Navigation System Route Calculation with Time-Dependent Traffic Restrictions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems face difficulties in accurately predicting and incorporating time-dependent traffic restrictions into route calculations, especially for distant road sections, leading to uncertainty and increased computational effort.
Innovation Solution
A navigation system that differentiates between road sections based on proximity to the current location, only considering time-dependent traffic restrictions for sections closer to the starting point or current location, thereby reducing computational effort and minimizing changes in calculated routes due to distant restrictions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If time-dependent traffic restrictions are taken into account for all road sections, then route calculation accuracy is improved, but computational effort increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides road sections into two distinct groups: a first group where time-dependent traffic restrictions are taken into account, and a second group where they are not. This segmentation allows the system to focus computational resources on nearby road sections where restrictions are certain to apply, while ignoring distant sections where restrictions are uncertain. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by achieving sufficient route calculation accuracy through selective consideration rather than universal consideration of all restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality of treatment to different road sections based on their spatial relationship to the navigation system. Road sections in the first group (closer sections) receive full consideration with expected arrival time calculations and restriction applicability checks, while road sections in the second group (distant sections) receive simplified treatment. This local differentiation optimizes computational effort while maintaining accuracy for the most relevant sections.
2Loss of information
If time-dependent traffic restrictions are considered for distant road sections, then complete route information is obtained, but route stability decreases due to frequent recalculation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting road sections into first and second groups, the patent prevents distant, uncertain restrictions from triggering repeated route recalculations. The system maintains route stability by only considering restrictions for nearby sections where arrival time predictions are reliable, thereby avoiding the instability caused by frequently changing route plans based on uncertain distant restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary assessment of road sections to determine which group they belong to before conducting detailed route calculation. This preliminary classification based on spatial proximity prevents unnecessary computational processing of distant sections and avoids route instability that would result from considering uncertain restrictions.
3Measurement precision
If expected arrival time is calculated for all road sections, then restriction applicability is accurately determined, but computational resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments road sections into first and second groups, applying expected arrival time calculation only to the first group. This selective application of computational resources to only those sections where restrictions are certain to apply resolves the contradiction by achieving accurate restriction applicability determination where needed while avoiding wasteful computation for distant sections.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of calculating expected arrival times for all road sections (excessive action), the patent performs this calculation only for the first group of nearby sections (partial action). This partial application of the computational process is sufficient to achieve accurate route calculation while significantly reducing resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a navigation system comprising a memory unit in which information about road sections and information about time-dependent traffic restrictions is stored such that time-dependent traffic restrictions are associated with a part of the road sections, and a route calculation unit which is designed such that the memory unit is accessed when calculating a route so as to calculate a route on the basis of the information about road sections and information about time-dependent traffic restrictions, and such that, when calculating the route, information about time-dependent traffic restrictions is taken into consideration for a first part of the road sections which are associated with a time-dependent traffic restriction, and information about time-dependent traffic restrictions is not taken into consideration for a second part of the road sections which are associated with a time-dependent traffic restriction.