WO2014168556A1

WO2014168556A1 - Navigation in accordance with permitted driving times

Info

Publication number: WO2014168556A1
Application number: PCT/SE2014/050394
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonas Norberg; Adeliina AHO TARKKA; Jonny Johansson; Anders Wikman; Kalle Fagerberg
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab
Priority date: 2013-04-08
Filing date: 2014-04-03
Publication date: 2014-10-16
Also published as: DE112014001209T5; SE1350430A1; SE537930C2

Abstract

Method (400) and navigation unit (120) for planning a route and itinerary (210, 220) for a vehicle (100). The method (400) includes reception (401) of the driving time remaining until the driver's next driving break from a drive time calculating unit (110) in the vehicle (100), specification (403) of an itinerary (210, 220) enabling the vehicle's final destination (250) to be reached in the remaining driving time received (401) or, where this is not possible, specification (404) of an itinerary (210, 220) including at least one planned driving break location (230, 240) along the route (210, 220), sited so as to reach the final destination (250) in as short a time as possible, and presentation (405) of the stipulated (403, 404) itinerary (210, 220) to the driver of the vehicle.

Description

NAVIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH PERMITTED DRIVING Tl IVIES

TECHNICAL DOIVIA N

The invention relates to a method and navigation unit associated with a vehicle. To be more precise, the invention specifies a mechanism for planning the vehicle's route and itinerary.

BACKGROUND

When planning a vehicle's route and itinerary, as when driving and navigating the vehicle, the driver can access a navigation system. Before a journey is started using the vehicle, a route to the final destination of the journey can be loaded into the navigation system. When driving, the driver then just has to follow the driving instructions given by the navigation system, reducing problems with navigational errors. Vehicle in this context, for example, refers to a lorry, articulated truck, pickup, delivery van, truck, camper van, maintenance vehicle, passenger car, emergency vehicle, boat, van, four-wheeler, forest tractor, forwarder, excavator, passenger car, automobile, crane lorry, tanker, motorcycle, wheel loader, moped, motor scooter, limousine, saloon, sedan, racing car, radio patrol car, mobile unit, iawnmower, tank, armoured car, snowmobile, weasel, jeep, tracked vehicle, tractor, gokart, bus, coach, combine harvester, agricultural machine, amphibious craft, boat, ferry, cruise liner, submarine, aeroplane, helicopter or other similar engine-powered or motorized means of transport, manned or unmanned, adapted to land, sea or air-based geographical transportation. Driving some of these vehicles is sometimes subject to regulations in the form of a maximum permitted driving time since the previous driving break, the daily rest period (every 24 hours) and suchlike. These regulations can vary in different countries/regions as well as for different types of vehicle. An example of such a regulated driving time is when the driver is permitted to drive for 4 hours and 30 minutes and then has to take 45 minutes' break.

As a result, once the maximum permitted driving time since the preceding driving break has been reached, the driver is forced to stop for a break/rest during the period stipulated.

The driving time is often monitored by a tachograph. This can continuously record speed as well as driving and resting times. Some tachographs include a computer memory in the tachograph together with a driver's card in the form of a smart card. This is sometimes called a digital tachograph. Violating the regulated driving time is a punishable offence and may result in the driver being fined, in addition authorities are entitled to inspect the in-vehicle printer and can then exact fines if the regulations prove to have been infringed by the driver in any respect

This can lead to the driver being forced to take a last-minute break by stopping the vehicle, e.g. in a parking bay or lay-by along the road, when the permitted driving time is up, in order to avoid fines, only to stop again a short while later perhaps when the journey has been resumed in order to refuel or eat lunch at a filling station or restaurant en route.

Apart from the time loss incurred and the possibly highly uninspiring break environment to which the driver is exposed during such a last-minute break, this can lead to safety risks when, for instance, an articulated lorry parked at the roadside can obscure the view for other road users or cause a near-accident when entering or exiting a verge or hard shoulder. if, in order to avoid this, the driver makes a safety stop at a restaurant after, say, three and a quarter hours' driving since the previous driving break, the situation described above will certainly be avoided by taking a last-minute break, but this will lead instead to underutiiization of the vehicle in relation to the available driving time, which can be expensive and result in a delay to delivery. An additional problem for the driver is that during the journey various types of unforeseen events can occur along the predetermined route, for example traffic accidents, checks and controls by the authorities, formation of queues, slippery road conditions, impaired visibility etc., making the original planning of the journey including any planned breaks no longer correct or suitable. it is worth noting that there still remains much to be done to facilitate itinerary planning for vehicles.

SUMMARY it is therefore an aim of this invention to make it possible to plan a route and itinerary for a vehicle in order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems and thus achieve an improvement to the vehicle. This applies particularly perhaps when the itinerary extends over several days in order for the driver to be able to exploit his driving times to the full and hence reach his destination as early as possible.

