Method for providing a navigation aid for a vehicle with regard to off-road routes and motor vehicle

Abstract

For off-road routes, collective intelligence is used. This identifies routes that are driven particularly frequently. These routes are then assigned to classes so that drivers can receive precise information.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for providing a navigation aid for a vehicle with regard to off-road routes and to a motor vehicle in which the method or its results can be used.

[0002] Conventional navigation systems are designed for the standard road network. Off-road driving requires the driver to rely on their own judgment. It is known in the prior art to adapt the vehicle to the driving situation. For example, German patent DE 10 2023 121 481 A1 discloses that a driver can select different driving modes (e.g., "mud mode" for muddy conditions, "sand mode" for sandy conditions, "snow mode" for snow / ice conditions, etc.). The vehicle reacts to the selection. A computing platform can, for instance, detect "slippery road conditions" using data from the vehicle's sensors. Additionally, location data can be used to determine that the vehicle is driving on an unpaved surface (not a paved road). Weather data can also be used to identify weather conditions indicating, for example, snow or an icy road.

[0003] The object of the invention is to facilitate the selection and / or driving on off-road routes for vehicle drivers. This object is achieved by the method with the features of claim 1 and by the motor vehicle with the features of claim 8.

[0004] The inventive method for providing a navigation aid for a vehicle with regard to off-road routes thus comprises: a) Through a central data processing facility, receiving position data and further sensor measurements recorded during this journey across the respective off-road track from a large number of vehicles traveling on (any) off-road track; b) Determining, by means of the central data processing facility, frequently traveled off-road sections based on at least the received position data and assigning classes of a classification to these frequently traveled off-road sections based on the further sensor measurements; c) Receiving a navigation request relating to off-road driving from a vehicle, specifying the starting point and destination (precise or approximate information, which can also be described as "at least a rough indication"); d) Specifying at least one possible off-road route in response to the navigation request, taking into account the assigned classes.

[0005] The invention has two novel aspects: Firstly, it utilizes "collective knowledge": Vehicles that have already driven along an off-road track provide data that can later be used by another vehicle. Secondly, the classification system provides valuable information, as some drivers may prefer certain types of tracks and others, and other drivers may prefer different types of tracks, not those desired by the former.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment, data for defining the identified frequently traveled off-road sections and / or off-road routes composed of such off-road sections are uploaded to vehicle navigation systems, with the reception in step c) (see above) being carried out by the navigation system of the vehicle in question. In this way, because the data is available, navigation planning can then take place internally within the vehicle in question.

[0007] Alternatively, the data can be received in step c) by the central data processing unit. In this case, the navigation planning is handled by the central data processing unit, which can be accessed, for example, from a vehicle via the internet.

[0008] According to a further preferred embodiment of the method, the specification includes displaying several possible off-road routes based on the navigation query as alternatives, particularly on a display. In this context, information on the classifications determined for the off-road routes is preferably provided for the alternatives.

[0009] This allows the user to make a choice, preferably based on the classes.

[0010] Alternatively or additionally, the navigation request can include information regarding at least one classification preferred by the requester, specifying at least one possible off-road route where off-road sections (according to a predetermined criterion) best match the preferred classification. This allows a driver who generally drives in a sporty manner to be shown a challenging off-road route, while other drivers who only need to drive off-road due to necessity will be shown a more comfortable route.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the further sensor measurements are derived from at least one and preferably at least two: - A suspension compression sensor; - a slope sensor; - a tilt sensor; - a longitudinal acceleration sensor; - a lateral acceleration sensor; - at least one slip sensor (preferably for each wheel of the vehicles, if available); - at least one tire pressure sensor (preferably for each wheel of the vehicles, if available).

[0012] Based on such sensor measurements, it is very easy to estimate whether the off-road track is hilly (suspension sensor heavily stressed, incline and tilt sensor frequently active), whether the track is muddy and / or slippery (detected by slip sensor, possibly also by longitudinal acceleration sensor or lateral acceleration sensor), etc.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, the classes differ from each other: - Off-road sections that can be driven quickly (or at high speed); and / or - off-road sections that are relatively easy to drive on; and / or - Off-road sections that are challenging for the driver.

[0014] The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a navigation system with a human-machine interface and a memory in which data on the frequently traveled off-road sections determined in step b) of the method according to claim 1 and / or off-road routes composed of such off-road sections are stored, and the navigation system is designed to indicate at least one possible off-road route in response to a navigation request of start point and destination entered via the human-machine interface.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the navigation system is designed in this context to indicate several possible off-road routes as alternatives and to provide information on the classes that have been determined for the off-road sections of these off-road routes.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, the human-machine interface of the navigation system makes it possible to select at least one preferred class, whereby the navigation system is designed to specify at least one possible off-road route, on which off-road route sections (according to a predetermined criterion) fit the at least one preferred class as well as possible.

