DE102018206981A1 - Method for operating at least two vehicles communicating with each other - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of operating at least two vehicles in communication with each other, comprising the steps of:
Performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles;
Transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one other vehicle;
Determining a distance between the at least two cooperatively moving vehicles; and
- Locating the at least two cooperative vehicles using the determined distance.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating at least two vehicles communicating with each other. The invention further relates to a device for operating at least two vehicles communicating with each other. The invention further relates to a computer program product.

State of the art

Future applications in the field of autonomous and cooperative driving and advanced automated assistance systems (ADAS) require a high accuracy of positioning <1 m. This can be realized cost-effectively with conventional means only with difficulty.

The increasing traffic density, increasing emission load in road traffic as well as the stagnation in traffic safety demand solutions for the reduction of the traffic, as well as fuel and thus emission reduction.

One application of the present invention is the platooning. An effective means to this can be the so-called high density (HD) Platooning in the transport sector, especially in the field of higher or federal highways. Functions such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) enable distance-controlled driving functions with which even shorter distances can be represented. In the context of HD-Platooning with very small distances in the range of 5m ... 15m instead of 50m distance, the required space on the street is reduced significantly. This significantly reduces air resistance and can help reduce fuel consumption and CO ₂ emissions. In addition, the load of the road is increased, for example, a platoon of three coupled trucks only about 80m instead of the usual 150m needed. Distances between the vehicles in the HD platoon are typically also detected by environment sensors in the platoon vehicles. The usual accuracies for the radar, lidar and video systems are in the range of approx. 15cm, approx. 10cm and approx. 100cm.

Driving in the platoon or in the automated vehicle column requires a very stable regulation of the distance between the vehicles without so-called "breathing" (regulation-based changes of distances between the vehicles), since this has a negative effect on the fuel economy. Furthermore, the follow-up vehicles must keep the track at short distances. It is not readily possible to use standard methods, since these pass on a detection of the course of the road, which is covered by the preceding vehicles.

Furthermore, in view of small time gaps in the range of about 0.3 s, a rapid response to emergency situations is necessary, which, due to their brevity, can neither be done by the driver nor based on environmental sensors because they can only detect and interpret changes already occurring. However, these requirements can be met by transmitting messages between the vehicles, e.g. with short latency, absolute positions, acceleration and braking requirements, heading and curvature etc. are exchanged between the platooning vehicles.

It is known to use communication units for direct communication between vehicles. In the case of direct communication, the communication unit transmits information by means of vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, vehicle-to-pedestrian / cyclist communication. The communication unit is referred to below as V2X-CCU ("Vehicle-to-Everything Connectivity Control Unit"). The V2X CCU can be based on a known WLAN or mobile standard.

Positional data is communicated in the form of CAM (cooperative awareness message, EU) and BSM (basic safety message, US) messages through the V2X CCU for the ego vehicle and received by the other participants in the vehicle scene, respectively , The accuracy of the usual systems is approximately 1.5m, which is the value for a typical Open Sky scenario. The accuracy is degraded in a city scenario by reflections of position signals on building walls. Systems with a more accurate position determination are expensive, but still suffer from loss of accuracy in a city scenario. The relative position accuracy can be optimized by the so-called "dead reckoning", whereby an absolute positional accuracy can be improved by the comparison with digital map data.

Disclosure of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a method for improving the absolute positional accuracy of vehicles communicating with each other.

• - Durchführen einer GNSS-Verortung für wenigstens eines der Fahrzeuge;
• - Übermitteln der GNSS-Verortungsdaten an das wenigstens eine weitere Fahrzeug;
• - Ermitteln eines Abstands zwischen den wenigstens zwei miteinander kommunizierenden Fahrzeugen; und
• - Verorten der wenigstens zwei miteinander kommunizierenden Fahrzeuge unter Verwendung des ermittelten Abstands.

The object is achieved according to a first aspect with a method for operating at least two vehicles communicating with one another, comprising the steps:

• - Performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles;
• Transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one other vehicle;
• Determining a distance between the at least two vehicles communicating with each other; and
• - Locating the at least two vehicles communicating with each other using the determined distance.

In this way, an improved location of the vehicles communicating with one another can advantageously be achieved. This is made possible by the fact that an uncertainty of the absolute location is reduced. As a result, a kind of plausibility check of the absolute GNSS location (English: global navigation satellite system) is carried out, are used for the sensor data of all communicating vehicles. In this case, a positioning can be understood as a determination of an absolute spatial position, for example by determining corresponding GNSS data which represent the absolute spatial position.

