a warning signal by means of a navigation device.

[0039] Fig. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a navigation device 100 according to the invention. The navigation device 100 is permanently installed in a user's vehicle. Alternatively, the navigation device 100 may be a portable device carried in the vehicle, for example, a mobile phone or a portable computer with navigation functionality.

[0040] The navigation device 100 has the following functional units, which are Fig. 1 are shown: a position determination unit 102, a computing unit 104, a map data storage unit 106, a user data storage unit 108, an output unit 110 and a transmitting and receiving unit 112. In addition, the navigation device 100 can have further functional units which are shown in Fig. 1 are not shown.

[0041] In addition, Fig. 1 a data cloud service 120 which is connected to the navigation device 100 via a data connection.

[0042] The positioning unit 102 is configured to determine a geographical position and a direction of movement of a user of the navigation device 100. For this purpose, the positioning unit 102 is designed as a GPS receiver equipped with a satellite receiving antenna in the form of a GPS antenna (not shown). Alternatively to the GPS receiver, a GALILEO receiver, a GLONASS receiver, or a similar receiver can be used.

[0043] The positioning unit 102 can obtain position coordinates representing a geographical position of the navigation device 100 from satellite signals and transmit them to the computing unit 104. For this purpose, the positioning unit 102 is connected to the computing unit 104 via a unidirectional data connection. To determine the direction of movement, the positioning unit 102 can obtain position coordinates of several such positions and transmit them to the computing unit 104.

[0044] The map data storage unit 106 has a non-volatile memory, which is embodied, for example, as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). Alternatively, the map data storage unit 106 can also have another type of memory, for example, a flash EEPROM or a hard disk. In particular, the map data storage unit 106 can have several of the aforementioned memories.

[0045] The map data storage unit 106 is connected to the computing unit 104 via a unidirectional (alternatively bidirectional) data connection. A map database containing a variety of map data is stored in the map data storage unit 106. The map data represents objects located in a specific geographical area. These objects include, among others, streets, paths, squares, railway lines, rivers, buildings, bridges, landforms, national borders, rest areas, traffic regulations, and towns.

[0046] As an alternative to the map data storage unit 106, the map data can be stored in a data cloud of the data cloud service 120. In this case, the map data storage unit 106 can be omitted.

[0047] The user data storage unit 108 has a non-volatile memory, which is embodied, for example, as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). Alternatively, the user data storage unit 108 can also have another type of memory, for example, a flash EEPROM or a hard disk. In particular, the user data storage unit 108 can have several of the aforementioned memories.

[0048] The user data storage unit 108 is connected to the computing unit 104 via a bidirectional data connection. The user data storage unit 108 stores user data that represents information about the user's behavior at hazardous locations. In addition, other data can be stored in the user data storage unit 108.

[0049] As an alternative to the user data storage unit 108, the information about the user's behavior at danger points can be stored in a data cloud of the data cloud service 120. In this case, the user data storage unit 108 can be omitted.

[0050] The information about the user's behavior at hazardous locations may have been provided during past vehicle journeys. Navigation device 100 may have received user data on which the information is based from a vehicle device, for example, a vehicle sensor, a warning device, or a vehicle safety system.

[0051] Furthermore, the navigation device 100 can receive user data or information about the user's behavior at danger points from an external information source, for example from the data cloud service 120, from a data cloud or from a server.

[0052] Optionally, the navigation device 100 can also transmit user data or information about the user's behavior at danger points to such an external information source.

[0053] The transmitting and receiving unit 112 can be used to transmit the user data or information about the user's behavior at danger points between the navigation device 100 and the external information source.

[0054] Instead of a map data storage unit 106 and a separate user data storage unit 108, the navigation device 100 may have a combined map and user data storage unit (not shown) which is configured to store map data and user data and is connected to the computing unit 104 via a bidirectional data connection.

[0055] The computing unit 104 is the central control module of the navigation device 100. In addition to a processor (CPU, central processing unit), it has a RAM (random access memory), which serves for the temporary storage of variables and intermediate results. The processor and the RAM are combined on a single integrated circuit. Alternatively, the processor and the RAM can be arranged separately, for example, each on a different integrated circuit.

[0056] The computing unit 104 is designed, among other things, to determine a direction of movement of the navigation device 100 from a plurality of positions supplied by the position determination unit and their temporal sequence.

[0057] Furthermore, the computing unit is designed to check, based on the position and direction of movement of a user of the navigation device 100, whether the user is approaching a hazard. For this purpose, the navigation device 100 uses map data. The process of such a check is described in more detail below.

[0058] Furthermore, the computing unit 104 is configured to evaluate a danger to a user of the navigation device 100 at a hazardous location if the check indicates that the user is approaching the hazardous location. Information about the user's past behavior at the hazardous location is taken into account and an evaluation result is provided. The process for such an evaluation is described in more detail below.