According to a first aspect of the invention this aim is achieved by a method for planning the route for a vehicle. The method includes receiving the driving time remaining until the drivers next driving break from a drive time calculating unit in the vehicle. In addition the method includes specifying an itinerary that enables the vehicle's final destination to be reached in the remaining driving time received. In the event that this is not possible, the method includes specifying an itinerary including at least one planned driving break location along the route, siting the driving break location so as to reach the final destination in as short a time as possible. The specified itinerary is then presented to the vehicle's driver. According to a second aspect of the invention this aim is achieved by a navigation unit for planning a vehicle's itinerary. The navigation unit includes a receiver configured to receive information regarding the driving time remaining until the driver's next driving break from a drive time calculating unit in the vehicle. In addition the navigation unit includes a processor circuit configured to specify a route, making it possible for the vehicle's final destination to be reached in the remaining driving time or, where this is not possible, to specify an itinerary including at least one planned driving break location along the route, sited so as to reach the final destination in as short a time as possible. The navigation unit also includes or is connectabie to a presentation unit configured to present the specified itinerary.

By granting the navigation unit access to information about the driver's driving times and calculating, say, the time left to a driving break in the form of a break or rest, the navigation unit can calculate whether the vehicle can reach the vehicle's final destination before the permitted driving time has finished or whether a driving break needs to be taken. Furthermore, a new itinerary with any driving breaks needed can be calculated, if required as a consequence of e.g. accessibility restrictions imposed by the route and/or the vehicle. By enabling the navigation unit to calculate how great a distance the driver will manage to cover during the driving time remaining until a driving break so as to exploit the driver's maximum permitted driving time, the driver's planning of his itinerary can be improved so as to reach the final destination more quickly, allowing last-minute stops with the vehicle to be avoided and statutory breaks to be spaced out to exploit the permitted driving time to the full, or at least in an improved fashion, thereby achieving an improvement for the vehicle.

Other advantages and additional new distinctive features will become clear from the following detailed description of the invention.

The invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the attached figures, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1A is an illustration of a vehicle unit according to one embodiment.

Figure 1 B is an illustration of a vehicle interior in a vehicle according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is an easy-to-grasp illustration showing itinerary planning on a screen according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a combined signalling and flow chart illustrating one embodiment of the invention. s Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is an illustration of a system according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 0 The invention is defined as a method and a navigation unit for planning the route and itinerary for a vehicle, which can be realized in any of the embodiments described below. This invention can be realized in many different forms, however, and should not be regarded as being confined to the embodiments described herein, which are intended instead to elucidate and visualize different aspects of5 the invention.

Additional aspects and distinctive features of the invention may emerge from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures attached. However, the figures should only be regarded as examples of different embodiments of the invention and should not be seen as a constraint on the0 invention, which is limited only by the claims attached. Furthermore, the figures are not necessarily to scale and, unless specified to the contrary, are intended to illustrate aspects of the invention conceptually.

Figure 1A shows a vehicle 100 configured for a method according to the invention. Inside the vehicle 100, in the driver's cab for example, there can be a5 drive time calculating unit 110 and a navigation unit 120. One drive time calculating unit 110 can comprise a tachograph, for instance. According to certain embodiments the navigation unit 120 can be permanently mounted in the vehicle 100, or be movable and mountable in the vehicle 100, for example in the driver's cab. The navigation unit 120 can also comprise a portable unit. Such a portable unit can be made up of e.g. the drivers mobile phone, computer, (digital) tablet or similar portable device according to certain embodiments.

Figure 1 B visualizes an example of the driver environment in the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 houses the drive time calculating unit 10 and the navigation unit 120, which includes or is connected to a presentation unit 130. Such a presentation unit 130 can be made up of, say, a screen (VDU), a monitor, a sound-generating unit including a loudspeaker, a pressure-sensitive (touch) screen or suchlike. It can also include a combination of these, in some embodiments the navigation unit 120 can also include or be connected to an input unit 135. in addition to a touch screen, as previously mentioned, such input unit 135 can be made up of e.g. a keyboard, a keypad, a pointing device or trackpoint, or some similar device.

The drive time calculating unit 1 0 and navigation unit 120 are arranged so as to communicate with each other; at least the navigation unit 120 is configured to receive a signal representing information from the drive time calculating unit 1 10. This information can include, for example, how long the driver has been driving since the previous driving break and/or how long the driver has left until the following driving break. The information can also include, for example, how many drivers there are in the vehicle 100, or rather how many drivers' cards there are inserted into the drive time recording unit 110, which is to say the tachograph in certain embodiments. Based on this information the navigation unit 120 can specify a route or a location for a driving break along said route which it is possible for the vehicle 100 to reach in the remaining driving time calculated. In the process a driving break can be planned to fit in with the drivers driving times and driving break, such as a pause, break, rest, overnight stopover, weekly rest period or suchlike.

