Motor vehicle and method for operating a motor vehicle

• US 9,346,401 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Reichel, Michael, Bouzouraa, Mohamed Essayed
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US14/414,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20150210216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 929 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/41, 701/1, 701/96, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/449, 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/40 Photo, light or radio wave sensitive means, e.g. infrared sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/085 Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18018 Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

Motor vehicle with at least one control device, a thermal imaging camera and an image processing device, wherein the image processing device is designed to recognize objects on a thermal image from the thermal imaging camera, wherein the image processing device is designed to ascertain at least one object property of at least one recognized object, particularly of a recognized vehicle, by evaluating the thermal distribution in the thermal image in a region that includes the recognized object, wherein the control device is designed to use the object property for operation of a vehicle system.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising

a thermal imaging camera, and

an image processing device configured to recognize objects on a thermal image of the thermal imaging camera, and to detect at least one object property of at least one recognized object by evaluating a distribution of heat in the thermal image in a region located within the thermal image of the at least one recognized object, and

at least one control device configured to use the at least one object property during operation of a vehicle system.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least one recognized object is a detected vehicle.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the object property or one of the least one object property is an object orientation.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein the at least one recognized object is a detected vehicle and the image processing device is configured to determine the object orientation of the detected vehicle by determining a position of at least one of an exhaust pipe and a motor of the detected vehicle in relation to a position of the detected vehicle.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is selected from data comprising a shape of an exhaust pipe and an amount or shape of emitted exhaust gases, and wherein the image processing device is configured to evaluate a driving performance of the detected vehicle from these data.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property is a shape or a size of the object.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is a type of a drive train, wherein a drive train having a combustion engine is identified by presence of at least one exhaust pipe or of exhaust gases, and a drive train having an electric motor is detected by presence of batteries.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein the control device is configured, following a collision of the detected motor vehicle, to control a display device for displaying an indication of the type of the drive train of the detected vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is an operating state of a motor, which can be detected by at least one of a presence of exhaust gases, a temperature of the motor and a temperature of batteries.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 9, wherein the control device is configured to control an automatic start function in dependence of an operating state of a motor of the detected vehicle.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is an orientation or a position of at least one wheel, which is heated when the detected vehicle is driven.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is a position of a base point of the at least one wheel.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 12, wherein the at least one object property is a distance of the detected vehicle, wherein the image processing device is configured to determine the distance from the position of the base point of the at least one wheel.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the at least one object property of the detected vehicle is a position of a motor or of at least one battery, or both.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured, upon detection of an imminent collision with another vehicle, to control a driving intervention or at least one safety system, or both, by taking into account the at least one determined object property.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 15, wherein the at least one determined object property for controlling the driving intervention or the safety system comprises elements selected from the group consisting of object orientation, shape, size, driving performance, distance and position of a motor, position of at least one battery and position of easily deformable parts of the object.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 15, wherein the at least one determined object property of the detected vehicle is a position of regions that cause in a collision a smallest maximum injury severity of vehicle occupants, and wherein the control device is configured, in the event of an inevitable collision as computed by the control device, to control the motor vehicle for a collision with these regions, wherein identifying these regions includes at least a detection of regions that cause in a collision a high maximum injury severity by detecting thermal signatures and/or by detecting easily deformable regions by taking into account a material temperature.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the detected regions comprise regions that include batteries or the motor.

19. A method for operating a motor vehicle having a thermal imaging camera, an image processing device and a control device, with the steps of:

recording a thermal image with the thermal imaging camera,

identifying with the image processing device an object on the thermal image,

determining with the image processing device at least one object property by evaluating a distribution of heat in the thermal image in a region located within the thermal image of the object, and

using with the control device the object property when operating at least one vehicle system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the object is a vehicle.