DE102008042013B4 - Procedure for documenting a traffic situation - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for documenting a traffic situation (2, 12, 18) in which a vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) is involved, in which internal sensor data of the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) and external sensor data are used as data, provided by at least one other device, are used, the external and internal sensor data being compared using a reference clock arranged in a device in the vehicle, and the data for an accident data recorder in the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) for documentation a traffic situation (2, 12, 18) designed as an accident.

Description

The invention relates to a method for documenting a traffic situation, a device for documenting a traffic situation, a computer program and a computer program product.

State of the art

Systems are known that are designed as accident data recorders (UDS) that record important data from your own vehicle or a so-called ego vehicle, e.g. B. speed, steering angle, braking interventions, which are measured by a suitable sensor system of the vehicle, record, with this data being stored for a short time and discarded again. If an event is triggered manually or automatically, e.g. In the event of an accident, for example, what happened immediately before and after the event is available, which usually helps to clarify the causes and is of great benefit to the vehicle driver in the context of judicial usability.

From the pamphlet DE 100 46 696 A1 a method for recording data from parameter values recorded or determined in a vehicle is known. The parameter values and/or data calculated from these parameter values are recorded with decreasing density with an increasing time interval from the instantaneous acquisition or determination time.

A method for acquiring driving data of a vehicle is described in publication DE 102 40 838 A1 presented. A three-dimensional kinematic vehicle model, which can be used to reconstruct the vehicle movement, is calculated using vehicle longitudinal dynamics signals and vehicle transverse dynamics signals.

From the EP 1 271 448 A1 a method for recording tachograph data of a vehicle outside of the vehicle using a radio communication system is known. When the vehicles approach one another, vehicle identification data can be exchanged between the vehicles.

From the DE 102 07 508 A1 a traffic flow control is known in which the vehicles use the signals they send to each other to form a group of vehicles, in which vehicle and traffic-related data are determined in the vehicle using sensors, transmitted and received by the vehicle.

From the DE 103 34 203 A1 a method for operating an interactive traffic management system is known, in which the location and movement data of various road users are coordinated with one another for the purpose of accident prevention.

From the DE 195 09 711 A1 an accident data recorder is known in which data characterizing an accident is recorded in a vehicle with a data memory designed as a ring memory, with the data determined by the GPS receiver, the speed and the direction of movement of the vehicle and the associated exact time can be recorded on the ring memory.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention relates to a method for documenting a traffic situation in which a vehicle is involved, in which internal sensor data of the vehicle and external sensor data, which are usually provided to the vehicle by at least one other device, are used as data.

In an embodiment according to the invention, the data for an accident data recorder of the vehicle are used to create a log for documenting a traffic situation designed as an accident.

In a variant of the method, external sensor data can be used by at least one first additional device, which is typically directly involved in the traffic situation, for example in the accident involving the vehicle.

As an alternative or in addition, data from at least a second further device, which is arranged in the vicinity or in the vicinity of the vehicle during the traffic situation and is not involved in the traffic situation or is only indirectly involved, can be used. This second additional device is usually an observing device that assumes the function of witnessing the traffic situation, for example the accident, as part of the process.

It is typically provided that the sensor data is exchanged between the vehicle and the at least one further first and/or second device. The at least one further device can be a vehicle or an infrastructure device. The at least one further device has sensors for detecting the traffic situation.

With the invention, a protocol for the traffic situation to be documented, e.g. for an accident, is provided for the vehicle, which is also referred to as the ego vehicle, this protocol containing at least the internal sensor data of the vehicle (ego vehicle) and the external Includes sensor data of at least one device. Sensor data for this protocol is typically collected and stored in a device located in the vehicle. However, it is also conceivable that such a protocol is provided in the at least one device, for example an infrastructure device, which monitors the traffic situation. In this case too, the vehicle's internal and external sensor data are used to create the log.

The data, i. H. the internal and external sensor data can be stored in a memory device of the vehicle during a time interval of length s, the time interval beginning before the traffic situation begins and ending after the traffic situation has ended. In one refinement, the internal and external sensor data are synchronized. According to the invention, a synchronization to be carried out for the sensor data takes place using a reference clock which is arranged in a device of the vehicle. The external and internal sensor data can thus be synchronized in terms of time.

With the invention i.a. a comprehensive tachograph can be implemented, with data being exchanged between vehicles and/or infrastructure facilities and used for logging.

The invention also relates to a device for documenting a traffic situation in which a vehicle is involved. The device is designed to use internal sensor data of the vehicle and external sensor data that are provided in the vehicle by at least one other device as data for the documentation.

This device can be arranged in the vehicle and have at least one communication module for receiving the external sensor data and a storage device for storing the data and/or interact with such a communication module. The already mentioned protocol for the traffic situation to be documented is typically created with the device.

In one embodiment, the device is designed as a cooperative or joint tachograph, for example an accident data recorder and/or event observer.

