EP2195796B1 - Method for providing driving operation data - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for providing driving operation data in a network for the wireless exchange of driving operation data.

The DE 10 2005 017 419 A1 describes a method for transmitting information that is relevant for the operation of vehicles, wherein the information is provided by a transmitting unit of a first vehicle in an environment of the first vehicle in a technically evaluable form and by means of a receiver unit in a second vehicle at least partially recording and / or evaluation of the information takes place when the second vehicle is in the surrounding area of the first vehicle. The vehicles thus provide driving operation data to each other using wireless communication means.

Also known is an indirect provision of driving data using infrastructure facilities. In this case, for example, a first motor vehicle can transmit its driving operation data to a stationary infrastructure device, which forwards and / or interprets the travel operating data of the first motor vehicle, if necessary, to a second motor vehicle.

However, the reliability and / or availability of devices and methods based on the exploitation of information obtained in such or similar ways with respect to driving data of other motor vehicles is today still considerably limited by the fact that only a relatively small proportion of all road users with corresponding communication means equipped.

The document US 2007/100537 A1 discloses a vehicle probe based traffic information system and associated method for collecting traffic data. A so-called host vehicle dictates status data of other vehicles, aggregates and processes these and forwards the processed data to a traffic information center. This is intended to reduce the number of communication channels required to communicate the status data of a plurality of vehicle probes to the traffic information center.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple generic method by which the information available to a road user is improved.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention broadens the database that can be used in the network.

In known devices and methods, the data of road users who are not equipped with communication means for transmitting their operational data, other road users and / or infrastructure facilities are not available.

This is remedied according to the invention by using the means of communication of other road users in order to provide the operationally relevant data of such road users.

From the DE 10 2004 053 754 A1 is a motor vehicle is known, which is able to detect a reduction in the speed of a driving ahead other road users and to conclude from this on a collision hazard between the motor vehicle and the other road users. However, the reduction in speed or the speed itself is not transmitted to other road users. A use for further purposes in the network is therefore not possible.

In contrast, in the invention, absolute driving operation data of a motor vehicle is first determined by another motor vehicle and then disseminated by this other motor vehicle in a communication network.

Under absolute driving data of a motor vehicle are operationally relevant data of this motor vehicle to understand that relate exclusively to this motor vehicle, so for example, an absolute driving speed of this motor vehicle and / or an absolute position of this motor vehicle. On the other hand, relative speeds that are related to the "measuring" motor vehicle are not to be regarded as absolute driving operating data of a motor vehicle "measured" by another motor vehicle. Preferably, however, the absolute driving operation data is determined by comparing relative driving force data of the "measured" motor vehicle (eg a relative speed between "measured" and "measuring" motor vehicle) related to the "surveying" motor vehicle in connection with known absolute driving operation data of the "surveying" vehicle. Motor vehicle are evaluated. The absolute driving data of the "surveying" Motor vehicles can be determined, for example, by a tachometer and / or a satellite-based position determination system.

To further disseminate the absolute driving data of the "measured" motor vehicle, the "surveying" motor vehicle is connected to the network in terms of communication technology. Preferably, this connection is made by a radio module.

According to the invention, an environment sensor system of the motor vehicle connected to the network by communication technology is used for the measurement. This preferably has at least one radar or lidar sensor or an image processing unit.

The "measured" motor vehicle is preferably located in the immediate vicinity of the "surveying" motor vehicle, at least within the range of its surroundings sensor system.

The "measured" motor vehicle preferably drives directly in front of the "surveying" motor vehicle or directly behind the "surveying" motor vehicle.

The absolute driving operation data are preferably transmitted in the network in such a way that they can be assigned to a specific motor vehicle or at least to a single motor vehicle. This can be realized, for example, by the absolute position of the "measured" motor vehicle determined and timely, or possibly together with a time indication is transmitted. With sufficient accuracy of the position information, this allows a clear assignment to the respective "measured" motor vehicle, since no other motor vehicle can be at the exact same location at the same time.

Preferably, the absolute travel operating data transmitted in the network are evaluated by at least one subscriber of the network, in particular an infrastructure device, with assignment to a specific motor vehicle or at least one individual motor vehicle. For example, a model can be made in which the positions and routes of individual motor vehicles are modeled.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention determines the "measuring" motor vehicle, hereinafter also referred to as the first motor vehicle, further by means of at least one own sensor arranged in the first motor vehicle absolute driving operation data of the first motor vehicle and this absolute driving operation data of the first motor vehicle are transmitted from the first motor vehicle to at least one other participant of the network. The first motor vehicle in the network therefore not only provides the driving data of the "measured" motor vehicle, also referred to below as the second motor vehicle, but also its own driving operating data.