[0059] Information about the user's past behavior at the danger location is provided by the user data storage unit 108. Alternatively, the information may be provided by an external information source, for example, the data cloud service 120.

[0060] The output unit 110 is configured to output a warning signal to a user of the navigation device 100 based on the evaluation result. The warning signal can be output if the hazard intensity of a suspected user-specific hazard at a hazard location approaching the user exceeds a predefined hazard intensity threshold. Alternatively, the warning signal can be omitted if the hazard intensity does not exceed the hazard intensity threshold. The output unit 110 is connected to the computing unit 104 via a unidirectional data connection.

[0061] In particular, the output unit 110 can be configured to output a visual warning signal to the user, for example, as a warning symbol and / or as a warning text. For this purpose, the output unit 110 can have a liquid crystal display (LCD), an OLED (organic light emitting diode) display, or a windshield display (head-up display).

[0062] Additionally or alternatively, the output unit 110 can be configured to output an acoustic warning signal to the user. For this purpose, the output unit 110 has a voice output unit, which, for example, has an audio amplifier and one or more loudspeakers.

[0063] The transmitting and receiving unit 112 is configured to exchange data with an external information source, for example, with the data cloud service 120. Furthermore, the transmitting and receiving unit 112 can include a radio reception unit that can receive traffic data, for example, in the form of RDS (Radio Data System) data, in addition to radio programs. The transmitting and receiving unit 112 is connected to the computing unit 104 via a unidirectional data connection.

[0064] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the transmitting and receiving unit 112 is not integrated into the navigation device 100, but is designed as an external device or integrated into an external device.

[0065] In the following, additional reference is made to Fig. 2 is referred to. Fig. 2 shows a flowchart 200 of a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The method is carried out using the navigation device 100 of Fig. 1 executed.

[0066] In a first method step 201, a position and a direction of movement of a user of the navigation device 100 are determined by means of the position determination unit 102.

[0067] In a second method step 202, the computing unit 104 uses map data to check whether the user is approaching a hazard based on the position and direction of movement. The map data is provided by the map data storage unit 106. Alternatively, the map data can be provided by an external information source, for example, by the data cloud service 120.

[0068] The test indicates that the user is approaching a hazardous location if a location the user is approaching has one of the following characteristics: - an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route, - an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route that has the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located, - a change in the direction of a traffic route on which the user is located, - a high accident frequency.

[0069] If the check reveals that the user is approaching a hazard, the method 200 continues with a third method step 203. If, however, the check reveals that the user is not approaching a hazard, the method 200 is terminated or, for example, after a predetermined interruption period, continues with the first method step 201.

[0070] In the third method step 203, the computing unit 104 evaluates a danger to the user at the danger point, taking into account information about the user's past behavior at the danger point, so that an evaluation result is provided.

[0071] Information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location is provided by the user data storage unit 108. Alternatively, the information may be provided by an external information source, for example, the data cloud service 120.

[0072] The information has one of the following characteristics: - the frequency with which the user has passed the danger point, - a period of time elapsed since the user last passed the danger point, - a change in the direction of movement of the user at the danger point, - a speed of the user at the danger point, - a day of the week on which the user passed the danger point, - a time at which the user passed the danger point, - a delay of the user at the danger point, - acceleration of the user at the danger point, - a steering maneuver by the user of the danger zone which did not correspond to a direction of travel indicated by a direction indicator of the user's vehicle, - automatic activation of a warning device or driving safety system of a user’s vehicle at the danger point and / or - Weather conditions at a time when the user passed the hazard.

[0073] When assessing the risk to the user at the hazard point, one of the following criteria is taken into account: - a speed at which the user moves, - an acceleration with which the user moves, - traffic control at the danger point, - current traffic volume, - a current day of the week, - a current season, - a current time, - current weather conditions.

[0074] For example, an optimizable set of rules is used to assess the hazard posed to the user at the hazard location. The set of rules can contain multiple rules that can be used to process the aforementioned criteria and characteristics. The assessment result can indicate the hazard intensity.

[0075] When the user approaches a hazard, for example, a speed of the user is determined (as one of the criteria) and a time period elapsed since the user last passed the hazard is determined (as one of the features).

[0076] For example, the assessment results in a hazard intensity that exceeds a hazard intensity threshold if the speed exceeds a predefined speed threshold and the duration exceeds a predefined duration threshold. In this case, a warning signal is issued. The duration threshold and / or the speed threshold may depend on the type of hazard, for example, whether the hazard involves an intersection or a change in the direction of a traffic route on which the user is located.

