DE102019209974B4 - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle with at least one crash-sensitive functional unit and with an electronic control unit (3) with crash sensors, by means of which a crash can be detected, the electronic control unit (3) activating a passenger safety device (5) in the event of a crash, characterized in that the electronic control unit ( 3) an evaluation unit (7) is assigned to an operational capability module (9) which determines in a post-crash phase, i.e. after the crash, on the basis of a sensor-detected vehicle operating state whether the vehicle is post-crash operational and in that the evaluation unit (7) activates at least one safety measure in the presence of post-crash operability and before the vehicle (1) resumes driving operations in order to ensure vehicle safety when driving operations resume.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle with at least one crash-sensitive functional unit, in particular a traction battery, according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for operating such a vehicle.

In an electrically operated vehicle, the traction battery is built into the vehicle body as a crash-sensitive functional unit in such a way that accident-related damage to the traction battery is minimized even in different crashes, such as a front crash, rear crash, side crash, roof crash or underbody crash.

In an exemplary electrically operated vehicle, an electronic control unit with a crash sensor system is provided, which detects a crash. In the event of such a determined crash, the electronic control unit activates an occupant safety device, for example airbags and/or seat belt devices, in order to ensure occupant protection.

In the case of minor accidents in particular, the vehicle can still be operational in the post-crash phase, ie after the accident, although functional units, for example the traction battery, of the vehicle may have already been damaged from the previous accident. In this case, there is the problem that when driving is resumed in the post-crash phase, the vehicle is no longer fully functional due to the previous damage.

From the WO 2012/103906 A2 a method and a device for controlling the power supply in a power supply system of a motor vehicle are known. From the DE 10 2008 043 909 A1 a vehicle with an electrical device is known. From the DE 10 2008 007 663 A1 a generic method for immobilizing a motor vehicle and a control device for a motor vehicle are known.

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle and a method for operating such a vehicle, in which the vehicle can continue to be used reliably in spite of prior damage to a vehicle functional unit caused by an accident.

The object is solved by the features of claim 1 or 7. Preferred developments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

According to the characterizing part of claim 1, the electronic control unit is assigned an evaluation unit with an operational capability module. In a post-crash phase, ie after the crash, the operational capability module determines, on the basis of a vehicle operating state detected by sensors, whether the vehicle is still operational after a crash. If such a post-crash operability is present, the evaluation unit initiates at least one safety measure, namely before driving again. The safety measure is intended to ensure vehicle safety when driving is resumed.

Vehicles that have a traction battery can detect an accident event. The detection can take place by detecting suddenly occurring, high accelerations or decelerations (for example using acceleration sensors) and/or by detecting a change in position (for example using a gyroscope and/or an anti-theft alarm system). Alternatively or optionally, systems for distance measurement and/or the failure of several sensors or actuators (for example the indicators, lights, locking system function and/or spacers), in particular approximately the same, can also be determined. In addition to or instead of the aforementioned events, the triggering of protective measures (e.g. airbags, seat belt tensioners and/or a collision assistant) and/or failure of the primary energy supply and/or detection of an increase in heat in the battery trough and/or an increase in internal pressure in the battery trough and /or an intervention of assistance systems (for example ASR, brake assistant and/or lane departure warning system) can be used to determine an accident event. In general, all sensor information that is otherwise used to determine an accident or to trigger safety devices can be used to detect an accident event.

The position of the traction battery and the power electronics in the vehicle can preferably be related to the input signals for determining an accident event. For example, in the event of a rear-end collision, special information can be given about a traction battery that is located at the rear or is installed in the rear.

When evaluating the data to determine an accident event, the current vehicle condition is used as a comparison value. Such a comparison value can be, for example, the speed or the speed vector be that changes suddenly and at short notice due to an accident, in particular a rear-end collision.

If an accident event is determined, then - depending on the assessment of the severity of the accident event - a message can be sent to the driver and/or an operator and/or a fleet manager and/or a message to the manufacturer of the vehicle (if there is a system for remote communication in the vehicle is) are issued. Alternatively or optionally, the report can also be issued to security authorities and/or rescue services. The report about a detected accident event can be issued by means of a display device in and/or on the vehicle and optically and/or acoustically and/or telemetrically (if a suitable, telecommunication-capable system is available, such as a Bluetooth interface or a GSM module). . The telecommunications-capable system can communicate with a suitable receiving unit (e.g. that of the rescue services). The notification of a detected accident event can be an indication of possible damage and/or advice to move the vehicle occupants away from the vehicle and to a sufficient safe distance. The message may also prevent the vehicle from being started and/or allow only limited operation of the vehicle, such as with reduced power. Alternatively or optionally, the message can prevent the vehicle from being recharged with electrical energy and/or enable the establishment of a communication link to the security and/or rescue services. The message may also trigger the disconnection of electrical connections to prevent ignition sparks and/or activate a cooling system for the traction battery. The vehicle functions, which are activated after an accident event has been determined, can be designed in such a way that they can only be reset after the repair has been carried out in a company certified for this purpose.

