Mobile device for road user communication

Abstract

The present disclosure comprises a traffic technology. In particular, the present disclosure relates to road user communication, e.g., for increasing traffic safety. Furthermore, the present disclosure particularly relates to a mobile device and methods for road user communication. Accordingly, a mobile device (10) is provided, which comprises a communication element (12) and a situation status detection element (14), wherein the mobile device (10) is associated with and / or moves with a first road user (26), wherein the situation status detection element (14) is configured to detect situation status data of the mobile device (10) and / or the first road user (26), and wherein the communication element (12) is configured to transmit situation status data to at least one second road user (28) arranged in the vicinity of the mobile device (10).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure encompasses a traffic technology. In particular, the present disclosure relates to road user communication, e.g., for increasing traffic safety. Furthermore, the present disclosure particularly relates to a mobile device and methods for road user communication. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern transportation, specialized communication technologies are reshaping the way we communicate with vehicles and the road. One such advancement is Vehicle-to-X or Car-to-X communication, often referred to as V2X, Car2X, or C2X. V2X aims to improve the safety, efficiency, and overall driving experience of road users. A road user can be any type of road user, including vehicles, people, etc.

[0003] V2X communication refers to the exchange of information between vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle or C2C) or, more generally, between road users and infrastructure. V2X communication is facilitated by wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi or cellular networks, which allow road users to exchange data with each other and with various road users or elements of the transport ecosystem, including traffic signals and road signs.

[0004] V2X is part of the larger concept of connected and autonomous vehicles and a building block on the path to intelligent, connected transport systems. The benefits of V2X communication include improved road user safety, traffic efficiency, environmental friendliness, and comfort.

[0005] One of the advantages of V2X communication is its potential to significantly improve road safety. Vehicles and other road users can better anticipate and respond to potential hazards by exchanging real-time information about their location, speed, and trajectory. For example, a vehicle approaching a blind intersection can be warned by another vehicle already in the intersection to avoid a collision. Or if a vehicle ahead suddenly brakes or hits an obstacle, it can send a warning to nearby vehicles, reducing the risk of rear-end collisions. V2X is not limited to vehicle-to-vehicle communication; it also extends to vehicle-to-pedestrian or, more generally, road-user-to-road user communication.This means that these road users can communicate their general location and intentions to nearby road users equipped with V2X technology, making it safer for them to navigate through intersections and pedestrian crossings.

[0006] V2X also enables vehicles to communicate with infrastructure elements such as traffic lights to optimize traffic flow, reduce the likelihood of traffic-related accidents, and ensure smoother traffic transitions. As a result, V2X technology promises to reduce traffic congestion and commuter times. Vehicles can communicate with each other and with traffic management systems to receive real-time traffic information and recommended alternative routes. This can not only minimize congestion but also reduce fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to a greener and more sustainable urban environment. Furthermore, the data collected by V2X can be used to develop more efficient urban planning and transport policies, further reducing the transport sector's impact on the environment.

[0007] In addition to safety and efficiency, V2X technology also improves the driver experience. Vehicles can receive real-time information about parking availability, traffic conditions, and nearby amenities, helping drivers make informed decisions and streamline their journeys. Furthermore, V2X can facilitate vehicle infrastructure services such as remote diagnostics and predictive maintenance, ensuring vehicles are well-maintained and safe on the road.

[0008] Traditionally, V2X technology is integrated into a vehicle by the vehicle manufacturer. To implement V2X technology, electronic components installed at the factory are provided and used, for example, integrated into a vehicle's navigation system. Components already in use in the vehicle, such as electronics for determining the vehicle's global position and communication systems, are used by the vehicle to communicate with the OEM or to provide services to the vehicle user. The components required to provide V2X functionality are therefore inextricably linked to the vehicle components.

[0009] There may be a need to provide V2X functionality to a road user even if a vehicle does not have the required components.

[0010] There may also be a need to enable the retrofitting of V2X functionality in a vehicle.

[0011] In addition, there may be a need to provide access to V2X functionality to all road users by providing a vehicle-independent V2X solution. SUMMARY

[0012] At least one such need can be met by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims and are further explained in the following description.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a mobile device comprising a communication element and a situation status detection element is provided. In some examples, the mobile device is associated with and / or traveling with a first road user, wherein the situation status detection element is configured to detect situation status data of the mobile device and / or the first road user, and wherein the communication element is configured to transmit situation status data to at least one second road user located near the mobile device.

[0014] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a method is provided comprising the steps of acquiring situation status data of a mobile device and / or a first road user, and transmitting the situation status data to at least one second road user located in the vicinity of the mobile device.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the disclosure, a method is provided comprising the steps of acquiring global positioning data of a mobile device and / or a first road user, transmitting the global positioning data anonymously to at least one second road user located in proximity to the mobile device, wherein the transmission uses a Vehicle2X communication topology.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a computer program product or a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the steps of the method according to the present disclosure to be carried out.

