Simplified determination of gradient information traveled by a vehicle

Abstract

Method and device for calculating information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle during a journey, the method comprising the steps of: upon detection of a first ignition of the vehicle, determination (1) of a first piece of geolocation information for the vehicle and transmission of the first geolocation information to a remote server, upon detection of a second ignition of the vehicle, determination (3) of a second piece of geolocation information for the vehicle and transmission of the second geolocation information to the remote server, calculation (11) by the remote server of the gradient information from the first piece of information and the second piece of geolocation information. FIG. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Simplified determination of information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of determining operating information for a land motor vehicle. In particular, it relates to the calculation of information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle.

[0002] “Land motor vehicle” means any type of vehicle such as a motor vehicle, a moped, a motorcycle, a storage robot in a warehouse, etc.

[0003] "Information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle" means any type of information relating to the slope traveled by the vehicle. Information relating to a set of inclination values ​​of the roads traveled by the vehicle or a difference in altitude value (vertical distance) traveled by the vehicle are examples of information on the gradient traveled by the vehicle.

[0004] Many applications use operating information from a land motor vehicle. For example, it is relevant to obtain information on the gradient traveled by the vehicle to estimate the degree of wear of a component, for example the brakes, of the vehicle. Typically, a vehicle traveling in the mountains and undergoing significant braking during descents will see its brakes wear out prematurely.

[0005] Obtaining vehicle operating information is known. In particular, connected vehicles transmit a large amount of operating information. Thus, WO 01 / 46710 describes a method in which geolocation information is transmitted by a connected vehicle at times specifically calculated to minimize the impact of interference within a fleet of connected vehicles.

[0006] Such methods, however, involve significant computing, energy and bandwidth resources, both at the vehicle level and at the server responsible for processing the data.

[0007] The present invention improves the situation.

[0008] To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for calculating information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle during a journey, the method comprising the steps of: - upon detection of a first ignition of the vehicle, determination of a first geolocation information of the vehicle and transmission of the first geolocation information to a remote server; - upon detection of a second ignition of the vehicle, determination of a second geolocation information of the vehicle and transmission of the second geolocation information to the remote server; - calculation by the remote server of the slope information from the first information and the second geolocation information.

[0009] The impact on the vehicle's resources is thus greatly reduced, the process only requiring two operations to be carried out: one at each start.

[0010] The implementation of the determinations of the geolocation information at the time of the ignition detections is particularly relevant because the computers, and in particular the connectivity box, are in any case woken up at the time of ignition. Thus, it is not necessary to provide additional wake-ups (energy-intensive / computing resources).

[0011] Such a method presents the best cost / performance compromise, with a reduced impact on resources and sufficiently precise approximate slope information.

[0012] The term "vehicle ignition" means any starting of at least one vehicle component. The centralized opening of the doors, the starting of at least one engine of the vehicle or the insertion of a key into a Neiman are examples of vehicle ignition.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: - upon detection of the first ignition of the vehicle, determination of a first mileage information item for the vehicle and transmission of the first mileage information item to the remote server; - upon detection of the second ignition of the vehicle, determination of a second mileage information of the vehicle and transmission of the second mileage information to the remote server; - calculation by the remote server of a first mileage traveled between the second and first ignition by difference of the second mileage by the first mileage; - calculation by the remote server of a second mileage traveled between the second and first ignition from the first information and the second geolocation information; - comparison by the remote server of the first mileage traveled with the second mileage traveled to confirm the gradient information.

[0014] Again, the mileage determination operations are performed at the time of ignition and do not require additional wake-ups.

[0015] In one embodiment, the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is equal to the second mileage.

[0016] In one embodiment, the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is within a predetermined mileage interval centered around the second mileage.

[0017] In one embodiment, all of the steps described above are performed at the vehicle level.

[0018] In one embodiment, at least one of the following steps is performed at a remote server: - calculation of the slope information from the first information and the second geolocation information; - calculation of a first mileage traveled between the second and first ignition by difference of the second mileage by the first mileage; - calculation of a second mileage traveled from the first information and the second geolocation information; - comparison of the first mileage traveled with the second mileage traveled to confirm the gradient information.

[0019] A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to the first aspect of the invention, when these instructions are executed by a processor.

[0020] A third aspect of the invention relates to a device for calculating information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle during a journey, the device comprising at least one memory and at least one processor configured to carry out the operations of: - upon detection of a first ignition of the vehicle, determination of a first geolocation information of the vehicle; - upon detection of a second ignition of the vehicle, determination of a second geolocation information for the vehicle; - calculation of the slope information from the first information and the second geolocation information.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a land motor vehicle comprising the device according to the third aspect of the invention.

