Method and devices for specifying an operating strategy profile

Abstract

A method and a device for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a motor vehicle, and a method and a central database device for specifying a global geo-referenced operating strategy profile with regard to a driving route are provided. The following steps are executed: transmitting driving route data that characterize a scheduled driving route for an upcoming journey of the vehicle to a central database device; receiving operating strategy data from the central database device, which data characterize a proposed geo-referenced global operating strategy profile defined with respect to the driving route for the operation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route; sensor-based acquisition of operating data that characterize an operating status and/or a driving situation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route, and determining a local operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle during its continued journey on the driving route on the basis of the acquired operating data; specification of an operating strategy profile to be applied for the operation of the vehicle on the basis of the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile; and application of the specified operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle on the driving route.

Claims

1. A method for specifying an operating strategy profile for operation of a vehicle, which is implementable in the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: transmitting driving route data that characterize a scheduled driving route for an upcoming journey of the vehicle to a central database device; receiving operating strategy data from the central database device, which operating strategy data characterize a proposed geo-referenced global operating strategy profile defined with respect to an entirety of the driving route for the operation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route; acquiring, via sensors, operating data, which characterize at least one of an operating status and a driving situation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route, and determining a local operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle during its continued journey on the driving route on the basis of the acquired operating data; selecting between the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile as an operating strategy profile to be applied for the operation of the vehicle during its continued journey on the driving route; and applying the selected operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle on the driving route.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected operating strategy profile is selected based on a selection criterion.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selection criterion is based on an optimization of one of the following or a combination of at least two of the following: energy consumption of the vehicle; power of the vehicle; comfort of vehicle occupants; vehicle safety; and a cost function into which the operating strategy data of the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile are entered.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operating strategy profile to be applied is adjusted using at least one predetermined route-independent operating strategy limit.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selection criterion is based on an optimization of energy consumption of the vehicle, power of the vehicle, and at least one of the following: comfort of vehicle occupants; vehicle safety; and a cost function into which the operating strategy data of the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile are entered.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating strategy profile to be applied is specified by combination of the global with the local operating strategy profile using one of the following procedures or a combination of at least two of the following: averaging of operating strategy data of the global and local operating strategy profile; section-by-section selection of either the global or local operating strategy profile for a particular section of the operating strategy profile; and adapting, in particular limiting, the global operating strategy profile on the basis of the local operating strategy profile.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an energy management of one or more electrical consumers on the vehicle is performed in accordance with the operating strategy profile to be applied.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating strategy data that characterize the applied operating strategy profile are transmitted to the central database device along with a position of the vehicle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected operating strategy profile is applied based on an average of operating strategy data of the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile.

10. A device for specifying an operating strategy profile for operation of a vehicle, comprising: a control device in the vehicle, which control device is configured to execute a process of: transmitting driving route data that characterize a scheduled driving route for an upcoming journey of the vehicle to a central database device; receiving operating strategy data from the central database device, which operating strategy data characterize a proposed geo-referenced global operating strategy profile defined with respect to an entirety of the driving route for the operation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route; acquiring, via sensors, operating data, which characterize at least one of an operating status and a driving situation of the vehicle during its journey on the driving route, and determining a local operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle during its continued journey on the driving route on the basis of the acquired operating data; selecting between the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile as an operating strategy profile to be applied for the operation of the vehicle during its continued journey on the driving route; and applying the selected operating strategy profile for the operation of the vehicle on the driving route.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising a control device as claimed in claim 10.

12. A method for specifying a global geo-referenced operating strategy profile with respect to a driving route, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a vehicle, (i) positions of the vehicle along a driving route driven by the vehicle or driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle, and one or both of (ii) operating data that characterize an operating status of the vehicle or a driving situation during its journey on the driving route, and (iii) operating strategy data that characterize an operating strategy profile of the vehicle applied during its journey on the driving route, from a central database; specifying a global operating strategy profile for an entirety of the driving route on the basis of the received positions of the vehicle or of the route data, and at least one of the operating data and the operating strategy data; receiving, from at least one additional vehicle, driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle; transmitting the specified global operating strategy profile to the at least one additional vehicle, iteratively executing the method, by virtue of at least one of operating data that characterize an operating status of the at least one additional vehicle or a driving situation during the journey of the at least one additional vehicle on the driving route, operating strategy data that characterize an operating strategy profile of the at least one other vehicle applied during its journey on the driving route, being received from the central database device and by the global operating strategy profile for this route being specified afresh on the basis of the operating data, and the operating strategy data for the route being driven as well as the previously identified global operating strategy.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the specified global operating strategy profile is stored as a component of an electronic navigation map.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of the received operating data and the operating strategy data contain a parameter that characterizes a vehicle class of the transmitting vehicle, and the global operating strategy profile is specified depending on the vehicle class.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein in the iterative execution of the method, differences between at least one of an operating strategy profile that is obtained from the received operating data of the additional vehicle and the operating strategy profile applied on the one hand, and the previously specified global operating strategy profile on the other hand, are classified and the global operating strategy profile is specified under consideration of the classified differences.