[0017] The present invention relates to road user communication.

[0018] In order to provide a flexible solution for providing V2X capability to road users, the present disclosure proposes implementing the V2X functionality using a mobile device. Such a mobile device may be a portable device that can be easily carried by a person, e.g., a mobile computing platform such as a smartphone. In such a mobile device, the V2X functionality may be implemented in hardware and / or software. The mobile device may, for example, comprise dedicated hardware for communicating with the devices or units and a sensing element for sensing a situation status of the mobile device and / or a road user associated with the mobile device, such as a global position of the mobile device / road user.Additionally or alternatively, the mobile device may be configured to execute one or more applications that replace or supplement the aforementioned hardware.

[0019] An application running on a mobile computing platform such as a smartphone can use the available hardware of the smartphone to provide and implement V2X functionality for a road user moving around with the smartphone. The smartphone user may, for example, be a user of a vehicle, e.g., a motor vehicle or motorcycle, such that the smartphone can provide V2X functionality for driving the vehicle. The vehicle itself does not necessarily have to have V2X functionality, as at least the majority of the relevant V2X functionality can be provided by the smartphone. Indeed, a smartphone moving around with a road user on board a vehicle and providing V2X functionality to other road users in the vicinity of the road user may be largely indistinguishable from a vehicle with genuine V2X functionality provided by a vehicle manufacturer.For example, it may be largely irrelevant for V2X functionality whether the smartphone traveling with a road user on board a vehicle or the vehicle itself is the source of V2X messages sent to other road users in the vicinity of the vehicle / road user / smartphone / mobile device.

[0020] Providing V2X functionality that is detached from a specific vehicle and is rather associated with a road user moving in a vehicle offers numerous advantages. This allows the road user to maintain V2X functionality for any vehicle or traffic situation. For example, the road user can benefit from V2X functionality regardless of the vehicle they are using and regardless of whether the vehicle already provides V2X functionality. This would also enable V2X functionality to be provided in challenging scenarios where conventional vehicle-mounted devices would not be able to provide V2X functionality, such as when the road user is cycling or walking. The mobile device can be a smartphone, a smartwatch, or a separate location-aware tag, e.g.one that is located around the wrist of a road user. Furthermore, a mobile device can be associated with a vehicle rather than a human road user to retrofit a vehicle for V2X functionality that may not have V2X functionality from the factory.

[0021] The most basic V2X functionality can be the localized notification of a road user's presence. For example, the mobile device can use global position information as a situation status or situation status information and / or movement information, e.g., speed information and a direction of travel, and transmit this information to other road users in the vicinity of the mobile device. By receiving such a V2X message, another road user can compare the provided global position information and / or further movement information with their own position and / or movement information and determine whether the movement of the road user sending the V2X message has a potential impact on the movement of the road user receiving the V2X message.In the event that the mobile device determines that the movement of the road user sending the V2X message actually impacts their movement, the mobile device may provide a corresponding indication to the road user associated with the mobile device. For example, the mobile device may display a notification to the road user, where the intensity of the notification may depend on the relevance of the indication. For example, an indication of a traffic situation that directly impacts the road user's immediate travel path may be represented with high intensity, e.g., by an alarm signal, while a low-impact indication may be presented by the mobile device with low intensity.

[0022] Another type of V2X message may relate to the road user's mode of travel. For example, the message may indicate whether the road user is traveling in a motor vehicle, on a motorcycle, on a bicycle, or is actually a pedestrian and thus walking. Such an indication may be used to determine whether a road user poses a potential danger to themselves in the current travel situation. For example, a V2X message indicating that a vehicle is invisibly located around a bend in the road may result in a different response than indicating that a pedestrian is invisibly located around a bend in the road. In the case of a vehicle, the mobile device may indicate the presence of the other road user with high intensity to the road user associated with the mobile device, as this scenario may indicate an impending accident.In the case of a pedestrian, particularly if the mobile device has determined that the road user is not on the road but on a nearby pedestrian walkway, the mobile device can indicate the presence of the pedestrian road user to the road user associated with the mobile device at a low intensity, as an accident is less likely in this scenario. Of course, for safety reasons, a mobile device can be configured to indicate the proximity of another road user at a high intensity, regardless of the mode of travel.

[0023] A particular aspect of the present disclosure may provide anonymous position information from a mobile device, e.g., a smartphone, to the V2X network to make the road user associated with the mobile device visible to other road users with V2X capability.