Due to the vehicle's internal sensors and the evaluation unit connected to it, i.e. the system for determining an accident event, the vehicle is able to indicate a possible safety risk in the event of an accident and to reduce it as far as possible and/or at least ward off serious consequences.

This makes it possible for the first time to detect possible damage to a vehicle's battery system using the vehicle's internal sensors.

The invention can be used in all vehicles that are equipped with a traction battery. These include in particular battery electric vehicles (BEV) as well as all forms of hybrid vehicles (e.g. PHEV and HEV).

As an alternative to the vehicles mentioned, this safety monitoring for batteries can also be used in all other mobile systems that supply electrical power. This can be mobile phones, for example, which are usually equipped with position and acceleration sensors. Furthermore, the invention can also be used for mobile batteries for charging vehicles electrically, provided they are equipped with appropriate sensors. If this is the case and if the vehicles are equipped with the appropriate sensors, then the mobile batteries can also be monitored using these sensors. For example, the battery for electrically charging vehicles can be provided in a bicycle trailer and can be brought with it to the vehicle to be charged.

Relevant aspects of the invention are highlighted in detail below: In a technical implementation, the operational capability module of the evaluation unit can be connected to a functional unit sensor system (for example traction battery sensor system) in terms of signals. With the functional unit sensor system, prior damage to the crash-sensitive functional unit caused by an accident can be detected. On the basis of the accident-related prior damage to the functional unit that has been detected, the operational capability module can determine whether the vehicle is still operational after a crash.

The evaluation unit can also have a signal generation module. In the event of post-crash operability (determined by the operability module), the latter can select special safety measures on the basis of an accident type, such as a rear-end crash, front crash, side crash, roof crash or underbody crash and/or an accident severity. The signal generation module can preferably activate at least one safety measure from a large number of safety measures provided, which is tailored to the type of accident detected or the severity of the accident detected. The severity of the accident and the type of accident can be determined by vehicle parameters that are detected by a vehicle sensor system. In the case of multiple collisions, which occur in particular in the case of push-off accidents, pile-ups or rollover accidents, the post-crash operability can be determined separately for each collision of the multiple collision. Alternatively, the post-crash operability can also be determined jointly and on the basis of all collisions of the multiple collision. The assessment of post-crash operability in multiple collisions can also be based on the accident severe consequences. This means that the initially determined degree of accident severity is increased by a predefined value if a multiple collision is also detected, in order to take into account the far-reaching effects of a multiple collision in terms of signal processing technology - or to take them into account.

In one development of the invention, the evaluation unit can generate at least one warning message as a safety measure. The warning message can contain information about the severity of the accident and/or the type of accident. It is preferred if the evaluation unit is connected in terms of signals to a plurality of vehicle-internal and vehicle-external display means for displaying the warning message. This ensures that, for example, control centers external to the vehicle, such as a fleet manager external to the vehicle, security authorities external to the vehicle or emergency services, receive the warning message. In contrast, in the case of minor accidents in particular, displaying the warning message in a vehicle-internal display means may already be sufficient.

The above-mentioned signal generation component of the evaluation unit can select or activate at least one display means from a plurality of provided display means on the basis of the accident severity and/or the type of accident, in which the warning message is to be displayed.

The at least one security measure can not only include a warning message, but alternatively or additionally also include a security action. The security action can be, for example, the establishment of a communication connection between the vehicle occupant or the vehicle and at least one vehicle-external control center, such as rescue services, fleet managers or security authorities. As an alternative or in addition, the safety action can also be a restriction or deactivation of at least one vehicle function, in particular also a complete deactivation of the vehicle.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

• 1 in einer Draufsicht ein Fahrzeug mit Darstellung der drei Hauptunfallarten;
• 2 in einem Blockschaltbild eine erfindungsgemäße Steuereinheit mit einer Auswerteeinheit, die bei Feststellung eines Unfallereignisses vordefinierte Signale ausgibt; und
• 3 in einem Blockschaltbild einen erfindungsgemäßen Signalerzeugungs-Baustein, der bei Feststellung eines Unfallereignisses Signale in Abhängigkeit der Schwere des Unfallereignisses sowie der Art des Unfallereignisses ausgibt.