16. A central database device, comprising a server with a database, which is configured to execute the process of: receiving, from a vehicle, at least one of (i) positions of the vehicle along a driving route driven by the vehicle or driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle, (ii) operating data that characterize an operating status of the vehicle or a driving situation during its journey on the driving route, and (iii) operating strategy data that characterize an operating strategy profile of the vehicle applied during its journey on the driving route, from a central database; specifying a global operating strategy profile for this driving route on the basis of the received positions of the vehicle or of the route data and at least one of the operating data and the operating strategy data; receiving, from at least one additional vehicle, driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle; transmitting the specified global operating strategy profile to the at least one additional vehicle, iteratively executing the method, by virtue of at least one of operating data that characterize an operating status of the at least one additional vehicle or a driving situation during the journey of the at least one additional vehicle on the driving route, and operating strategy data that characterize an operating strategy profile of the at least one other vehicle applied during its journey on the driving route, being received from the central database device and by the global operating strategy profile for this route being specified afresh on the basis of at least one of the operating data and the operating strategy data for the route being driven as well as the previously identified global operating strategy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a vehicle, which can be executed in the vehicle.

(2) FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for specifying a global operating strategy profile.

(3) FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a central database device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method 100 for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a vehicle, which can be executed in the relevant vehicle.

(5) In one method step S1, for example via a wireless communication link, driving route data are transmitted from the vehicle to a central database device. Preferably, these route data characterize a driving route, which is currently being driven or will be driven by the vehicle in the near future. In particular, the driving route data can also characterize a section of the route on the route ahead of the vehicle. Alternatively or in addition, the route data can also contain a current position of the vehicle, acquired in particular by means of sensors, on the basis of which it is possible to determine, in particular using the central database device, on which driving route the vehicle is currently located, in particular in or before which section of the route. This can be carried out using an electronic navigation map, for instance.

(6) The central database device is preferably configured to determine, for instance to load from a memory device, a global operating strategy profile as a function of the transmitted driving route data and/or the current position of the vehicle, in accordance with which the vehicle can be advantageously operated on the route, in particular a section of the route.

(7) Since the operating strategy profile determined depends on the driving route data and/or the position of the vehicle, in this context it is also referred to as a geo-referenced operating strategy profile.

(8) In a further method step S2, operating strategy data that characterize the geo-referenced global operating strategy profile are transmitted to the vehicle from the central database device. The geo-referenced global operating strategy profile preferably forms a recommended operating strategy profile for the vehicle in relation to the driving route being driven or to be driven by the vehicle, which particularly in relation to one or more operating parameters of the vehicle can correspond to an optimized operating strategy profile, and which in a preferred manner is based on an evaluation of operating data from a plurality of vehicles on this driving route.

(9) In a still further step S3, operating data that characterize an operating state and/or a driving situation of the vehicle during its journey on the route are acquired by use of sensors. An operating state can be characterized by a load, a speed, an acceleration, a power output, an engine speed and/or by other operating parameters, in particular ones that can be read out from an engine control unit of the vehicle. An operating state can be obtained in particular from a driving style of the driver of the vehicle. A driving situation can be characterized by the vehicle's surroundings, such as a traffic situation, a composition of a road surface, weather conditions and/or the like. Both the operating state and the driving situation can change depending on the driver, current position of the vehicle and/or the time at which the route is driven, and they therefore form variable boundary conditions for the operation of the vehicle.

(10) Also included in method step S3, on the basis of the operating data, in particular a resulting operational status and/or any resulting driving situation, a local operating strategy profile is determined for the operation of the vehicle on the driving route, in particular in a section of the route currently being driven and/or located ahead of the vehicle.