[0024] Some road users, as well as autonomous vehicles, may already use cameras, sensors and V2X data from other road users to sense their surroundings. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and vehicles without V2X technology that are outside the field of view of the sensors and cameras of the V2X-enabled road user are not included in their scope. For example, a cyclist approaches an intersection while not seen by a V2X-enabled road user. An accident involving the cyclist may occur because the autonomous vehicle is unable to detect the cyclist's presence, even if the cyclist rings their bicycle bell or shouts, for example. By using a mobile device orIf a road user associated with the mobile device is made visible to the V2X network and his position data is shared anonymously, the V2X network / other V2X-enabled road users would be made aware of the cyclist and an accident could be prevented.

[0025] Transmission to nearby road users may utilize short-range or mid-range broadcast transmission of V2X messages, allowing road users in the vicinity of the mobile device to receive such a V2X message and thereby learn of the presence of the mobile device / road user. Such a communication scheme may utilize a decentralized communication network, in particular an ad hoc network between road users. It should be noted that, in the context of the present disclosure, road or urban infrastructure may also be subsumed under road users. Such an ad hoc communication scheme may utilize the IEEE 802.11p standard (dedicated short-range communication - DSRC).

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the mobile device may use a communications network, such as a cellular network, to communicate with a backend implementing a V2X network to which road users with V2X functionality are connected to send and receive V2X communications, i.e., V2X messages. Such a mobile communications network or cellular network may use any suitable communications technology, such as 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, or 6G. For example, such a V2X network may be based on the 3GPP C-V2X standard. Originally defined as LTE in 3GPP Release 14, C-V2X is designed to operate in different modes, such as between devices (V2V or V2I) and / or between device and network (V2N).

[0027] To provide relevant information about its situation status or the situation status of the road user associated with the mobile device, the mobile device may not only use its own situation status detection element. Alternatively or additionally, the mobile device may detect information from additional units or sensors and use this information in determining a situation status. For example, the mobile device may be communicatively connected to the vehicle in which the road user associated with the mobile device is traveling and may use an element or unit, in particular a sensor, of the vehicle to detect further information to determine the situation status.For example, the mobile device may use a GPS sensor and / or an accelerometer of the vehicle to determine a global or relative position, an acceleration or deceleration, and / or a travel vector, in particular a plurality of travel vectors acquired over time, to determine a position and / or a travel path of the vehicle. By using external sensors, the functionality and thus the complexity and cost of the mobile device can be reduced, while maintaining the necessary level of information to maintain the determination of the situational status of the mobile device / road user associated with the mobile device / vehicle in which the road user is traveling, in order to communicate it to other V2X users / road users located in the vicinity of the mobile device.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transmission of the situation status data may be a transmission from a mobile device to at least one second road user using the mobile communication network, and / or wherein the transmission of the situation status data to the second road user may be a direct short-range or mid-range communication transmission between the mobile device and the at least one second road user, and / or wherein the transmission of the situation status data may be a broadcast transmission to each road user in the vicinity of the mobile device.

[0029] The use of a mobile communication network may make it possible to establish a communication connection between the mobile device of the first road user and the at least one second road user even if no direct communication connection between the mobile device and the second road user is possible. In such a scenario, the distance between the mobile device and a second road user may be too great to be bridged by a communication transmission originating from the mobile device. Alternatively or additionally, the position and / or orientation of the mobile device relative to a second road user may be such that it interferes with the transmission. For example, the mobile device may have a somewhat directional transmission pattern with a reduced range in the direction of a second road user.Furthermore, the use of a cellular connection enables communication with second road users located outside the direct communication range of the mobile device. Here, the cellular network extends the range and establishes a more reliable communication link between the mobile device and the second road users in its vicinity.

[0030] The use of a direct communication link between the mobile device and a second road user, which may in particular be a specific second road user, enables the establishment of a low-latency communication link between the mobile device and the second road user. This, in turn, enables bidirectional communication between the mobile device and the second road user. Alternatively, instead of a direct communication link between the mobile device and a specific second road user, the mobile device may use a broadcast transmission, so that the situation status data is transmitted from the mobile device to all second road users within the mobile device's transmission range.A broadcast transmission can accelerate the transmission of the situation data to all second road users in the vicinity of the mobile device, since at best a single broadcast transmission is sufficient to transmit the situation status data to the second road users within the transmission range.

[0031] A direct communication connection can be understood as any communication connection that does not involve a backend, a network, a relay service, or another intermediary unit. Direct communication connections can use, for example, IEEE 802.11p, DSRC, WLAN, or Wi-Fi connections.

[0032] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the situation status data may be one or more of position data of the mobile device, presence data of the mobile device, type data of the first road user, mode of travel data of the first road user, road condition data, weather data, road traffic hazard data, emergency service data, behavior data of the first road user, accident data, traffic data.

