Method and device for selecting and transmitting sensor data from a first motor vehicle to a second motor vehicle

• US 10,490,079 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schild, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Thang D
• Application Number:
  US15/773,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20180322784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 340902
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• 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 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4026 Antenna boresight
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method for depicting sensor data of one or more first motor vehicle(s) via a man-machine interface of a second motor vehicle comprises depicting an image of at least part of surroundings of the second motor vehicle via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle. One or more first motor vehicle(s) in the surroundings is/are mapped at least in part. A user selects one or more of the mapped first motor vehicles to which respective point-to-point connections are set up that are used to send a request for information pertaining to available sensors and the properties thereof. Based on the responses, a schematic depiction of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle is created and reproduced that shows positions of the motor vehicles in the surroundings, the sensors available in the motor vehicles and areas within which the available sensors can pick up objects.

Claims

1. A method for depicting sensor data of one or more first motor vehicle(s) via a man-machine interface of a second motor vehicle, comprising:

depicting an image of at least part of surroundings of the second motor vehicle via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, wherein one or more first motor vehicle(s) is/are mapped at least in part,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the first motor vehicles mapped on the image of the surroundings,

setting up one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) from the second motor vehicle to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via a first wireless communication interface,

sending a request to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via the respective individual first point-to-point connection to transmit information pertaining to available sensors and the properties thereof to the second motor vehicle,

receiving a plurality of responses from one or more of the selected first motor vehicles and reproducing a schematic depiction of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows positions of the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) in the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows sensors available in the one or more first motor vehicle(s), and wherein the schematic depiction depicts areas within which the available sensors of the one or more first motor vehicle(s) and/or the sensors of the second motor vehicle can pick up objects,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the sensors shown in the schematic depiction and of an area to be picked up by sensor,

sending an applicable request to one or more first motor vehicle(s) whose sensors can pick up the area to be picked up,

receiving applicable sensor data for a subsequent reproduction via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, and

wherein sensor data updated in response to an applicable request are received cyclically from one or more first motor vehicle(s) for a previously stipulated period or up until a call to stop a transmission.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) is/are set up after applicable orientation of a first transmission or reception apparatus in the direction of the applicable selected one or more first motor vehicle(s).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first transmission or reception apparatus is oriented on the basis of angles of azimuth and elevation for the selected first motor vehicle(s) that are ascertained from the image of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle beforehand.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the schematic depiction shows objects located in the surroundings of the second motor vehicle and/or in the respective surroundings of the one or more first motor vehicle(s).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein selected first motor vehicles that provide no response to the request are denoted in applicable fashion in the schematic depiction.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the schematic depiction shows a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor data represent information from a radar system, a lidar system, a video camera and/or an ultrasonic system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

actuating respective radar systems in the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) to orient an area picked up by the radar system to the first or second motor vehicle by means of electronically controlled direction and aperture,

sending the request and receiving the response to the request via the respective oriented radar systems.

9. An apparatus for depicting sensor data of one or more first motor vehicle(s) via a man-machine interface of a second motor vehicle, wherein the apparatus has a sensor, a communication interface, a man-machine interface and at least one controller that are connected to one another via one or more communication line(s) or communication bus(es), wherein the at least one controller has volatile and nonvolatile memory means, and wherein the apparatus is configured to, when the at least one controller (608) executes applicable computer program instructions stored in the nonvolatile memory means, carry out a method for depicting the sensor data of the one or more first motor vehicle(s) via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, the method comprising:

depicting an image of at least part of surroundings of the second motor vehicle via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, wherein one or more first motor vehicle(s) is/are mapped at least in part,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the first motor vehicles mapped on the image of the surroundings,

setting up one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) from the second motor vehicle to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via a first wireless communication interface,

sending a request to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via the respective individual first point-to-point connection to transmit information pertaining to available sensors and the properties thereof to the second motor vehicle,

receiving a plurality of responses from one or more of the selected first motor vehicles and reproducing a schematic depiction of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows positions of the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) in the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows sensors available in the one or more first motor vehicle(s), and wherein the schematic depiction depicts areas within which the available sensors of the one or more first motor vehicle(s) and/or the sensors of the second motor vehicle can pick up objects,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the sensors shown in the schematic depiction and of an area to be picked up by sensor,

sending an applicable request to one or more first motor vehicle(s) whose sensors can pick up the area to be picked up,

receiving applicable sensor data for a subsequent reproduction via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, and

wherein sensor data updated in response to an applicable request are received cyclically from one or more first motor vehicle(s) for a previously stipulated period or up until a call to stop a transmission.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) is/are set up after applicable orientation of a first transmission or reception apparatus in the direction of the applicable selected one or more first motor vehicle(s).

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first transmission or reception apparatus is oriented on the basis of angles of azimuth and elevation for the selected first motor vehicle(s) that are ascertained from the image of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle beforehand.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the schematic depiction shows objects located in the surroundings of the second motor vehicle and/or in the respective surroundings of the one or more first motor vehicle(s).

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein selected first motor vehicles that provide no response to the request are denoted in applicable fashion in the schematic depiction.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the schematic depiction shows a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor data represent information from a radar system, a lidar system, a video camera and/or an ultrasonic system.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, comprising:

actuating respective radar systems in the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) to orient an area picked up by the radar system to the first or second motor vehicle by means of electronically controlled direction and aperture,

sending the request and receiving the response to the request via the respective oriented radar systems.

17. A motor vehicle having an apparatus for depicting sensor data of one or more first motor vehicle(s) via a man-machine interface of a second motor vehicle, wherein the apparatus has a sensor, a communication interface, a man-machine interface and at least one controller that are connected to one another via one or more communication line(s) or communication bus(es), wherein the at least one controller has volatile and nonvolatile memory means, and wherein the apparatus is configured to, when the at least one controller executes applicable computer program instructions stored in the nonvolatile memory means, carry out a method for depicting the sensor data of the one or more first motor vehicle(s) via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, the method comprising:

depicting an image of at least part of surroundings of the second motor vehicle via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, wherein one or more first motor vehicle(s) is/are mapped at least in part,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the first motor vehicles mapped on the image of the surroundings,

setting up one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) from the second motor vehicle to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via a first wireless communication interface,

sending a request to the selected first motor vehicle(s) via the respective individual first point-to-point connection to transmit information pertaining to available sensors and the properties thereof to the second motor vehicle,

receiving a plurality of responses from one or more of the selected first motor vehicles and reproducing a schematic depiction of the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows positions of the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) in the surroundings of the second motor vehicle, wherein the schematic depiction shows sensors available in the one or more first motor vehicle(s), and wherein the schematic depiction depicts areas within which the available sensors of the one or more first motor vehicle(s) and/or the sensors of the second motor vehicle can pick up objects,

receiving a user input that corresponds to a selection of one or more of the sensors shown in the schematic depiction and of an area to be picked up by sensor,

sending an applicable request to one or more first motor vehicle(s) whose sensors can pick up the area to be picked up,

receiving applicable sensor data for a subsequent reproduction via the man-machine interface of the second motor vehicle, and

actuating respective radar systems in the second motor vehicle and the one or more first motor vehicle(s) to orient an area picked up by the radar system to the first or second motor vehicle by means of electronically controlled direction and aperture, and

sending the request and receiving the response to the request via the respective oriented radar systems.

18. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the one or more individual first point-to-point connection(s) is/are set up after applicable orientation of a first transmission or reception apparatus in the direction of the applicable selected one or more first motor vehicle(s).