This allows a driving break to be planned to match the driver's driving times and breaks in accordance with statutory requirements, in-trade requirements and/or employer's policy or suchlike. In this context for example, driving break refers to a pause or break of e.g. 45 minutes, as a result of the vehicle 100 having been driven by the same driver for a particular period of time, e.g. 4 hours and 30 minutes. Driving break can also refer to rest as a result of the driver having driven the vehicle 100 for a particular period of time within a certain 24-hour period, for example nine hours or a maximum of ten hours a day twice a week. Driving break can also refer to a weekly period of rest as a result of the driver having driven the vehicle 100 for a particular period of time over a week. However, the term driving break can also refer to the driver being forced to interrupt his driving of the vehicle for a different length of time, which may have been implemented by the employer, say, for e.g. safety or working environment reasons, or in order to give the driver a chance to fake a smoking break, for example a ten-minute halt every two hours, in addition to a 45- minute halt after 4 hours and 30 minutes etc.

Furthermore, the term driving break, particularly perhaps when the vehicle 100 has more than one driver, also refers to a temporary halt with the vehicle 100 in order to allow drivers to change over when the respective drivers' calculated driving time comes to an end.

On commencing driving with the vehicle 100, the driver has to log on to the drive time calculating unit by, for instance, introducing his driver's card or similar into the drive time calculating unit 1 10, e.g. the tachograph, and thus begin or continue the driver's log in the drive time calculating unit 110.

One advantage of allowing the navigation unit 120 to access the drive time calculating unit 110 and the information contained therein with regard to the drivers driving time, particularly when the drive time calculating unit 1 0 is comprised of the vehicle's tachograph, is that at least partial use is thus made of existing equipment in the vehicle 100, making the invention cheap and simple to implement, since a tachograph, driver's log and driver's card have to be in vehicles 100 of a certain type anyway.

In addition, calculation of the driving time already docked up by the driver, performed in the drive time calculating unit 1 10, particularly when this contains a tachograph, can be regarded as reliable, given the illegality of manipulating this calculation, which will probably deter many people from trying to modify or manipulate said drive time calculation.

Communication between the navigation unit 120 and the drive time calculating unit 110, as also between the navigation unit 120 and any presentation unit included 130, complete with input unit 135 and/or detectors/sensors in the vehicle 100, will be feasible via a wired or wireless interface according to different embodiments.

Such a wireless network can be based, for instance, on any of the following technologies: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Access (CDMA), (CDMA 2000), Time Division Synchronous CDMA (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE); Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), as defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards 802.11 a, ac, b, g and/or n, internet Protocol (IP), Bluetooth and/or Near Field Communication (NFC), according to different embodiments.

The wired network can be based, for example, on any of the following technologies in the vehicle 100: Controller Area Network (CAN), Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), Ethernet. According to certain embodiments the wired interface can be based, for example, on any of the following technologies: Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Serial RS232, FireWire, Thunderbolt, to mention just a few possibilities.

By allowing the navigation unit 120 to receive information about the driver's remaining driving time from the drive time calculating unit 110, i.e. the tachograph in certain embodiments, the navigation unit 120 can calculate a new or update an existing itinerary for the vehicle 00, which can be adapted to the driver's available driving time.

This is done by having the navigation unit 120 receive information from the drive time calculating unit 1 10 about remaining driving times and suggesting one or more routes, if need be with driving breaks, which are optimized or at least matched to the permitted driving time remaining according to the drive time calculating unit 1 10.

Furthermore, the navigation unit 120 can access information to plan an itinerary for the vehicle 100, such as cartographic data, previous destinations, attributes for different sections of road such as load-bearing classification, road type, speed limits etc; points of interest (or POi) and/or vehicle information previously stored or configured by the vehicle's driver, or alternatively scanned by detectors/sensors, such as the vehicle's weight, height, length, width, load per axle, presence of a hooked-up truck, hazardous goods, bulk material in the freight compartment and suchlike.

This allows roads to be avoided where certain vehicles 100 such as lorries and/or caravans are not permitted, as well as narrow streets, low bridges and funnels. Points of interest can include, say, garages and petrol stations, shops with after- hours opening times, truck wash stops or other spots, including any which the driver has plotted into the navigation unit 120 on previous occasions for whatever reason.

When an unforeseen event occurs, such as limited accessibility along the route plotted into the navigation unit 120 as a result of, say, a traffic disturbance, queues forming or accidents on this section of the journey, so that the planned route cannot be followed, the calculation can be recomputed, based on the remaining driving time, so as to establish a new alternative itinerary.

The navigation unit 120 can access such information regarding disruptions to accessibility on the planned route via, for example, a subscription service, a traffic news programme or broadcast, a warning issued by the authorities, a weather service or suchlike, via a wireless interface.