(11) In contrast to the global operating strategy profile, which preferably already exists for the entire route, in particular for all sections on the route, and preferably enables an operation of the vehicle that is optimized in relation to a plurality of operating strategies, such as an energy-saving and at the same time dynamic operation, the local operating strategy profile in general only exists for the section of the route currently being driven and preferably takes account of currently existing boundary conditions, in particular those changing rapidly, for the operation of the vehicle.

(12) Therefore, using the global operating strategy profile the vehicle can be operated in a particularly predictive manner, i.e. the current operation of the vehicle can be adapted to a future operation of the vehicle, such as a still distant section of the driving route, while by means of the local operating strategy profile the vehicle can be operated in a very flexible way, i.e. optimally adapted to the currently prevailing conditions.

(13) In a still further step S4, on the basis of the global operating strategy profile and of the local operating strategy profile, an operating strategy profile to be applied is determined, for example by selecting from the global or local operating strategy profile or by a combination of the global and local operating strategy profiles. Preferably, the operating strategy profile to be applied has properties of both the global and the local operating strategy profile, i.e. operating strategy data which characterize the operating strategy profile to be applied, preferably contain both operational strategy data of both the global operating strategy profile and the local operating strategy profile. As a result, the operating strategy profile to be applied can enable both a predictive as well as a flexible operation of the vehicle.

(14) In a still further step S5, the vehicle is finally operated in accordance with the operating strategy profile to be applied that was determined in step S4.

(15) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a method 200 for specifying a global operating strategy profile, in particular for a central database device.

(16) In a specification step F1, positions of a vehicle along a route being driven by the vehicle, or driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle, are transmitted from the vehicle to a central database device. In the same step operating data that characterize an operating status of the vehicle or a driving situation during its journey on the driving route, and from which an operating strategy profile can be determined in accordance with which the vehicle has been operated when driving on the route, are also transmitted from the vehicle to the central database device. Alternatively or additionally, operating strategy data that characterize the operating strategy profile applied while driving the vehicle on the route, can also be transmitted directly.

(17) From these operating data and/or operating strategy data, in a further step F2, a global operating strategy profile is specified for the journey of the vehicle on the driving route characterized by the transmitted positions of the vehicle or the route data. Preferably, the specified global operating strategy profile is linked to the transmitted positions of the vehicle, in particular with sections being linked to sections of the route. As a result, a geo-referenced global operating strategy profile can be formed.

(18) In a further specification step F3, the central database device receives driving route data that characterize the route driven by the vehicle and are sent from another vehicle, which is also driving on the route driven by the vehicle. If applicable, alternatively or in addition to the route data, the current position of the other vehicle can also be transmitted to the central database device, so that the driving route currently being driven by the other vehicle and already driven by the vehicle can be identified, in particular by the central database device and possibly taking into account an electronic navigation map.

(19) In a further specification step F4, the previously determined global operating strategy profile is transmitted to the other vehicle, which is or can be then operated on the route or at least a section of the route, at least taking account of the global operating strategy transmitted. This allows the other vehicle to benefit from the operating data or operating strategy data of the vehicle previously driven on the driving route, collected in the central database device in the form of the global operating strategy profile, for example by using the operating strategy profile applied by the other vehicle and preferably based at least partially on the global operating strategy profile, to enable a predictive operation of the vehicle.

(20) In a further specification step F5, operating data that characterize an operating status of the vehicle and/or a driving situation of the other vehicle along or on the route currently driven by the other vehicle and already driven by the vehicle, are transmitted by the other vehicle back to the central database device. Alternatively or in addition, operating strategy data that characterize the operating strategy profile applied by the other vehicle during its journey on the driving route are also transmitted.

(21) The method 200 is then continued with the second specification step F2, wherein the global operating strategy profile is now specified on the basis of the latest operating data and/or operating strategy data transmitted by the other vehicle. Starting from the second specification step F2, the method 200 can then be executed iteratively.

(22) Since the operating data and/or operating strategy data transmitted by the other vehicle is at least partially based on the previously specified global operating strategy profile transmitted to the other vehicle, or the operating data and/or operating strategy data transmitted by the additional vehicle at least partially depend on the previously specified global operating strategy profile transmitted to the additional vehicle, the global operating strategy profile now specified afresh in the iteration in the second definition step F2 differs from the previously specified global operating strategy profile. In particular, the previously specified global operating strategy profile can be modified, in particular adapted, taking into account the operating data and/or operating strategy data transmitted from the additional vehicle.