[0017] For use cases or application situations that may arise during the procedure and are not explicitly described here, it may be provided that, according to the procedure, an error message and / or a request for user feedback is issued and / or a default setting and / or a predetermined initial state is set.

[0018] The invention also includes the control device for the motor vehicle. The control device can comprise a data processing device or a processor circuit configured to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor circuit can comprise at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). In particular, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) can be used as the microprocessor. Furthermore, the processor circuit can comprise program code configured to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor circuit.The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device. The processor device can be based, for example, on at least one circuit board and / or on at least one SoC (System on Chip).

[0019] The invention also includes further developments of the motor vehicle according to the invention, which have features already described in connection with the further developments of the method according to the invention. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the motor vehicle according to the invention are not described again here.

[0020] The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car or truck, or as a passenger bus or motorcycle.

[0021] As a further solution, the invention also includes a computer-readable storage medium comprising program code which, when executed by a computer or a computer network, causes it to execute an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The storage medium can be provided at least partially as a non-volatile data storage medium (e.g., as flash memory and / or as an SSD - solid state drive) and / or at least partially as a volatile data storage medium (e.g., as RAM - random access memory). The storage medium can be located within the computer or computer network. However, the storage medium can also be operated, for example, as an app store server and / or cloud server on the internet. The computer or computer network can provide a processor circuit with, for example, at least one microprocessor.The program code can be provided as binary code, assembly code, source code in a programming language (e.g., C), or a program script (e.g., Python). Alternatively, the computer-readable storage medium can be implemented as a signal containing computer-readable data, such as a time-varying voltage signal or a radio signal.

[0022] The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The invention therefore also includes realizations that each exhibit a combination of the features of several of the described embodiments, provided that the embodiments have not been described as mutually exclusive.

[0023] The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention. The following are illustrated: Fig. 1 the acquisition of data within the framework of an embodiment of the method according to the invention; Fig. 2. the use of the data thus obtained; and Fig. 3 the components of a vehicle in which the method according to the invention is implemented.

[0024] The exemplary embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In these exemplary embodiments, the described components each represent individual features of the invention, which can be considered independently of one another and each further develops the invention independently. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to include combinations of features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0025] In the figures, identical reference symbols denote functionally equivalent elements.

[0026] Several vehicles 1 are driving in an off-road area. Not every section of the off-road area is accessible or actually driven on. Each vehicle 1 is equipped with position sensors 2 and additional sensors 3, 4, and 5, such as sensor 3, which measures suspension travel (small irregularities), sensor 4, which measures gradient and, if applicable, the vehicle's tilt, and a tire pressure sensor 5. The position data acquired by position sensor 2, as well as the other sensor readings from sensors 3, 4, and 5, are transmitted via a communication interface 6 of the vehicle 1 to a central data processing unit 10.There, individual off-road track sections are first combined to determine which routes are used most frequently, in this case between a starting point A and an endpoint E, where there is a very frequently used route S1 and a less frequently used route S2.

[0027] Now, the additional sensor readings obtained from sensors 3, 4, and 5 are used to assign classes to the individual off-road track sections. For example, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 1 at the bottom right, section S1a of track S1 is characterized by particularly high demands on the tires (roots, mud, etc.). In a second section, S1b, the suspension travel is frequently very long. The entire track S2, however, is very hilly or mountainous.

[0028] Now, another vehicle, not necessarily equipped with all the sensors like vehicle 1, is to be driven from starting point A to endpoint E. The user enters a destination E and is either near starting point A or can enter the starting point A itself. They can then select their desired driving method. In the upper part of the Fig. Figure 2 shows a table in which the individual sensors are assigned classes 3, 4, and 5, indicating high, medium, or low load, respectively. Alternatively, only two value ranges can be determined, or more than three value ranges can be provided.

[0029] The following scenario is assigned to class K1: The suspension is particularly high (three plus signs for sensor 3), the route is particularly mountainous (three plus signs for sensor 4), whereas the wheels experience high stress and are therefore assigned a lower classification (one plus sign). This class (mountainous, high suspension travel) can also be described as the "Active Class," which places high demands on the driver. A second class, K2, is selected when all sensors 3, 4, and 5 show a medium value (two plus signs each). This could be considered an "Adventure" class, where the demands are still quite high, but not yet excessively so.Another class, K3, is the comfort class, where the suspension travel is particularly short (one plus sign for sensor 3), the route is not very hilly (one plus sign for sensor 4), and the tires experience low stress (three plus signs). The driver is shown the alternative routes S1 and S2, indicating the assigned classes, in this example using symbols. The classes can be displayed individually for each sensor (according to the number of plus signs in the display). Fig. 2 in the table above), or entire sections can be color-coded and labelled with the class designations.