In certain embodiments a route can be selected, or the itinerary adapted or optimized to the number of drivers in the vehicle 100, and a selection made in which driving breaks like a break and halt to change over drivers can be made at a time and location suitable for exploiting the driving time of both. When planning an itinerary, this enables allowance to be made so that a driver's break time is timed to coincide with another driver driving the vehicle 100, according to certain embodiments.

One advantage of embodiments in which the drive time calculating unit 110 is comprised of a tachograph is that, when starting to drive the vehicle 100, the driver or drivers have to introduce their drivers card(s) into the tachograph and thus start or continue the drivers log in the tachograph, owing to legal requirements.

One advantage of allowing the navigation unit 120 to access a drive time calculating unit 110 in the form of a tachograph, and the information contained in that tachograph with regard to the driver's driving time, is that at least partial use is thus made of existing equipment in the vehicle 100, making the invention cheap and straightforward to implement, since a tachograph, driver's log and driver's card have to be in the vehicle 100 anyway. in addition, the calculation of the driver's remaining driving time performed in the tachograph can be regarded as reliable, given the illegality of manipulating this calculation, which will probably deter many people from trying to modify or manipulate said drive time calculation.

Figure 2 shows a schematic example of planning an itinerary 210, 220 for the vehicle 100, visualized on a presentation unit 130, such as for example a screen. The starting point 200 for the itinerary 210, 220 can be marked on the presentation unit 130. Located along the first route 210 is a first driving break spot 230 and along the second route 220 a second driving break spot 240, Both of these itineraries 210, 220 lead to the same destination 250. in certain embodiments a presentation can be made on the presentation unit 130 of the specified itinerary 210, 220, thereby allowing this itinerary 210, 220 to be suggested to the vehicle's driver. The latter can thus choose this, or one of these itineraries 210, 220 and plot it into the navigation unit 120. The presentation unit 130 shows a comparison between two alternative itineraries 210, 220 between a particular starting point and destination. Here, for example, the driver can compare the calculated travelling time, travelling distance and fuel consumption for the various alternative itineraries 210, 220 for the vehicle 100. These calculations can be based on the previous information received relating to the vehicle 100 and cartographic data, as well as the driving time remaining to a break. This also allows particular routes to be avoided or deselected which are not permitted or suitable for some traffic, for example on account of a hazardous load on the vehicle 100 or a vehicle height exceeding the value permitted on a particular stretch of road.

The presentation unit 130 can be made up, for example, of a pressure-sensitive or touch screen and can therefore act as an input unit 135 as well. This is only an example, however. According to other embodiments the screen 130 and input unit 135 are separate units, whereby the input unit 135 can be made up of, say, a keyboard, a keypad, a pointing device or some similar device.

Figure 3 shows an example of the way an itinerary 2 0, 220 for a vehicle 100 can be planned in a navigation unit 120. The combined flow and signalling chart in Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of a seven-stage method for planning an itinerary 210, 220 for the vehicle 100. However, it should also be observed that some of the steps described 1-7 can be carried out in a somewhat different chronological order than that suggested by the numerical sequence and that some of them can be carried out in parallel with one another, according to various embodiments. What is more, ail the stages described 1-7 will not necessarily occur in all embodiments. in a first stage, information can be sent from the drive time calculating unit 110 to the navigation unit 120. Such information can include e.g. measurement and/or calculation of the driving time remaining until the driver's next driving break, as reckoned from the previous driving break.

This can be done by sending an enquiry from the navigation unit 120 to the drive time calculating unit 1 10, for example continuously or with a particular periodicity, such as every quarter or half hour, every hour, every other hour, every three hours or some other similar interval. In certain embodiments the drive time calculating unit 110 can be triggered to send such information concerning remaining driving time for the driver, or at the driver's request. When the drive time calculating unit 1 10 has access to the legal requirements governing a driver's breaks, for example 45 minutes' break after 4 hours and 30 minutes' driving, the navigation unit 120 can calculate the driving time remaining until the next break. This applies also, and particularly perhaps, when the driving time extends beyond the current day. Nightly and weekly rest periods will then need to be taken into account as well etc.

Based on this calculation received, the navigation unit 120 can specify an ideal, or improved, itinerary 210, 220, with regard to the remaining driving time.

According to certain embodiments, when specifying or calculating this, a longest remaining driving distance or max. point can first be established, for example by estimating how far the vehicle 100 will get within the remaining driving time based on anticipated vehicle speed and the remaining driving time received from the drive time calculating unit 1 10. In another example the vehicle's speed can be estimated over the driving distance ahead of the vehicle in the vehicle's direction of travel and multiplied by the calculated driving time remaining. in order to calculate how far the vehicle 100 will get during the remaining driving time, more cartographic and vehicular attributes can be used, for example, such as HGV restrictions and/or vehicle configuration, according to certain embodiments. This calculation of how far the vehicle 100 will get during the remaining driving time can also be done dynamically and converted/updated as the remaining driving time is counted down. This allows a more reliable prediction to be made of how far the vehicle 100 will get within the remaining driving time before the driving break comes to an end.

