# US 11,079,247 B2 · Method for assisting a user of a motor vehicle when driving the motor vehicle, navigation apparatus and motor vehicle

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- Number: US 11,079,247 B2
- Document ID: US11079247B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/991,352
- Filed: 2018-05-29
- Published: 2018-11-29
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-29
- Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
- Inventors: Viktor Bader
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079247B2

## CPC

- G01C 21/3476: {using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs}
- G01C 21/3415: {Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents}
- G01C 21/3484: {Personalized, e.g. from learned user behaviour or user-defined profiles}
- G01C 21/3492: {employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical (traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968)}
- G01C 21/3617: {using user history, behaviour, conditions or preferences, e.g. predicted or inferred from previous use or current movement}
- G06V 20/582: {of traffic signs}
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assisting a user of a motor vehicle when driving the motor vehicle. A travel route is provided by a navigation apparatus, and a route actually being driven by the motor vehicle is ascertained. A comparison is made between the actual driving route ascertained and the travel route provided, and if a deviation criterion is met, it is ascertained that the motor vehicle has left the travel route provided. As a function of the ascertained departure from the travel route provided, at least one geo-object from a predefined category of geo-objects is established, the established geo-object is predefined as a geo-object having a user-specific interest and, as a function of the predefined geo-object, the established travel route is changed to an alternative route to the destination with the predefined geo-object as an intermediate destination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for assisting a user of a motor vehicle when driving the motor vehicle, comprising the following steps performed by a navigation apparatus:
providing a travel route which describes a journey from a starting point to a destination;
evaluating a position signal, received from a GPS receiver, and determining the position of the motor vehicle from the position signal;
ascertaining a route actually being driven by the motor vehicle;
comparing the actual driving route ascertained with the travel route provided;
in response to the result of the comparison being that the actual driving route being driven by the motor vehicle meets a deviation criterion: ascertaining that the motor vehicle has departed the travel route provided;
defining a category of geo-objects as a function of at least one traffic sign detected by a sensor apparatus of the motor vehicle;
as a function of the ascertained departure from the travel route provided: determining at least one geo-object from the defined category of geo-objects; wherein
the at least one geo-object is a geo-object having a user-specific interest; and
as a function of the at least one geo-object: changing the established travel route to an alternative route to the destination with the at least one geo-object as an intermediate destination.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation criterion describes:
an exceeding of a predefined threshold of a level of a deviation between the actual driving route and the travel route provided; and/or
ascertaining a driving maneuver currently being performed by the motor vehicle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one geo-object is defined as the geo-object having the user-specific interest as a function of:
a location of the at least one geo-object within a predetermined radius around a current position of the motor vehicle; and/or
an operating signal from an operating apparatus, wherein the operating signal describes a user-specific selection of the at least one geo-object; and/or
a traffic sign detected by the sensor apparatus of the motor vehicle and/or by the navigation apparatus; and/or
a user-specific preference recorded in a user profile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step, performed by the navigation apparatus:
defining the category additionally as a function of:
a value of an operating parameter of a motor vehicle system received from the motor vehicle system of the motor vehicle; and/or
a user-specific preference recorded in a user profile.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the following steps, performed by the navigation apparatus:
as a function of the ascertained departure from the travel route provided: establishing another geo-object from a different category than the defined category of geo-objects;
producing an information output signal for each of the at least one geo-objects and/or for each of the categories;
transferring respective information output signal to an output apparatus of the motor vehicle in order to output the respective information output signal; and
receiving a selection signal from the operating apparatus, wherein the selection signal describes a user-specific selection of one of the at least one geo-objects and/or one of the categories;
wherein the geo-objects are defined as geo-objects having user-specific interest as a function of the selection described by the selection signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the following step, performed by the navigation apparatus:
as a function of the ascertained departure from the travel route provided: detecting a traffic situation having a geographical propagation of an adverse effect of a traffic flow on the travel route provided;
wherein the at least one geo-object is a merging of the travel route provided with a drivable infrastructure, and wherein the alternative route leads via the drivable infrastructure and at a point of the merging of the travel route provided, and wherein the travel route provided is changed to the alternative route as a function of the geographical propagation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the following step, performed by the navigation apparatus:
receiving a selection signal from an operating apparatus, wherein the selection signal describes a sequence of multiple geo-objects and/or a rejection of a geo-object as a possible destination;
wherein the established travel route is changed to the alternative route as a function of the received selection signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus comprises at least one camera.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A navigation apparatus having a processor and storage medium, wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 1 when executing program code stored on the storage medium.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The motor vehicle with the navigation apparatus according to claim 9.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The motor vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a GPS receiver to provide the position signal.