[0022] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings in which:

[0023] [Fig. 1] is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0024] [Fig.2] illustrates the structure of a device according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0025] [Fig.l] illustrates a method, according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0026] The method is implemented by a land motor vehicle, during a journey between a first point located at a first geolocation, corresponding to a first geolocation information, and a second point located at a second geolocation, corresponding to a second geolocation information. The vehicle is connected, for example by a cellular network, to a remote server.

[0027] In a first step 1, upon detection of a first ignition of the vehicle, a first geolocation information Geo_l of the vehicle is determined. In one embodiment, a first mileage information of the vehicle Km_l is also determined in step 1. Geo_l and Km_l are transmitted to the remote server in step 1.

[0028] In a second step 3, upon detection of a second ignition of the vehicle, a second piece of geolocation information Geo_2 of the vehicle is determined. In one embodiment, a second piece of mileage information of the vehicle Km_2 is also determined in step 3. Geo_2 and Km_2 are transmitted to the remote server in step 3.

[0029] The data Geo_l, Km_l and Geo_2, Km_2 are respectively transmitted, at each ignition, to the remote server which then carries out steps 5 to 11 described below.

[0030] In a step 5, a calculation of a first mileage A_Km traveled between the second and the first ignition by difference of the second mileage by the first mileage: A_Km = Km_2 - Km_1. A second mileage A_Geo traveled between the second and the first ignition is further calculated in step 5 from the first information and the second geolocation information. In one embodiment, A_Geo is calculated from information from a map by determining the distance of a route between the first and the second ignition.

[0031] In a step 7, a comparison of the first mileage A_Km traveled with the second mileage A_Geo to confirm the gradient information is carried out. In one embodiment, the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is equal to the second mileage. In another embodiment, the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is included in a predetermined mileage interval centered around the second mileage.

[0032] At a step 9, if the comparison is invalidated, the method stops and the gradient information is not calculated between the two starts of the vehicle.

[0033] In a step 11, if the comparison is confirmed, a slope information Idcl is calculated from the first information and the second geolocation information. In one embodiment, Ldcl is equal to the difference in altitude between the second and the first geolocation. Ldcl can also be calculated by determining the route between the second and first point, based on precise map data available on the remote server.

[0034] [Fig. 2] represents an example of a device D included in the vehicle or in the remote server. This device D can be used as a centralized device in charge of at least certain steps of the method described above with reference to [Fig. 1].

[0035] This device D can take the form of a box comprising printed circuits, any type of computer or even a smartphone.

[0036] The device D comprises a RAM 100 for storing instructions for the implementation by a processor 200 of at least one step of the methods as described above. The device also comprises a mass memory 300 for storing data intended to be retained after the implementation of the method.

[0037] The device D may further comprise a digital signal processor (DSP) 400. This DSP 400 receives data to format, demodulate and amplify, in a manner known per se, this data.

[0038] The device also comprises an input interface 500 for receiving data implemented by methods according to the invention and an output interface 600 for transmitting data implemented by the method.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above as examples; it extends to other variants.

[0040] Thus, an embodiment has been described in which all the steps were performed by the same server. The invention can also be implemented in such a way that the server actually corresponds to several devices exchanging with each other via at least one network so that the steps are executed in a distributed manner between these devices.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for calculating information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle during a journey, the method comprising the steps of: - upon detection of a first ignition of the vehicle, determination (1) of a first piece of geolocation information for the vehicle and transmission of the first geolocation information to a remote server; - upon detection of a second ignition of the vehicle, determination (3) of a second piece of geolocation information for the vehicle and transmission of the second geolocation information to the remote server; - calculation (11) by the remote server of the gradient information from the first piece of information and the second piece of geolocation information.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: - upon detection of the first ignition of the vehicle, determining (1) a first mileage information of the vehicle and transmitting the first mileage information to the remote server; - upon detection of the second ignition of the vehicle, determining (3) a second mileage information of the vehicle and transmitting the second mileage information to the remote server; - calculation (5) by the remote server of a first mileage traveled between the second and the first ignition by difference of the second mileage by the first mileage; - calculation (5) by the remote server of a second mileage traveled between the second and the first ignition from the first information and the second geolocation information;- comparison (7) by the remote server of the first mileage traveled with the second mileage traveled to confirm the gradient information.;

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is equal to the second mileage.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the gradient information is confirmed if the first mileage is within a predetermined mileage interval centered around the second mileage.

5. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by at least one processor (200).

6. Device for calculating information on the gradient traveled by a vehicle during a journey, the device comprising at least one memory and at least one processor configured for - implementing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. A land motor vehicle comprising the device according to claim 6.

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