This estimated vehicle speed 100 can be estimated partly on the basis of the vehicle's current speed as read by the speedometer or via the GPS read-out and partly on the basis of available information regarding the stretch of road ahead, such as speed restrictions, queue formation, temporary traffic obstacles, slippery conditions, roadworks, reduced visibility/mist or fog, snow, traffic accidents etc. Such information can be gathered in part or in full from, say, an information database and/or a positioning system such as a Global Positioning System (GPS), Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) GLObainaja NAvigatsionnaja Sputnikovaja Sistema (GLONASS) or suchlike, enabling the vehicle's existing position to be determined in the form of longitude, latitude and altitude. In addition, according to certain embodiments, the route distance, topographical driving conditions and suchlike can be determined, which can affect the calculation of the distance coverable during the remaining driving time.

After that, information related to the calculated itinerary 210, 220 can be sent to and presented on the unit 130. By this means this itinerary 210, 220 is suggested to the driver, who can choose to follow this, or one of these itineraries 210, 220. The itinerary 210, 220 chosen by the driver can then be plotted in and stored in the navigation unit 120, for example by having the driver feed this into the navigation unit 120 via an input unit 135. The inputted itinerary 210, 220 selected by the driver can then be stored in a memory in the navigation unit, and any planned vehicle stops or driving breaks entered as an intermediate destination. Figure 4 illustrates an example of an embodiment of the invention. The flow chart in Figure 4 illustrates a method 400 in a navigation unit 120 for planning an itinerary 210, 220 for a vehicle 100.

The aim of the method 400 is to enable a route to be planned for the vehicle 100, taking into account the drivers driving times and also, according to certain embodiments, accessibility restrictions imposed by either the specified route 210, 220 and/or the vehicle 100.

In order to allow the itinerary for the vehicle 100 to be planned correctly, the method 400 can include a number of stages 401-406. However, it should be observed that some of the steps described 401-406 can be carried out in a chronological order somewhat different from that suggested by the numerical sequence and that some of them can be carried out in parallel with one another, according to various embodiments. What is more, some stages of the method can only be carried out in certain embodiments, such as stages 402 and/or 406 and to some extent stage 404. The method 400 includes the following stages:

Stage 401

The driving time remaining until the drivers next driving break is received from a drive time calculating unit 1 0 in the vehicle 100.

The drive time calculating unit 110 can be comprised of the vehicle's tachograph, according to certain embodiments. information regarding the remaining driving time can be received from the drive time calculating unit 1 10 continuously, at a particular predetermined or configurable time interval and/or when prompted by the navigation unit 120, according to various embodiments. In addition, reception of information from the drive time calculating unit 110 can be effected via a wired or wireless interface, as previously discussed, in various embodiments.

Stage 402

This stage of the method can be included in some, though not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention.

The number of drivers in the vehicle 100 is ascertained. This can be ascertained, for example, by having the drive time calculating unit 1 10 calculate the number of drivers' cards that have been fed into the drive time calculating unit 1 10.

One difference in the method 400 when there is one or, respectively, more drivers in the vehicle, for example two drivers, is that when there are two or more drivers in the vehicle 100, the drivers can relieve each other so that a first driver takes a break while the second drives and vice versa. This enables the vehicle 100 to be driven further than when the vehicle 100 only has one driver, since the vehicle 100 then has to be stationary during breaks.

When the vehicle 100 is being driven by two or more alternating drivers, it may be interruptions to driving, instead, in the form of daily rest that act as a restriction 5 when calculating how far the vehicle can travel during the remaining driving time.

Stage 403

An itinerary 210, 220 is specified, enabling the vehicle's final destination 250 to be reached within the remaining driving time received 401.

In certain embodiments, when the stipulated 402 number of drivers in the vehicle 10 100 is more than one, specification of an itinerary 210, 220 can be done so that the final destination 250 is reached in as short a time as possible.

Ascertaining an itinerary 210, 220 can include acquiring and heeding an accessibility restriction imposed by the route 210, 220 and/or the vehicle 00. in certain embodiments a number of alternative itineraries 210, 220 can be 15 established in order to give the driver the option of selecting itineraries from these suggested alternatives.

Stage 404

This stage of the method is included in some though not necessarily all embodiments in which the vehicle's final destination 250 cannot be reached during 20 the remaining driving time received 401 from the drive time calculating unit 1 0.

