DE102012006206A1

DE102012006206A1 - Method for determining threatening collision between e.g. motor car and trailer, involves detecting position of trailer with respect to towing vehicle, and determining collision between towing vehicle and trailer based on detected position

Info

Publication number: DE102012006206A1
Application number: DE201210006206
Authority: DE
Inventors: Philipp Hüger; Ulrich Wuttke
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 2012-03-27
Filing date: 2012-03-27
Publication date: 2013-10-02

Abstract

The method involves detecting a position of a trailer (1) with respect to a towing vehicle (10). A threatening collision between the towing vehicle and the trailer is detected based on the detected position. A maximum bending angle with respect to a trailer coupling of the towing vehicle is predetermined such that a current articulation angle (delta) is detected with respect to the trailer coupling. The position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle is determined based on the current articulation angle and the maximum bending angle. An independent claim is also included for a device for determining a threatening collision between a towing vehicle and a trailer.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting an impending collision between a towing vehicle and its trailer.
The DE 10 2009 007 990 A1 describes a method for determining trailer data, wherein existing distance sensors are used in the rear region of the towing vehicle. It is disclosed how a drawbar length is determined based on measurements of two outer distance sensors.
The DE 10 2004 009 187 A1 relates to a control system for a combination of a towing vehicle and a trailer, which is operated with a kink angle sensor or with a drawbar angle sensor.
The DE 10 2004 009 465 A1 also concerns a control system for a towing vehicle and trailer combination. In this case, taking into account the bending angle or the drawbar angle to avoid unstable states, the achievable vehicle speed can be limited.
When maneuvering a team consisting of a towing vehicle and a trailer, there may be too much swinging of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle (i.e., too great a bend angle) where the trailer collides with the rear bumper of the towing vehicle.
Therefore, the present invention has the object to warn the driver of the towing vehicle against such a collision or to avoid such a collision.
According to the invention this object is achieved by a method for detecting an impending collision between a towing vehicle and its trailer according to claim 1, by a device for detecting an imminent collision between a towing vehicle and its trailer according to claim 11 and by a vehicle according to claim 15. The dependent claims define preferred and advantageous embodiments of the present invention.
In the context of the present invention, a method for detecting an imminent collision between a towing vehicle and its trailer is provided. In this case, a position of the trailer is detected automatically with respect to the towing vehicle and the impending collision detected or determined depending on the detected position.
By detecting the position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle pulling the trailer, the distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer can be determined from this relative position, and therefore the risk of impending collision can be determined from this position or distance ,
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a maximum bending angle with respect to a trailer hitch of the towing vehicle is specified. A current kink angle with respect to the hitch of the towing vehicle is detected and the position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle is determined in dependence on the current kink angle and the maximum kink angle.
In this case, the bending angle is defined as an angle between the longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle and the longitudinal axis of the trailer. The bending angle is independent of whether the trailer is swung to the right or to the left side of the longitudinal center axis of the towing vehicle, each positive. One can also imagine this so that in each case the amount of the bending angle is specified as the bending angle. The maximum kink angle is the kink angle at which there is just no collision between the towing vehicle and the trailer. In other words, the towing vehicle collides with its trailer when the current kink angle is greater than the maximum kink angle. It is assumed that the rear of the vehicle is symmetrical to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the front of the trailer symmetrical to the longitudinal axis of the trailer, so that the maximum bending angle applies both to a pivoting of the trailer to the right as well as for swinging the trailer to the left ,
Thus, in this first embodiment, any device with which the current kink angle is determined (eg, a kink angle sensor) and the knowledge of the maximum kink angle will suffice to detect the impending collision. As a kink angle sensor can be used on the one hand in the trailer head of the towing vehicle mounted sensors. But it is also possible to detect the bending angle with a camera, so that the kink angle sensor virtually comprises a camera or a camera.
The maximum bending angle can thereby automatically depending on a distance between a rear (rear side, usually the rear bumper) and a trailer hitch of the towing vehicle, a distance between a front part of the trailer and the trailer hitch (with coupled trailer) and a Width of the trailer or be determined by a width of the towing vehicle. As the front part of the trailer while the part of the trailer is understood, which can collide with the rear of the towing vehicle when the maximum bending angle is reached.