(23) This is illustrated based on the following example:

(24) If the vehicle drives along the route, for instance without taking account of an operating strategy profile, the energy consumption of the vehicle can be suboptimal. On the basis of the operating data transmitted from the vehicle, in particular the energy consumption along the route, a global operating strategy profile for reducing the energy consumption can be specified. Another vehicle on the same route, which is operated in accordance with the global operating strategy profile, will therefore consume less energy, since it may be able to anticipate acceleration and/or braking operations. The operating data of the other vehicle transmitted to the central database device in this process can be used to further optimize the global operating strategy profile. This is possible in particular, since it is now known how, for example, the adaptation of the driving behavior of the other vehicle due to the global operating strategy profile impacts on the energy consumption.

(25) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a central database device 1 with a memory device 2 and a processing device 3, wherein the central database device 1 has a wireless communication link to a vehicle fleet 4.

(26) The vehicles in the vehicle fleet 4 transmit operating data, such as their energy consumption, their engine speed, a pedal position of the gas pedal and/or the like, to the central database device 1 when driving along a route. By means of the processing device 3 an average value can be formed for each of the different operating parameters from the operating data. In particular, by means of the processing device 3, a difference between a value of an operating parameter contained in the operating data and the corresponding calculated average value is determined and classified. In particular, for instance a fuel consumption can be classified as slightly, moderately or far above or below the average fuel consumption on the route.

(27) The values of the operating parameters within the classes formed in this way are preferably averaged and stored in the memory device 2, preferably in conjunction with an electronic navigation map, for example as an additional map layer. Depending on the different classes and/or classified average values, a global operating strategy profile can be defined.

(28) The global operating strategy profile can be defined both in relation to individual operating parameters contained in the operating data and by taking into account a plurality of operating parameters contained in the operating data. In particular, the operating data can be characterized by a traffic situation, weather conditions, a road surface composition or the operation of the vehicle in a driver assistance mode, for example with an activated speed control, so that the specified global operating strategy profile preferably depends on these operating parameters contained in the operational data.

(29) A device 6 for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a vehicle 5 is preferably configured to determine a local operating strategy profile on the basis of operating data that characterize an operating status and/or a driving situation of the vehicle 5 during its journey on the driving route. The local operating strategy profile is defined under consideration of local conditions and/or boundary conditions which affect the operation of the vehicle 5 on the route.

(30) If the vehicle 5 transmits driving route data to the central database device 1 that characterize the route for which the vehicle fleet 4 has already transmitted operating data, the accordingly specified global operating strategy profile can be loaded from the memory device 2 and transferred back to the vehicle 5. In the device 6 for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a vehicle 5, the global operating strategy profile transmitted is processed together with the specified local operating strategy profile, in particular a selection is made between the global and the local operating strategy profile or the local operating strategy profile is combined with the global, which results in an operating strategy profile to be applied. The operating strategy profile to be applied allows the best possible operating strategy to be applied at any point in time or on each section of the route. In particular, the on-board electrical system is controlled in a location-based and predictive manner. It may also be possible to activate or respectively to initiate or deactivate energy recuperation, load point displacements or electrical consumers, depending on location and predictively.

(31) This is explained in more detail in the following example:

(32) Usually, a driver must release the gas pedal to activate energy recuperation. If the operating strategy profile to be applied is based at least partially on the global operating strategy profile however, according to which the vehicle should be operated in an energy saving manner, then if appropriate the recuperation can be initiated shortly before a slope, for example, regardless of the position of the gas pedal. Similarly, this can also be carried out if the operating strategy profile to be applied is based at least partly on the local operating strategy profile, according to which the vehicle is to be operated in a particularly energy-saving manner. This energy recuperation can also be initiated irrespective of the position of the accelerator pedal, for example if an existing traffic situation makes a deceleration of the vehicle necessary.

(33) When an internal combustion engine is operated in overrun mode, the load point shifts towards a significantly higher efficiency. Depending on the operating strategy profile to be applied, if necessary all electrical consumers on the vehicle can be activated, in particular if the increase of the efficiency of the internal combustion engine compensates for the electrical energy demand of the consumers.

(34) In this way, the vehicle can be operated particularly efficiently on the basis of the specified operating strategy profile to be applied, wherein for instance, the fuel consumption and CO.sub.2 emissions can be reduced.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(35) 1 central database device 2 memory device 3 processing device 4 vehicle fleet 5 vehicle 6 device for specifying an operating strategy profile 100 method for specifying an operating strategy profile for the operation of a vehicle 200 method for specifying a global geo-referenced operating strategy profile with respect to a driving route S1-S5 method steps F1-F5 specification steps

(36) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.