• - eine Verortungseinrichtung zum Durchführen einer GNSS-Verortung für wenigstens eines der Fahrzeuge;
• - eine Übermittlungseinrichtung zum Übermitteln der GNSS-Verortungsdaten an das wenigstens eine weitere Fahrzeug; und
• - eine Ermittlungseinrichtung zum Ermitteln eines Abstands zwischen den wenigstens zwei kooperativ fahrenden Fahrzeugen, wobei die Verortungseinrichtung ausgebildet ist, das Verorten der wenigstens zwei Fahrzeuge unter Verwendung des ermittelten Abstands durchzuführen.

According to a second aspect, the object is achieved with a device for operating at least two vehicles communicating with each other, comprising:

• a location device for performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles;
• a transmission device for transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one further vehicle; and
• a determining device for determining a distance between the at least two cooperatively running vehicles, wherein the locating device is designed to perform the locating of the at least two vehicles using the determined distance.

Advantageous developments of the method are the subject of each dependent claims.

An advantageous development of the method provides that the determination of the distance between the at least two vehicles communicating with one another is carried out with at least one of: radar, lidar, video. In this way, a precise distance between the participants of cooperative vehicles can be determined. As a result, a high relative position accuracy between the vehicles is determined and utilized.

A further advantageous development of the method provides that the locating of the at least two vehicles communicating with one another is carried out using, in particular future, trajectory data of the vehicles. For example, at least one of the vehicles may be an automated or autonomous vehicle having a defined future travel trajectory. In this way, an even higher positioning accuracy of the vehicles can be achieved.

A further advantageous development of the method is characterized in that a quality or quality of the GNSS location of the vehicles is taken into account. For example, information about the quality or quality or the technical specifications of a GNSS receiver or a distance-sensing sensor unit may be predetermined or specifiable. In this way, a different quality of the location, which is due to properties of the GNSS receiver, be taken into account.

A further advantageous development of the method is characterized in that a plausibility of position signals of the GNSS localization is checked. For example, a plausibility of the position signal can also be checked by the fact that, derived from the position signal, a change in a spatial position of the vehicle lies within the framework of the dynamic and kinematic possibilities of the vehicle. In this way, advantageously, a location of the cooperatively moving vehicles can be further improved.
A further advantageous development of the method is characterized in that the verification of the plausibility of the position signals of the GNSS location is carried out by means of at least one of the following: dead reckoning, digital map data. In this way, known and proven methods for carrying out the plausibility of GNSS localization are used.

A further advantageous development of the method is characterized in that data of the distances between the vehicles are made available to all vehicles. This advantageously supports that the positioning accuracy of the vehicles and cooperatively moving vehicles can be further improved. In a simple way, this is realized by means of the transmission of CAM or BSM messages, which are exchanged for the purpose of functional networking between the vehicles. Additional information, for example regarding a quality of the GNSS system, may also be transmitted.

The invention will be described in detail below with further features and advantages with reference to several figures. All described or illustrated features, alone or in any combination form the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency, as well as regardless of their formulation or representation in the description or in the figures.

• 1 eine prinzipielle Darstellung einer Problematik betreffend Verortung von Fahrzeugen;
• 2 eine prinzipielle Darstellung einer mittels des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens verbesserten Positionierung von Fahrzeugen;
• 3 eine prinzipielle Darstellung einer verbesserten Positionierung von Fahrzeugen unter Berücksichtigung der Trajektorien der Fahrzeuge, beispielsweise im kooperativen Fahren;
• 4 ein Anwendungsbeispiel des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens in Tunneln oder im Stadtverkehr;
• 5 ein prinzipielles Systemdiagramm zur Darstellung des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens;
• 6 ein prinzipielles Blockschaltbild einer Vorrichtung zum Betreiben von kooperativ fahrenden Fahrzeugen; und
• 7 einen prinzipiellen Ablauf einer Ausführungsform des vorgeschlagenen Verfahrens.

In the figures shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of a problem relating to the location of vehicles;
• 2 a schematic representation of improved by means of the proposed method positioning of vehicles;
• 3 a schematic representation of improved positioning of vehicles taking into account the trajectories of the vehicles, for example, in cooperative driving;
• 4 an application example of the proposed method in tunnels or in city traffic;
• 5 a basic system diagram for illustrating the proposed method;
• 6 a schematic block diagram of an apparatus for operating cooperative vehicles; and
• 7 a basic sequence of an embodiment of the proposed method.

