Method and device for assisting a driver when maneuvering a vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination

• US 8,044,779 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Ruland, Thomas, Glaser, Markus, Ehlgen, Tobias, Hahn, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/444,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/437, 340/440, 340/463, 340/465
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/028 Guided parking by providing commands to the driver, e.g. acoustically or optically
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for assisting a driver when maneuvering a vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination (1) which has vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another. The method provides that the vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination is/are displayed in the straight-ahead position on a display unit (A) using a static display element (4) which corresponds to the straight-ahead position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) and in addition respectively using a dynamic display element (6, 7) which is assigned to the respective vehicle element (2, 3) and is determined as a function of an instantaneous or future position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another. In this context, the dynamic display elements (6, 7) are displayed enhanced multiply and highlighted in terms of color.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a driver when maneuvering a vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination (1) which has a plurality of vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another, comprising:

displaying the vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination (1) on a display unit (A) respectively using a dynamic display element (6, 7) which is assigned to the respective vehicle element (2, 3) and is determined as a function of an instantaneous or future position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another, wherein the vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination (1) is displayed in a straight-ahead position on the display unit (A) using a static display element (4) which corresponds to the straight-ahead position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) and in addition respectively using the dynamic display element (6, 7) which is assigned to the respective vehicle element (2, 3), wherein the dynamic display element (6, 7) is displayed highlighted with respect to the static display element (4).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dynamic display element/elements (6, 7) for the instantaneous or future position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another is/are adapted and correspondingly changed on the basis of a sensed instantaneous steering angle and/or a sensed instantaneous bending angle (α

).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the steering angle and/or the bending angle (α

) are/is sensed continuously.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the instantaneously sensed values of the steering angle and/or of the sensed bending angle (α

) are/is fed to an evaluation unit (D).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dynamic display element/elements (6, 7) is/are displayed highlighted in terms of color and/or graphically with respect to the displayed static display element (4).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the static display element (4) is output in accordance with the profile of the central axis of the vehicle (1).

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the straight-ahead position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) the dynamic display element/elements (6, 7) is/are displayed in a way which corresponds to the profile of the central axis, and when vehicle elements (2, 3) are turned by a bending angle (α

) with respect to one another the dynamic display element/elements (6, 7) is/are displayed swiveled about a rotational axis (P) which corresponds to the connection (5) between the vehicle elements (2, 3).

8. A device for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle or vehicle-trailer combination (1) can be displayed in the straight-ahead position by means of a display unit (A) using a static display element (4) which corresponds to the straight-ahead position and respectively using a dynamic display element (6, 7) which is assigned to the respective vehicle element (2, 3) and is determined as a function of an instantaneous or future position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another, wherein the dynamic display element (6, 7) can be displayed highlighted with respect to the static display element (4).

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the dynamic display elements (6, 7) for the position of the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another can be changed and displayed on the basis of a sensed instantaneous steering angle and/or of the bending angle (α

).

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first measuring unit (M1) continuously senses the instantaneous steering angle of at least one steerable axle, and a further measuring unit (M2) continuously senses the instantaneous bending angle (α

) of at least the vehicle elements (2, 3) which can move with respect to one another.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first measuring unit (M1) for sensing the steering angle and/or the second measuring unit (M2) for sensing the bending angle (α

) are/is embodied as a position sensor, in particular angle sensor in the form of magneto-resistive or Hall sensors.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the instantaneously sensed values of the steering angle and/or of the bending angle (α

) can be fed to an evaluation unit (D).