Abstract: An apparatus and a method for improving air quality in a vehicle are provided. The method for improving air quality in a vehicle, includes: acquiring state information about the vehicle and/or environmental information of the vehicle; determining whether ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed according to the state information and/or the environmental information; deriving a time period for ventilation of the vehicle according to the state information and/or the environmental information if it is determined that the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed; and performing the ventilation of the vehicle in open mode automatically for the derived time period so as to improve the air quality in the vehicle. The apparatus and the method can improve the air quality in the vehicle before a user enters the vehicle, and thus provides the user with more comfort.

Abstract: A method of determining the own-vehicle position of a motor vehicle having a navigation system fixedly installed in the motor vehicle includes the steps of: providing a mobile terminal having the suitability for self-localization; providing an interface for the communication-related link-up of the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle; determining the own-terminal position of the mobile terminal by self-localization; transmitting the own-terminal position by way of the interface to the motor vehicle; and taking into account the transmitted own-terminal position when determining the own-vehicle position.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for improving air quality in a vehicle are provided. The method for improving air quality in a vehicle, includes: acquiring state information about the vehicle and/or environmental information of the vehicle; determining whether ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed according to the state information and/or the environmental information; deriving a time period for ventilation of the vehicle according to the state information and/or the environmental information if it is determined that the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed; and performing the ventilation of the vehicle in open mode automatically for the derived time period so as to improve the air quality in the vehicle. The apparatus and the method can improve the air quality in the vehicle before a user enters the vehicle, and thus provides the user with more comfort.

Abstract: A first user device comprises a first communication interface and a second communication interface. The first user device has digital first map information and is configured for outputting a request message for making navigation information available with regard to at least one desired route section, at the first communication interface. The second communication interface is configured for receiving navigation information that is made available in response to the request message, at the second communication interface, and comprises digital second map information for at least a part of the at least one desired route section. The digital second map information comprises data for display of the at least one part of the at least one desired route section.

Abstract: A method for text-to-speech performance evaluation includes providing a plurality of speech samples and scores associated with the respective speech samples, establishing a speech model based on the plurality of speech samples and the corresponding scores, and evaluating a TTS engine by the speech model. In certain embodiments of the invention, only one person is required to generate a standard speech model at the beginning stage, where this speech model can be repetitively used for test and evaluation of different TTS synthesis engines. In certain embodiments, the approach of the invention decreases the required time and labor cost.

Abstract: A method for position determination for a motor vehicle includes the acts of: satellite based determination of a geographical position of the motor vehicle, providing digital road map data, which include at least information about road segments in the surroundings of the geographical position; carrying out a first determining step for determining at least a first road segment, on which the motor vehicle is located with high probability, wherein the first determining step is based on a matching of the geographical position with the digital road map data; retrieval of traffic lane data, regarding at least the number of traffic lanes for the first road segment, from the road map database; determining the traffic lane, in which the motor vehicle is currently traveling, by use of at least the traffic lane data; and carrying out a second determining step for determining a second road segment, on which the motor vehicle is located with high probability, wherein the second determining step is based on a matching of t

Abstract: A method and system for recognizing a pedestrian's step is provided for a portable terminal. The portable terminal has an acquisition unit. In an image of a sequence of images acquired by the acquisition unit, an object is, in each case, detected which represents at least a part of a foot, a shoe, and/or a leg. The position of the object is determined in the respective image, and a pedestrian's step is recognized as a function of a position change of the object between at least two images of the sequence of images.

Abstract: An information system includes a central computer system and at least one user device. The central computer system has a database and an interface for communicating with a user device. The database is designed for storing personalized information with reference to a location and program functions with reference to a location. The database is also designed for synchronizing the personalized information and/or program functions with the respective user device. For this purpose, the user device is configured so as to determine a position of a moveable object as a function of at least one position-measuring signal and to provide, as a function of the determined position, personalized information with reference to a location and/or a program function with reference to a location.