[0033] By further specifying the situation status data, a second road user receiving the transmission from the mobile device containing the situation status data can determine the relevance of the situation status data and thus determine whether the current travel behavior of the second road user needs to be changed. For example, if the position data of the mobile device determines that the distance between the mobile device and the road user is such that the presence of the mobile device / first road user is irrelevant for the travel of the second road user, the received situation status data can be discarded. On the other hand, the receipt of presence data from the mobile device specifying the presence of the mobile device in the vicinity of the second road user can trigger a change in travel behavior, e.g.the second road user can reduce speed and / or increase awareness of their traffic surroundings. The indication of the presence of a mobile device can be combined with a short-range communication method, so that the second road user can deduce that only a mobile device in the immediate vicinity of the second road user would be able to transmit the presence information received by the second road user. In other words: only a second road user in the immediate vicinity of the mobile device that uses such a short-range communication method would be able to receive the transmitted presence information. In response to the receipt of such presence information, the current travel behavior can be directly influenced.Road or weather data can indicate the road conditions or weather at the location of the mobile device / first road user and can warn second road users about a particularly dangerous road or weather situation. Accident or traffic data can inform the second road user about a traffic situation at the location of the mobile device / first road user.

[0034] Type data of the first road user may indicate what type of road user this first road user is, e.g. whether they are a pedestrian, a cyclist, a motorcyclist or a motor vehicle driver, etc., and mode data may indicate the type of locomotion the first road user is currently performing. For example, a pedestrian may be walking or running, a cyclist may be cycling or pushing their bicycle, while a motorcyclist or a motor vehicle may indicate a certain current speed. The situation data may in particular be absolute position data, global position data, sensor data of the mobile device, position and direction of travel, acceleration data, acoustic and / or visual data received by the mobile device at or around the position of the first road user.

[0035] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to acquire environmental data of the environment and / or surroundings of the mobile device and / or the road user, and the mobile device may be configured to transmit the environmental data together with or alternatively to the situation status data.

[0036] The environmental data may, for example, be the speed of the mobile device, or the mobile device itself may collect weather data for transmission to second road users. Alternatively, or additionally, the mobile device may collect three-dimensional acceleration data that may occur in relation to a particular road situation. For example, acceleration information indicating a "bumpy ride" may be a sign that the mobile device / first road user is traveling on an uneven road, which may indicate off-road traffic or road construction.

[0037] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the environmental data may be acquired by the situation status sensing element, another sensor element of the mobile device, and / or a sensor element associated with the first road user.

[0038] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be communicatively associated with the first road user and configured to receive sensor data or environmental data from the first road user.

[0039] The mobile device may comprise additional sensor elements, e.g., a special accelerometer for determining three-dimensional orientation and acceleration in space. Alternatively or additionally, the first road user may themselves comprise a sensor element, e.g., embedded in wearable electronics such as a smartwatch that is communicatively connected to the mobile device. The sensor element may be configured to capture environmental data and / or data from the surroundings of the mobile device and / or data captured by the first road user themselves. Such data may, for example, be physiological data such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, brain activity, and the like. For example, in the event of an accident, the mobile device may transmit such data to second road users in the vicinity so that appropriate measures can be initiated in the event of a medical emergency, such as notifying emergency services.

[0040] In the case where the second road user is a vehicle, the sensor element may be associated with the vehicle. In other words, the sensor element may be a sensor element present in the vehicle.

[0041] A communication connection between the mobile device and a sensor element associated with the first road user may in particular be a short-range or medium-range communication connection, e.g. based on Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, NFC or RFID technology.

[0042] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the situation status may be dependent on the mode of travel performed by the first road user.

[0043] Depending on the mode of travel performed by the first road user, different information about the situation status may be relevant. In particular, some information about the situation status may be more relevant for a particular mode of travel. For example, if a pedestrian is walking or a cyclist is riding a bicycle, the speed of the first road user may be more relevant than in a situation where the pedestrian is walking or standing, or the cyclist is pushing a bicycle.

[0044] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to verify the mode of travel performed by the road user by analyzing the situation status data, analyzing the situation status data over time, and / or analyzing the sensor data of the further sensor element of the mobile device and / or the sensor element associated with the road user.

[0045] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may further comprise the step of verifying the mode of travel performed by the road user by analyzing the situation status data over time and / or analyzing the sensor data of the further sensor element of the mobile device and / or the sensor element associated with the road user.

[0046] A road user may select a specific travel mode, for example, they may indicate to the mobile device that they are a walking pedestrian or a cyclist riding a bicycle. The mobile device may, in turn, collect situational status data, which may include sensor data, and determine from the collected data whether the specified travel mode corresponds to the travel mode actually performed. For example, global position or acceleration data may be used to determine the speed of the mobile device and thus of the first road user. This information may be verified against the specified travel mode.For example, if a walking pedestrian is specified as the mode of travel, but a speed exceeding normal walking speed is then detected, the mobile device may determine that the specified mode of travel does not correspond to the actual mode of travel. Depending on the verified mode of travel or a detected discrepancy between the specified mode of travel and the detected mode of travel, the mobile device may adjust the transmitted situation status data accordingly.