Show it:

• 1 a top view of a vehicle showing the three main types of accidents;
• 2 in a block diagram, a control unit according to the invention with an evaluation unit that outputs predefined signals when an accident event is detected; and
• 3 in a block diagram, a signal generation module according to the invention, which outputs signals depending on the severity of the accident event and the type of accident event when an accident event is detected.

In 1 a vehicle 1 is shown in a plan view. The three main types of accidents are shown in connection with the vehicle 1 . For better clarity, only the accident types frontal crash FC, side crash SC and rear crash HC are shown on the basis of the figures. Of course, the invention is not limited to these types of accidents. Instead, the roof crash DC and underbody crash UC accident types are also taken into account and also processed, although they are not shown in the figures. The accident types FC, SC, HC, DC and UC only represent an orientation that allows an accident event to be assigned to one of the three main accident types. Of course, there are also mixed forms of accident types, which are then assigned to the type of accident that they most closely correspond to.

The vehicle 1 has at least one crash-sensitive functional unit in the form of a traction battery (not shown). In addition, the vehicle 1 has an electronic control unit 3 (see 2 ) which is connected to a crash sensor system 8 in terms of signals. The control unit 3 uses the signals output by the crash sensor system 8 and received by the control unit 3 to detect an accident. The control unit 3 then activates an occupant safety device 5 which is connected to the electrical control unit 3 in terms of signals.

Based on 2 a system comprising the electrical control unit 3 and an evaluation unit 7 assigned to the electrical control unit 3 is shown. A sub-unit of the evaluation unit 7 is the operational capability module 9 , which is connected to both the electrical control unit 3 and the functional unit sensor system 11 in terms of signals. The functional unit sensor system 11 is arranged in the area of the traction battery (not shown) of the vehicle 1 and is in this case a traction battery sensor system, by means of which damage to the traction battery caused by an accident can be detected. The signals detected by the traction battery sensor system 11 are fed into the serviceability module 9 in addition to an output signal from the electrical control unit 3 . The operability component 9 evaluates at least the signals fed in by the traction battery sensor system 11 or at least the signals fed in by the electronic control unit 3 and determines whether or not post-crash operability is present.

If the operability module 9 does not determine post-crash operability, the operability module 9 returns a signal to the electronic control unit 19 via a feedback signal connection 13 (see FIG 2 ). The control unit 3 receives this signal from the operability module 9 relating to the lack of post-crash operability and in turn emits a signal which is received by the occupant safety device 5, which then uses, for example, one or more airbags to protect the occupants of the vehicle 1 and/or activated one or more seat belt devices.

On the other hand, if the operational capability module 9 detects post-crash operational capability, it outputs a corresponding signal, which is received by a signal generation module 15 connected to the operational capability module 9 in terms of signaling. The signal generation module 15 evaluates the signals relating to post-crash operability based on the type of accident and/or the severity of the accident. Depending on the type of accident and/or the severity of the accident, the operational capability module 9 distinguishes between different types of post-crash operational capability. This means that post-crash operability can exist in different forms depending on the type of accident and the severity of the accident, and this information about post-crash operability is further processed in different ways. Depending on the determined post-crash operability, the signal generation module 15 outputs one of the accident information signals S1 to S9 to display means A1-A4 and/or vehicle function means 10.

The accident information signals S1 to S9 received by the display means A1 to A4 are used to activate at least one of the display means A1 to A4, which then emits or displays visual and/or acoustic warning messages, with the output taking place inside and/or outside the vehicle. The warning message can contain information about the type of accident and/or the severity of the accident. The accident information signals S1 to S9 received by the vehicle function means 10 are used to carry out safety actions and/or to activate vehicle functions F1 to F4.

The security action can be the establishment of a communication connection from the vehicle 1 to at least one vehicle-external control center and/or a restriction or deactivation of one or more vehicle functions F1 to F4. The safety action may also include a complete vehicle immobilisation.

