Device and method for determining the sensor position of sensor units of a driver assistance system

• US 7,675,433 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hellwig, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/807,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340442-448, 340/505, 340/506, 340/10.42, 340/933
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9327 Sensor installation details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/937 sensor installation details constructional features of transducers G01S7/521 and B06B; casing of transducers, e.g. housing, cover or filler details, G10K9/22; mounting of transducers, i.e. fixture, fitting or holder details, G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle

Abstract

A device and a method determine sensor positions of sensor units of a driver assistance system, especially a parking aid system of a vehicle. The sensor units each have a plurality of terminals of different identification positions. A data bus is connected for an exchange of data with a central control and evaluation unit in this case with one or more terminals of the sensor unit according to a specific connection scheme, which is different for each of the sensor units, in order to provide an identity code for the sensor position of a sensor unit in this way.

Claims

1. A device for determining a sensor position of a sensor unit of a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, the device comprising:

a plurality of sensor units disposed for monitoring purposes on the motor vehicle and each having a data input and a data output, with said data input being activated and said data output deactivated in an initial state;

a data bus connecting said sensor units to each other in series so that said data output of one of said sensor units is connected to said data input of a following one of said sensor units; and

a central control and evaluation unit connected for an exchange of data over said data bus to individual ones of said sensor units, said central control and evaluation unit allocating a respective sensor unit a new individual identity code and said respective sensor unit activating said data output for a data connection to a next one of said sensor units being a next sensor unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of said sensor units has a controllable switch for activating or deactivating said data output.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of said sensor units has a sensor control unit for controlling said controllable switch.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of said sensor units has a non-volatile memory for storing the individual identity code.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said non-volatile memory stores a switching state of said controllable switch of said respective sensor unit.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said central control and evaluation unit transmits a reset signal over said data bus to said sensor units, through which said sensor units performs at least one of deactivating a respective said data output and discards the individual identity code.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said data bus is selected from the group consisting of LIN buses, CAN buses and Flexray buses.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said sensors units are selected from the group consisting of ultrasound sensors, radar sensors, LIDAR sensors and image detection sensors.

9. A method for determining a sensor position of sensor units of a driver assistance system of a vehicle, which comprises the steps of:

connecting the sensor units in series with each other and with a central control and evaluation unit for an exchange of data, with a passage of the data through a sensor unit being blocked in an initial state;

identifying a respective sensor unit by allocation of a new individual identity code to the respective sensor unit by the central control and evaluation unit; and

canceling a blocking of the passage of the data of an identified sensor unit to create a data connection to a next sensor unit.

10. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises allocating to a last sensor unit in the series, a new individual identity code, without canceling the blocking of the passage of data.

11. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises storing the new individual identity code in a memory device.

12. The method according to claim 9, which further comprises sending, via the central control and evaluation unit, a reset signal to the sensor units through which the sensor units are made to perform one of deactivate a respective data output and to discard the individual identity code.