An itinerary 210, 220 including at least one planned driving break location 230, 240 along the route 210, 220, is specified, siting driving break locations 230, 240 so as to reach the final destination 250 in as short a time as possible. This is when driving break locations 230, 240 can be chosen to exploit the drivers remaining 25 driving time to the maximum before the driving break is taken. The term driving break can include a pause, break, rest, daily rest, weekly rest or suchlike. In certain embodiments a number of alternative itineraries 210, 220 and/or driving break locations 230, 240 can be established for subsequent presentation to the vehicle's driver, thus providing him with the option of selecting one of these.

In certain embodiments, when the stipulated 402 number of drivers in the vehicle 5 100 is more than one, the itinerary 2 0, 220, including driving break location 230, 240, during which driver change-over is possible, can be specified so that the final destination 250 is reached in as short a time as possible.

Ascertaining an itinerary 210, 220 can include acquiring and heeding an accessibility restriction imposed by the route 210, 220 and/or the vehicle 100. 0 Such accessibility restriction along the route 210, 220 can include attributes for different sections of road such as load-bearing classification, road type, permitted vehicle height restrictions, speed limits, queue formation, temporary traffic obstacles, slippery conditions, roadworks, reduced visibility/mist or fog, snow, traffic accidents, planned bridge openings and/or railway crossings; and the5 accessibility restriction imposed by the vehicle 100 includes vehicular restrictions previously stored or configured by the vehicle's driver, or alternatively scanned by a detector/sensor, such as whether the vehicle 100 has a trailer hooked up or is fully laden, the vehicle's weight, height, length, width, load per axle, hazardous goods, bulk material in the freight compartment, a defective engine and suchlike0 according to various embodiments.

Furthermore, allowance can also be made for ferry timetables. For example, it is possible to calculate whether the driver and the vehicle 00 will catch a particular ferry or whether it is faster, for instance, to make a detour across a bridge such as the Oresund Bridge linking Sweden with Denmark. 5 Stage 405

The specified 403, 404 itinerary 210, 220 is presented to the vehicle's driver. In certain embodiments the driver can be presented with a number of alternative itineraries 210, 220, thereby providing him with the option of selecting one of these.

Such presentation can be made to the vehicle's driver, for example, on a presentation unit 130, such as a screen or similar.

Stage 406

This stage of the method can be included in some though not necessarily all embodiments of the invention.

The itinerary 210, 220 presented 405 can be stored in the navigation unit 120, for example in a data memory, when the driver selects this itinerary 210, 220, thereby storing any planned driving break location 230, 240 along the route 210, 220 as an intermediate destination.

Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of a system 500 for planning an itinerary for a vehicle 100. The system 500 includes a drive time calculating unit 110 configured to measure the driving time remaining until the next driving break. Furthermore, the system 500 can include an input unit 135 configured to receive an itinerary selection made by the vehicle's driver and a presentation unit 130. Ail these units are laid out to communicate via a wireless or wired interface with a navigation unit 120 for planning an itinerary for a vehicle 100. The navigation unit 120 can be included in, connectable to or linked up to the vehicle 100 according to various embodiments. This navigation unit 120 is further configured to collect, collate and visualize navigation information according to certain embodiments. The navigation unit 120 is configured to perform at least some of the method stages 401-408 previously described and included in the description of the method 400 for planning an itinerary for a vehicle 100. in order to be able to correctly plan itineraries for the vehicle 100, the navigation unit 120 contains a number of components detailed below. Some of the units and/or components described occur in a number, but not necessarily ail of, the embodiments. Additional electronics can also occur in the navigation unit 120, which are not altogether necessary to understand the method 400 according to the stages of the method 401-408 described above. For reasons of clarity such additional electronics have been omitted from Figure 5 in order not to make it unduly difficult to understand the invention.

The navigation unit 120 includes a receiver 510 configured to receive information regarding the driving time remaining until the drivers next driving break from a drive time calculating unit 1 10 in the vehicle 100.

The receiver 510 is configured for wireless and/or wired reception according to different embodiments.

The receiver 510 can be configured to receive information regarding the remaining driving time continuously, at a particular time interval or at the request of the drive time calculating unit 1 0 according to different embodiments.

Furthermore, the navigation unit 120 includes a processor circuit 520 configured to specify an itinerary 210, 220, enabling the vehicle's final destination 250 to be reached in the calculated driving time remaining or, where this is not possible, to specify an itinerary 210, 220 including at least one planned driving break location 230, 240 along the route 210, 220, sited so as to reach the final destination 250 in as short a time as possible. The processor circuit 520 can also be configured to specify a number of alternative itineraries 210, 220, according to certain embodiments, in certain embodiments the processor circuit 520 can be configured to establish the number of drivers in the vehicle 100 and, when the number of drivers in the vehicle 100 is more than one, to stipulate an itinerary 210, 220 and any driving break locations 230, 240 during which a change-over of drivers is possible, so as to reach the final destination 250 in as short a time as possible. The processor circuit 520 can be configured to [?? word/phrase missing here ??] continuously, at a particular time interval or at the request of the drive time calculating unit 10 according to different embodiments.