Based on 3 the signal generation module 15 and its mode of operation are explained in detail. The signal generation module 15 receives one or more items of vehicle status information from the operational capability module 9, which forms the vehicle status sensor system 17 together with the other upstream signaling units and devices. Based on the vehicle status information, a detection module 19--which is part of the signal-generating module 15--detects the type of accident that is occurring. The type of accident can be one of the main types of accidents mentioned above, namely front crash FC, rear crash HC and side crash SC, roof crash DC or underbody crash UC. In parallel with this, the severity of the accident is determined in a detection unit 21--as part of the signal generation module 15--which is categorized by the detection unit 21 as light, medium or heavy.

Then the detection module 19 forwards the information about the type of accident and the detection unit 21 forwards the information about the severity of the accident for processing using a database 23 . In this database 23, an accident scenario is assigned to any combination of exactly one type of accident and exactly one accident severity. This results—represented in matrix notation—in nine accident scenarios which differ from one another and to which the accident information signals S1 to S9 correspond. So corresponds, like that 3 it can be seen that the accident information signal S5 is a rear-end crash HC of moderate severity. In contrast, the accident information signal S7 corresponds to a side crash SC of slight accident severity. With the additional detection of roof crash DC and underbody crash UC—not shown—there are fifteen different accident scenarios.

The accident information signal corresponding to a specific accident scenario that is present is then forwarded via a signal line 24 and evaluated using a database 25 . This means that one or more safety actions are assigned to the accident information signal based on the information in the database 25 . As an alternative or option to this, one or more display means A1 to A4 are activated on the basis of the information in database 25 relating to the accident information signal. This means that at least one of a large number of safety measures is assigned to the accident information signal based on the information in database 25 in a targeted manner in the form of at least one safety action or the activation of at least one display means A1 to A4. The security action is then carried out and/or the display means A1 to A4 are activated. the The safety measure thus corresponds to the type of accident and/or the severity of the accident.

The invention ensures that the vehicle functions and display means are executed or activated as required, ie as a function of a specific accident scenario.

Reference List

1

vehicle

3

electronic control unit

5

occupant safety device

7

evaluation unit

8th

crash sensors

9

Serviceability building block

10

vehicle function means

11

Functional unit sensors

13

feedback signal connection

15

signal generation module

17

Vehicle condition sensors

19

acquisition block

21

registration unit

23, 25

Database

24

signal line

S1 to S9

accident information signals

F1 to F4

vehicle functions

A1 to A4

display means

Claims (7)

Vehicle with at least one crash-sensitive functional unit and with an electronic control unit (3) with crash sensors, by means of which a crash can be detected, the electronic control unit (3) activating a passenger safety device (5) in the event of a crash, characterized in that the electronic control unit ( 3) an evaluation unit (7) is assigned to an operational capability module (9) which, in a post-crash phase, i.e. after the crash, uses a sensor-detected vehicle operating state to determine whether the vehicle is capable of post-crash operation and that the evaluation unit (7) activates at least one safety measure in the presence of post-crash operability and before the vehicle (1) resumes driving operations in order to ensure vehicle safety when driving operations resume. vehicle after claim 1 , characterized in that the operability module (9) of the evaluation unit (7) is signal-connected to a functional unit sensor system (11) by means of which damage to the functional unit caused by an accident can be detected, and that the operability module (9) on the Determines whether there is post-crash operability based on detected accidental damage to the functional unit. vehicle after claim 2 , characterized in that the evaluation unit (7) has a signal generation module (15) which, when post-crash operability is present, on the basis of an accident type, such as a rear-end crash (HC), front crash (FC), side crash (SC), roof crash ( DC) or underbody crash (UC) and/or an accident severity from a large number of safety measures specifically activates at least one safety measure that corresponds to the type of accident (HC, FC, SC) or the accident severity. vehicle after one of Claims 1 , 2 or 3 , characterized in that the evaluation unit (7) generates at least one warning message as a safety measure, which has information about the severity and/or type of accident (HC, FC, SC), and that the evaluation unit (7) with a plurality of vehicle-internal and/or vehicle-external display means (A1, A2, A3, A4, ...) for displaying the warning signal is connected. vehicle after claim 4 , characterized in that the signal generation component (15) of the evaluation unit (7) activates at least one display means from the plurality of display means (A1, A2, A3, A4,...) on the basis of the severity and/or type of accident, in which the warning message can be displayed. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit (7) activates at least one security action as a security measure, and that the security action is the establishment of a communication link from the vehicle to at least one vehicle-external control center, and / or the security action is a complete shutdown of the vehicle. Method of operating a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims.

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