As a result, it is advantageously not necessary to determine the maximum bending angle, for example, manually cumbersome to him then z. B. manually specify via an input device of the towing vehicle. The automatic determination of the maximum bending angle is particularly advantageous when frequently different trailers are used.
For automatically determining the maximum bending angle according to the invention between a first main variant in which the front part of the trailer can push against the towing vehicle, and a second main variant in which not the front part of the trailer, but (due to the distance between the front part of the trailer and the Towbar) only the drawbar of the trailer against the towing vehicle can make a distinction. In the first main variant exists firstly a first variant in which the width of the rear of the towing vehicle is wider than the width of the front part of the trailer, and secondly a second variant in which the width of the front part of the trailer is wider than the width of the towing vehicle is.
In the following equation (1), the maximum articulation angle δ _max for the first variant of the first main variant depends on B _Anh (width of the front part of the trailer), L _Ü (distance between the trailer hitch and the front part of the trailer) and l _K2 (the Distance between the rear of the towing vehicle and the trailer hitch of the towing vehicle) determined.
The following equation (2) gives the maximum bending angle δ _max for which the second variant of the first main variant depends on B _Fzg (width of the rear of the towing vehicle), L _Ü (distance between the trailer _hitch and the front part of the trailer) and l _K2 (the Distance between the rear of the towing vehicle and the towbar of the towing vehicle).
Also in the second main variant, there are two variants. According to the first variant of the second main variant, the drawbar of the trailer is rod-shaped, while the second variant of the second main variant is a so-called V-drawbar.
According to the following equation (3), the maximum bending angle δ _max for the first variant of the second main variant depending on B _Fzg (width of the rear of the towing vehicle) and l _K2 (the distance between the rear the towing vehicle and the trailer hitch of the towing vehicle).
With the following equation (4), the maximum kink angle for the second variant of the second main variant may depend on B _Fzg (width of the rear of the towing vehicle), l _K (the distance between the rear of the towing vehicle and the towing hitch) and the angle β (Angle included by the V-drawbar).
The dependent of the towing vehicle sizes, such as the width B _Fzg and the distance l _K2 must be specified once, for example, in the production of the towing vehicle.
The width B of the trailer _Anh can automatically with a camera of the towing vehicle, which is directed to the trailer can be determined. The distance L _Ü between the front part of the trailer and the trailer hitch can be determined by means of a structure-from-motion approach.
For this purpose, with the camera of the towing vehicle, which is directed to the trailer, while driving and thus during the movement of the trailer images of the trailer detected, thus resulting in a sequence of images of the moving trailer. To determine the distance l _ü , the spatial information contained in the image sequence (more precisely in the differences of the individual images) is determined. In the structure-from-motion approach, a 3D point cloud is created from the image sequence, which consists of points with respective spatial coordinates (x, y, z coordinates). Using an algorithm, the distance between the front part of the trailer and the trailer hitch l _ü can be determined from this point cloud.
Finally, the angle at a V-drawbar from the distance L _Ü between the front part of the trailer and the trailer hitch and the width B _{Anh of} the trailer can be determined.
A drawbar length l _A can in turn be automatically determined during cornering of the towing vehicle with the coupled trailer as a function of the respective detected actual bending angle. The following equation (5) indicates how the drawbar length l _A depends on l _k (the distance between the rear axle of the towing vehicle to the trailer hitch), l _R (the wheelbase), α _R (the wheel angle of the towing vehicle) and δ (the current kink angle) is determined.
The bending angle can be detected automatically via a camera or a sensor installed in a ball head of the trailer hitch.
Since both the distance l _Ü and the width B _{Anh of} the trailer can be determined automatically, to determine the maximum kink angle only the sizes of the towing vehicle (more precisely, the width of the towing vehicle at the rear end of the towing vehicle or the width of the rear of the towing vehicle ) and the distances l _K and l _{K2 be} known. Since these sizes of towing vehicle usually do not change, they can be entered, for example, in the factory of the towing vehicle in the on-board computer of the towing vehicle at the factory. For example, as soon as a particular trailer is coupled to the towing vehicle, (eg on the next trip of the trailer) the distance l _ü and the width B _{Anh of} the trailer on the front side (ie the width of that side of the trailer which is the rear of the towing vehicle in a state in which the trailer is coupled to the towing vehicle is closest) determines, so that depending on and knowing the sizes of the towing vehicle, the maximum bending angle can be determined automatically.