This device is designed to interact with at least one sensor of the vehicle, so that the device is provided by the at least one sensor with internal sensor data that is used by the device to document the traffic situation. The device can also be designed to manage this internal sensor data and make it available to a further device. Internal sensor data from a first vehicle can thus be used as supplementary external sensor data for documenting the traffic situation after transmission to a second vehicle.

The invention therefore relates to a cooperative accident data recorder which, in addition to the data, d. H. the internal sensor data of the ego vehicle, also the data, d. H. writes down and thus logs the external sensor data of the surrounding vehicles or infrastructure facilities involved and/or not involved in the accident.

In a variant of the invention, data from uninvolved devices, e.g. B. Vehicles or infrastructure facilities that record the accident or the event used.

The device described is designed to carry out all the steps of the method presented. Individual steps of this method can also be carried out by individual components of the device. Furthermore, functions of the device or functions of individual components of the device can be implemented as steps of the method.

The invention also relates to a computer program with program code means to carry out all the steps of a method described when the computer program is executed on a computer or a corresponding processing unit, in particular in a device according to the invention.

The computer program product according to the invention with program code means stored on a computer-readable data medium is designed to carry out all the steps of a described method when the computer program is executed on a computer or a corresponding processing unit, in particular in a device according to the invention.

With the invention, a logging or recording of the data required for a reconstruction of the traffic situation or an event not only of the vehicle designed as an ego vehicle but of all other potentially actively or passively involved devices is usually driving witnesses and infrastructure facilities, possible. Furthermore, it is possible to independently record the sensor data from non-participating vehicles.

The quality of the reconstruction of traffic situations or traffic events, especially for accident reconstruction, can thus be increased. A simplification of the reconstruction of traffic events or situations can therefore be implemented.

The data recorded and stored during the process are used, among other things support for the driver or owner of the vehicle in defending their claims in disputes. The invention can be used for all means of transport, e.g. As aircraft, ships, etc., are implemented. Furthermore, the prosecuting authorities can be supported in determining the question of guilt by means of neutral recordings, e.g. video recordings, by an uninvolved observer, i. H. another vehicle and/or an infrastructure facility.

Within the scope of the invention i.a. Vehicle-to-vehicle (Car-To-Car, C2C) communication systems used that enable a variety of functions in which the vehicles z. B. transmit their position, speed and other parameters as sensor data.

In one variant of the invention, individual or all data and thus sensor data, which a conventional accident data recorder records for the ego vehicle, are sent, received and stored for other vehicles via C2C communication. The device can be referred to as a cooperative accident recorder. With a manual or automatic triggering, e.g. B. an accident, the data for a reconstruction helpful for all vehicles involved.

With the invention, individual data or all of the data that a conventional accident data recorder records for the vehicles involved can also be sent to a non-participating vehicle or an infrastructure facility via a radio link. In addition, the uninvolved vehicle or the infrastructure facility can also record its own data and thus sensor data. This is primarily intended for synchronizing the data, e.g. For example, the transmitted speed of the vehicles involved in the accident can be identical to the speed determined by position tracking of the uninvolved vehicles. An independent observation can e.g. B. via a video image. This system is called a cooperative event observer.

The recording of sensor data can be triggered manually and/or automatically by the vehicles involved. The triggering can also be carried out by the independent observer.

As part of the process, all devices and therefore vehicles can permanently exchange part or all of the typical UDS data. This data is stored in the ego vehicle for the last s seconds. The lower limit for s is based on empirical values from accident reconstruction and the upper limit is set by the memory resources of the cooperative UDS. A duration of the time interval s can be specified in such a way that the traffic situation, typically the accident, can be reconstructed to a sufficient extent. Exactly as in conventional UDS, after s seconds the data of the first second is replaced by that of s plus the first second, which is done according to the first-in-first-out (FIFO) principle. After an event, writing continues for a certain time, which is less than s, and then the recording ends. The events are thus available immediately before and after the event. A secure and convenient method of reading out the data in the event of an accident or another event can also be provided for implementing the invention.

This can also be done with video data, for example for a video sensor or a camera on an infrastructure device, such video data being provided as sensor data.

Conventional UDS only record or log the data of the ego vehicle. However, in most use cases at least a second vehicle is involved. Often that does not have a UDS or its data is not accessible or not published. With the invention, data, usually sensor data, from this at least one second vehicle can now also be used.

Further advantages and refinements of the invention result from the description and the attached drawing.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those still to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

character list

• 1 shows a first traffic situation in a schematic representation.
• 2 shows a second traffic situation in a schematic representation.
• 3 shows a third traffic situation in a schematic representation.

Embodiments of the invention

The invention is shown schematically in the drawings using embodiments and is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The figures are described in a coherent and comprehensive manner, with the same reference symbols denoting the same components.

1 shows a schematic representation as the first traffic situation 2 an accident in which a first vehicle 4 and a second vehicle 6 are involved. Also shows 1 a third vehicle 8, which here includes a sensor 10 designed as a camera. It is provided that the third vehicle 8 is not involved in the accident, but has provided a recording of the accident, ie a collision of the first vehicle 4 with the second vehicle 6, with the camera.