The other participant of the network, to which the driving data of the second, and possibly also of the first, motor vehicle are transmitted, may in particular be designed as a third motor vehicle. The driving operation data of the second motor vehicle can then be evaluated, for example, by a driver assistance system of the third motor vehicle.

Alternatively or additionally, the driving operation data of the second, and possibly also the first, motor vehicle can also be transmitted to an infrastructure facility. Such an infrastructure device preferably transmits the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle and / or a traffic information derived from these travel operating data to at least one third motor vehicle. Of course, a plurality of infrastructure devices communicating with each other can be provided in a network. An information flow can then lead from the first motor vehicle via several infrastructure facilities to a third motor vehicle.

Preferably, the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle will be transmitted by the first motor vehicle only if the second motor vehicle is not connected by communication to the network. Namely, unnecessary communication effort can be avoided if the second motor vehicle anyway provides its driving operation data itself in the network or would at least be able to do so.

In order to determine whether the second motor vehicle already provides its driving data itself in the network, the first motor vehicle may have means for receiving communication data from subscribers of the network and also comprise an evaluation unit for determining whether the second motor vehicle communication data, the content determined by the first motor vehicle concerning the second motor vehicle Driving data correspond even in the network communicates. Consequently, it may be advantageous to transmit the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle only by the first motor vehicle if the evaluation unit determines that the second motor vehicle does not communicate any communication data in the network that corresponds in terms of content to this driving operation data.

According to an alternatively or additionally applicable preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first motor vehicle also has means for receiving communication data from subscribers of the network, and the first motor vehicle comprises an evaluation unit for determining whether communication data that the first motor vehicle receives by means of an infrastructure Receives device based on data that correspond in content to the driving data determined by the first motor vehicle. Again, the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are advantageously transmitted by the first motor vehicle in the network only if the evaluation unit determines that the communication data is not based on data that corresponds in content to the driving operation data. Thus, the redundant provision can be avoided even in cases in which driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are not received directly from the first motor vehicle, but are already taken into account in the model of an infrastructure facility.

Fig. 1

ein Ablaufschema für eine bevorzugtes Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung und

Fig. 2

eine Verkehrssituation, in welcher die Erfindung sich als besonders vorteilhaft erweist.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This results in further details, preferred embodiments and further developments of the invention. Show in detail

Fig. 1

a flow chart for a preferred embodiment of the invention and

Fig. 2

a traffic situation in which the invention proves to be particularly advantageous.

In order to increase the traffic safety, or to improve the comfort of the vehicle management, systems are known, which with the help of the vehicle arranged environment sensors - also called vehicle-autonomous sensors - certain data (eg position and speed) of other objects, especially other road users detect. However, this form of data acquisition is only possible as long as a direct visual contact given such an object and the range of the sensors is sufficient. An example of data obtained based on environmental sensors are distance data used in driver assistance systems such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control).

For the detection of objects that are hidden from view and far beyond the range of vehicle-autonomous sensors, the use of radio technologies (for example IEEE802.11p) and possibly other technologies for wireless information transmission is also possible. On the basis of such technologies, the exchange of data between individual road users (C2C = car-to-car) as well as between road users and infrastructure facilities (C2X) is made possible. Prerequisite for the data exchange is that an object or road user is equipped with a corresponding communication device.

The performance, availability and reliability of all traffic control, traffic information and driver assistance systems that rely on wireless technologies is highly dependent on the equipment level of the road users with the appropriate radio hardware and software. Thus, in many prototypically implemented driver assistance systems, the full performance is only achieved when a high level of equipment is achieved. In particular, cooperative driver assistance systems, which serve, for example, to detect and avoid potential collisions between two objects (eg Communication-based Cross Traffic Assistant KQA of the BMW Group Research and Technology, presented at the "Aachen Colloquium" 2006), need not only the data of the own vehicle, but also the data of all relevant objects in the environment. The own vehicle data can be detected by vehicle-autonomous sensors. In contrast, the collection of the data of all relevant objects is usually not possible only with vehicle-autonomous sensors on the own vehicle.

The availability of the driving operation data of individual road users for other road users and / or for an infrastructure device can also be limited by the fact that the communication means used for transmission fail or work incorrectly.

In the present exemplary embodiment of the invention, driving operation data of other road users are made available by a vehicle with a communication device equipped first motor vehicle driving data of at least one second motor vehicle, which is located in the vicinity of the first motor vehicle, detected by own sensors and this driving operation data of the second motor vehicle by means of the communication device spread in a network. In the simplest case, the network may comprise only the first motor vehicle and a third motor vehicle, to which the first motor vehicle transmits the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle. The network may also include at least one infrastructure device and a plurality of other road users. The driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are then transmitted from the first motor vehicle to the infrastructure device. Likewise, driving data of many other road users are transmitted to the infrastructure facility by other road users in the present example. This distributes the received driving operation data either automatically or on request in the network and / or makes an interpretation of all received driving data before gaining traffic information and distributes this automatically or on request in the network. In order to obtain traffic information, the collected driving operation data can enter in particular into a traffic flow model.

