DE102008002602B4 - Position and speed determination of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for determining a position (P1) and/or a speed (v1) of a first vehicle (F1), the method comprising the following steps:- determining a relative position (a, α) and/or a relative speed (v, ε) of a second vehicle (F2) in relation to the first vehicle (F1), wherein the relative position (a, α) or relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) is determined by means of a measuring method; and- taking into account the relative position (a, α) and/or the relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) when determining the position (P1) and/or the speed (v1) of the first vehicle (F1) using digital traffic route data (S1, S2, β1, β2) by using the determined relative position (a, α) and/or relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) to predict a future position (P2) or speed (v2) of the first vehicle (F1) is used.

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining a position and/or a speed of a first vehicle.

The invention also relates to a device for determining a position and/or a speed of a first vehicle.

Previous conventional methods for determining a position and/or a speed, such as that in EP 0 759 151 B2 described, have the disadvantage that--depending on the course of the route used--the first vehicle has to cover a long distance until the position and/or speed of the vehicle has been determined to such an extent that the error probability is only low .

The pamphlets DE 600 30 810 T2 and DE 196 38 511 A1 describe devices for estimating the lane position of a vehicle by measuring angular velocity and speed, and by measuring distance and azimuth angle to a preceding vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide improved position and/or speed determination. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device with this advantage.

This object is solved with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

• - Ermitteln einer Relativposition und/oder einer Relativgeschwindigkeit eines zweiten Fahrzeugs in Bezug auf das erste Fahrzeug, wobei die Relativposition beziehungsweise Relativgeschwindigkeit des zweiten Fahrzeugs mittels eines Messverfahrens ermittelt wird; und
• - Berücksichtigen der Relativposition und/oder der Relativgeschwindigkeit des zweiten Fahrzeugs bei der Ermittlung der Position und/oder der Geschwindigkeit des ersten Fahrzeugs unter Verwendung digitaler Verkehrswegedaten. Das Messverfahren ist vorzugsweise ein Abstandsmessverfahren und/oder ein Winkelmessverfahren und/oder ein Geschwindigkeitsmessverfahren. Dadurch, dass Messdaten einbezogen werden, die sich nicht nur auf das erste (eigene) Fahrzeug oder dessen Einbindung in dessen Umgebung beziehen, ist es möglich, die zur Ermittlung der Position und/oder Geschwindigkeit vom ersten Fahrzeug abzufahrende Strecke zu verkürzen. Außerdem kann damit die Ermittlung der eigenen Fahrspur auf einer mehrspurigen Straße, die Erkennung der richtigen Straße von mehreren Parallelstraßen, die Erkennung von Querstraßen, Kreuzungen und Abzweigungen, sowie die Erkennung eines Ausfahrzeitpunkts auf eine Straße von einem Parkhaus oder Parkplatz verbessert werden. Damit kann unter Umständen sogar dann eine Positionsermittlung per Map-Matching für das erste Fahrzeug durchgeführt werden, wenn es sich gar nicht oder nur mit niedriger Geschwindigkeit bewegt.

The invention builds on a generic method in that it comprises the following steps:

• - Determining a relative position and/or a relative speed of a second vehicle in relation to the first vehicle, the relative position or relative speed of the second vehicle being determined by means of a measuring method; and
• - Taking into account the relative position and/or the relative speed of the second vehicle when determining the position and/or the speed of the first vehicle using digital traffic route data. The measuring method is preferably a distance measuring method and/or an angle measuring method and/or a speed measuring method. By including measurement data that does not only relate to the first (own) vehicle or its integration into its environment, it is possible to shorten the route to be driven by the first vehicle to determine the position and/or speed. In addition, it can be used to improve the determination of one's own lane on a multi-lane road, the recognition of the correct road from several parallel roads, the recognition of cross streets, intersections and junctions, as well as the recognition of an exit time onto a road from a multi-storey car park or parking lot. This means that under certain circumstances, the position of the first vehicle can even be determined by map matching if it is not moving at all or is moving only at low speed.

In a preferred embodiment, the measurement method is carried out as part of an adaptive cruise control method (ACC method).

According to the invention, the determined relative position and/or relative speed of the second vehicle is used to predict a future position or speed of the first vehicle. In other words, positions of one or more vehicles that are in the own lane are added to the beginning of a own position sequence (string of pearls) as new future positions. The sequence of positions extended in this way can be passed to conventional map-matching processing in order to carry out a comparison algorithm. As a result, position sequences of vehicles driving in front are compared (matched) with digital traffic route data and a correlation path for the own vehicle is extended. Because one's own position is not (any longer) at the beginning of the position sequence, a more precise matching can be carried out for one's own (current) position.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, a sequence of positions of the second vehicle is mapped onto digital traffic route data and assigned to a traffic route, in particular a lane of the traffic route.