The processor circuit 520 can be comprised, for example, of one or more Centra! Processing Units (CPU), a microprocessor or other logic designed to interpret and perform instructions and/or read and write data. The processor circuit 520 can handle data for the inflow, outflow or processing of data, including buffering of data, control functions and suchlike.

The processor circuit 520 can be configured to specify an itinerary 210, 220 by acquiring and heeding accessibility restrictions imposed by the route 210, 220 and/or the vehicle 100 according to certain embodiments.

Such accessibility restrictions in the itinerary 210, 220 can include attributes for different sections of road such as load-bearing classification, road type, permitted vehicle height restrictions, speed limits, queue formation, temporary traffic obstacles, slippery conditions, roadworks, reduced visibility/mist or fog, snow, traffic accidents, planned bridge openings and/or railway crossings; and the accessibility restrictions imposed by the vehicle 100 include vehicular restrictions previously stored or configured by the vehicle's driver, or alternatively scanned by a detector/sensor, such as whether the vehicle 100 has a trailer hooked up or is fully laden, the vehicle's weight, height, length, width, load per axle, hazardous goods, bulk material in the freight compartment, a defective engine and suchlike according to various embodiments.

The navigation unit 120 can include or be connected to a presentation unit 130, arranged to present the specified route 210, 220 as previously mentioned. Such presentation unit 30 can be comprised, for example, of a screen and may also be referred to as a computer screen, display or monitor, which is an output device displaying an electronically created text or image. The presentation unit 130 can also be arranged to present these alternative itineraries 210, 220 to the driver, thus providing him with the option of selecting one of these.

In certain embodiments the navigation unit 120 can also include, be connected to or able to communicate with a memory 525 configured to store a presented itinerary 210, 220 in the navigation unit 120 when the driver selects this itinerary 210, 220, thereby enabling any planned driving break location 230, 240 along the route 210, 220 to be stored as an intermediate destination in the memory 525. in certain embodiments the memory unit 525 in the navigation unit 120 can be comprised of a data storage medium. The memory unit 525 can be made up of e.g. a memory card, flash memory, USB memory, hard disk or some other similar data storage unit such as any from the group: ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), Flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM) etc. in various embodiments. According to certain alternative embodiments the navigation unit 120 can also include or be connectabie to a unit for pinpointing a geographical position, such as a GPS module. This geographical positioning unit is particularly geared to establishing, continuously or at a particular time interval, the vehicle's existing position and making possible, say, storage or marking of an itinerary, driving break, current position of the vehicle 100 or suchlike. in some forms the navigation unit 120 can also include a transfer structure 530. Such transfer structure 530 can be configured to transmit information related to the vehicle 100, the vehicle's itinerary and/or the driver's remaining driving time, to the presentation unit 130. Such transfer can be done via a wireless or wired interface according to various forms, as previously discussed.

Furthermore, the invention includes a data program in a navigation unit 120 to assist in planning an itinerary for a vehicle 100. The program is configured to perform the method 400 according to at least one of the stages 401-408 described previously when the program is executed in a processor circuit 520 in the navigation unit 120.

The method 400 according to stages 401-408 for planning an itinerary for the vehicle 100 can be implemented via one or more processor circuits 520 in the navigation unit 120, together with computer program code in order to perform one, some, certain or all of the stages 401-408 described above. This allows a computer program to include instructions for performing stages 401-406 when the program is loaded into the processor circuit 520.

Some embodiments of the invention also contain a vehicle 100 which includes a system 500 configured to plan an itinerary for the vehicle 100 by performing all, some or at least one of the method steps 401-408 included in the method 400 described above.

Claims

1. Method (400) in a navigation unit (120) for planning an itinerary (210, 220) for a vehicle (100), whereby the method (400) is characterized by: s reception (401) of the driving time remaining until the driver's next driving break from a drive time calculating unit ( 10) in the vehicle (100), specification (403) of an itinerary (210, 220), enabling the vehicle's final destination (250) to be reached in the remaining driving time received (401) or, where this is not possible, 0 specification (404) of an itinerary (210, 220) including at least one planned driving break location (230, 240) along the route (210, 220), sited so as to reach the final destination (250) in as short a time as possible, presentation (405) of the specified (403, 404) itinerary (210, 220) to the vehicle's driver. 5

2. The method (400) according to claim 1 , whereby a number of alternative itineraries (210, 220) are specified (403, 404) and presented (405) to the driver, thus providing him with the option of selecting one of these.

3. The method (400) according to either of claims 1 or 2, further including: storage (406) of the itinerary (210, 220) presented (405) in the navigation0 unit (120) when the driver selects this itinerary (210, 220), thereby storing any planned driving break location (230, 240) along the route (210, 220) as an intermediate destination.

