WO2001001087A1

WO2001001087A1 - Method of determining a remaining distance to be covered and system for this purpose

Info

Publication number: WO2001001087A1
Application number: PCT/DE2000/001923
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ralf Duckeck
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 1999-06-26
Filing date: 2000-06-09
Publication date: 2001-01-04
Also published as: DE19929426A1; AU6424700A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of determining a remaining distance that can be covered by a motor vehicle with a given fuel reserve. According to the inventive method, a remaining distance that can be covered with the fuel reserve is calculated from the fuel reserve quantity and a detected fuel consumption. Situation-dependent average consumption values <i/(Vk>) are determined by determining an actual vehicle position, and calculating the remaining distance (<I/R>) that can be covered from the fuel reserve quantity (<I/T>), the average consumption values <i/(Vk>), the actual vehicle position, a stored trip route to be covered and route-specific information. The inventive method and the inventive system allow a precise prediction of the remaining distance that can be covered with a given fuel reserve. This prediction is possible with relatively little complication, namely with few software modifications or software supplementations, taking recourse to resources a motor vehicle is provided with any way, such as a vehicle navigation system and an onboard computer and their sensory system.

Description

Method for determining a distance that can be covered and arrangement therefor

State of the art

The invention is based on a method for determining a residual distance that can be covered with a motor vehicle with a predetermined supply of operating fluid and an arrangement for determining a residual distance that can be covered with a motor vehicle with a predetermined supply of operating material according to the category of the independent patent claims.

So-called on-board computers for operation in motor vehicles are known which, for example, consist of an amount of fuel and a current one

Fuel consumption calculate a distance that can be covered with the existing fuel supply, in the case of motor vehicles driven by internal combustion engines, ie the tank content.

The known calculation method causes the calculated residual distance to fluctuate greatly as a function of a current fuel consumption, for example a current vehicle speed when the fuel consumption is dependent on the vehicle speed. Furthermore, from the cover sheet of DE 43 42 594 C2, for example, a method is known for calculating a residual distance that can be covered with an existing amount of fuel, in which an average distance traveled per unit of fuel, i.e. the reciprocal of an average consumption value over a distance traveled, is determined, which is dependent on a current fuel consumption is corrected, the distance that can be covered depending on the tank content and the determined average distance traveled per fuel unit being determined by multiplication.

The calculation method described in DE 43 42 594 C2 is also characterized by fluctuations in the calculated residual distance as a function of current fuel consumption.

Advantages of the invention

The method according to the invention and the arrangement according to the invention with the features of the independent claims have the advantage that a residual distance that can be covered with an existing supply of operating fluid can be precisely calculated. In particular, these have the advantage that fluctuations in the calculated residual distance are considerably reduced by the fact that predictions based on past fuel consumption measurements determine the future fuel consumption based on

Route sections can be used to calculate the remaining distance.

Of particular advantage is the possibility of implementing the invention in motor vehicles to be able to use existing resources such as a vehicle navigation device and an on-board computer, the invention being able to be implemented by slight adjustments / additions to the operating software of the resources mentioned, and thus with little effort.

Of particular advantage, because it can be implemented with little effort, is the possibility to determine average consumption values depending on the road class. All that is required for this is a determination of the location, a comparison with a stored map, from this the determination of the road class traveled and the determination of the current fuel consumption for the currently traveled road class.

A refinement of the residual distance calculation enables acquisition of vehicle speed and / or load-dependent average consumption values.

drawings

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail below.

Show it

FIG. 1A shows a block diagram of a first simple,

FIG. 1B a second preferred exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows an example of a situation on the basis of which the method according to the invention is explained, and

Figure 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the invention.

Description of the embodiments

Figure 1A shows a block diagram of a first simple

Embodiment of a device according to the invention, which is designed to carry out the method according to the invention.

A device group 20 of the device 10 according to the invention is connected to a first group of means 30, 40 for generating signals indicating the current location of the vehicle in which the device 10 is installed. Specifically, this is a receiver 30 for receiving signals emitted by satellites, preferably for receiving GPS (Global

Positioning System) satellites, which can be used to determine the current position of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is a distance meter 40 which detects, for example, pulses emitted by wheel sensors of an anti-lock braking system for vehicle brakes and determines a distance traveled from the number of pulses determined and a known wheel circumference.

