Tomtom Global Content B.v.

Other

Tom Tom International B.v.

Tomtom Navigation B.v.

Tomtom Germany Gmbh & Co. Kg

Tomtom Belgium N.v.

Stephen T'Siobbel

Edwin Bastiaensen

Volker Hiestermann

Robert Joannes Van Essen

Probe data collected at times of low traffic density is analyzed to derive a Raw Road Design Speed Limit (RRDSL,) for each road segment or group of segments in a digital map. The RRDSL (), comprised of longitudinally distributed speeds, is associated with the road segment and stored in a digital medium to indicate the limits of the road section in free flow traffic. The longitudinally distributed speeds may be limited by local speed limits or other business logic to establish a Legal Raw Road Design Speed Limit (LRRDSL,). Either the RRDSL () or the LRRDSL () can be further modified to smooth acceleration and deceleration rates between changes in the longitudinally distributed speeds to create an Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile (OLSP,), which represents optimized energy consumption. A signal can be produced if a driver's current speed rises unacceptably above a longitudinally distributed speed in real time. The signal can be audible, visible and/or haptic. Real-time traffic density information can be inferred by comparing current speed data to the longitudinally distributed speed for that position. If the current speed is consistently lower than the longitudinally distributed speed for that position, an inference is drawn that the road section is inefficient. Road efficiency assessments can be transmitted to a service center and/or other vehicles, and used by navigation software.

Method for creating speed profiles for digital maps

Lane speed profiles are determined for each of a plurality of individual lanes of a multi-lane road section. The plurality of individual lanes are lanes for a given direction of travel. The lane speed profiles are determined using real-time vehicle probe data. The speed profiles are used to determine a timing for provide an instruction to a user of a navigation apparatus to change lane. The timing may be determined to provide a quickest route through at least a part of the road section, to increase the time available for the user to perform the lane change, or to enable a user to pass an incident affecting a lane most quickly.

Navigation methods and systems

The invention relates to a positioning device (PD) arranged to determine a position using an absolute positioning system and a relative positioning system. The positioning device is arranged to work in a first mode, in which the position is determined using the absolute positioning system and possibly the relative positioning system, and in a second mode, in which the position is determined using the relative positioning system and possibly the absolute positioning system. In the first mode the absolute positioning system being weighted more heavily than in the second mode and the positioning device is arranged to switch from the first to the second mode. The positioning device (PD) has access to a digital map database (DMD, 3DMD) and the switch from the first to the second mode is decided based on at least the determined position in combination with information stored in the digital map database (DMD, 3DMD).

Positioning device, method and program with absolute positioning and relative positioning modes

Probe data is analyzed to derive Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) and an Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile () for each road segment or link in a digital map network. The Longitudinal Speed Profiles (LSPs) profiles are calculated during defined time spans whereas the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile () is based on the LSP for the time span corresponding only to free flow traffic conditions. All of the LSPs can used to create a respective energy cost for each time span, or only the OLSP () can be used (or alternatively the RRDSLor LRRDSL) to calculate an energy cost for the free flow conditions only. The energy cost can be used to predict the energy required by a vehicle to traverse the link. Navigation software can use the energy cost to plan the most energy efficient route between two locations in the digital map. Sensory signals can be activated if a driver strays from the Optimal Longitudinal Speed Profile () to achieve extremely high levels of energy efficiency.

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Merelbeke, Belgium

Stephen T'Siobbel