A preferred development of the method provides that a position and/or speed of the first vehicle and/or position and/or speed of the second vehicle is determined using a dead reckoning method.

In a likewise preferred development of the method, information about at least one lane in which the second vehicle is located is evaluated.

Furthermore, the method can be designed in such a way that position data and/or speed data from at least two second vehicles are evaluated.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that at least one previous position and/or speed datum of the second vehicle is evaluated.

The invention is based on a generic device in that it includes a storage device, a measuring device and an evaluation device. The storage device is used to store and make accessible digital traffic route data. The measuring device is intended to determine a relative position and/or a relative speed of a second vehicle in relation to the first vehicle. The evaluation device is provided to take into account the determined relative position and/or the determined relative speed of the second vehicle for determining the position and/or the speed of the first vehicle using the digital traffic route data.

The invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures using particularly preferred embodiments.

• 1 eine schematische Übersichtsskizze mit zwei Fahrzeugen zur Erläuterung einer ersten Ausführungsform, die ein Abstandsmessverfahren nutzt;
• 2 eine schematische Übersichtsskizze mit zwei Fahrzeugen zur Erläuterung eines Abstands- und/oder Richtungs- und/oder eines Geschwindigkeitsmessverfahrens;
• 3 eine schematische Übersichtsskizze mit zwei Fahrzeugen zur Erläuterung einer zweiten Ausführungsform, in der sich das zweite Fahrzeug auf einer Hauptachse des ersten Fahrzeugs befindet; und
• 4 eine schematische Übersichtsskizze mit zwei Fahrzeugen zur Erläuterung einer dritten Ausführungsform, wobei ein Geschwindigkeitsmessverfahren angewendet wird.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles to explain a first embodiment that uses a distance measurement method;
• 2 a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles to explain a distance and/or direction and/or a speed measuring method;
• 3 a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles to explain a second embodiment, in which the second vehicle is located on a main axis of the first vehicle; and
• 4 a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles to explain a third embodiment, wherein a speed measurement method is used.

In the following, features of the arrangements shown in the figures are described, which can be implemented in a common embodiment. By using the same reference symbols, method steps and components are also described using those parts of the description that are assigned to other figures.

1 shows a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles F1, F2 to explain a first embodiment that uses a distance measurement method. The first vehicle F1 moves in a lane S1 in reference direction R1, while the second vehicle F2 moves in a lane S2 in reference direction R2, where S2 can also be an adjacent lane or oncoming lane. It is true that drift and shearing movements occur when cornering and on slippery roads, as a result of which the vehicle F1 can move in a slightly different direction than would correspond to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Nevertheless, in the following - for the purpose of simplifying the explanation of the present invention and without restricting the generality - it is assumed that a direction of travel R1 of the first vehicle F1 coincides with both a direction of the lane S1 and a longitudinal axis of the vehicle F1 (the same applies to the second vehicle F2). Direction-dependent measurement data typically relate to a coordinate system with a vehicle longitudinal axis as the reference direction. In the 1 The lanes S1, S2 shown can belong to the same street or to different streets that intersect at the point K1. A distance a between the second vehicle F2 and the first vehicle F1 is determined by means of a distance measurement. This can be done by means of a transit time measurement.

In addition, at least an approximate detection of the direction α in which the second vehicle F2 is located in relation to the longitudinal axis of the first vehicle F1 is desirable. An in is suitable for this 2 Outlined radar method, transponder method or an ACC sensor 12. For this purpose, the vehicle F1 emits transmission signals SS1, SS2, SS3. Of these signals, the transmission signal SS2 directed to the vehicle F2 is partially reflected (or responded to) in the form of the reception signal ES by reflection on the body (or reaction of a transponder attached to the vehicle F2). In a radar or transponder method, the direction can be determined, for example, by providing a plurality of directional receiving or transmitting antennas on the first (or second) vehicle F1 (or F2) in order to detect a difference between the received or transmitted field strengths for different directions determine and evaluate this difference in order to determine the direction α in relation to a main axis of the first (or second) vehicle F1 (or F2).

It is explained below how a position P1 of the first vehicle F1 in the lane S1 can be determined from the determined direction α and the determined distance a. For the sake of simplification, it is now assumed - without loss of generality - that the current Erfas There are no lanes other than lanes S1 and S2 in the detection area of measuring device 12 on the first vehicle. Using two consecutive directional measurements at a (short) time interval, it can be determined in which lane the second vehicle F2 is likely to be moving, i.e. whether it is in the same lane S1 as the first vehicle F1, or in the other lane S2. in the in 3 In the case constellation shown, approximately the same angle α to the second vehicle F2 would be determined for both measurements. in the in 1 In the case constellation shown, the determined values of the directional angles α of successive directional measurements differ.