Description of embodiments

In the following, the term automated vehicle is used interchangeably in the terms partially automated vehicle, autonomous vehicle and partially autonomous vehicle.

In particular, a key idea of the invention is to provide a method in which "absolute" position data associated with "relative" position data, e.g. Camera data, radar data, lidar data can be optimized positioning accuracy of cooperative vehicles (such as a platoon or an automated vehicle crew). For this purpose, it is also provided to take into account further data transmitted by means of V2X-CCU from the CAM or BSM messages or further messages for optimizing the position accuracy.

1 shows degrees of position inaccuracies ε1 . ε2 . ε3 in the form of "clouds" of three vehicles (not shown, eg a platoon), which in the distance d1 respectively. d2 one behind the other in a direction indicated by an arrow. The relative positions of the vehicles can vary during the journey, whereby HD-Platooning is not or only to a very limited extent possible or the efficiency is reduced.

In 2 is shown that the dimensions of position inaccuracies ε1 . ε3 may be optimized by including at least one additional type of sensor data, such as camera data, radar data, lidar data, ultrasound sensor data, etc. In this case, the distance to an adjacent vehicle, as mentioned above, determined by means of said sensor data. The data is transmitted between the vehicles. In the plausibility of the position values then the determined distance is used as a relative position size. By knowing the distance, absolute positions of the vehicles outside of an allowed plausibility space can be identified as the wrong position, thereby performing a position correction or a correction of position data.

The named correction may, for example, relate to a position of the neighboring vehicle, including the distance to the neighboring vehicle. As a result, this results in all networked vehicles taking over the location quality of the vehicle with the lowest position inaccuracy. An improvement of the distribution of the position data can be effected by a known Kalman filter algorithm involving the sensor data (for example distance to other vehicles with corresponding uncertainty distribution). In this way, a prediction of the position and the then reduced distribution of the deviation of the position data can be determined.

In 3 is shown in principle how, taking into account further transmitted message data (eg, heading and Curvature of trajectories, etc.) relative positional accuracy in the lateral direction, ie normal to the direction of travel of cooperative vehicles, for example in a platoon, can be further improved. If these additional data are known, the positional accuracy of the vehicles can be superimposed with the trajectory of the vehicles.

In a further variant, by using a lane keeping or marking assistance system, the alignment of the vehicle with the platoon trajectory can be further optimized and the lateral deviation from the trajectory can be minimized. Indicated is the further improvement of position inaccuracy ε1 . ε2 . ε3 in 3 across from the clouds in 1 . 2 "Squeezed clouds" concerning the dimensions of position inaccuracies ε1 . ε2 . ε3 ,

In 4 It is indicated how the blurring of the GNSS position signal, which is received, for example, by means of a GNSS receiver installed in the vehicle or by means of a mobile device (eg smartphone), for example by reflections on urban canyons, poor or poor reception in tunnels, etc., is worsened. This becomes a magnitude of positional inaccuracy ε1 . ε2 . ε3 temporarily increased, which is due to the enlarged in the lateral direction oval "cloud" of position inaccuracy ε1 . ε2 . ε3 of the leading vehicle is indicated for example in a platoon.

The proposed method checks vehicle positions by checking plausibility of absolute GNSS position signals. To carry out the plausibility check of the position data, known methods (dead reckoning) and / or digital map data can be used. If an inadmissible or deviating value of the GNSS position signal is determined during the check, position data of vehicles can be corrected. As a result, it is thus advantageous to "take away" the higher position accuracy from an "open air" scenario (without as in 4 indicated susceptible structures) is also supported in a scenario with an impaired GNSS position signal.

This is made possible by the fact that the proposed method uses the position data of the remaining vehicles together with information regarding distance determination from sensor data. In this connection, the determined distance data for selected other or for all other vehicles, for example in a platoon, can be transmitted (multihopping of messages), as a result of which the position accuracy of the cooperatively running vehicles can be increased even further.

The method proposed using the example of platooning can be used for all networked participants or cooperative vehicles of the driving scene in order to optimize the positional accuracy of said vehicles. For this, at least one of the vehicles must be equipped with a suitable sensor, e.g. Radar, camera, Lidar, etc. equipped to determine the distance to the vehicle in front and / or nachfahrenden. Furthermore, the vehicles must communicate with each other global positioning data e.g. exchange with CAM messages. Optionally, it may also be provided that the quality of the GNSS position data (for example, due to a reception quality of a GNSS receiver) is transmitted wirelessly to other cooperatively running vehicles.