Preferably, the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle is propagated in the network together with driving operation data of the first motor vehicle. There is then no additional communication channel or no additional addressing required.

An increase in performance can be achieved in that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are propagated by the first motor vehicle in the network only if the second motor vehicle does not have a suitable communication device to do this itself, or if a corresponding communication device of the second motor vehicle in the current situation is not ready.

A performance increase can also be achieved by the fact that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are distributed by the first motor vehicle in the network only if these driving operation data in the current situation are expected to be relevant for other participants of the network. This may in particular depend on the position, direction of travel and driving speed of the other participants in the network.

Fig. 1 illustrates the functional principle of an example system. A motor vehicle - according to the above-mentioned first motor vehicle - is equipped with vehicle sensors and a radio module. By the radio module, the motor vehicle is connected to a communication system.

Vehicle sensors 11 of the motor vehicle detect own vehicle data of the motor vehicle (eg the own driving speed), which are made available to the communication system 40 via an evaluation unit 12 and a relevance assessment by a relevance evaluation unit 30 via the radio module after an evaluation and interpretation.

The communication system 40 comprises the own vehicle and all objects within radio range of the own vehicle (eg other vehicles and infrastructure devices), which are equipped with a radio module and also make their data, referred to below as object data, available to the communication system 40 , On the basis of this object data, an environment model can be generated in the own vehicle and / or in at least one of the objects and / or even in each individual object.

For monitoring the direct vehicle environment, a certain number of environment sensors 21 are also installed on the own vehicle. If an object (for example another vehicle - corresponding to the above-mentioned second motor vehicle) is within the range of the environment sensors 21, measurement data relating to this object (eg a relative speed) of the own vehicle is detected and stored in an evaluation system Interpretation unit 22 evaluated and interpreted. As a result of these method steps, object data of the object (eg driving operation data of the second motor vehicle) can be determined in the case of the own vehicle (eg its absolute speed).

In order to determine whether the respective object has a functioning radio module, the object data determined in this way can be compared in a comparison unit 23 of the own vehicle with those object data which the own vehicle itself has received via the radio module from other communication users of the communication system 40. If no object data is received from an object detected in the environment of the own vehicle, it can be concluded from this that this object does not have a functioning radio module. Accordingly, if necessary after a Relevance check, the subject of the object vehicle specific object data from the own vehicle - in a sense representative of the object - the communication system are made available.

When extending the radio content provided by the own vehicle in the communication system to the object data of other objects surrounding the own vehicle, the advantage can be exploited that the vehicle-autonomous sensors and / or algorithms required for the determination of this object data already for the purposes of other driver assistance systems in Vehicle are provided (eg front radar at ACC and rear radar at lane change assistance). The additional measurement, calculation and cost is therefore relatively low.

Whether the object in question has a functioning radio module is determined in the present case via the radio data received from the own vehicle. In this case, the advantage can be exploited that the object data of the relevant object are transmitted to the one via the communication system 40 and, on the other hand, are detected by the vehicle-autonomous environmental sensors 21 on the own vehicle. For if an object is detected by the vehicle-autonomous sensors 21 of the own vehicle, but no data is received from this object via the communication system 40, then it can be assumed that the object has no or no functional radio module.

In cases of doubt, it can be advantageous and contribute to the overall security of distributing the object data of a detected object in the communication system 40, even if it can not be ascertained with complete certainty or whether this object itself makes its object data available.

It may also be advantageous if the object data that an object sends are provided with an identification feature, if the object also has an external property that can also be detected by the surroundings sensors 21 of the own vehicle, and if the identification feature and the external property are mutually exclusive are assignable. For example, a vehicle can send a code derived from the imprint of its license plate as an identification feature together with its driving operation data. If the own vehicle, which has a camera as environmental sensor 21, now image-based bearing the imprint of the license plate of another vehicle determined and derived from the same code, it may be concluded that this vehicle is equipped with a radio module and its Fahrbetriebsdaten sent itself.

Alternatively, a vehicle can send a code derived from its overall size and / or its exterior color as an identification feature together with its driving operation data. If the own vehicle, which has a camera as environment sensor 21, now image processing-based determines the overall size and / or exterior color of another vehicle in its environment and derived from it in about the same code, it may conclude that this vehicle with high probability with a Radio module is equipped and its driving data sent itself.