[0047] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to receive situation status data and / or environmental data from another mobile device associated with and / or traveling with another road user.

[0048] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may further comprise a display element, wherein the mobile device may be configured to provide the first road user with a display depending on the received situation status data and / or environmental data from the further mobile device associated with and / or moving with a further road user.

[0049] In other words, the mobile device not only transmits, but is also capable of receiving situation status information from another road user. Depending on the received information or data and the current traffic behavior, the mobile device can determine that information about the received situation status data and / or environmental data from another mobile device needs to be brought to the attention of the first road user. In this case, the first road user can receive an advertisement from the mobile device displaying the received situation status data and / or environmental data from the other mobile device that is associated with and / or moving with the first road user. The advertisement, in turn, can trigger a certain behavior from the first road user.For example, if the first road user receives accident information about an accident that occurred at a specific location along their own travel path, the first road user can adjust their traffic behavior accordingly, e.g., the first road user can slow down and / or choose a different route altogether. Such an indication is particularly advantageous if it is received at a time when the first road user is unaware of the need to change their traffic behavior, e.g., in the case where the accident is not visible to the first road user, such as behind a bend or a bump, while an immediate adjustment, e.g., slowing down, is required to avoid an accident themselves.

[0050] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to generate verification and / or authentication data for verifying the authenticity of the situation status data and / or environmental data, and wherein the mobile device may transmit the verification data together with or subsequently to the situation status data and / or environmental data.

[0051] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may comprise the steps of generating verification and / or authentication data for verifying the authenticity of the situation status data and / or environmental data and transmitting the verification data together with or subsequently to the situation status data and / or environmental data.

[0052] Such verification and / or authentication data can enable a recipient of the transmitted situation status data to verify that the transmitted data is correct and credible. For example, by authenticating a position of the mobile device included in the situation status data, a recipient can rely on such information. At the same time, unverified and / or unauthenticated data and thus unreliable data can be discarded. This prevents, for example, a malicious device from negatively influencing the second road user by supplying false information. Such verification or authentication can, for example,using blockchain technology, so that verification and / or authentication is based, at least in part, on the fact that a particular mobile device / road user has transmitted (reliable) situation status data over a longer period of time, which can be tracked via the blockchain. This, in turn, prevents malicious devices and allows for the rejection of malicious devices that "suddenly" appear in the received data. Alternatively or additionally, received data can only be accepted as verified and / or authenticated if a certain history of the currently transmitted data can be found / verified in / via the blockchain.

[0053] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to provide a display only if the authenticity of the situation status data and / or the environmental data has been verified, e.g., positively verified.

[0054] This makes it possible to prevent unverified and / or unauthenticated data transfers from triggering false alarms.

[0055] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the situation status data and / or environmental data may be transmitted anonymously.

[0056] The situation status data can thus be transmitted to other road users without revealing the identity of the sender. In such a scenario, it may be particularly relevant that the transmitted data be verified and / or authenticated prior to transmission to prevent a malicious device from arbitrarily influencing a specific traffic situation at a location. Even if the transmission is anonymous, verification and / or authentication can make it possible to determine whether a transmission originates from a genuine device and not a malicious one.

[0057] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the method may comprise the steps of acquiring environmental data of the environment and / or surroundings of the mobile device and / or the road user and transmitting the environmental data together with or alternatively to the situation status data.

[0058] Transmitting the environmental data together with, or alternatively to, the situation status data can allow the transmission to be tailored to the specific requirements of the situation. For example, in the case where the transmitted data is unrelated to the mobile device and / or the first road user, the inclusion of irrelevant situation status data and / or environmental data complicates the transmission of the data, as it increases the required bandwidth and / or the data volume without providing any particular benefit to the recipient, the second road user.

[0059] According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, the mobile device may be configured to detect that a vehicle in which the road user associated with the mobile device is traveling also includes V2X functionality, and the mobile device may be configured to, upon such detection, discontinue the provision of V2X functionality and / or discontinue the transmission of V2X messages.

