Vehicle with at least one environment detection system

• US 9,111,452 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Braess, Hans-Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US13/296,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20120136536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A vehicle is equipped with at least one environment detection system, a communication system which transmits information by remote transmission to receivers external to the vehicle, and at least one electronic control unit for both systems. The electronic control unit is designed to realize a standby mode which can be activated automatically or manually. The control device is configured such that when the vehicle is parked and the standby mode is activated, both the environment detection system and the communication system can be switched-on at least to a limited extent to predefined functions in regard to the transmission of information to receivers external to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one environment detection system;

a communication system operatively configured to transmit information remotely to a plurality of receivers external to the vehicle;

at least one electronic control unit operatively coupled with the environment detection system and the communication system, wherein;

the electronic control unit is operatively configured to enable a standby mode activateable automatically or manually, the electronic control unit switching-on the environment detection system and the communication system when the vehicle is parked and the standby mode is activated, the switching-on being at least to carry out predefined functions related to transmitting information externally, wherein the predefined functions are divided into a plurality of different environment categories having defined reactions adapted to each of the plurality of different environment categories, wherein the plurality of receivers includes a plurality of other vehicles, and wherein each of the defined reactions comprises a transmission of the information to a corresponding subset of the plurality of vehicles, where each subset is defined according to a corresponding predetermined proximity range to the vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is operatively configured to first switch-on the environment detection system in the standby mode and, upon recognizing signals for executing the predefined functions, the environment detection system switches on the communication system.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of different environment categories correspond to where the vehicle may be parked.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the areas comprise at least one of a closed individual garage, a parking garage, a city street, a country road and a freeway.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a degree of criticality is associated with each of the plurality of different environment categories.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the degree of criticality for each of the plurality of different environment categories corresponds to at least one of a relative probability of the vehicle being involved in a collision and a likely severity of said collision.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the defined reactions corresponds to a degree of criticality, and wherein the information is to be transmitted to a subset of the plurality of vehicles having a predetermined proximity range that increases as the degree of criticality increases.

3. A method of operating a vehicle having an environment detection system, a communication system for transmitting information to a plurality of receivers external to the vehicle, and an electronic control unit operatively coupled with the environment detection system and the communication system, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting, by the electronic control unit, when the vehicle is parked;

activating, by the electronic control unit, a standby mode for at least the environment detection system and communication system; and

switching-on, by the electronic control unit, at least to carry out predefined functions relating to transmission of information to receivers outside of the vehicle both the environment detection system and the communication system when it is detected that the vehicle is parked and the standby mode is activated, wherein the predefined functions are divided into a plurality of different environment categories having defined reactions adapted to each of the different environment categories, wherein the plurality of receivers includes a plurality of other vehicles, and wherein each of the defined reactions comprises a transmission of the information to a corresponding subset of the plurality of vehicles, where each subset is defined according to a corresponding predetermined proximity range to the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein activation of the standby mode occurs one of automatically and manually.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the act of switching-on further comprises the acts of:

first switching-on, by the electronic control unit, the environment detection system when in the standby mode;

recognizing, by the electronic control unit, signals from the environment detection system for executing the predefined functions; and

second switching-on the communication system to transmit the information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second act of switching-on the communication system is carried out by the environment detection system switching-on the communication system.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of different environment categories correspond to where the vehicle may be parked.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein the areas comprise at least one of a closed individual garage, a parking garage, a city street, a country road and a freeway.

13. The method according to claim 3, wherein a degree of criticality is associated with each of the plurality of different environment categories.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the degree of criticality for each of the plurality of different environment categories corresponds to at least one of a relative probability of the vehicle being involved in a collision and a likely severity of said collision.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the defined reactions corresponds to a degree of criticality, and wherein the information is to be transmitted to a subset of the plurality of vehicles having a predetermined proximity range that increases as the degree of criticality increases.