METHOD OF ALIGNING A SWIVELABLE VEHICLE SENSOR

• US 20080300733A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Ehmanns, Dirk, Rasshofer, Ralph Helmar
• Granted Patent: US 8,798,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/602 with an adjustable viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/82 wherein continuous-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method of aligning a vehicle sensor is provided. The sensor is arranged on a motor vehicle and is swivelable about at least one axis in the direction of an attention angle determined as a function of the actual driving situation. The presence of a traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle is detected, and the attention angle is selected such that the receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment in the direction of the attention angle at least partially contains the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of aligning a vehicle sensor, arranged on a motor vehicle and swivelable about at least one axis, the sensor being alignable in a direction of an attention angle determined as a function of an actual driving situation, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting a presence of a traffic route leading into a probable driving route of the motor vehicle; and

selecting the attention angle such that the receiving range of the vehicle sensor when aligned in the direction of the attention angle at least partially contains said traffic route leading into said probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of:

determining the probable driving route of the motor vehicle via an operating or switching state of a driving direction indication device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the presence of the leading-in traffic route is detected via map data of a navigation system.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the probable driving route and the presence of the leading-in traffic route is determined by map data of a navigation system.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein foreknowledge concerning traffic control is used for detecting the presence of the traffic route leading into the probable driving route.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein foreknowledge concerning traffic control is used for detecting the presence of the traffic route leading into the probable driving route.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

determining an absolute motor vehicle position; and

determining a relative alignment of the motor vehicle with respect to the traffic route leading into the probable driving route based on the absolute motor vehicle position and map data of a navigation system.

8. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the acts of:

determining an absolute motor vehicle position; and

determining a relative alignment of the motor vehicle with respect to the traffic route leading into the probable driving route based on the absolute motor vehicle position and map data of a navigation system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relative alignment of the motor vehicle with respect to the traffic route leading into the probable driving route is determined by independent vehicle sensors.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment contains a part of the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle that is closest to the motor vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment contains a part of the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle that is closest to the motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 4, wherein the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment contains a part of the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle that is closest to the motor vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when no traffic route leading into the probable driving route is present in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment largely contains the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 3, wherein, when no traffic route leading into the probable driving route is present in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment largely contains the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein, when no traffic route leading into the probable driving route is present in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment largely contains the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein, when no traffic route leading into the probable driving route is present in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment largely contains the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein, when no traffic route leading into the probable driving route is present in a vicinity of the motor vehicle, the attention angle is selected such that a receiving range of the vehicle sensor resulting from the alignment largely contains the probable driving route of the motor vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the swivelable vehicle sensor is only aligned with the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle if, by way of a distribution of responsibility provided between several vehicle sensors, the swivelable vehicle sensor is responsible for its monitoring.

19. The method according to claim 3, wherein the swivelable vehicle sensor is only aligned with the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle if, by way of a distribution of responsibility provided between several vehicle sensors, the swivelable vehicle sensor is responsible for its monitoring.

20. The method according to claim 9, wherein the swivelable vehicle sensor is only aligned with the traffic route leading into the probable driving route of the motor vehicle if, by way of a distribution of responsibility provided between several vehicle sensors, the swivelable vehicle sensor is responsible for its monitoring.