Determination of identifying characteristics of an accident participant in the event of an accident involving the accident participant and a motor vehicle

• US 10,625,698 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2019
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Marcial-Simon, Enrique
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US16/373,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20190225175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0027 Post collision measures, e.g. notifying emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

The disclosure relates to determining an identifying characteristic of an accident participant in the event of an accident involving the accident participant and a motor vehicle. A time of the accident is determined using a contact sensor of the motor vehicle, where the contact sensor is configured to detect external contact with the motor vehicle. An environment of the motor vehicle is recorded after the determined time of the accident as accident data, where the environment is recorded based on recordings from a visual recording apparatus. The accident participant is determined based on the recorded accident data, and an identifying characteristic of the accident participant is determined based on the detected accident participant and the recorded accident data.

Claims

1. A method for determining an identifying characteristic of an accident participant in the event of an accident involving the accident participant and a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a time of the accident, wherein the time of the accident is determined using a contact sensor of the motor vehicle, and wherein the contact sensor is configured to detect external contact with the motor vehicle;

recording an environment of the motor vehicle after the determined time of the accident as accident data, wherein the environment is recorded based on recordings

from a visual recording apparatus;

determining the accident participant based on the recorded accident data;

determining an identifying characteristic of the accident participant based on the detected accident participant and the recorded accident data;

checking whether the identifying characteristic can be determined for the location of the determined accident participant, with a direct alignment of the visual recording apparatus with the accident participant, such that the accident participant can be uniquely identified, and

in response to determining that the accident participant cannot be uniquely identified with the direct alignment of the visual recording apparatus with the accident participant;

determining a reflection surface which is suitable for reflecting an identifying characteristic of the accident participant such that it is possible to uniquely identify the accident participant, and aligning the visual recording apparatus with the determined reflection surface.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

uniquely identifying the accident participant based on the determined identifying characteristic.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the time of the accident is determined only if evaluation of an item of information from the contact sensor reveals that a damaging event has occurred.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the visual recording apparatus is arranged in and/or on the motor vehicle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining a location of the accident participant, and wherein the environment of the motor vehicle is recorded based on the determined location of the accident participant.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, the method further comprising:

determining a location of the accident participant, and wherein the environment of the motor vehicle is recorded based on the determined location of the accident participant.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the visual recording apparatus is arranged in the environment of the motor vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the visual recording apparatus is arranged in the environment of the motor vehicle.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, the method further comprising:

determining a visual recording apparatus to be used such that the location of the accident participant can be visually recorded; and

obtaining permission to use the determined visual recording apparatus to be used.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, the method further comprising:

determining a visual recording apparatus to be used such that the location of the accident participant can be visually recorded; and

obtaining permission to use the determined visual recording apparatus to be used.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein recording the environment of the motor vehicle after determining the accident participant comprises tracking the accident participant based on the determined location of the accident participant.

12. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein recording the environment of the motor vehicle after determining the accident participant comprises tracking the accident participant based on the determined location of the accident participant.

13. An apparatus for determining an identifying characteristic of an accident participant in the event of an accident involving the accident participant and a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a first determination means for determining a time of the accident, wherein the time of the accident is determined using a contact sensor of the motor vehicle, and wherein the contact sensor is configured to detect external contact with the motor vehicle;

a recording means for recording an environment of the motor vehicle after the determined time of the accident as accident data, wherein the environment is recorded based on recordings from a visual recording apparatus;

a second determination means for determining the accident participant based on the recorded accident data; and

a third determination means for determining an identifying characteristic of the accident participant based on the detected accident participant and the recorded accident data;

checking whether the identifying characteristic can be determined for the location of the determined accident participant, with a direct alignment of the visual recording means with the accident participant, such that the accident participant can be uniquely identified, and

in response to determining that the accident participant cannot be uniquely identified with the direct alignment of the visual recording means with the accident participant;

determining a reflection surface which is suitable for reflecting an identifying characteristic of the accident participant such that it is possible to uniquely identify the accident participant, and aligning the visual recording means with the determined reflection surface.

14. A motor vehicle comprising:

a contact sensor, wherein the contact sensor is configured to detect external contact with the motor vehicle; and

an apparatus configured to determine an identifying characteristic of an accident participant in the event of an accident involving the accident participant and a motor vehicle, wherein the apparatus comprises;

a first determination means for determining a time of the accident, wherein the time of the accident is determined using the contact sensor of the motor vehicle;

a recording means for recording an environment of the motor vehicle after the determined time of the accident as accident data, wherein the environment is recorded based on recordings from a visual recording apparatus;

a second determination means for determining the accident participant based on the recorded accident data; and

a third determination means for determining an identifying characteristic of the accident participant based on the detected accident participant and the recorded accident data;

checking whether the identifying characteristic can be determined for the location of the determined accident participant, with a direct alignment of the visual recording means with the accident participant, such that the accident participant can be uniquely identified, and

in response to determining that the accident participant cannot be uniquely identified with the direct alignment of the visual recording means with the accident participant;

determining a reflection surface which is suitable for reflecting an identifying characteristic of the accident participant such that it is possible to uniquely identify the accident participant, and aligning the visual recording means with the determined reflection surface.