Method for scanning a surrounding environment of a vehicle

• US 20100332068A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Brichzin, Volker, Bordes, Maria-Eugenia Garcia, Schirm, Ulrich, Dorenkamp, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A method and a device are described for scanning the surrounding environment of a vehicle. When the vehicle falls below a first boundary speed a timer is triggered whose state is incremented until the vehicle exceeds a boundary speed, a check of the unobstructed view of the scanning device being carried out upon expiration of the time period recorded by the state of the timer and in which the state of the counter is incremented.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for scanning a surrounding environment of a vehicle using a scanning device of the vehicle, comprising:

triggering a timer when a speed of the vehicle falls below a first predefined boundary speed;

incrementing a count of the timer until the speed of the vehicle exceeds a second predefined boundary speed; and

ascertaining, upon expiration of a predefined time period recorded by the timer, whether an unobstructed view of the scanning device is available.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

deactivating the scanning device if the unobstructed view of the scanning device is not available.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

resetting the timer if the unobstructed view of the scanning device is available.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

resetting the timer if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the second predefined boundary speed.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

resetting the timer if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the second predefined boundary speed.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

resetting the timer if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the second predefined boundary speed.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the method is used for distance measurement.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the method is used for distance measurement in an adaptive speed regulation.

22. A system for scanning a surrounding environment of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a scanning device positioned one of in or on the motor vehicle; and

a timer configured to be triggered when a speed of the motor vehicle falls below a first predefined boundary speed, and wherein a count of the timer is incremented until the speed of the vehicle exceeds a second predefined boundary speed;

wherein the scanning device ascertains, upon expiration of a predefined time period recorded by the timer, whether an unobstructed view of the scanning device is available.

23. A computer-readable data-storage medium storing a computer program having a plurality of program codes which, when executed on a computer, controls a method for scanning a surrounding environment of a vehicle using a scanning device of the vehicle, the method comprising:

triggering a timer when a speed of the vehicle falls below a first predefined boundary speed;

incrementing a count of the timer until the speed of the vehicle exceeds a second predefined boundary speed; and

ascertaining, upon expiration of a predefined time period recorded by the timer, whether an unobstructed view of the scanning device is available.