Method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor, ultrasonic sensor device, and motor vehicle

• US 10,551,487 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Hallek, Michael, Ludwig, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ndure, Amie M
• Application Number:
  US15/021,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/876 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S15/872 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/52009 of sensor obstruction, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/932 for parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52004 Means for monitoring or calibrating short-range imaging G01S7/5205
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52006 with provision for compensating the effects of temperature

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor (3) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein an actual value of at least one oscillation parameter (fR) of the ultrasonic sensor (3) is sensed and is compared with a reference value by means of an evaluation unit (4) in order to detect a blocked state, wherein a current temperature (T) to which the ultrasonic sensor (3) is exposed is detected by means of a temperature detecting device (8), and the reference value is determined as a function of the current temperature (T) by means of the evaluation unit (4).

Claims

1. A method for detecting a blocked state of an ultrasonic sensor of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing an actual value of at least one oscillation parameter of the ultrasonic sensor;

detecting a current temperature to which the ultrasonic sensor is exposed by a temperature detecting device, wherein the current temperature is detected by a temperature sensor of the temperature detection device disposed on and/or in the ultrasonic sensor;

determining, by the evaluation unit, a reference value as a function of the current temperature;

repeatedly comparing, by an evaluation unit, the actual value sensed with the reference value to generate a plurality of deviations of the actual value from the reference value;

determining, subsequent to generating the plurality of deviations, a mean value of the plurality of deviations;

detecting, based on the mean value of the plurality of deviations, the blocked state of the ultrasonic sensor; and

determining, based on the mean value of the plurality of deviations, an extent and/or a type of blockage of the ultrasonic sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting a current ambient temperature of the ultrasonic sensor as the temperature, by a temperature sensor of the temperature detection device disposed in the area of the ultrasonic sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting the actual value of a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic sensor, as the oscillation parameter and determining an ideal value of the resonance frequency, as the reference value for the resonance frequency, as a function of the current temperature.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting the actual value of a reverberation time of the ultrasonic sensor, as the oscillation parameter, and determining an ideal value of the reverberation time, as the reference value for the reverberation time, as a function of the current temperature.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a sufficient number of deviations is present in the plurality of deviations,

wherein determining the mean value of the plurality of deviations is in response to determining that the sufficient number of deviations is present in the plurality of deviations.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein depending on the comparisons, a reduction in the detection zone of the ultrasonic sensor caused by the blockage is determined.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two ultrasonic sensors of the motor vehicle are each checked with respect to the blocked state, and the current temperature is detected separately for each ultrasonic sensor, and the reference value is determined separately for each ultrasonic sensor depending on the particular temperature.

8. An ultrasonic sensor device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one ultrasonic sensor; and

an evaluation unit for;

detecting an actual value of at least one oscillation parameter of the ultrasonic sensor,

repeatedly comparing said actual value with a reference value to generate a plurality of deviations of the actual value from the reference value,

determining, subsequent to generating the plurality of deviations, a mean value of the plurality of deviations, and

detecting, based on the mean value of the plurality of deviations, a blocked state of the ultrasonic sensor, and

determining, based on the mean value of the plurality of deviations, an extent and/or a type of blockage of the ultrasonic sensor,

wherein the evaluation unit is designed for determining, during operation, the reference value as a function of a detected current temperature to which the ultrasonic sensor is exposed, wherein the detected current temperature is detected by a temperature sensor of a temperature detection device disposed on and/or in the ultrasonic sensor.

9. A motor vehicle comprising an ultrasonic sensor device according to claim 8.