According to the invention, a warning is always generated when an angular difference between the maximum bend angle and the current bend angle (i.e., the currently measured bend angle) is below a predetermined threshold.
In other words, the kink angle is constantly determined and a difference between the maximum kink angle and the current kink angle is calculated. Once this difference is less than the predetermined threshold, the corresponding warning is generated, for example, to inform the driver of the towing vehicle of the impending collision between the towing vehicle and the trailer.
It is also possible that the towing vehicle is automatically braked when the angular difference between the maximum kink angle and the actual kink angle falls below another predetermined threshold. In this case, this further threshold value can correspond to the predetermined threshold value.
By the automatic braking of the team, which consists of the towing vehicle and the trailer coupled thereto, on the one hand advantageously prevents the activated function of the Anhängerrangierassistenten is dropped, which from a certain speed, which for example corresponds to the further predetermined threshold, according to the state the technique is the case. On the other hand changes at a given steering angle of the bending angle the faster, the higher the speed of the team is, so that advantageously also the rate of change of the bending angle is reduced by the automatic braking of the team. An emergency braking is possible according to the invention. The trailer is braked to a standstill when the angular difference is below the further threshold.
Moreover, it is possible that automatically interferes in the steering of the towing vehicle when the angular difference between the maximum kink angle and the current kink angle falls below another predetermined threshold to increase the angle difference again or at least not further by this intervention ,
This automatic intervention in the steering of the towing vehicle advantageously automatically prevents the collision between the towing vehicle and its trailer coupled to it.
According to a second embodiment of the invention located on the back of the towing vehicle distance sensors (for example, ultrasonic sensors) are activated when the trailer is coupled to the towing vehicle. With these distance sensors, for example, a distance between the towing vehicle and the trailer is determined to the right of the central longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle and to the left of the central longitudinal axis of the towing vehicle. The position of the trailer relative to the towing vehicle is then determined according to this second embodiment depending on these two distances detected by the distance sensors.
This second embodiment is in contradiction to the prior art, in which the rear distance sensors are deactivated when a trailer is attached.
In other words, the first and second embodiments exist for determining the position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle. While according to the first embodiment, the position is detected by the determination of the current kink angle, according to the second embodiment, the position of the trailer is detected by determining one or more two distances between the towing vehicle and the trailer. Since the position determination of the first embodiment is independent of the position determination of the second embodiment, the position determination of one embodiment can advantageously be made plausible by the position determination of the respective other embodiment. For example, it is possible to determine the position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle over the bending angle (ie, the first embodiment) and to check this position determination using the second embodiment (based on the measured distance with the distance sensors). If the results of the position determination of the two embodiments are different, the method according to the invention can be deactivated, for example, and a corresponding warning given to the driver of the vehicle in order to inform him that currently the imminent collision between the towing vehicle and the trailer is not detected automatically ,
The present invention also enables automatic transverse steering of the towing vehicle and thus of the team consisting of the towing vehicle and the trailer. In this case, during the automatic lateral steering, the speed of the combination can be automatically kept below a predetermined speed threshold.
For example, a parking operation (i.e., an operation to park or unpark the vehicle) may be automated with the aid of this automatic lateral steering. As a rule, the transverse steering of the trailer is automatically carried out and the driver of the towing vehicle is responsible for the longitudinal steering (that is to say for the acceleration, braking and switching of the towing vehicle).
In the context of the present invention, a device for detecting an impending collision between a towing vehicle and its trailer is also provided. In this case, the device comprises a Control and one or more sensors to detect the position of the trailer relative to the towing vehicle. The device is set up such that the device determines the imminent collision as a function of the detected position.
The advantages of the device according to the invention essentially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention, which are carried out in advance in detail, so that a repetition is dispensed with here.
Similar to the method according to the invention, two different embodiments exist in the device according to the invention.
According to the first embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a kink angle sensor to detect the actual kink angle with respect to the towing hitch of the towing vehicle. The controller knows the maximum bending angle with respect to the trailer hitch, the width of the towing vehicle and the width of the trailer. The device is capable of determining the position of the trailer with respect to the towing vehicle in dependence on the current kink angle and the maximum kink angle.
