VEHICLE SYSTEM FOR NAVIGATION AND/OR DRIVER ASSISTANCE

• US 20110054716A1
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Stählin, Ulrich, Gee, Robert, Grotendorst, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

Disclosed herein is assistance, safety and navigation technology for vehicles. In particular, the disclosure relates to a vehicle system and a method for controlling the vehicle system.

Claims

1-52. -52. (canceled)

53. A vehicle system comprising:

a positioning module for determining a current vehicle position on a basis of an output of a satellite signal sensor and at least one surroundings sensor, vehicle sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver;

an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon provider which provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance;

a provider unit which includes the positioning module and the ADAS horizon provider wherein the provider unit can be coupled to communicate with a navigation unit, and

wherein the ADAS horizon provider is configured to supply the ADAS horizon at a rate exceeding that of the output of the satellite signal sensor.

54. A vehicle system according to claim 53, further comprising a navigation unit in which a digital map can be stored.

55. A vehicle system according to claim 53, further comprising a dynamics module in which dynamic data and updates relating to parameters influencing the ADAS horizon are detected.

56. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that a map extract from the digital map showing current surroundings of the vehicle can be transmitted by the navigation unit to the provider unit.

57. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that in the navigation unit and on the basis of the vehicle position determined by the positioning module, a map extract from a digital map showing the current surroundings of the vehicle can be transmitted by the navigation unit to the provider unit.

58. A vehicle system according to claim 56, wherein the provider unit matches the map extract with the current vehicle position which has been determined by the positioning module.

59. A vehicle system according to claim 53, wherein the provider unit can be coupled to communicate with a navigation unit located outside the vehicle.

60. A vehicle system according to claim 53, further comprising an automatic emergency call unit which is included in the provider unit.

61. A vehicle system according to claim 53, wherein the provider unit is configured to make available the current vehicle position determined by the positioning module for transmission to the navigation unit.

62. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the navigation unit is a mobile navigation unit which is not fixedly connected to the vehicle.

63. A vehicle system according to claim 62, wherein the mobile navigation unit is configured for wireless communication with the provider unit.

64. A vehicle system according to claim 56, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that parts of the map extract can be transmitted in an order of priority.

65. A vehicle system according to claim 64, wherein the order of priority depends on a distance of the part of the map extract from the current vehicle position, so that closer parts are transmitted first.

66. A vehicle system according to claim 64, wherein the order of priority depends on a probability of a further course of travel, so that parts of the map extract which are more likely to be travelled are transmitted first.

67. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the navigation unit comprises an additional provider unit comprising an ADAS horizon provider of its own which provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance.

68. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the navigation unit is configured to communicate with an ADAS horizon provider which is located externally of the vehicle and of the navigation unit and provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance.

69. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the digital map can be authenticated using cryptographic methods.

70. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein the digital map cannot be used by the vehicle system until a check phase has been completed during which the digital map is authenticated for a certain period of time by a comparison with surroundings and/or vehicle sensors.

71. A vehicle system according to claim 54, wherein several navigation units can be coupled to the provider unit and the provider unit is configured to compare an output of the navigation units.

72. A vehicle system according to claim 71, wherein one navigation unit is fixedly connected to the vehicle, while another navigation unit is a mobile navigation unit.

73. A vehicle system according to claim 53, wherein the vehicle system comprises an update module by which map updates can be loaded and stored separately from an existing map.

74. A vehicle system according to claim 73, wherein the vehicle system is configured to compare the existing map and a map update with an output of the vehicle and/or surroundings sensors and checks the map update for plausibility and uses the map which coincides more with the output of the vehicle and/or surroundings sensors.

75. A vehicle system according to claim 74, wherein the vehicle system is configured to overwrite an existing map extract with the updated map extract from the update module if the updated map extract has a higher degree of coincidence with the output of the vehicle and/or surroundings sensors.

76. A vehicle system according to claim 53, wherein the ADAS horizon provider produces the ADAS horizon on the basis of traffic and/or town signs which have been detected.

77. A vehicle system according to claim 53, further comprising an ADAS horizon reconstruction module configured to receive data from the ADAS horizon provider, wherein the ADAS horizon reconstruction module has a further interface via which it can receive output of at least one element from the group consisting of a surroundings sensor, a vehicle sensor, a traffic reporting sensor and a telematics sensor and take into account said data during reconstruction of the ADAS horizon.

78. A vehicle comprising a vehicle system according to claim 53.

79. A vehicle system comprising:

at least one surroundings sensor, vehicle sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver; and

an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon provider which produces an ADAS horizon for driver assistance, relying, at least temporarily, exclusively on the at least one surroundings sensor, the vehicle sensor and/or the traffic telematics receiver.

80. A vehicle system according to claim 79, further comprising:

a positioning module for determining a current vehicle position, and

a provider unit which includes the positioning module and the ADAS horizon provider, wherein the provider unit is configured to be coupled to communicate with a navigation unit.