5 shows an overview diagram of the proposed method. In one step 100 a positioning of an ego vehicle is carried out by means of absolute GNSS position data. In one step 110 receive data from other vehicles transmitted via V2X-CCU units and CAM or BSM messages and send ego data. In one step 120 are extracted from the CAM or BSM messages of the other vehicles, the absolute GNSS position data and possibly also heading and Curvature data concerning trajectories, wherein in one step 130 the platoon trajectory is determined. In this step, lane keeping data can also be used to specify the trajectory.

In one step 140 Sensor data of the mentioned sensors are detected. In one step 150 the distance to other cooperatively moving vehicles is determined from the recorded sensor data. In one step 160 The position data are compared with the distances and the directions from the platoon trajectories of the vehicles and achieved in this way an improved location or positioning of the cooperative vehicle.

This results in two different options: In an option according to step 170 If the position of a vehicle is out of a permissible or possible range, the position data is corrected. It sets a new position with new data that is on the trajectory of the cooperative vehicles and in which the distance to the other vehicles is correct according to the sensor data.

According to a second option (step 180 ), the position of a vehicle is within a permissible or possible range, so that the position data need not be corrected and a correct location already exists.

Although the proposed method has previously mainly been described by means of platooning, other proposed applications of cooperatively running vehicles are also conceivable for the proposed method, such as e.g. ACC, robotic shuttle operation in a manufacturing environment, etc., wherein at least two vehicles are required to carry out the proposed method.

6 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a proposed device 200 for operating at least two cooperatively running vehicles. One recognizes a location device 210 for performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles. Functional with the location device 210 is a transmission device 220 for wirelessly transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one other vehicle. Functional with the transmission device 220 is a determination device 230 in the form of a sensor device (eg video, radar, lidar, ultrasound, etc.) for determining a distance between the at least two cooperatively moving vehicles.

The location facility 210 is configured to perform the locating of the at least two cooperatively running vehicles using the determined distance.

7 shows a basic sequence of a method for operating at least two vehicles communicating with each other.

In one step 300 a GNSS location is performed for at least one of the vehicles.

In one step 310 a transmission of the GNSS location data is performed to the at least one further vehicle.

In one step 320 determining a distance between the at least two communicating vehicles is performed.

Finally, in one step 330 locating the at least two communicating vehicles using the determined distance.

Advantageously, the inventive method can be implemented as a software, for example, on the electronic device 200 takes place in the form of an electronic vehicle control unit. In this case, the electronic vehicle control unit can be arranged, for example, only on a single cooperatively moving vehicle or on several of the cooperatively moving vehicles. A simple adaptability of the method is advantageously supported in this way.

One skilled in the art will suitably modify and / or combine the features of the invention without departing from the gist of the invention.

Claims (11)

A method of operating at least two vehicles in communication with each other, comprising the steps of: Performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles; Transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one other vehicle; Determining a distance between the at least two vehicles; and - Locating the at least two vehicles communicating with each other using the determined distance. Method according to Claim 1 wherein determining the distance between the at least two communicating vehicles is performed with at least one of: radar, lidar, video. Method according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the locating of the at least two communicating vehicles is performed using trajectory data. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a quality of the GNSS location of the vehicles is taken into account. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a plausibility of position signals of the GNSS location is checked. Method according to Claim 5 wherein the verification of the plausibility of GNSS location position signals is performed by at least one of: dead reckoning, digital map data. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein data of the distances between the vehicles are made available to all vehicles. Use of a method according to one of the preceding claims in ACC and / or Platooning. Apparatus (200) for operating at least two vehicles in communication with each other, comprising: - a location device (210) for performing a GNSS location for at least one of the vehicles; a transmission device (220) for transmitting the GNSS location data to the at least one further vehicle; and - A determination device (230) for determining a distance between the at least two cooperatively running vehicles; wherein the locating device (210) is configured to perform the locating of the at least two cooperatively running vehicles using the determined distance. Computer program product with program code means for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 when it is on an electronic device (200) for operating at least two communicating with each other Vehicles or stored on a computer-readable medium. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program product is based Claim 10 is stored.

Images