According to the second embodiment of the invention, the device comprises at. Rear of the towing vehicle Distance sensors with which the distance between the towing vehicle and the coupled trailer can be detected. The device activates the distance sensors when the trailer is coupled to the towing vehicle. The apparatus is capable of determining the position of the trailer with respect to the tractor depending on a distance detected by the distance sensors.
According to the invention, it is also possible for the device to comprise both a sensor for determining the current bending angle (that is to say a bending angle sensor) and the distance sensors. As a result, the device according to the invention is able to determine the position both from the current bending angle and from the distance measured by the distance sensors of the towing vehicle of the trailer, so that the impending collision advantageously both by the current bending angle and by the distances of Towing vehicle can be detected by the trailer.
In the context of the present invention, a vehicle is provided which comprises a device according to the invention.
The present invention is particularly suitable for motor vehicles to which a trailer can be coupled. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this preferred embodiment, since the present invention can be used, at least in principle, in ships and track-bound or track-guided vehicles.
In the following, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures.
In 1 an inventive team is shown from a bird's eye view.
In 2 FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a trailer to illustrate sizes needed to automatically determine the maximum kink angle.
In 3 is shown schematically a trailer with a trailer with a V-drawbar.
4 schematically shows a vehicle according to the invention with a device according to the invention.
In 1 is a vehicle according to the invention 10 shown, which with a trailer 1 is coupled. It is denoted by the reference numeral 4 the longitudinal center axis of the vehicle 10 and with the reference numeral 5 the longitudinal center axis of the trailer 1 shown. These two longitudinal central axes 4 . 5 include the so-called kink angle δ.
At the front of the vehicle 10 are the distance sensors K, L, M, N, S, T and at the rear of the vehicle 10 are the distance sensors O, P, Q, R, U, V. These distance sensors are designed for example as ultrasonic sensors and warn the driver of the vehicle 10 if the respective distance sensor, for example, during a parking operation of the vehicle 10 an object with a distance below a predetermined threshold from the vehicle 10 detected.
One recognizes in 1 in that the minimum distance between the distance sensor R or Q and the trailer 1 depends on the current kink angle δ. The larger the bending angle δ, the smaller the minimum distance between the distance sensor R or Q and the trailer 1 , In other words, the distance between the back of the towing vehicle 10 and the trailer 1 on the one hand be determined by appropriate measurement results of the distance sensor R or Q (or the distance sensor O or P on the other side). On the other hand, this distance can be determined on the basis of the bending angle δ or more precisely by the difference between the maximum bending angle and the actual bending angle δ.
In 2 is schematically a team from a towing vehicle 10 and a trailer 1 shown. Depending on the distance l _K between the rear axle of the vehicle and the trailer hitch 7 , the wheelbase l _R (distance between the front axle and the rear axle of the vehicle), the wheel angle α _R and the kink angle δ measured during cornering, the drawbar length l _A can be automatically determined. In addition, in the 2 the width B _{Fzg of} the rear part of the towing vehicle 10 , the width B _{Anh of} the front part of the trailer 1 , the distance l _K2 between the rear and the trailer hitch on towing vehicle 10 and the distance l _Ü between the front of the trailer 1 and the trailer hitch 7 (or the front end of the drawbar) shown.
In 3 is also a team from a towing vehicle 10 and a trailer 1 shown. In this embodiment, the trailer 1 a V-drawbar, which includes an angle β.
In 4 is the vehicle according to the invention 10 with a device according to the invention 20 shown. The device according to the invention 20 in turn includes a controller 2 , a kink angle sensor 3 and a camera 6 , With the camera 6 can automatically adjust the width of the front of the trailer 1 (ie the width of the side of the trailer 1 which the towing vehicle 10 is turned on in the coupled state) can be determined. The drawbar length can be determined by means of the buckling angle sensor 3 constantly detected kink angle δ when cornering the team 1 . 10 be recorded. About the known distance l _K2 between the rear and the trailer hitch when towing vehicle, the z. B. to be determined via a structure-from-motion approach distance l _Ü between the front of the trailer 1 and the trailer hitch 7 and across the width B _{Anh of} the trailer 1 or the width B _Fzg the rear of the towing vehicle 10 can then the maximum bending angle δ _max at which the trailer 1 with the towing vehicle 10 collided, determined. The controller can constantly determine the angular difference between the current kink angle δ and the maximum kink angle. As soon as the controller detects that this angular difference is below a predetermined threshold, the controller gives 2 an optical, audible and / or haptic warning to the driver and / or engages in the form of a braking intervention or in the form of an automatic intervention in the lateral steering of the vehicle 10 in the lead of the vehicle 10 to warn of the collision or to automatically avoid the collision.
