INTELLIGENT VEHICLE TRACKING
A vehicle tracking method using a route model for estimating the exact location of the tracked vehicle. The estimated location is computed in the vehicle by tracking device ( 14 ) and in the tracking center ( 15 ). The tracking device acquires the exact location with positioning means ( 13 ). Then the tracking device compares the difference between the computed location and the computed location to a threshold value. If the threshold is exceeded, the exact location will be sent to the tracking center.
1 . A method for tracking a vehicle, which method comprises the steps of:
requesting a route;
tracking said vehicle along said route;
displaying the tracked location of said vehicle in a control center, characterized in that said step of tracking further comprises:
computing a route model according to said route;
sending a route model to the tracking center;
computing an estimated location of said vehicle according to said route model;
acquiring the exact location of said vehicle;
comparing said acquired location to said estimated location; and
sending said exact location to the tracking center if the difference between said acquired location and said estimated location exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
2 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that defining the threshold value in the tracking center.
3 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that defining the threshold value in the navigation device.
4 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that using traffic information in computing the route model.
5 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that recomputing said route model if the route changes during the journey.
6 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that using the current speed of said vehicle in computing the route model.
7 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that said threshold is a relative threshold value computed from the total length of the temporary route.
8 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the threshold determination method is map dependent.
9 . A tracking device for sending the tracking information of a vehicle to a tracking center ( 15 ), the tracking device ( 14 ) being capable of executing a software application and arranged to communicate with a positioning module ( 13 ) for receiving the current location of the device, which tracking device is further arranged to:
request a route;
track said vehicle along said route;
display the tracked location of said vehicle in a control center, characterized in that the system is further arranged to:
compute a route model according to said route;
send a route model to the tracking center;
compute an estimated location of said vehicle according to said route model;
acquire the exact location of said vehicle;
compare said acquired location to said estimated location; and
send said exact location to the tracking center if the difference between said acquired location and said estimated location exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
10 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the tracking device is further arranged to define the threshold value in the tracking center.
11 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that defining the threshold value in the navigation device.
12 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the tracking device is further arranged to use traffic information in computing the route model.
13 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the tracking device is further arranged to recompute said route model if the route changes during the journey.
14 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the tracking device is further arranged to use the current speed of said vehicle in computing the route model.
15 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that said threshold is a relative threshold value computed from the total length of the temporary route.
16 . A tracking device according to claim 9 , characterized in that the threshold determination method is map dependent.
17 . A tracking software application for tracking a vehicle, the software application, when executed in a navigation device, arranged to perform the following steps of:
requesting a route;
tracking said vehicle along said route;
displaying the tracked location of said vehicle in a control center, characterized in that said step of tracking further comprises:
computing a route model according to said route;
sending a route model to the tracking center;
computing an estimated location of said vehicle according to said route model;
acquiring the exact location of said vehicle;
comparing said acquired location to said estimated location; and
sending said exact location to the tracking center if the difference between said acquired location and said estimated location exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
18 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that defining the threshold value in the tracking center.
19 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that defining the threshold value in the navigation device.
20 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that using traffic information in computing the route model.
21 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that recomputing said route model if the route changes during the journey.
22 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that using the current speed of said vehicle in computing the route model.
23 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that said threshold is a relative threshold value computed from the total length of the temporary route.
24 . A tracking software application according to claim 17 , characterized in that the threshold parameter determination method is map dependent.
25 . A tracking system for tracking a vehicle comprising a tracking device ( 14 ) and tracking system ( 15 ), wherein the tracking device is arranged to send the tracking information of a vehicle to a tracking center ( 15 ), the tracking device ( 14 ) being capable of executing a software application and arranged to communicate with a positioning module ( 13 ) for receiving the current location of the device, which tracking device is further arranged to:
request a route;
track said vehicle along said route;
display the tracked location of said vehicle in a control center, characterized in that the system is further arranged to:
compute a route model according to said route;
send a route model to the tracking center;
compute an estimated location of said vehicle according to said route model;
acquire the exact location of said vehicle;
compare said acquired location to said estimated location; and
send said exact location to the tracking center if the difference between said acquired location and said estimated location exceeds a predetermined threshold value.