[0060] In the event that the vehicle provides V2X functionality and, in addition, the mobile device associated with the road user separately provides V2X functionality, the mobile device may be configured to detect that both the vehicle in which the road user is traveling (a vehicle in the immediate vicinity or with a travel pattern that matches the travel pattern of the road user) and the mobile device associated with and traveling with the road user relate to the same travel pattern (i.e., the travel patterns match). This allows the mobile device to determine that the road user with whom the mobile device is associated is actually traveling with the vehicle that also provides V2X functionality. In this case, the mobile device may be configured to discontinue the provision of V2X functionality, e.g.automatically, to avoid the vehicle and the road user in the vehicle providing V2X messages to road users in parallel, while these V2X messages relate to the same trip. The mobile device may be in a preferential position to detect such a matching travel pattern, since V2X messages are usually anonymous messages. A third road user who receives V2X messages from both the vehicle in which the road user associated with the mobile device is traveling and the mobile device associated with the road user may therefore not be able to determine that the matching travel patterns actually originate from the same trip. To a third road user, the matching traffic patterns may appear to coincidentally match. The mobile device may further, e.g.at certain intervals, detect whether the movement pattern of another road user, i.e., the vehicle in which the road user associated with the mobile device is traveling, matches the movement pattern of the mobile device, and may deactivate its V2X functionality or at least cease sending V2X messages for the duration of the detection of such a matching movement pattern. As soon as the mobile device determines that the movement pattern of the other road user no longer matches the movement pattern of the mobile device, for example, because the road user associated with the mobile device has exited the vehicle, the other road user, the V2X functionality, and / or the V2X messages may be resumed.In particular, if the mobile device has discontinued its V2X functionality, this may mean that it no longer transmits V2X messages, but retains V2X functionality for received V2X messages from other road users. To detect that the road user with whom the mobile device is associated is no longer moving with the vehicle, it may be advantageous to continue receiving V2X messages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device according to the present disclosure. Fig. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a communication scenario between a mobile device / first road user and a second road user according to the present disclosure. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device / first road user traveling in a vehicle according to the present disclosure. Fig. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a communication method according to the present disclosure. Fig. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment for an operation step of a mobile device according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] Now Fig. 1, which shows an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device according to the present disclosure.

[0063] The mobile device 10 of the Fig. 1 comprises a processing element 16 connected to a communication element 12 and a situation status detection element 14. The communication element 12 may be implemented as a communication element using mobile communication technology and / or a direct communication link with other road users and / or broadcast communication capability. In Fig. 1, the communication element 12 is connected to the antenna 18, which in turn is in communicative connection 32 with a communication network 22. Other road users may, in turn, be in communicative connection with the communication network 22.

[0064] The situation status detection element 14 is connected to a position information receiver 20, which receives the position information, e.g., local or global location information, from a position information transmitter 24. In Fig. In Figure 1, the position information transmitter 24 is shown as a satellite by way of example. The received position information can use, for example, GPS or Galileo technology.

[0065] Another sensor element 38 is shown as part of the mobile device 10, which is connected to the processing element 16. The other sensor element 38 can be an environmental sensor element for detecting environmental data. For example, the environmental data can be data from an accelerometer, e.g., a three-dimensional accelerometer, to determine movement of the mobile device in 3D space. This allows the mobile device to determine acceleration, deceleration, speed, and relative movement in 3D space. This information can be used to determine a defined mode of travel of the first road user 26 associated with the mobile device 10.

[0066] Alternatively or additionally, the further sensor element 38 or another further sensor element can be mounted outside the mobile device 10. Such an external further sensor element can be mounted on the road user. In the case that the road user is, for example, a person, the external further sensor element can be associated with a further electronic device, e.g., a smartwatch or the like. In the case that the road user is a vehicle, the external further sensor element can be associated with the vehicle, in particular, can be present in the vehicle. In other words, in this scenario, the mobile device 10 can reuse a sensor element of the vehicle, such as an accelerometer, and an environmental sensor element, e.g., to determine a weather condition, such as rain, snow or temperature, road surface, or the like.

[0067] In the case where the additional sensor element is an external additional sensor element, the communication element 12 can be configured to provide a communication connection with the external additional sensor element and / or a vehicle in general. Alternatively, the mobile device 10 can comprise a separate, not-shown communication element for communicating with the additional sensor element. Such a communication connection can, in particular, be a short-range or medium-range communication connection, such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, or NFC or RFID technology.

[0068] The mobile device 10 may further comprise a display element 42 connected to the processing element 16 to provide a display to the first road user 26 associated with the mobile device 10. The display may be dependent on data received via the communication element 12 and / or the position information receiver 20, in particular from a further second road user 28. The display element 42 may be a display as commonly used in mobile devices, e.g., mobile phones or smartphones, or it may be a simple light-emitting element such as an LED configured to display a specific number of states.

[0069] Now Fig. 2, which shows an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device / first road user communication scenario with a second road user according to the present disclosure.

[0070] In Fig. 2, the first road user 26 is, for example, a pedestrian who uses a mobile device 10 as shown in Fig. 1. The second road user 28 is a vehicle moving in the direction of the first road user 26. The first road user 26 is about to cross a roadway at an intersection of a road 30. As indicated by the black horizontal arrow, the second road user 28 intends to use the same road section of the road 30. The distance between the first road user 26 and the second road user 28 may be such that the road users cannot see each other.