Abstract: A first user device comprises a first communication interface and a second communication interface. The first user device has digital first map information and is configured for outputting a request message for making navigation information available with regard to at least one desired route section, at the first communication interface. The second communication interface is configured for receiving navigation information that is made available in response to the request message, at the second communication interface, and comprises digital second map information for at least a part of the at least one desired route section. The digital second map information comprises data for display of the at least one part of the at least one desired route section.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a navigation system, which includes a graphic display unit and by which accurate-lane destination guidance is made possible on a planned route. A road map containing lane information can be displayed on the display unit. Within or in superimposition of the displayed road map, the route can be displayed accurately with respect to the lanes. A lane guidance display area can be displayed, which is graphically set off from the road map and within which several lanes of a currently traveled route section are graphically represented and within which the necessity of a lane change is graphically displayed. A rating can be determined for the urgency of the lane change, and this rating can be graphically displayed in the lane guidance display area.

Abstract: A method and system for recognizing a pedestrian's step is provided for a portable terminal. The portable terminal has an acquisition unit. In an image of a sequence of images acquired by the acquisition unit, an object is, in each case, detected which represents at least a part of a foot, a shoe, and/or a leg. The position of the object is determined in the respective image, and a pedestrian's step is recognized as a function of a position change of the object between at least two images of the sequence of images.

Abstract: A process is provided for operating a route acquisition system, configured for determining route data during movement of the route acquisition system along preset routes, and for storing the latter as electronic routes in the data memory. A preset selection of routes is determined as a function of the stored electronic routes. For each route of the preset selection, a route count and a route point in time, and a first and a second route time indication, are determined. A route evaluation is determined for each route based on the assigned route count, the assigned route point in time, and the first and second route time indication. As a function of a determined size of the occupied storage space of the data memory, the respective route of the preset selection is deleted from the data memory as a function of its assigned route evaluation.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a navigation system, which includes a graphic display unit and by which accurate-lane destination guidance is made possible on a planned route. A road map containing lane information can be displayed on the display unit. Within or in superimposition of the displayed road map, the route can be displayed accurately with respect to the lanes. A lane guidance display area can be displayed, which is graphically set off from the road map and within which several lanes of a currently traveled route section are graphically represented and within which the necessity of a lane change is graphically displayed. A rating can be determined for the urgency of the lane change, and this rating can be graphically displayed in the lane guidance display area.

Abstract: A method of determining the own-vehicle position of a motor vehicle having a navigation system fixedly installed in the motor vehicle includes the steps of: providing a mobile terminal having the suitability for self-localization; providing an interface for the communication-related link-up of the mobile terminal to the motor vehicle; determining the own-terminal position of the mobile terminal by self-localization; transmitting the own-terminal position by way of the interface to the motor vehicle; and taking into account the transmitted own-terminal position when determining the own-vehicle position.

Abstract: An information system includes a central computer system and at least one user device. The central computer system has a database and an interface for communicating with a user device. The database is designed for storing personalized information with reference to a location and program functions with reference to a location. The database is also designed for synchronizing the personalized information and/or program functions with the respective user device. For this purpose, the user device is configured so as to determine a position of a moveable object as a function of at least one position-measuring signal and to provide, as a function of the determined position, personalized information with reference to a location and/or a program function with reference to a location.

Abstract: A method for position determination for a motor vehicle includes the acts of: satellite based determination of a geographical position of the motor vehicle, providing digital road map data, which include at least information about road segments in the surroundings of the geographical position; carrying out a first determining step for determining at least a first road segment, on which the motor vehicle is located with high probability, wherein the first determining step is based on a matching of the geographical position with the digital road map data; retrieval of traffic lane data, regarding at least the number of traffic lanes for the first road segment, from the road map database; determining the traffic lane, in which the motor vehicle is currently traveling, by use of at least the traffic lane data; and carrying out a second determining step for determining a second road segment, on which the motor vehicle is located with high probability, wherein the second determining step is based on a matching of t