Likewise, the own vehicle can be at least approximately determine the absolute position of another vehicle when aware of its own absolute position by means of environmental sensors. If the own vehicle now receives radio data object data describing an object with exactly this absolute position, or if it receives object data with additional identifying position data corresponding to this absolute position, it may conclude that this vehicle is equipped with a radio module is and sends its driving data itself.

As an example of the added value of an extension of the radio content to the data of other objects is on the in Fig. 2 referenced traffic situation. At an intersection, a waiting (sign 5) vehicle 1 and three right of way (sign 6) approach vehicles 2, 3 and 4. Vehicle 1 and vehicle 2 are each equipped with a radio module. Vehicle 2 also has vehicle-autonomous sensors (eg front and rear radar). The vehicles 3 and 4 have no radio module.

The driver of the vehicle 1 interprets the traffic control incorrectly. It is therefore assumed that the vehicle 1 with the vehicle 4 is on a collision course. From the vehicle 2, the driving operation data of the vehicle 4 (eg, absolute position and speed) based on vehicle-autonomous sensors of the vehicle 2, Fig. 2 radar lobes 2a are shown at the front and rear of the vehicle 2, detected and transmitted to the vehicle 1 via the radio module together with the driving operating data of the vehicle 2 determined by self-sensors. Vehicle 1 can thus receive the driving operation data of vehicle 4 via the radio module, although the vehicle 4 itself has no radio module.

As a result of the inventive use of vehicle-autonomous sensors in conjunction with a radio module, a virtual increase in the equipment rate of the vehicles with radio modules can thus be achieved. Already under the assumption that only one radar is used in the front and rear of the own vehicle and only objects are considered that drive the same lane as the own vehicle, the equipment rate can be virtually increased by two hundred percent. If consideration is also given to objects driving on adjacent lanes, the virtual equipment rate can be increased even further.

An important criterion for the market introduction of radio-based driver assistance systems is the expected performance, reliability and availability even with a low distribution of the system. Since all these quality measures increase with increasing equipment rate of the vehicles with radio modules, in particular a market introduction of such systems is supported by the inventively achieved virtual increase in the equipment rate. But even with a high equipment rate with radio modules, the proposed method offers further advantages. Thus, for example, the data of a not equipped with a radio module classic car can be detected by the vehicle-autonomous sensors of a modern, equipped with a radio, own vehicle and thus made available through the communication system.

Also conceivable is a provision for the creation of a financial compensation between the passive and the actively communicating participants in a method according to the invention. The acquisition of a radio module can thus be jointly funded financially. For this purpose, it may also be possible to record in an infrastructure device which vehicle has taken on the provision of driving operation data of other vehicles in a particularly high degree. Transmitted driving data can be provided with an assignment characteristic of the sender.

Claims (8)

1. A method for providing driving operation data in a network for wirelessly exchanging driving operation data, comprising the steps:

   - a first motor vehicle (2) connected to the network by communication technology determines absolute driving operation data of a second motor vehicle (3, 4) by means of at least one environment sensor (21) arranged in the first motor vehicle and

   - these absolute driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are transmitted by the first motor vehicle to at least one other subscriber (1) to the network,

   wherein the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are only transmitted by the first motor vehicle when the second motor vehicle is not connected by communication technology to the network.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the first motor vehicle furthermore determines absolute driving operation data of the first motor vehicle by means of at least one sensor (11) of its own arranged in the first motor vehicle and in that these absolute driving operation data of the first motor vehicle are transmitted by the first motor vehicle to at least one other subscriber (1) to the network.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the other subscriber to the network is configured as a third motor vehicle and in that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle are at least partially evaluated by at least one driver assistance system of the third motor vehicle.
4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the other subscriber to the network is configured as an infrastructure device and in that the infrastructure device transmits the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle, and/or traffic information derived from these driving operation data to at least one third motor vehicle.
5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle describe at least the absolute speed thereof.
6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle describe at least the absolute position thereof.
7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the first motor vehicle has means for receiving communication data from subscribers to the network, in that the first motor vehicle comprises an evaluation unit (22) to determine whether the second motor vehicle itself communicates communication data in the network, said communication data corresponding in terms of content to the driving operation data determined by the first motor vehicle, and in that the driving operation data of the second motor vehicle is only transmitted by the first motor vehicle when the evaluation unit determines that the second motor vehicle does not communicate any communication data in the network, which correspond in terms of content to the driving operation data.
8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the at least one environment sensor arranged in the first motor vehicle is configured as a radar sensor or as a LIDAR sensor or as an image processing unit, and/or in that the network is configured as a radio network and the first motor vehicle is connected to this radio network via a radio module.

Images