[0071] The mobile device 10 receives position information from the position information transmitter 24. The mobile device 10 then transmits situation status information, e.g., a position and / or a speed and / or a mode of travel and / or a direction of travel, to its surroundings. To communicate the situation status information to other road users, the mobile device 10 is configured to transmit the situation status data, for example, via a transmission 32 to a communication network 22 and / or directly to the second road user 28 via a direct communication transmission 34 and / or generally around their position via a broadcast transmission 36.

[0072] The second road user 28 receives at least one of the transmissions 32, 34, 36 and thereby receives the situation status information of the mobile device 10 and thus of the first road user 26 from the transmitted situation status data. Furthermore, the second road user 28 is informed of his or her own position by receiving position information from the position information transmitter 24. By comparing and / or correlating his or her position with the situation status data received from the mobile device 10, the second road user can determine that a first road user 26 is participating in traffic near his or her future travel route. The second road user 28 can therefore adjust his or her driving behavior to allow the first road user 26 to cross the road 30. For example, the second road user 28 can decide to slow down to avoid a dangerous situation with the first road user 26.

[0073] At the same time, the mobile device 10 can receive information, e.g., situation status information, from the second road user 28 through a transmission of situation status data. This alerts the mobile device 10 to the approaching second road user 28 crossing its path of travel. The mobile device 10 can, in turn, display something to the first road user 26 using the display element 42. The first road user 26 is thus alerted to the approaching second road user 28 and can adjust their traffic behavior accordingly to avoid a dangerous situation with the second road user 28.

[0074] In Fig. 2, it is shown by way of example that the first road user picks up a sensor element 40 associated with the road user, which may be another sensor element, by wearing a wearable electronic device, e.g., a smartwatch. The sensor element 40 associated with the first road user 26 may be communicatively connected to the mobile device 10 to receive sensor data from the sensor element 40 associated with the first road user 26.

[0075] Now Fig. 3, which shows an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device / first road user traveling in a vehicle according to the present disclosure.

[0076] In the scenario from Fig. 3 is the first road user 26 on board the second road user 28, which is a vehicle in Fig. 3. The mobile device 10 associated with the first road user is configured to detect 46a a V2X functionality of the second road user 28. For example, the mobile device may detect the V2X functionality by receiving near-field communication or communication in the vicinity of the second road user 28 indicating V2X functionality. Alternatively or additionally, the mobile device may receive repeated transmissions of situation status data from the second road user 28. By correlating the received situation status data with its own situation status data, the mobile device may determine that the second road user 28 is traveling substantially along the same path and / or at the same position and speed.In this case, even without a direct communication connection between the mobile device 10 and the second road user 28, the mobile device 10 may determine that the mobile device 10 / the first road user 26 is on board the second road user 28. Since the mobile device was able to determine this, the mobile device 10 may determine that the second road user must include V2X functionality. Upon such a determination, the mobile device 10 may be configured to deactivate the communication element 44 and / or deactivate the transmission of its situation status data. Such deactivation may avoid duplication of situation status data within the local V2X environment.

[0077] Now Fig. 4, which shows an exemplary embodiment of a communication method according to the present disclosure.

[0078] The Fig. The communication method 50 shown in Figure 4 communicates situation status data between a first road user 26 and a second road user 28. The first road user 26 may be a pedestrian, a cyclist, a motorcyclist, or a vehicle with Car-2X / V2X functionality. The second road user 28 is, by way of example, a vehicle with Car-2X / V2X functionality, but may generally also be any other suitable road user. The first road user 26 acquires 52, e.g., using a mobile device 10, situation status data, for example, its own position information. The acquisition is in Fig. 4 not shown. Subsequently, the first road user 26 / the mobile device 10 can transmit 54 the situation status data, e.g., position information such as GPS data, optionally anonymous situation status data. The transmission can be performed as a transmission 32 using a communication network 22. Alternatively or additionally, the communication link can be a direct transmission 34 or broadcast transmission 36 received from the second road user 28. Upon receiving the situation status data, the second road user 28 can decide whether to respond to the received information, as previously described.

[0079] Now Fig. 5, which shows an exemplary embodiment of an operation step of a mobile device according to the present disclosure.

[0080] Fig. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of an application running on the mobile device 10 and usable by the first road user 26. Essentially, the application enables the selection of the mode of travel 60 by pressing one of four buttons within the application. The graphical user interface of the application is displayed on the display element 42 of the mobile device 10 and provides the option to select a mode of travel 60 as pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or motor vehicle. Additional functionality may be implemented that is not described in Fig. 5 is shown.