In a preferred embodiment (Figure 1B)

Invention, the first group of sensors further comprises means for generating signals indicating the state of motion and the orientation of the vehicle with respect to the cardinal points. This is, for example, a rotation rate sensor 35, with the help of which is integrated the detected rate of rotation changes the orientation of the vehicle in which the device is installed with respect to the cardinal points is detected. Finally, it is a speedometer 45 which detects, for example, pulses emitted by wheel sensors of an anti-lock braking system for vehicle brakes and determines a vehicle speed from the number of pulses determined per unit of time and a known wheel circumference. In an advantageous development of the device 10 it is provided that speed and distance meters 45 and 40 access the same wheel sensors, in one case a number of pulses per unit of time, in the other case the absolute number of pulses for determining the corresponding variable to be determined speed or distance is evaluated.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the described first group of sensors 30, 35, 40, 45 is the sensor system of a vehicle navigation device known per se. These sensors 30, 35, 40, 45 and the controller 20 are also referred to below as fourth means in connection with a determination of a current vehicle position.

Furthermore, a second group of sensors 50 and 55 is connected to the controller 20, of which a first sensor 50, also referred to as first means 50, serves to determine an amount of fuel, in the case of a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, an amount of fuel contained in the vehicle tank , In the case of, for example, an electrically powered vehicle, the fuel quantity meter is provided, for example, for detecting a quantity of residual energy remaining in an accumulator. The second group of sensors further comprises second means in the form of a further sensor 55 for determining an outflow of fuel from the fuel supply, in the case of a fuel quantity supplied to the engine in the case of a vehicle operated by an internal combustion engine, and the strength of the electrical current supplied to an electric motor in the case of an electrically driven vehicle.

The second group of sensors is preferably a sensor of an on-board computer which is also known per se and which, according to the preferred embodiment, is installed in a vehicle together with the navigation device and is also connected to it for data exchange.

Furthermore, at least a first and a second memory 65 are connected to the controller 20.

The first memory 60 is a memory for a predetermined travel route to be covered and information describing the travel route in more detail. The information that describes the route in more detail is, for example, road classes, such as, for example, the freeway, federal, state, county road, inner-city road, inner-city road with tightened speed limits, etc., the different sections of the

Route are assigned. Furthermore, the first memory 60 is provided for storing lengths of the route sections of the route. Thus, in the first memory 60, each section of the entire route is assigned a street class and the length of the respective route section.

The second memory 65 is for storing situation-dependent consumables average values, in the case of the first simplest exemplary embodiment street-class-specific consumption averages.

In the case of the preferred extended exemplary embodiment (FIG. 1B), consisting of the connection of

Navigation device and on-board computer, a third memory 70 is connected to the controller 20, in which information from a country or road map, in particular traffic route information, such as information about motorways, federal, rural and district roads, as well as inner-city streets and at least local and Street names, stored in digital form. In the present exemplary embodiment, the third memory 70 is realized in the form of a CD-ROM drive with an inserted CD-ROM as a data carrier for the map information.

However, it can also be provided that the third memory 70 is implemented in the form of a ROM or RAM semiconductor memory. In the latter case of a RAM memory, the stored map information can be updated in a simple manner, for example via a radio link between the navigation device 10 and a control center or also by information transmitted by means of receivable radio signals.

Next is to the controller 20 of the device 10

Output unit 80 is connected, via which a residual distance that can be covered from the current vehicle location with the existing supply of operating materials along the predetermined travel route can be output in the form of an optical display and / or an acoustic output.

In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the output unit 80 is designed in the form of the output unit of the navigation device for displaying and / or acoustically outputting driving instructions. So be on this during the actual Driving instructions for the vehicle driver, for example in the form of a directional arrow for impending turns and one

Remaining distance display until the turning process is shown. As an alternative or in addition to the visual output of the driving instructions, an acoustic reproduction of driving instructions is provided, for example in the form "turn right after 100 meters." To generate the driving instructions, the controller 20 has a corresponding generator, not shown and known per se, in the If the driving instructions are output acoustically, for example in the form of a speech synthesizer for converting a driving instruction into intelligible language, the output unit 80 is also used to output further information and / or other information indicating the operating state of the vehicle or the device.

Finally, an input unit 75 with control elements, such as pushbuttons 77 or other input means, such as e.g. B. knobs, for entering a route to be traveled and this detailed information or, in the case of the preferred embodiment, a navigation destination, and for operating other functions of the device.