4. The method (400) according to any of claims 1-3, including: ascertainment (402) of the number of drivers in the vehicle (100) and, 5 when the number of drivers ascertained (402) in the vehicle (100) is more than one, specification (403, 404) of an itinerary (210, 220) and any driving break location (230, 240) during which driver change-over is made possible is done so as to reach the final destination (250) in as short a time as possible.

5. The method (400) according to any of claims 1-4, whereby reception (401) of information regarding the remaining driving time from the drive time calculating unit (1 0) is done continuously.

6. The method (400) according to any of claims 1-5, whereby specification (403, 404) of an itinerary (210, 220) includes acquiring and heeding an accessibility restriction imposed by the itinerary (210, 220) and/or vehicle ( 00).

7. The method (400) according to claim 8, whereby the accessibility restriction imposed by the itinerary (210, 220) includes attributes for different sections of road such as load-bearing classification, road type, permitted vehicle height restrictions, speed limits, queue formation, temporary traffic obstacles, slippery conditions, roadworks, reduced visibility/mist or fog, snow, traffic accidents, planned bridge openings and/or railway crossings; and the accessibility restrictions imposed by the vehicle (100) include vehicular restrictions previously stored or configured by the vehicle's drivers, or alternatively scanned by a detector/sensor, such as whether the vehicle (100) has a trailer hooked up or is fully laden, the vehicle's weight, height, length, width, load per axle, hazardous goods, bulk material in the freight compartment, a defective engine and suchlike.

8. Navigation unit (120) for planning an itinerary for a vehicle (100), characterized by: a receiver (510) configured to receive information regarding the driving time remaining until the driver's next driving break from a drive time calculating unit (110) in the vehicle (100), a processor circuit (520) configured to specify an itinerary (210, 220), enabling the vehicle's final destination (250) to be reached in the calculated driving time remaining or, where this is not possible, to specify an itinerary (210, 220) including at least one planned driving break location (230, 240) along the route (210, 220), sited so as to reach the final destination (250) in as short a time as possible, and a presentation unit (130) arranged to present the stipulated itinerary (210,

220).

9. The navigation unit (120) according to claim 8, whereby the processor circuit (520) is configured to stipulate a number of alternative itineraries (210, 220) and the presentation unit (130) is arranged to present these alternative itineraries (210, 220) to the driver, thereby providing him with the option of selecting one of these.

10. The navigation unit (120) according to either of claims 8 or 9, further including: a memory (525) configured to store a presented itinerary (210, 220) in the navigation unit (120) when the driver selects this itinerary (210, 220), whereby any planned driving break location (230, 240) along the route (210, 220) is stored as an intermediate destination.

11. The navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8-10, whereby the processor circuit (520) is configured to establish the number of drivers in the vehicle (100) and, where the number of drivers in the vehicle (100) is more than one, to specify an itinerary (210, 220) and any driving break location (230, 240) during which driver change-over is possible, so as to reach the final destination (250) in as short a time as possible.

12. The navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8-11 , whereby the processor circuit (520) and the receiver (510) are configured to continuously receive information regarding the remaining driving time from the drive time calculating unit (110).

13. The navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8-12, whereby the processor circuit (520) is configured to specify an itinerary (210, 220) by acquiring and heeding an accessibility restriction imposed by the itinerary (210, 220) and/or vehicle (100).

5 14. The navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8-13, whereby the accessibility restriction imposed by the itinerary (210, 220) includes attributes for different sections of road such as load-bearing classification, road type, permitted vehicle height restrictions, speed limits, queue formation, temporary traffic obstacles, slippery conditions, roadworks, reduced visibility/mist or fog, snow,

10 traffic accidents, planned bridge openings and/or railway crossings; and the accessibility restrictions imposed by the vehicle (100) include vehicular restrictions previously stored or configured by the vehicle's driver, or alternatively scanned by a detector/sensor, such as whether the vehicle (100) has a trailer hooked up or is fully laden, the vehicle's weight, height, length, width, load per axle, hazardous

15 goods, bulk material in the freight compartment, a defective engine and suchlike.

15. Computer program in a navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8- 14 for planning an itinerary (210, 220) for a vehicle (100) by performing the method (400) according to any of claims 1-7 when the computer program is executed in a processor circuit (520) in the navigation unit (120).

20 16. System (500) for planning an itinerary (210, 220) for a vehicle (100), that system (500) including: a drive time calculating unit (110) configured to measure the remaining driving time until the next driving break, and a navigation unit (120) according to any of claims 8-14.

25 17. The system (500) according to claim 14, further including: an input unit (135) configured to receive an itinerary selection.

18. Vehicle (100), including a system (500) according to any of claims 18-17.