Method and system for validating information

• US 9,393,958 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Sthlin, Ulrich, Grotendorst, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Application Number:
  US13/805,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20130090803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 701/30.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/251 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/803 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A method for validating information, wherein a first information item is detected essentially continuously, at least for the duration of its relevance, by a vehicle-to-X communication device, wherein a second information item is detected at the same time as the first information item by at least an individual sensor or a group of sensors, wherein the at least one individual sensor or the group of sensors is coupled at the data level to the vehicle-to-X communication device and wherein the first and/or second information items are validated by reconciling an information content of the first and second information items in the case of corresponding information content. The method is distinguished by the fact that the second information item is detected in an essentially discontinuous fashion.

Claims

1. A method performed by a vehicle on the roadway for validating information of an object on or near the roadway that is remote from the vehicle, comprising:

receiving continuously at least for a duration, by a vehicle-to-X communication transceiver located in the vehicle, a first location of the object on or near the roadway indicating an absolute position of the object on or near the roadway;

detecting discontinuously, by at least one individual sensor or a group of sensors located in the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle-to-X communication transceiver, a second location of the object on or near the roadway indicating a relative position of the object on or near the roadway relative to the vehicle;

validating, by a processor located in the vehicle, the first location of the object on or near the roadway when;

1) both the first location is received and the second location is detected within a predetermined time frame such that there is a chronological overlap between receiving the first location and detecting the second location, and

2) the first location is at or near the second location; and

in response to the first location being validated, controlling, by the processor located in the vehicle at least one of;

a warning output to the driver, or an action that intervenes with driving of the vehicle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one individual sensor is a sensor of the generic type:

radar,

lidar,

laser scanner,

ultrasound sensor,

mono camera,

stereo camera,

wheel speed sensor,

acceleration sensor,

rotational speed sensor or

steering angle sensor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group of sensors is a group of individual sensors of the same generic type and/or of different generic types.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locations determined by the individual sensors of the group of sensors are merged to form a common composite location.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information contents of the first and second locations are not merged.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and/or second location is no longer categorized as being validated if the first location is no longer detected continuously.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the validated location is made available at least to a driver assistance system in a vehicle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the validated first location or validated second location have a high degree of reliability which is sufficient for a vehicle control intervention.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first location is used to reduce a threshold value of an object detection process, wherein the object detection process is performed by means of the at least one individual sensor and/or the group of sensors.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are additionally grouped with at least one of a direction, and a speed of the object on or near the roadway.

5. The method as claimed in 1, wherein the first and second locations are additionally grouped with at least one of a position, a direction of movement, a speed and a generic type of an object.

11. A system of a vehicle for validating information of an object on or near a roadway that is remote from the vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle-to-X communication transceiver located in the vehicle and configured to;

continuously receive a first location of the object on or near the roadway at least for a duration, indicating an absolute position of the object on or near the roadway,

an individual sensor, or a group of sensors located in the vehicle and configured to;

discontinuously detect a second location of the object on or near the roadway, indicating a relative position of the object on or near the roadway relative to the vehicle,

a processor located in the vehicle and configured to;

validate the first location of the object on or near the roadway when;

1) both the first location is received and the second location is detected within a predetermined time frame such that there is a chronological overlap between receiving the first location and detecting the second location,

2) the first location is at or near the second location, and

in response to the first location being validated, control a warning output to the driver, or an action that intervenes with driving of the vehicle.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein in that the vehicle-to-X communication device exchanges information on the basis of at least one of the following types of link:

WLAN link, in particular according to IEEE 802.11,

ISM link (Industrial, Scientific, Medical Band),

ZigBee,

Bluetooth,

UWB,

Infrared link and

Mobile radio link.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, including:

another processor included in an electronic information merging module being assigned to the group of sensors, the electronic information merging module merges locations detected by the individual sensors of the group of sensors to form a common composite location, and

wherein the processor is included in an electronic information reconciling module.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronic information reconciling module and the electronic information merging module comprise partially or completely common data processing means.

15. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronic information reconciling module and/or the electronic information merging module are assigned to any desired vehicle control unit, wherein they are, in particular, partially or completely identical to an electronic computing module which is assigned to the vehicle control unit.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including software code stored thereon that controls a motor vehicle to perform the steps of:

continuously receiving, by a vehicle-to-X communication transceiver located in the vehicle, a first location of an object on or near the roadway, at least for a duration, indicating an absolute position of the object on or near the roadway,

discontinuously detecting, by at least one individual sensor or a group of sensors located in the vehicle, a second location of the object on or near the roadway, indicating a relative position of the object on or near the roadway relative to the vehicle,

validating, by a processor located in the vehicle, the first location of the object on or near the roadway when;

1) both the first location is received and the second location is detected within a predetermined time frame such that there is a chronological overlap between receiving the first location and detecting the second location, and

2) the first location is at or near the second location, and

in response to the first location being validated, controlling, by the processor located in the vehicle at least one of;

a warning output to the driver, or an action that intervenes with driving of the vehicle.