Sensor Device for a Vehicle

• US 20170334350A1
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Published: 11/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Rink, Klaus, Witt, Oliver
• Application Number:
  US15/601,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20170334350A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• 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 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/12 Classification; Matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/10 Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• 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

The invention relates to a sensor device for a vehicle for detecting a road user in a vehicle environment, wherein the road user transmits a communication signal, with a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are designed to receive the communication signal with a phase displacement, a processor which is designed to determine a transmission direction of the communication signal on the basis of the phase displacement between the communication signal received at the first antenna and the communication signal received at the second antenna, and a distance sensor which is designed to capture angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment, wherein the processor is designed to determine a position of the road user on the basis of the transmission direction of the communication signal and of the angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment.

Claims

1. A sensor device for a vehicle for detecting a road user in a vehicle environment comprising:

a communication signal transmitted by the road user;

a first antenna and a second antenna to receive the communication signal with a phase displacement therebetween;

a processor to determine a transmission direction of the communication signal on the basis of the phase displacement between the communication signal received at the first antenna and the communication signal received at the second antenna; and

a distance sensor to capture angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment;

wherein the processor determines a position of the road user on the basis of the transmission direction of the communication signal and of the angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment;

a communication interface connected to the first antenna and the second antenna to receive and process the communication signal received at the first antenna and the second antenna respectively;

wherein the communication interface is one of;

a Bluetooth communication interface, a Bluetooth communication interface with Low Energy Standard, and an ultra-wideband communication interface; and

wherein the communication signal is designed according to a corresponding communication standard.

2. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the processor can be connected to the communication interface to detect the phase displacement of the communication signal received at the first antenna to the communication signal received at the second antenna.

3. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna is installed in the vehicle at a first installation position, and the second antenna is installed in the vehicle at a second installation position, wherein the processor is designed to determine the transmission direction on the basis of the phase displacement between the communication signal received at the first antenna and the communication signal received at the second antenna and the respective installation position of the first antenna and of the second antenna.

4. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the communication signal comprises classification information of the road user, and wherein the processor is designed to detect the classification of the road user on the basis of the classification information of the communication signal

5. The sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the classification of the road user is one of:

pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist.

6. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the communication signal comprises activity information of the road user, wherein the activity information defines an activity of the road user, and wherein the processor is designed to detect the activity of the road user on the basis of the activity information of the communication signal

7. The sensor device according to claim 6, wherein the activity of the road user is one of:

making a telephone call, listening to music or jogging.

8. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor comprises at least one radar sensor element which is designed to capture the angle-dependent distance measured variables for a section of the vehicle environment on the basis of a radar measurement.

9. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor is designed to transmit a communication request signal to the road user at continuous time intervals, wherein the distance sensor is designed to receive a communication response signal in response to the respective communication request signal, wherein the distance sensor is designed to capture the distance measured variables on the basis of a temporal duration between respectively transmitting the communication request signal and detecting reception of the respective communication response signal.

10. The sensor device according to claim 9, wherein the distance sensor comprises a further communication interface for at least one of:

transmitting the communication request signal and receiving the communication response signal.

11. The sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the further communication interface is an ultra-wideband communication interface in particular to transmit and to receive as ultra-wideband communication signals.

12. The sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the further communication interface can be connected to the first antenna and the second antenna to do at least one of:

transmit the communication request signal and receive the communication response signal.

13. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device is designed to actuate a safety application of the vehicle in response to determining the position of the road user by a detection signal, wherein the detection signal indicates the position of the road user.

14. A method for detecting a road user in a vehicle environment comprising:

receiving a communication signal from the road user with a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the communication signal is phase-displaced at the first antenna and at the second antenna;

determining a transmission direction of the communication signal on the basis of the phase displacement between the communication signal received at the first antenna and the communication signal received at the second antenna;

capturing angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment; and

determining a position of the road user on the basis of the transmission direction of the communication signal and the angle-dependent distance measured variables of the vehicle environment.