The controller 20, also referred to as the computer 20, is designed with regard to the present invention for determining an average fuel consumption per distance traveled from the signals of the

Fuel flow rate sensor 55 and the odometer 40, for linking the determined average fuel consumption per distance unit with a road class driven during the consumption determination taking into account the stored route and the road classes assigned to the route sections, and the position signals of the GPS receiver 30, and for determining the remaining distance that can be covered with an existing supply of fuel along a given route from the known supply of fuel, the average fuel consumption determined for road classes, and the length the sections of the route to be traveled from the vehicle location and the

Road classes assigned to route sections.

The controller 20 thus forms, together with the fuel flow meter 55, third means for determining average consumption values.

The mode of operation of the described device is explained below using the example of the preferred exemplary embodiment, according to which the device essentially consists of a combination of a navigation device known per se with an on-board computer also known per se, with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 3.

When the device is switched on, the sensors 30, 35, 40, 45 namely the GPS receiver 30, the rotation rate sensor 35, the odometer 40 and the speedometer 45 provide information about the state of motion, the orientation and the current position of the vehicle in which the device 10 is operated. The navigation computer of the navigation device, as part of the device, calculates the current vehicle position from the signals from the sensors 35, 40 and 45 and from the satellite receiver 30. If necessary, this is compared with the map information stored in the third memory 70 in the sense of a Corrected plausibility check. This method is generally known under the term "map matching".

Subsequently, or immediately after switching on the device, i.e. simultaneously with the position determination, the driver or driver enters a destination or navigation destination, for example in a known manner by entering the location and street name of the navigation destination letter by letter and / or by selecting them from a destination list the input unit 75. Alternatively, the destination can also be provided in the form of a marking of the navigation destination on a map shown on the output unit 80 by means of a controllable cursor or by entering a number, for example a telephone number, which is clearly assigned to the navigation destination.

After entering the driving or navigation destination and determining the current vehicle location, this is done automatically or at the explicit request of the driver

Navigation computer of the controller 20 a route calculation from the current vehicle location to the user-defined destination, that is to say the navigation destination with the aid of the map information stored in the third memory 70. The calculated route is then stored in the first memory 60 together with information identifying route sections that are closer to the route, such as the respective road class and the length of each route section.

In the simple exemplary embodiment described, it can instead be provided that the information about the travel route and the information characterizing the route sections is entered by the vehicle driver, for example via the control unit 75, and is finally stored in the first memory 60. Another input option can be provided, for example, in the form of driving the route with an emitting means, such as a so-called light pen or a controllable cursor, on a map shown on the output unit 80, the lengths and road classes of the route sections being read from the map, that is to say the third, memory 70 and stored in the first memory together with the route sections.

Then, that is to say after the route has been stored in the first memory 60, the sequence in FIG. 3 begins with step 105.

In step 110, the controller reads in and determines the information from the first group of sensors 30, 35, 40 and 45, taking into account, if appropriate

Map information for correction, as described above, the current vehicle position (step 115). By subsequently comparing the current vehicle position with the stored route, the section of the route currently being traveled and the one assigned to it

Street class determined (step 120). Then the

Signals of the fuel quantity flow meter 55 are read in and from this and from the signals of the odometer 40 the current fuel consumption V _k for the currently traveled road class k is determined (step 125). An average fuel consumption value V _k, stored in the second memory 65, for that currently being used

Street class is recalculated, preferably in the form of a moving average, for example according to the relationship V _knu = p - V _{k ah} + (1- p) V _k , with 0 <p <\ (step

130) and stored in the second memory 65 (step 135).

Then the first counter 1, which can only take positive integer values, is reset to the value 1 and a total value S to the value 0 (step 140). The information from the first group of sensors 30 to 45 is then read out again (step 145) and the current vehicle position is determined therefrom (step 150).

The length D. of the i-th section of the stored route following the current vehicle location, that is to say the length D of the route section on which the current vehicle location is located, is read out from the first memory 60 (step 155). In the case of section D immediately following the current vehicle position, its length is reduced by the distance of the section that has already been covered. Furthermore, the average consumption value V assigned to the current route section i, that is to say the first

Pass V read out from the second memory 65 (step 155).

The total value S is then increased by the product of the average consumption value V _{t of} the i-th route section and its length, or in the case of i = 1 its remaining length, Z (step 160). The new total value is thus 5 _; = S, _, + V. • D_, where S _{0 was set to 0} in step 145.

