METHOD FOR AT LEAST PARTIALLY AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20160229398A1
• Filed: 02/05/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Original Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Inventors: BAUMGAERTEL, Klaas Hauke, NIEMANN, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,081,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/90 on bumper, e.g. collision sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions

Abstract

With a method for at least partially automatically controlling, in particular automatically parking a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, provision is made according to the invention for the movement of the vehicle to be predicted, for the position of a body outside the vehicle to be detected, for a possible spatial and/or time-related contact area between the vehicle and the body on the outer shell of the vehicle to be predicted, for a structure-borne sound measurement to be taken in the predicted spatial and/or time-related contact area and for a warning signal to be issued to the control unit if a previously specified criterion is met by the measured structure-borne sound signal.

Claims

1. A method for at least partially automatically controlling, in particular automatically parking a vehicle,

wherein

the movement of the vehicle is predicted,

the position of a body outside the vehicle is detected,

a possible spatial and/or time-related contact area between the vehicle and the body on the outer shell of the vehicle is predicted,

a structure-borne sound measurement is taken in the predicted spatial and/or time-related contact area and

a warning signal is emitted, if a previously specified criterion is met by the measured structure-borne sound signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, following reception of the warning signal, a signal for decelerating the vehicle is sent.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a speed profile of the vehicle is included in the prediction of the movement of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the body is determined by means of ultrasound measurements.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the previously specified criterion is a known time-related pattern of a structure-borne sound signal belonging to a possible contact.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the possible contact is a contact of the body with the bumper of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the possible contact involves breakage of the bumper.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the vehicle is predicted by means of linear prediction.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the vehicle, during a parking operation, is not delayed until a time-related pattern of a structure-borne sound signal associated with the bumper of the vehicle making contact with a body is detected, and the parking operation is continued until the parking position is reached.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein, upon outputting a warning signal, a passenger safety device is preconditioned.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

11. A vehicle with at least one structure-borne sound sensor and at least one ultrasound sensor for monitoring the environment of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a computer unit for predicting the movement of the vehicle, at least one structure-borne sound sensor comprises a structure-borne sound conducting connection to the outer shell of the vehicle, the vehicle comprises an evaluation unit for evaluating the structure-borne sound signals, and the evaluation unit comprises at least one signal-conducting connection to at least one controlling device of the vehicle.