As part of an embodiment of the method, it is provided that, starting from the third vehicle 8, the at least one recording is transmitted to the first and the second vehicle 4, 6 as sensor data. If several recordings and thus sensor data are available, these can be received as external sensor data by embodiments of the invention, which are not shown here and are arranged in the first two vehicles 4, 6. In an embodiment of the method, these external sensor data are used for the extended documentation of the traffic situation 2 with internal sensor data that were generated by the two first vehicles 4 , 6 for documenting the accident and thus the traffic situation 2 . The devices in the first two vehicles 4, 6 can thus create logs for the traffic situation 2 using all internal and external sensor data and can continue to use them to implement a cooperative accident data recorder (UDS).

2 shows a schematic representation as second traffic situation 12 also an accident in which the first vehicle 4 collided with the second vehicle 6. In this case, it is provided that a permanently installed infrastructure device 14, which has a camera as sensor 16, has made at least one recording. Similar to the first traffic situation 2 out 1 the infrastructure device 14 provides the recording of the camera to the first two vehicles 4, 6 as at least one piece of sensor data. If there are several sensor data in the form of recordings, these are used by the two vehicles 4, 6 as external sensor data to implement an embodiment of the method according to the invention, in order to support a cooperative accident data recorder (UDS) in addition to internal sensor data of the two vehicles 4, 6 for documentation and thus logging of the traffic situation 12 to be used. The documentation of the traffic situation 12 is also carried out here by means of embodiments of the invention, which are not shown in detail and are arranged in the two vehicles 4,6.

3 shows a third traffic situation 18 with a first vehicle 20 and a second vehicle 22 in a schematic representation. The first vehicle 20 has a first

Embodiment of a device 24 for documenting the traffic situation 18, a first and a second sensor 26, 28 for detecting internal sensor data and designed as a radio antenna 30 communication module. The second vehicle 22 has a second embodiment of a device 32 according to the invention for documenting the traffic situation 18, a first sensor 34, a second sensor 36, both of which are designed to provide internal sensor data of the second vehicle 22, and a communication module designed as an antenna 38.

To implement a further variant of the method according to the invention, it is provided that internal sensor data is continuously recorded by the sensors 26, 28, 34, 36 of the two vehicles 20, 22 and stored in the respective devices 24, 32 during a time interval of length s. This internal sensor data collected by the two devices 24, 32 is used here for logging and thus for documenting the traffic situation 18 and is also used to implement a respective tachograph for the two vehicles 20, 22.

If the traffic situation 18 shown here develops further and an accident occurs between the two vehicles 20, 22, it is provided that the two vehicles 20, 22 exchange their recorded internal sensor data reciprocally via the communication modules 30, 38. In the present embodiment of the method, this means that internal sensor data of the first vehicle 20 is transmitted to the second vehicle 22 and is now used by the second vehicle 22 as external sensor data in addition to its own internal sensor data for documenting the traffic situation. Accordingly, it is provided that the internal sensor data of the second vehicle 22 are transmitted to the first vehicle 20 by wireless transmission, so that the device 24 of the first vehicle 20 uses this internal sensor data of the second vehicle 22 in addition to its own recorded internal sensor data as external sensor data to document the traffic situation.

Claims (10)

Method for documenting a traffic situation (2, 12, 18) in which a vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) is involved, in which internal sensor data of the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) and external sensor data are used as data, which are provided by at least one other device, are used, the external and internal sensor data being compared using a reference clock arranged in a device in the vehicle, and the data for an accident data recorder in the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) for documentation a traffic situation (2, 12, 18) designed as an accident. procedure after claim 1 , in which the external sensor data are used by at least one other device that is directly involved in the traffic situation of the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22). Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which data from at least one further device which is arranged in the vicinity of the vehicle during the traffic situation and is not involved in the traffic situation (2, 12, 18) is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the sensor data are exchanged between the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) and the at least one further device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the data are stored during a time interval of length s, the time interval beginning before the start of the traffic situation (2, 12, 18) and ending after the end of the traffic situation. Device for documenting a traffic situation (2, 12, 18) designed as an accident, in which a vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) is involved, which is designed to use internal sensor data of the vehicle (4, 6th , 20, 22) and external sensor data provided by at least one other device, the device being designed to be arranged in the vehicle (4, 6, 20, 22) with a reference clock arranged in the device of the vehicle to compare the external and internal sensor data. device after claim 6 , which is designed to interact with at least one communication module (30, 38) for receiving the external sensor data. Device according to one of Claims 6 until 7 who is trained as an accident recorder. Computer program with program code means for all steps of a method according to one of Claims 1 until 5 to be carried out if the computer program in a device according to one of Claims 6 until 8th , is performed. Computer program product with program code means, which are stored on a computer-readable data carrier, for all steps of a method according to one of Claims 1 until 5 to be carried out if the computer program in a device according to one of Claims 6 until 8th , is performed.

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