A check is then carried out to determine whether the sum S calculated in step 160 is smaller than that determined with the sensor 50

There is a supply of fuel (step 165). If this is the case, it is checked whether the destination is at the end of the i-th route section (step 190). If this is the case, there is a corresponding output, for example with the content “target lies within the remaining distance that can be reached with the supply of fuel” (step 195), from which the sequence goes back to step 110, that is to say the determination of further average consumption values. If the destination is not at the end of the i-th route section, the counter i is incremented by one unit, that is to say by the value 1 (step 200), and the sequence moves to step 155, in which the values V. and D, can be read out from the second and first memories 65 and 60 for the next route section.

If it is determined in step 165 that the sum S is not less than the fuel supply amount, the sum of the added thereto in step 160 value decreases (S, = S _l _ - V. ^■ D.) (step 170), and then those that can still be covered with the existing supply of fuel

Residual distance R according to the relationship R

calculated (step 175). The remaining distance which can be covered is then output, for example with the content “residual distance R”, for example in the form of a display on the output unit 80 (step 180). Finally, the process proceeds to step 110, that is to say that further average consumption values are determined.

The formula symbols used mean:

S _t {S. ⁼ _ _j V _j - D _j ): In order to cover the amount of fuel that is required in the route following the = 1 current vehicle location, it is determined iteratively in the exemplary embodiment described

V.: Average consumption value for an i-th section of the route D.: Length of an i-th section of the route; for i = l, if the vehicle location is within the i-th route section, the remaining length of the i-th route section lying in the direction of travel '- ⁱ T - S

R (R = 2_. D _/ ^~ \ - '^"'): residual distance with the

existing fuel supply can be put back T: fuel supply, for internal combustion engine tank capacity i, j: integer counting variables

In parallel to the calculation of the distance that can be covered, the navigation device contained in the preferred embodiment of the device guides the vehicle driver from the current vehicle location along the calculated route using visual and / or acoustic driving instructions, for example with the content “turn right at the next intersection”, to the navigation destination.

The mode of operation of the device according to the invention and of the method according to the invention finally becomes

Clarification described again using a specific example (Figure 2).

The route 250 calculated and still to be covered by the navigation device comprises, for example, 7 route sections 255, 260, 265, 270, 275, 280, 285. The navigation and thus also route destination 253 is located at the end of the seventh route section 285, the current vehicle location 252 in first route section, a first section 257 of the first route section 255 having already been covered, a second section 258 of the first route section still to be covered. The first route section 255 is a freeway section for which a first average consumption value V _] of, for example, 11 liters of fuel was determined at a distance of 100 km. The second and fourth sections 260 and 270 are, for example, federal highways with determined average consumption values of, for example, V ₂ = V ₄ = 91 / 100km. The third and fifth sections 265 and 275 are, for example, ordinary local passages with a permissible maximum speed of 50 km / h, the sixth section 280 a country road section with a speed limit of 80 km / h and, the seventh section 285 an inner-city speed 30 zone.

The data stored in the second memory 65 for the route sections are

i D, [km] v, [l / 100km]

1 100 11

2 10 9

3 2 13

4 15 9

5 3 13

6 10 8

7 3 12

In the case of a motor vehicle with a gasoline internal combustion engine, the current supply of fuel is 20 liters (1).

If the calculation of the residual distance is now started in this situation, the current vehicle position is determined in steps 145 and 150 after initialization (steps 105 to 140), which is assumed to be complete. In step 155, the length of the first route section 255, minus the already traveled first section 257, that is to say the value D _] = 100 km, is read into the controller 20. Likewise, the average consumption value V _l = 11.01 / 100 km assigned to this first route section 255 is read into the controller 20. From this, the sum S is calculated according to the relationship 5, = S, _, + V_ ^■ D. with i = 1 to 5, = 11.01. Since 11.01 <201 (step 165) and the destination is not at the end of the first section (step 190), the counting variable i is incremented by "1" so that i = 2. Then in step 155 the values D ₁ and V ₂ from the first and second memories 60 and 65 become Then the sum S becomes S, = 11.01 + 10km *

91 / 100km = 10.91 calculated. The process continues analogously to section 285 where, since the destination lies within the range of the vehicle (S ₇ = 14.961 <T = 201), it is determined in step 190 that the destination lies at the end of the now current seventh route section 285. This is followed by a corresponding output in step 195, which indicates that the target can be reached with the existing supply of operating material, and the process finally goes back to step 110.