[0030] The driver can select their desired off-road route from a list of optional routes displayed on their screen: either in high comfort mode (K3), adventure mode (K2), or particularly challenging mode (K1). Alternatively, the driver can pre-select a class (or two out of three classes, or a sub-selection of all classes), and then only see off-road routes that match the selected class. For example, a driver who prefers a comfortable ride (K3) doesn't need to see the challenging route (K1). However, if no purely comfortable route is available, a route with the K2 classification can be displayed instead.

[0031] The present assumption is that the starting point A and the endpoint E of an off-road route could be fixed. These could be specific access points from normal paved roads. Alternatively, a user could only roughly enter the starting and ending points, and the central data processing unit 10 could then display off-road routes to the user whose starting and ending points are at least close to the selected values ​​according to a predetermined criterion. Another alternative is that the driver could only roughly specify a starting area (e.g., 200 m x 200 m), and the system could then indicate at which point A they should begin.

[0032] The representation according to Fig. 2. The data can be displayed on a screen in the vehicle, whereby the data may have been previously transferred to the vehicle (a storage device located there). Alternatively, to ensure continuous updates, the collective knowledge of the system can be used in accordance with... Fig. 1. The data for the vehicles traveling on the routes is constantly updated by the central data processing facility 10 and made available to the vehicle, for example via an internet connection (via mobile telephony).

[0033] The motor vehicle for which the procedure is feasible is in Fig. 3 explained in detail: Similar to the motor vehicles 1 from Fig. 1. It includes an interface 6 for communicating with the central data processing unit 10. It also includes a navigation system 7 with a memory 8 in which data received via the communication interface 6 can be stored. Data can be entered and output via a human-machine interface, such as a touchscreen 9, which also serves as a display; for example, the screen display can be changed as in Fig. 2 below. Additionally, it can (not shown) have the aforementioned sensors 3, 4, 5 etc. and provide measurement data even when driving off-road.

[0034] Overall, the examples show how off-road navigation, including route options, can be provided based on vehicle parameters. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2023 121 481 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Method for providing a navigation aid for a vehicle with regard to off-road routes (S1, S2) comprising the steps: a) by a central data processing unit (10), receiving position data from a large number of vehicles (1) traveling on an off-road track and from other sensor measurements taken during this journey across the respective off-road track; b) Determining, by means of the central data processing facility, frequently traveled off-road sections based on at least the received position data and assigning classes of a classification to these frequently traveled off-road sections based on the further sensor measurements; c) Receiving a navigation request relating to off-road driving from a vehicle, specifying the starting point (A) and destination (E); d) Specifying at least one possible off-road route (S1, S2) in response to the navigation request, taking into account the assigned classes (K1, K2, K3). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein data for defining the identified frequently travelled off-road sections (S1a, S1b, S2) and / or off-road sections composed of such off-road sections (S1, S2) are uploaded to navigation systems of vehicles, and wherein the reception in step c) is carried out by the navigation system of a vehicle concerned. [3] Method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving in step c) is carried out by the central data processing unit (10). [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the indication includes that several possible off-road routes based on the navigation request are indicated as alternatives, in particular on a display, wherein information on the classes determined for the off-road routes is preferably provided for the alternatives. [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the navigation request includes or provides information regarding at least one class (K1, K2, K3) preferred by the requester in the classification, and wherein at least one possible off-road route (S1, S2) is specified, on which off-road route sections fit the at least one preferred class as well as possible according to a predetermined criterion. [6] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the further sensor measurements are taken from at least one and preferably at least two sources: - A suspension compression sensor (3); - a slope sensor (4); - a tilt sensor; - a longitudinal acceleration sensor; - a lateral acceleration sensor; - at least one slip sensor; - at least one tire pressure sensor (5). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the classes (K1, K2, K3) distinguish between off-road sections that can be driven quickly and / or off-road sections that can be driven more comfortably and / or off-road sections that are challenging for the driver to drive on. [8] Motor vehicle with navigation system having a human-machine interface and a memory in which data on the frequently travelled off-road sections (S1a, S1b) determined in step b) of the method according to claim 1 are available and / or off-road routes (S1) composed of such off-road sections are available, wherein the navigation system is designed to indicate at least one possible off-road route (S1, S2) in response to a navigation request entered via the human-machine interface specifying the starting point (A) and destination (E). [9] Motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the navigation system is designed to indicate several possible off-road routes as alternatives and to indicate, for these alternatives (S1, S2), information on the classes that have been determined for the off-road sections of the off-road routes. [10] Motor vehicle according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the human-machine interface of the navigation system makes it possible to select at least one preferred class, wherein the navigation system is designed to indicate at least one possible off-road route, on which off-road route sections are best suited to the at least one preferred class according to a predetermined criterion.

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