Method for providing result data that depend on a motor vehicle environment

• US 10,417,905 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Altinger, Harald, Schuller, Florian, Feist, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US16/065,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20190012906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 3409322
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096733 where a selection of the information might take place
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for providing result data, which relate to a motor vehicle environment with an infrastructure device, for guiding a receiving motor vehicle through an infrastructure presenting a complex traffic situation. At least one motor vehicle having at least one sensor device is selected by the infrastructure device. The sensor device of the selected motor vehicle detects sensor data, which describe at least part of the motor vehicle environment. The infrastructure device transmits a query message to the selected motor vehicle. The selected motor vehicle transmits the sensor data to the infrastructure device in response to the query message. The infrastructure device determines result data from the sensor data and provides the result data to the receiving motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing, from an infrastructure device to a receiving motor vehicle, result data that depend on a motor vehicle environment of the receiving motor vehicle, comprising:

determining, by the infrastructure device, an incompleteness of detected areas of the motor vehicle environment using sensor data from at least one infrastructural sensor device;

selecting, by the infrastructure device, at least one selected motor vehicle that has at least one sensor device, wherein the at least one sensor device detects at least a part of the motor vehicle environment, wherein the selecting is performed in response to determining the incompleteness of detected areas, and wherein the method further comprises;

transmitting, by the infrastructure device, a query message to the at least one selected motor vehicle; and

receiving, by the infrastructure device, further sensor data detected by the at least one sensor device, or processing data determined from the further sensor data by a processing device of the at least one selected motor vehicle, in response to transmitting the query message, the further sensor data describing at least the part of the motor vehicle environment;

determining, by the infrastructure device, the result data from available data comprising at least one of;

the sensor data of the at least one infrastructural sensor device, the further sensor data of the at least one selected motor vehicle, and the processing data of the at least one selected motor vehicle; and

transmitting, by the infrastructure device, the result data to the receiving motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, by the infrastructure device, a parked motor vehicle as the at least one selected motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the further sensor data or the processing data includes using a Car2X communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the further sensor data or the processing data includes using a WLAN.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the infrastructure device, prior to the selecting of the at least one selected motor vehicle, a plurality of motor vehicles present in an area associated with the infrastructure device, whereupon the at least one selected motor vehicle is selected from the plurality of motor vehicles present.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the infrastructure device, from each of the plurality of motor vehicles present, a corresponding logon message; and

determining, by the infrastructure device, a presence of the each of the plurality of motor vehicles by analyzing the corresponding logon message.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting, by the infrastructure device, the at least one selected motor vehicle on a basis of the corresponding logon message, wherein the corresponding logon message comprises a logon information relating to a current or anticipated future position, an orientation, or the at least one sensor device of the at least one selected motor vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting, by the infrastructure device, the result data to the receiving motor vehicle includes transmitting the result data to a control device of the receiving motor vehicle to guide the receiving motor vehicle on a basis of the result data.

9. A motor vehicle, comprising a communication device for communicating with an infrastructure device, at least one sensor device, and a processing device,

wherein the at least one sensor device and the communication device are configured to be controlled by the processing device, and

wherein the processing device is configured to control the at least one sensor device and the communication device, wherein the motor vehicle is configured to:

if selected, by the infrastructure device, as a selected motor vehicle, detect, by the at least one sensor device, at least a part of a motor vehicle environment of a receiving motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle is selected by the infrastructure device in response to a determination by the infrastructure device of an incompleteness of detected areas of the motor vehicle environment using sensor data from at least one infrastructural sensor device;

detect, by the at least one sensor device of the selected motor vehicle, further sensor data that describe at least the part of the motor vehicle environment;

receive, as the selected motor vehicle, from the infrastructure device, a query message;

transmit, as the selected motor vehicle, to the infrastructure device, the further sensor data, or processing data determined from the further sensor data by the processing device, in response to receiving the query message; and

if selected, by the infrastructure device, as the receiving motor vehicle;

receive from the infrastructure device, result data determined from available data comprising at least one of;

the sensor data of the at least one infrastructural sensor device of the motor vehicle environment, the further sensor data of the selected motor vehicle, and the processing data of the selected motor vehicle.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 9, further configured to:

operate, prior to receiving the query message, the at least one sensor device or the processing device of the selected motor vehicle, in a passive mode of operation in which no detection or processing of the further sensor data is possible; and

switch, upon receiving the query message, the at least one sensor device or the processing device of the selected motor vehicle to an active mode of operation to detect or process the further sensor data.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 9, further configured to:

operate, prior to receiving the query message, the at least one sensor device or the processing device of the selected motor vehicle in an inactive mode of operation; and

switch, upon receiving the query message, the at least one sensor device or the processing device of the selected motor vehicle to an active mode of operation to detect or process the further sensor data.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 9, further configured to:

transmit a logon message to the infrastructure device, wherein the logon message comprises a logon information relating to a current or anticipated future position, an orientation, or the at least one sensor device of the motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 9, further configured to:

guide itself, as the receiving motor vehicle, by a control device, on a basis of the result data.

14. An infrastructure device, comprising a control device and a communication device, wherein the communication device is configured to be controlled by the control device, and the infrastructure device is configured to:

determine an incompleteness of detected areas of a motor vehicle environment from sensor data received from an infrastructural sensor device;

select at least one selected motor vehicle having at least one sensor device, wherein the selecting is performed in response to determining the incompleteness of detected areas of the motor vehicle environment, and wherein the infrastructure device is further configured to;

transmit a query message to the at least one selected motor vehicle; and

receive further sensor data, or processing data determined from the further sensor data, which describe at least a part of the motor vehicle environment of a receiving motor vehicle, from the at least one sensor device of the at least one selected motor vehicle, in response to transmitting the query message;

determine result data from available data comprising at least one of;

the sensor data of the at least one infrastructural sensor device, the further sensor data of the at least one selected motor vehicle, and the processing data of the at least one selected motor vehicle; and

transmit the result data to the receiving motor vehicle.

15. The infrastructure device of claim 14, further configured to:

select a parked motor vehicle as the at least one selected motor vehicle.

16. The infrastructure device of claim 14, further configured to:

determine, prior to the selecting of the at least one selected motor vehicle, a plurality of motor vehicles present in an area associated with the infrastructure device, whereupon the at least one selected motor vehicle is selected from the plurality of motor vehicles present.

17. The infrastructure device of claim 16, further configured to:

receive, from each of the plurality of motor vehicles present, a corresponding logon message; and

determine, from the corresponding logon message, the each of the plurality of motor vehicles present.

18. The infrastructure device of claim 17, further configured to:

select the at least one selected motor vehicle on a basis of the corresponding logon message, wherein the corresponding logon message comprises a logon information relating to a current or anticipated future position, an orientation, or the at least one sensor device of the at least one selected motor vehicle.