Concept for checking a sensor system for detecting an occupancy state of a parking space for errors

• US 10,311,732 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nordbruch, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): Littlejohn, Jr., Mancil
• Application Number:
  US15/813,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20180158333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/932 for parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/147 where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre

Abstract

A method for checking for errors of a sensor system, within a vehicle, for detecting an occupancy state of a parking space. The method includes providing a reference data set for a parking space ascertained independently of the sensor system to be checked, the reference data set including a reference occupancy state of the parking space which is assigned a first detection point in time; receiving an occupancy state of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system via a communication network which is assigned a second detection point in time; a time difference between the first and second detection points in time is compared to a threshold value, and when the ascertained time difference is less than or less than/equal to the threshold value, the detected occupancy state of the parking space is compared to the reference occupancy state to check the sensor system for errors.

Claims

1. A method for checking a sensor system for detecting an occupancy state of a parking space for motor vehicles, which is included in a motor vehicle, for errors, the method comprising:

providing a reference data set for a parking space ascertained independently of the sensor system to be checked, the reference data set including a reference occupancy state of the parking space, the reference occupancy state being assigned a first detection point in time which indicates when the reference occupancy state was detected;

receiving an occupancy state of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system of the motor vehicle via a communication network, the occupancy state being assigned a second detection point in time which indicates when the occupancy state was detected with the aid of the sensor system, the second detection point in time being chronologically after the first detection point in time;

ascertaining a time difference between the first and the second detection points in time;

comparing the ascertained time difference to a predetermined time difference threshold value; and

when the ascertained time difference is less than or less than/equal to the predetermined time difference threshold value, comparing the detected occupancy state of the parking space to the reference occupancy state to check the sensor system for errors.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference data set includes a reference position of the parking space, a position of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system being received via the communication network, the detected position of the parking space being compared to the reference position to check the sensor system for errors.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the reference data set includes at least one of:

(i) a reference dimension of the parking space, (ii) a reference dimension of a further motor vehicle parked on the parking space, (iii) a dimension of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system, and (iv) a dimension of the further motor vehicle parked on the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system being received via the communication network.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein, to check the sensor system for errors, at least one of:

(i) the detected dimension of the parking space is compared to the reference dimension of the parking space, and (ii) the detected dimension of the further motor vehicle parked on the parking space is compared to the reference dimension of the further motor vehicle parked on the parking space.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, upon detection of an error, a message that at least one of:

(i) the operation of the sensor system is defective, and (ii) the sensor system should be further checked, is transmitted via the communication network to a terminal included in the motor vehicle.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an occupancy state of a parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system is ignored upon detection of an error.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an error is already detected when it is established for the first time for a single parking space that the comparison yielded a difference.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an error is not detected until it has been established several times for multiple parking spaces that the comparison yielded a difference.

9. A device for checking a sensor system for detecting an occupancy state of a parking space for motor vehicles, which is included in a motor vehicle, for errors, wherein the device is designed to:

provide a reference data set for a parking space ascertained independently of the sensor system to be checked, the reference data set including a reference occupancy state of the parking space, the reference occupancy state being assigned a first detection point in time which indicates when the reference occupancy state was detected;

receive an occupancy state of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system of the motor vehicle via a communication network, the occupancy state being assigned a second detection point in time which indicates when the occupancy state was detected with the aid of the sensor system, the second detection point in time being chronologically after the first detection point in time;

ascertain a time difference between the first and the second detection points in time;

compare the ascertained time difference to a predetermined time difference threshold value; and

when the ascertained time difference is less than or less than/equal to the predetermined time difference threshold value, compare the detected occupancy state of the parking space to the reference occupancy state to check the sensor system for errors.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored a computer program, including program code for checking a sensor system for detecting an occupancy state of a parking space for motor vehicles, which is included in a motor vehicle, for errors, the computer program, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform:

providing a reference data set for a parking space ascertained independently of the sensor system to be checked, the reference data set including a reference occupancy state of the parking space, the reference occupancy state being assigned a first detection point in time which indicates when the reference occupancy state was detected;

receiving an occupancy state of the parking space detected with the aid of the sensor system of the motor vehicle via a communication network, the occupancy state being assigned a second detection point in time which indicates when the occupancy state was detected with the aid of the sensor system, the second detection point in time being chronologically after the first detection point in time;

ascertaining a time difference between the first and the second detection points in time;

comparing the ascertained time difference to a predetermined time difference threshold value; and

when the ascertained time difference is less than or less than/equal to the predetermined time difference threshold value, comparing the detected occupancy state of the parking space to the reference occupancy state to check the sensor system for errors.