Using the geometric methods described below, a person skilled in the art can set up or program a computing device in such a way that it computationally carries out some or all of the methods described. First, for the in 1 illustrated case constellation described how a position of the first vehicle F1 can be determined. A direction β1 of the first lane S1 is known from digital traffic route data, as is a direction β2 of the second lane S2. The dash-dotted arrow R0 points north. This results in a crossing angle β=β2−β1 between lanes S1, S2. The value of the angle δ2 is β - α. A first auxiliary straight line G1 is now drawn, which intersects the image of lane S2 at any point P3 at an angle δ3 (= step angle to δ2). A segment sg with the length a is drawn on the auxiliary straight line G1. A parallel G2 to S2 is drawn through the end point P4 of the segment a12g determined in this way. The searched position P1 of the first vehicle F1 is where the parallel G2 intersects the image of the lane S1. This embodiment has the advantage that no absolute position P2 of the second vehicle F2 needs to be known, only the traffic route or the lane S2 on which it is located. Conversely, however - after the application of the method for determining the position P1 of the first vehicle F1 - an image of a further straight line can be constructed using the angle α, which passes both through the position P1 of the first vehicle F1 and through the position P2 of the second vehicle F2 runs. The point of intersection of this further straight line with S2 corresponds to the position P2 of the second vehicle F2. With the method according to the invention, an absolute position P2 of a second vehicle F2 can also be determined.

If the second lane S2 has one or more curves, a copy of the image of the lane S2 is used as the parallel G2, the parallel G2 having correspondingly arranged curves with the same curve geometry as the lane S2. So in this case parallel is not a straight line, but a curved line. The parallel G2 is preferably to be arranged in such a way that it intersects the image of the lane S1 at the point P1, which corresponds to the crossing point K1 on the course of the curve of the parallel G2.

That based 1 The method explained can also be used if the lanes S1 and S2 do not actually intersect, but only imaginary extensions of the lanes S1, S2. The method can also be used if lane S2 is not a different lane from lane S1, but rather a continuation of lane S1 in a different direction R2.

If relative distances a', a" to at least two second vehicles F2', F2" and positions P2', P2" of these vehicles F2', F2" can be determined, the position P1 of the driver's vehicle F1 can also be determined without measuring the angle α will. Because then the position P1 of the first vehicle F1 corresponds to a corner of a triangle, in which the side opposite the corner has a length that corresponds to a distance between the two second vehicles F2', F2" that is equal to the amount of the difference is the position vectors of the positions P2', P2" (assumed to be determinable in this case); and wherein the length of a second side corresponds to a distance a' from the first F2' of the two second vehicles F2', F2" and the length of the third side corresponds to a distance a" from the second F2" of the two second vehicles F2', F2". .

3 shows a schematic overview sketch with the two vehicles F1, F2 to explain a second embodiment, in which the second vehicle F2 is in the reference direction R1 of the first vehicle F1. The value of the crossing angle β between lanes S1, S2 is zero degrees in this situation; and the first auxiliary straight line G1 coincides with the reference direction R1. In this situation, the position P1 of the first vehicle F1 can be determined if not only the lane S2 in which the second vehicle F2 is located is known, but also the position P2 of the vehicle F2 in the lane S2. Starting from the location P2 of the vehicle F2, a distance sg with the length a is plotted on the auxiliary straight line G1. The searched for position P1 of the first vehicle F1 is where the end point P4 marks the end of the section sg on the auxiliary straight line G1. Under certain circumstances, the position P2 of the second vehicle F2 can be determined from a behavior of the second vehicle F2, with the behavior preferably being measured from the first or from the second vehicle. For example, route sections can have a characteristic elevation and/or characteristic slow-speed sections. These typically lead to pitching movements or braking and acceleration movements of the second vehicle F2, which can be detected depending on the measurement method and allow conclusions to be drawn about a position P2 of the second vehicle F2.

4 shows a schematic overview sketch with two vehicles F1, F2 to explain a third embodiment, in which a speed measurement method is used. The traffic situation shown in the figure corresponds to that in 1 shown. A speed sensor—for example a Doppler frequency measuring device—detects a radial speed component vr of the second vehicle F2 relative to the first vehicle F1. A tangential speed component vt of the second vehicle F2 relative to the first vehicle F1 is detected with a second measurement function—for example, an angular rate of change measurement function. A relative speed vector v of the second vehicle F2 in relation to the first vehicle F1 can be determined from these two speed components vr, vt--for example by means of vector addition. From a known speed vector v2 of the second vehicle F2 and the relative speed vector v, an absolute speed v1 of the first vehicle F1 can be determined as the speed difference vector v1.

