Method for controlling at least one component of a motor vehicle

• US 10,392,026 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Reiff, Markus, Renz, Wolfgang, Stolk, Thomas, Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US16/062,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20180370539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/60 characterised by optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/70 characterised by the purpose
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0827 due to sleepiness
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A method for controlling at least one component of a motor vehicle, involves determining a current driving profile of the motor vehicle using at least one sensor present in the motor vehicle and comparing the current driving profile to a stored reference driving profile. At least two different components are simultaneously controlled depending on a result of this comparison.

Claims

1. A method for controlling at least two components of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring, using at least one sensor of the motor vehicle, a variable of a driving behavior of the motor vehicle;

determining, based on the variable measured by the at least one sensor, a current driving profile of the motor vehicle;

comparing the current driving profile to a stored reference driving profile; and

simultaneously controlling the at least two different components depending on a result of the comparison,

wherein the at least two components include an interior illumination of the vehicle and an air-conditioning system of the motor vehicle,

wherein a light color of the interior illumination is changed when a result of the comparison indicates a driver of the vehicle is fatigued,

wherein the air-conditioning system blows fresh air into an interior of the motor vehicle when a result of the comparison indicates a driver of the vehicle is fatigued, and

wherein the blowing of fresh air by the air-conditioning system and the changing of the light color of the interior illumination is controlled in such a way that the driving behavior of a driver of the vehicle is controllable by interaction of the blowing of fresh air by the air-conditioning system and the changing of the light color of the interior illumination and a driving profile of the motor vehicle is influenceable via the driving behavior.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a degree of fatigue of a driver of the vehicle is determined by the comparison of the current driving profile with the stored reference driving profile.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two components are two different comfort systems of the motor vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured variable is influenceable by a driver of the motor vehicle during a driving operation of the motor vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor and the at least two components communicate with a controller in the motor vehicle via a common fieldbus, and wherein controller performs the method.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an illumination brightness of the interior illumination is changed in addition to the light color.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the current driving profile is determined based on current speed or current acceleration in a longitudinal and lateral direction and based on steering behavior of the motor vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the current driving profile is compared to a plurality of reference driving profiles.

6. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a controller;

at least two components that are controllable by the controller, wherein the at least two components include an interior illumination of the motor vehicle and an air-conditioning system of the motor vehicle;

at least one sensor configured to establish a current driving profile of the motor vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to

measure, using the at least one sensor of the motor vehicle, a variable of a driving behavior of the motor vehicle;

determine, based on the variable measured by the at least one sensor, a current driving profile of the motor vehicle;

compare the current driving profile to a stored reference driving profile; and

simultaneously control the at least two different components depending on a result of the comparison, wherein a light color of the interior illumination is changed when a result of the comparison indicates a driver of the vehicle is fatigued,

wherein the air-conditioning system blows fresh air into an interior of the motor vehicle when a result of the comparison indicates a driver of the vehicle is fatigued, and

wherein the at least two components are formed in such a way that a degree of fatigue of a driver can be reduced by the at least two components.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one measured variable is influenceable by a driver during the driving operation of the motor vehicle.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 6, wherein an illumination brightness of the interior illumination is changed in addition to the light color.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the current driving profile is determined based on current speed or current acceleration in a longitudinal and lateral direction and based on steering behavior of the motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the current driving profile is compared to a plurality of reference driving profiles.