It should be noted that the camera 6 can also be used as a kink angle sensor. In this case, the actual kink angle sensor could be 5 accounted for and the camera 6 on the one hand to determine the width of the trailer 1 and on the other hand to determine the current bending angle δ are used.
QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.
Cited patent literature

DE 102009007990 A1 [0002]
DE 102004009187 A1 [0003]
DE 102004009465 A1 [0004]

Claims

Method for detecting an impending collision between a towing vehicle ( 10 ) and his followers ( 1 ), comprising detecting a position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ), and detecting the impending collision depending on the detected position.
A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a maximum bending angle (δ _max ) with respect to a trailer hitch ( 7 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ), that a current articulation angle (δ) with respect to the trailer hitch ( 7 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and that the position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ) depending on the current kink angle (δ) and the maximum kink angle (δ _max ) is detected.
A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the maximum bending angle (δ _max ) automatically depending on a distance (l _K2 ) between a tail and the trailer hitch ( 7 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ), from a distance (l _Ü ) between a front part of the trailer and the trailer hitch ( 7 ) and of a width (B _Anh ) of the trailer ( 1 ) or of a width (B _Fzg ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is determined.
A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance (lü) automatically during cornering of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) with the coupled trailer ( 1 ) is determined by means of a structure-from-motion approach.
Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the width of the trailer ( 1 ) automatically with a camera ( 6 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is determined.
Method according to one of claims 2-5, characterized in that a warning is generated when an angular difference between the maximum kink angle (δ _max ) and the current kink angle (δ) falls below a predetermined threshold.
Method according to one of claims 2-6, characterized in that the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is automatically decelerated when an angular difference between the maximum kink angle (δ _max ) and the actual kink angle (δ) falls below a predetermined threshold.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an automatic intervention in a steering of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is made when an angular difference between the maximum kink angle (δ _max ) and the actual kink angle (δ) falls below a predetermined threshold to increase the angular difference by the intervention.
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the rear side of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) existing distance sensors (O, R, U, V) are activated when the trailer ( 1 ) with the towing vehicle ( 10 ), that with the distance sensors (O, R, U, V) a distance between the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and the trailer ( 1 ) and that the position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is detected depending on the distance detected by the distance sensors (O, R, U, V).
Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an automatic transverse steering of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and that the speed of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) is automatically kept below a predetermined speed threshold as long as the lateral steering is automatic.
Device for detecting an impending collision between a towing vehicle ( 10 ) and his followers ( 1 ), the device ( 20 ) a controller ( 2 ) and at least one sensor ( 3 ) for detecting a position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ), and wherein the device ( 20 ) is configured to detect the impending collision depending on the detected position.
Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one sensor is a kink angle sensor ( 3 ) for detecting a current kink angle (δ) with respect to a trailer hitch ( 7 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) that the controller ( 2 ) a maximum bending angle (δ _max ) with respect to the trailer hitch ( 7 ) of the towing vehicle ( 10 ), a width of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and a width of the trailer ( 1 ) and that the device ( 20 ) is adapted to the position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ) depending on the current kink angle (δ) and the maximum kink angle.
Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the at least one sensor on the rear side of the towing vehicle ( 10 ) distance sensors (O, R, U, V) comprises that the distance sensors (O, R, U, V) for detecting a distance between the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and the trailer ( 1 ) are configured such that the device ( 20 ) is configured to activate the distance sensors (O, R, U) when the trailer ( 1 ) with the towing vehicle ( 10 ) and that the device ( 20 ) is adapted to the position of the trailer ( 1 ) with regard to the towing vehicle ( 10 ) depending on the distance detected by the distance sensors (O, R, U).
Device according to one of claims 11-13, characterized in that the device ( 20 ) is designed for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1-10.
Vehicle with a device ( 20 ) according to any one of claims 11-14.