Method for identifying a stationary state of a vehicle

• US 6,411,868 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Tiede, Lutz, Leimbach, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/783,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/213, 701/217, 701/220, 701/221
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/396 Determining accuracy or reliability of position or pseudorange measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled

Abstract

A method for distinguishing between a movement state and a rest state of a motor vehicle, in which the output signal of a sensor arranged in the vehicle is evaluated. The invention provides for the noise of the sensor signal to be evaluated in order to distinguish between the movement state and the rest state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for distinguishing between a movement state and a rest state of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of evaluating the output signal of a sensor arranged in the vehicle, including evaluating the noise of the sensor signal statistically to distinguish between the movement state and the rest state wherein, for the statistical evaluation of the sensor noise, the squared mean and the root mean square of the sensor signal are calculated and the variance is formed.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sensor signal is that of a rate-of-rotation sensor.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the distinction between a movement state and a rest state of the vehicle is utilized for the purpose of detecting vehicle vibrations in the case of a vehicle which is not being operated.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein an alarm is triggered when vehicle vibrations are detected.

5. A method for distinguishing between a movement state and a rest state of a motor vehicle having a navigation system, the navigation system having a plurality of sensors for position determination comprising the steps of:

evaluating the output signal of one of the sensors wherein the noise of the sensor signal is evaluated to distinguish between the movement state and the rest state wherein, for the evaluation of the sensor noise, the squared mean and the root mean square of the sensor signal are calculated and the variance is formed.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the sensors are calibrated in a rest state of the vehicle.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein dead reckoning navigation is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein satellite navigation is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein a comparison between the vehicle position determined by dead reckoning and satellite navigation and road map data is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

10. The method in accordance with claim 8, wherein a comparison between the vehicle position determined by dead reckoning or satellite navigation and road map data is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein a comparison between the vehicle position determined by dead reckoning and road map data is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

12. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein satellite navigation is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein a comparison between the vehicle position determined by satellite navigation and road map data is carried out to determine the position of the vehicle.

14. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the distinction between a movement state and a rest state of the vehicle is utilized for the purpose of detecting vehicle vibrations in the case of a vehicle which is not being operated.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein an alarm is triggered when vehicle vibrations are detected.

16. A navigation system for motor vehicles having sensors for determining a vehicle position, wherein the navigation system contains means for evaluating the noise of at least one sensor signal and for carrying out standstill identification using at least one evaluated sensor noise signal.

17. The navigation system in accordance with claim 16 further comprising means for calibrating the sensors.

18. The navigation system in accordance with claim 16 further comprising an input unit, an output unit and a reading device for digital road map data, each of which is connected to a central processing unit.

19. The navigation system in accordance with claim 17 further comprising an input unit, an output unit and a reading device for digital road map data, each of which is connected to a central processing unit.