81. A vehicle system according to claim 79, further comprising a navigation unit in which a digital map is configured to be stored.

82. A vehicle system according to claim 79, further comprising a dynamics module in which dynamic data and updates relating to parameters influencing the ADAS horizon are detected.

83. A vehicle system according to claim 81, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that a map extract from the digital map showing current surroundings of the vehicle are transmitted by the navigation unit to the provider unit.

84. A vehicle system according to claim 80, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that in the navigation unit and on the basis of a vehicle position determined by the positioning module, a map extract from a digital map showing the current surroundings of the vehicle is transmitted by the navigation unit to the provider unit.

85. A vehicle system according to claim 80, wherein the provider unit is configured to make available the current vehicle position determined by the positioning module for transmission to the navigation unit.

86. A vehicle system according to claim 79, wherein the ADAS horizon provider produces the ADAS horizon on a basis of traffic and/or town signs detected and/or traffic lane information which has been obtained.

87. A vehicle system comprising:

a positioning module for determining a current vehicle position;

an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon provider which provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance;

a provider unit which includes the positioning module, and the ADAS horizon provider, wherein the provider unit is configured to be coupled to communicate with a mobile navigation unit which is not fixedly connected to the vehicle.

88. A vehicle system according to claim 87, further comprising a mobile navigation unit in which a digital map can be stored.

89. A vehicle system according to claim 87, wherein the provider unit is configured to make available the current vehicle position for transmission to the navigation unit.

90. A vehicle system according to claim 87, wherein the mobile navigation unit is configured for wireless communication with the provider unit.

91. A vehicle system according to claim 88, wherein the navigation unit and the provider unit are configured such that parts of a map extract is transmitted in an order of priority.

92. A vehicle system according to claim 91, wherein the order of priority depends on a distance of the part of the map extract from the current vehicle position, so that closer parts are transmitted first.

93. A vehicle system according to claim 92, wherein the order of priority depends on a probability of a further course of travel, so that parts of the map extract which are more likely to be travelled are transmitted first.

94. A vehicle system according to claim 88, wherein the digital map is configured to be authenticated using cryptographic methods.

95. A vehicle system according to claim 88, wherein the digital map cannot be used by the vehicle system until a check phase has been completed during which the digital map can be authenticated for a certain period of time by a comparison with surroundings and/or vehicle sensors.

96. A vehicle system for map verification comprising:

an update module by which a map update can be loaded;

a version memory in which the map update can be stored separately from an existing map;

at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver, and

a map update provider configured to compare the map update with an output of the at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver and check the map update for plausibility.

97. A vehicle system according to claim 96, wherein the vehicle system releases the map for use which coincides more with the output of the at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver.

98. A vehicle system according to claim 96, wherein the vehicle system is configured such that the existing map extract is overwritten with the updated map extract from the update module if the updated map extract has a higher degree of coincidence with an output of the at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver.

99. A vehicle system comprising:

an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon provider which provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance, and

an ADAS horizon reconstruction module configured to receive data from the ADAS horizon provider, wherein the ADAS horizon reconstruction module has a further interface via which it can receive output of at least one element from the group consisting of a surroundings sensor, a vehicle sensor, a traffic reporting sensor and a telematics sensor, and modifies the ADAS horizon on a basis of the output.

100. A vehicle system comprising:

a provider unit comprising an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon provider which provides an ADAS horizon for driver assistance;

at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver;

wherein the provider unit is configured to be coupled to communicate with a navigation unit to receive an ADAS horizon, and

wherein the ADAS horizon provider is adapted for modification of the ADAS horizon which can be received by the provider unit on a basis of an output of the at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver.

101. A method for controlling a vehicle system comprising the steps of:

determining a current vehicle position on a basis of an output of a satellite signal sensor and at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver, and

providing an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon via an ADAS horizon provider for driver assistance,

wherein the ADAS horizon is provided at a rate exceeding that of an output of the satellite signal sensor.

102. A method for controlling a vehicle system in which an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon is produced, relying, at least temporarily, exclusively on a vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver.

103. A method for controlling a vehicle system for map verification, comprising the steps of:

loading a map update in an update module;

storing the map update in a version memory separately from an existing map,

comparing the map update with an output of at least one vehicle sensor, surroundings sensor and/or traffic telematics receiver and checking the map update for plausibility.

104. A method for controlling a vehicle system comprising the steps of:

providing an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) horizon for driver assistance;

loading an output of at least one element from the group consisting of a surroundings sensor, a vehicle sensor, a traffic reporting sensor and a telematics sensor in an ADAS horizon reconstruction module that is configured to receive data from the ADAS horizon provider; and

modifying the ADAS horizon on a basis of an input in the ADAS horizon reconstruction module.