[0081] It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the concepts described herein. Each of the features described above and below may be used separately or in combination with other features described herein, provided they are not mutually exclusive, and the disclosure extends to and includes all combinations and subcombinations of one or more features described herein.

[0082] Finally, it should be noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" does not exclude the plural. Elements described with respect to different types of embodiments may be combined. Reference signs in the claims are not intended to limit the scope of any claim. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 10 mobile device 12 Communication element 14 Situation status recording element 16 processing element 18 Antenna 20 position information receivers 22 Communication network 24 position information transmitters 26 first road users 28 second road users 30 Street / Carriageway 32 Transmission to the communication network 34 Live broadcast 36 Broadcast transmission 38 additional sensor element 40 sensor element associated with the road user 42 Display element 44 deactivated communication element 46 detecting V2X functionality 50 procedures 52 collecting situation status data 54 transfer of situation status data 60 mode of transport

Claims

[1] Mobile device (10), comprising a communication element (12), and a situation status detection element (14) wherein the mobile device (10) is associated with and / or moves with a first road user (26), wherein the situation status detection element (14) is designed to detect situation status data of the mobile device (10) and / or the first road user (26), and wherein the communication element (12) is designed to transmit the situation status data to at least one second road user (28) arranged in the vicinity of the mobile device (10). [2] Mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the transmission of the situation status data is a transmission (32) from the mobile device (10) to the at least one second road user (28) using a mobile communication network (22), and / or where the transmission of situation status data is a direct Communication transmission (34) in the short-range or medium-range between the mobile device (10) and the at least one second road user (28), and / or wherein the transmission of the situation status data is a broadcast transmission (36) to each road user in the vicinity of the mobile device (10). [3] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the situation status data is one or more of position data of the mobile device, presence data of the mobile device, type data of the first road user, mode of travel data of the first road user, road condition data, weather data, road traffic hazard data, emergency service data, behavior data of the first road user, accident data, traffic data. [4] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device (10) is designed to capture environmental data of the environment and / or the surroundings of the mobile device (10) and / or the first road user (26), and wherein the mobile device (10) is configured to transmit the environmental data together with or alternatively to the situation status data. [5] Mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the environmental data are detected by the situation status detection element (14), a further sensor element (38) of the mobile device (10) and / or a sensor element (40) associated with the road user. [6] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the situation status depends on the mode of travel (50) performed by the first road user (26). [7] Mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the mobile device is configured to verify the mode of travel performed by the road user by analyzing the situation status data, analyzing the situation status data over time and / or analyzing the sensor data of the further sensor element (38) of the mobile device and / or the sensor element (40) associated with the road user. [8] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device (10) is adapted to receive situation status data and / or environmental data from another mobile device associated with and / or moving with another road user. [9] Mobile device according to the preceding claim, further comprising a display element (42), wherein the mobile device is configured to provide a display depending on the received situation status data and / or environmental data from the further mobile device associated with and / or moving with a further road user. [10] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device is configured to generate verification and / or authentication data for verifying the authenticity of the situation status data and / or environmental data, and wherein the mobile device transmits the verification data together with or subsequent to the situation status data and / or environmental data. [11] Mobile device according to the preceding claim, wherein the mobile device is configured to provide a display only if the authenticity of the situation status data and / or the environment data has been verified. [12] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the situation status data and / or environmental data are transmitted anonymously. [13] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device is communicatively connected to the first road user and is arranged to receive sensor data or environmental data from the first road user. [14] Mobile device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mobile device is configured to detect (46) that a vehicle associated with the road user and with which the mobile device is traveling also includes V2X functionality, and wherein the mobile device is configured to stop providing V2X functionality (44) and / or stop transmitting V2X messages (44) upon such detection. [15] Method (50) comprising the following steps of Acquiring (52) situation status data of a mobile device and / or a first road user, and Transmitting (54) the situation status data to at least one second road user located near the mobile device. [16] Method according to the preceding claim, further comprising the steps of detecting environmental data of the environment and / or surroundings of the mobile device and / or the road user, and transmitting the environmental data together with or alternatively to the situation status data. [17] Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of verifying the mode of travel performed by the road user by analyzing the situation status data over time and / or analyzing sensor data of the further sensor element of the mobile device and / or the sensor element associated with the road user. [18] A method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the steps of generating verification and / or authentication data for verifying the authenticity of the situation status data and / or environmental data, and transmitting the verification data together with or subsequently to the situation status data and / or environmental data. [19] A method comprising the steps of Collecting global positioning data of a mobile device and / or a first road user, and Transmitting the global positioning data anonymously to at least one second road user located near the mobile device, where the transmission uses a Vehicle2X communication topology. [20] A computer program product or computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processing element (16), cause the processing element (16) to perform the steps of the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

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