[0077] In addition to or alternatively to speed, the current time of day, the current day of the week, and / or the current traffic volume can be used as criteria for the assessment. It is possible that (depending on information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location) it can only be determined that the hazard intensity exceeds the hazard intensity threshold if the day of the week and time of day indicate rush hour and thus a high traffic volume.

[0078] Another criterion for the assessment can be whether the user has already passed one or more similar hazards shortly before passing the hazard. In this case, it may not be possible to determine whether the hazard intensity exceeds a hazard intensity threshold, so no warning signal is issued. This is based on the assumption that the user has already been adequately warned by warning signals at the similar hazards.

[0079] Such a case arises when the danger point has an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located, whereby a further danger point passed by the user shortly before the danger point also has an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located.

[0080] In addition to or alternatively to the time that has passed since the user last passed the hazard, information about the user's behavior at the hazard in the past can be taken into account for the assessment of how carefully the user acted when passing a similar hazard.

[0081] By considering the above criteria and features, it can be ensured that the user is only warned of the hazard if they would not be aware of the danger without the warning. This can, among other things, prevent the user from being bothered by unnecessary warning signals.

[0082] If, according to the assessment result provided in the third method step 203, the hazard intensity of the hazard present at the hazard location does not exceed a predefined hazard intensity threshold, the method is terminated. Alternatively, the method can be continued with the first method step 201, for example, after a predefined interruption period.

[0083] If, however, according to the evaluation result of the third method step 203, the hazard intensity exceeds the hazard intensity threshold, the method continues with the fourth method step 204.

[0084] In the fourth method step 204, a warning signal, for example a visual warning signal and / or an acoustic warning signal, is output to the user by means of the output unit 110. The warning signal alerts the user to the danger that exists at the hazard location. It is possible to select the warning signal from a plurality of warning signals based on the intensity of the danger, for example, using the computing unit 104.

[0085] After the fourth method step 204 has been carried out, the method can be terminated or, for example, after a predetermined interruption period, continued with the first method step 201.

Claims

[1] Method for issuing a warning signal by means of a navigation device (100) comprising the following steps: - Determining the position and direction of movement of a user of the navigation device (100), - Check whether the user is approaching a hazard, using map data based on position and direction of movement, and, if the check reveals that the user is approaching a hazard, - Assessing the hazard to the user at the hazard location, taking into account the frequency with which the user has passed the hazard location and / or the time elapsed since the user last passed the hazard location, so that an assessment result is provided, and, depending on the assessment result, - Emitting a warning signal to the user. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the danger point - an intersection of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route, - a meeting of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located, - a change of direction of a traffic route on which the user is located, and / or - has a high accident rate. [3] Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein when assessing the danger existing at the danger point for the user - a speed at which the user moves, - an acceleration with which the user moves, - traffic control at the danger site, - current traffic volume, - a current day of the week, - a current season, - a current time and / or - current weather conditions are taken into account. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when assessing the danger existing at the hazard location for the user - a change in the user's direction of movement at the point of danger, - the user's speed at the danger point, - a weekday on which the user passed the hazard, - a time at which the user passed the hazard, - a delay of the user at the point of danger, - an acceleration of the user at the point of danger, - a steering maneuver by the user of the hazard area which did not correspond to a direction of travel indicated by a direction indicator of the user's vehicle, - automatic activation of a warning device or a vehicle safety system of the user's vehicle at the point of danger and / or - Weather conditions at the time the user passed the hazard must be taken into account. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an optimizable set of rules is used to assess the danger to the user at the point of danger. [6] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the map data and / or information about the user's past behavior at the hazard location are transferred from a data cloud to the navigation device (100). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein checking whether the user is approaching a hazard location and / or assessing a hazard existing at the hazard location for the user is performed using a data cloud service (120). [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the hazard point involves a meeting of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located, and in assessing the danger existing at the hazard point for the user, consideration is given to whether a further hazard point passed by the user shortly before the hazard point also involves a meeting of a traffic route on which the user is located with another traffic route of the same rank as the traffic route on which the user is located. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when assessing the danger existing at the hazard site for the user, a hazard intensity of the hazard is determined and the warning signal is selected from a plurality of warning signals taking into account the hazard intensity. [10] Navigation device (100) for issuing a warning signal, which includes: - a positioning unit (102) designed to determine the position and direction of movement of a user of the navigation device (100), - a computing unit (104) which is set up to check whether the user is approaching a hazard point, using map data based on the position and direction of movement, and, if the check shows that the user is approaching a hazard point, to assess a hazard existing at the hazard point for the user taking into account a frequency with which the user has passed the hazard point, and / or a time period elapsed since the user last passed the hazard point, so that an assessment result is provided, and - an output unit (110) which is set up to issue the warning signal to the user depending on the evaluation result.

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