For example, if the fuel supply in the situation shown is only T = 13.0 liters, the fourth iteration (i = 4) of the calculation in step 165 determines that 5 ₄ = 13.511> 13.01, followed by the sum in step 170 Is reduced by 5 "by D ₄ - V ₄ to 12.161. Then the remaining distance becomes

³ T - SR = ∑D, + - = - = H2km + (13.01 - 12, 161) / 9l / 100km, so too

R = 121.3km is calculated. In step 180, the remaining distance is then displayed either as a numerical value or, for example, as a marking on a road map displayed on the output unit 80, whereupon the sequence again goes to step 110.

It is in the sense of the invention that the average consumption values stored in the second memory 65 are continuously updated, and that, in addition, by continuously returning to step 110, average consumption values are determined for all road classes traveled in the course of the route. To calculate the residual distance, it is advantageous if, as in the present exemplary embodiment, the consumption mean values remain stored even after the device has been switched off, so that mean consumption values are available for a new residual distance calculation immediately after starting a new journey.

In contrast, however, it can also be advantageous if the average consumption values determined in normal operation, for example when the vehicle is heavily loaded, which can be determined, for example, by sensors arranged in the wheel suspension, are deleted when starting to drive, since they are not applicable to a heavy load on the vehicle , This avoids an inaccurately high residual distance display, which would result from the old average consumption values assumed to be too low.

Furthermore, it can also be provided that in the second store 65 different loading and / or

Average load values for the various road classes are stored. For example, average consumption values for all road classes could be 1. for an unloaded vehicle, 2. for a partially loaded vehicle,

3. be determined and stored for a fully loaded vehicle. Furthermore, it can also be provided that further sets of average consumption values dependent on the road class are stored, for example as a function of an upward and / or downward gradient of a section of the route.

In contrast, in alternative embodiments it can be provided that the average consumption values do not depend on a specific road class, but instead For example, as a function of a maximum permissible driving speed assigned to a section of the route, which may be contained, for example, in the information stored in the map stored in the third memory 70, whereby in the case of, for example, motorways without speed limitation, a target speed of, for example, 150 km / h is assumed as the maximum speed , For this purpose, the average consumption values during driving operation become certain distinctive speed values, for example for the

Values 30km / h, 50km / h, 80km / h, 100km / h, 120km / h and 150km / h determined and stored in the second memory 65.

Likewise, the average consumption values can also be determined as a function of a speed actually driven on a specific route section or also as a function of a traffic load that is customary or actually exists for a route section, for example information about traffic congestion, for example by a service provider via a mobile radio connection to the device installed in the vehicle sent, or for example in the form of radio signals transmitted according to the RDS-TMC (Radio Data System Traffic Message Channel) standard in the form of coded information can be evaluated via a suitable vehicle-side receiver.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method for determining a residual distance that can be covered with a motor vehicle with a predetermined supply of operating material, the quantity with the operating material supply quantity and a determined operating material consumption

The remaining distance that can be covered is determined, that situation-dependent consumption mean values (V _k ) are determined (110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135), that a current vehicle position is determined (145, 150), and that from the quantity of fuel { T), the average consumption values (V _k ), the current vehicle position, a stored route (250) to be traveled and route-specific information, the remaining distance (R) that can be covered is determined.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the average consumption values (V _k ) are determined as a function of the vehicle speed.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the average consumption values (V _k ) are determined as a function of the road class of the roads traveled.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average consumption values (V _k ) in

Dependence of a traffic load can be determined.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the route-specific information on sections of the route are mobile average speeds.

6. Arrangement for determining a residual distance that can be covered with a motor vehicle with a predetermined supply of operating material, with first means for determining an amount of the operating material supply, second means for determining an operating material consumption and a computer for determining a remaining distance that can be covered from the determined operating material consumption and the operating material supply quantity, characterized by third means (55, 30, 45) for determining situation-dependent average consumption values (V _k ), fourth means (30, 35, 40, 45) for determining a current vehicle position, a first memory (60) for a distance to be covered

Route (250) and route-specific information and training of the computer (20) for determining the distance that can be covered (R) from the determined

Average consumption values (V _k ) based on the current

Vehicle location to be traveled route (250) and the route-specific information.