In addition, the relative position a, α and/or the relative speed v, ε of the second vehicle F2 can be used when determining the position P1 and/or the speed v1 of the first vehicle F1 to determine a position P2 and/or speed v2 for the first exclude vehicle F1. If the determination of the position and/or speed of the first vehicle F1 according to the invention is not used for an ACC-specific, collision-avoidance-specific or collision-preparation-specific application, a further development provides that the position and/or speed determination is also based on the assumption that the first vehicle F1 is not is on a collision course with the second vehicle F2. For example, sections of an oncoming or parallel lane in front of and/or behind the second vehicle F2 can be excluded as possible positions of the first vehicle F1 for the first vehicle F1 (depending on a relative speed between the first and second vehicle). In this way, an actual position P1 of the first vehicle F1 tends to be determined more accurately.

A separate relative position sequence is preferably generated for a number of second vehicles and evaluated by means of map matching.

In a first development of the above-described embodiments of the invention, the information about the position P2 and/or speed v2 of the second vehicle F2 is obtained using a navigation device of the second vehicle F2 and transmitted—for example by radio—to the first vehicle F1. In a second development, the second vehicle F2 has a transponder that feeds this information P2, v2 into a transponder response signal ES, which is received and evaluated by a receiver on the first vehicle F1. In both developments, the first vehicle F1 can determine its position P1 or speed v1 from a difference between the relative position a, α and position P2 or from a difference between the relative speed v, ε and speed v2.

An all-round view can be enlarged by means of at least one additional sensor 16—such as a video camera—so that additional relative positions a, α can be generated, preferably by vehicles F2 that are not in their own lane S1.

If a position of one or more second vehicles F2 is known or can be determined, the position P2 of the second vehicle F2 can be shown on a map that is shown on a display of the first vehicle F1. The driver of the first vehicle F1 can thus perceive approaching oncoming traffic at bottlenecks, as well as during turning and overtaking manoeuvres.

The features of the invention and the prior art disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential for the implementation of the invention both individually and in any combination.

Claims (8)

Method for determining a position (P1) and/or a speed (v1) of a first vehicle (F1), the method comprising the following steps: - determining a relative position (a, α) and/or a relative speed (v, ε) of a second vehicle (F2) in relation to the first vehicle (F1), wherein the relative position (a, α) or relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) is determined by means of a measuring method; and - taking into account the relative position (a, α) and/or the relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) when determining the position (P1) and/or the speed (v1) of the first vehicle (F1) using digital traffic route data (S1, S2, β1, β2) by the determined Rela tivposition (a, α) and / or relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) for a prediction of a future position (P2) or speed (v2) of the first vehicle (F1) is used. procedure according to claim 1 , The measurement method being carried out as part of an adaptive cruise control method (ACC method). Method according to one of Claims 1 and 2 , A sequence of positions (P2v, P2) of the second vehicle (F2) being mapped onto digital traffic route data (S1, S2, β1, β2) and being assigned to a traffic route, in particular a lane (S2) of the traffic route. Method according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , A position (P1) and/or speed (v1) of the first vehicle (F1) and/or position (P2) and/or speed (v2) of the second vehicle (F2) being determined by means of a dead reckoning method. Method according to one of Claims 1 until 4 , wherein information about at least one lane (S1, S2) is evaluated, on which the second vehicle (F2) is located. Method according to one of Claims 1 until 5 , Position data and/or speed data from at least two second vehicles (F2, F3) being evaluated. Method according to one of Claims 1 until 6 , wherein at least one previous position (P2v) and / or speed data (v2v) of the second vehicle (F2) is evaluated. Device for determining a position (P1) and/or a speed (v1) of a first vehicle (F1), comprising: - A storage device (10) for storing and making accessible digital traffic route data (S1, S2, β1, β2); - A measuring device (12) which is provided to determine a relative position (a, α) and/or a relative speed (v, ε) of a second vehicle (F2) in relation to the first vehicle (F1); and - An evaluation device (14), which is provided for determining the relative position (a, α) and/or the relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) for determining the position (P1) and/or the speed (v1) of the first vehicle (F1) using the digital traffic route data (S1, S2, β1, β2) in that the determined relative position (a, α) and/or relative speed (v, ε) of the second vehicle (F2) is used for a prediction of a future position (P2) or speed (v2) of the first vehicle (F1).

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