DE102018208285A1 - Acoustic evaluation method, ultrasonic operation assistance system control unit, ultrasound operation assistance system and work apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for acoustically assessing or monitoring the operation of a working device (1) having an ultrasound operation assistance system (10) and in particular a vehicle (1 '), wherein at least during operation of the operating device (1) for detecting acoustic signals of operating components (1). 4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) of the working device (1) and at least partially for evaluating the detected acoustic signals, the ultrasonic operation assistance system (10) of the working device (1) is used.

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a method for acoustic evaluation of the operation of a working device, a control unit for an ultrasound operation assistance system, an ultrasound operation assistance system as such and a working device, in particular a vehicle.

In the field of working devices, in particular in vehicles, preferably in motor vehicles, ultrasonic operating assistance systems are increasingly used for monitoring the surroundings of an underlying working device and in particular of a vehicle. On the other hand, it is known to evaluate by acoustic means the operation of working devices and in particular of vehicles, preferably of motor vehicles, in order to be able to conclude from noise patterns on an operating condition and possibly on defects or sources of error.

So far, a working device additional equipment measures must be taken for an acoustic assessment or monitoring of the operation.

Disclosure of the invention

The inventive method for acoustic evaluation or monitoring of the operation of a working device with the features of claim 1 has the advantage over that a reliable evaluation of the operation of a working device is possible without additional means of equipment. This is inventively achieved with the features of claim 1, characterized in that a method for acoustic evaluation or monitoring of the operation of a working device with an ultrasonic operation assistance system and in particular a vehicle, is provided, wherein at least during operation of the working device for detecting acoustic signals from operating components of the working device and at least partially for evaluating the detected acoustic signals, the ultrasonic operation assistance system of the working device is used. By means of the measures provided for in accordance with the invention, it is possible to carry out an acoustic evaluation or monitoring of the operation of a working device, without the need for additional devices, because an ultrasonic operation assistance system already present in the working device is used to detect acoustic signals as such and at least partially to them rate.

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

For the purposes of the present invention, an ultrasonic operation assistance system in connection with a vehicle can in particular be a system or subsystem for autonomous driving, parking and / or steering.

This results in a particularly simple embodiment of the method according to the invention for acoustic evaluation or monitoring of the operation of a working device when exclusively ultrasonic sensors of the ultrasonic operation assistance system of the working device are used to detect acoustic signals from operating components of the working device. This is namely achieved in particular that no additional measuring devices are provided.

However, in an advantageous development of the method according to the invention, a particularly high degree of accuracy can be achieved if additional ultrasonic sensors of the working device are used to detect acoustic signals from operating components of the working device in addition to existing ultrasound sensors of the underlying ultrasound operating assistance system.

In this case, additionally used ultrasonic sensors can be adapted to their function, their arrangement and orientation and / or with regard to their sensitivity to the particular application.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, it can be provided that one or more additional ultrasonic sensors of the working device are used as dedicated ultrasonic sensors which are assigned to at least one specific operating component, acoustically aligned or oriented thereto and / or spatially adjacent thereto , Thus, it is possible to design certain operating components of a device with an associated sensor in order to supply the assigned operating component to a specific monitoring. Thus, it is conceivable that, for example, a motor or an engine component is associated with a corresponding sensor.

In this context, operating components can be understood as active or passive components. An active component may be, for example, a drive or a motor or a part thereof. A passive component may be dormant or co-moving.

Thus, it is conceivable in an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention that ultrasonic sensors of the Ultrasound operation assistance system and / or additional ultrasound sensors, a wheel, a drive, a steering, a brake and / or one or more parts or components thereof may be acoustically monitored and / or evaluated as an operating component.

A further simplification arises in the method according to the invention according to another advantageous development when an evaluation of detected acoustic signals takes place at least partially in a control unit of the underlying ultrasonic operation assistance system. In this case eliminates the need for the provision of a separate control unit for evaluating and evaluating the detected acoustic signals.

On the other hand, in the case of complex evaluation tasks in which, for example, extensive comparison data must be used, it may be advantageous if, according to another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, the evaluation of detected acoustic signals is at least partially carried out in an evaluation unit that is part of the underlying ultrasound operation assistance system and / or the evaluation unit he follows.

In particular, the external evaluation unit may be an evaluation unit in a cloud, wherein additionally or alternatively a transmission of detected acoustic signals or data representative thereof to the external evaluation unit takes place, for example via a communication channel and / or in wireless form.

A particularly high degree of accuracy and reliability of a corresponding evaluation occurs when, according to another advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention or when evaluating detected acoustic signals detected acoustic signals are compared with predetermined acoustic patterns, especially with noise patterns, based on a Assignment between noise patterns and operating states and / or system states, by means of neural networks and / or by means of machine learning.

As an object of the method according to the invention, the detection of operating conditions, in particular of operational errors, ie of equipment defects can be understood.

In an advantageous development of the method according to the invention, it is therefore provided that, depending on a result of the evaluation of detected acoustic signals, an operating state of the working device is adjusted such that a display unit of the working device is controlled or regulated, in particular for displaying a warning message, and / or a data related to a result of the evaluation of detected acoustic signals are transmitted to an external unit with respect to the working device, in particular to a workshop or maintenance center.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control unit for an ultrasonic operation assistance system of a work apparatus and in particular a vehicle configured to execute, cause and / or perform an embodiment of the inventive method for acoustically assessing or monitoring the operation of the work apparatus and in particular the vehicle to control.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides an ultrasound operation assistance system for a working device and in particular for a vehicle, which is set up to detect an environment of the working device and with one or a plurality of ultrasound sensors for recording acoustic signals at least from the surroundings and with a control unit configured according to the invention is formed, which is set up to control the operation of the ultrasonic sensors, for the detection of ultrasonic sensors recorded acoustic signals and for the evaluation of detected acoustic signals.

Finally, the present invention also provides a working device as such, which is formed with an aggregate, with a control unit for controlling the operation of the unit and with an inventively designed ultrasonic operation assistance system, wherein the ultrasonic operation assistance system is operatively connected as part of the control unit and / or with the control unit ,

In this case, the control unit is set up to include the ultrasound operation assistance system and its evaluation results in the control of the operation of the unit.

The working device according to the invention can be designed as a vehicle, preferably as a motor vehicle, as a passenger car, as a truck or the like. Conceivable are also embodiments of unmanned transport device, robots or the like.

list of figures

• 1 zeigt in schematischer Draufsicht nach Art eines Blockdiagramms eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Arbeitsvorrichtung unter Verwendung eines erfindungsgemäß ausgestalteten Ultraschallbetriebsassistenzsystems.

Embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached figure.

• 1 shows a schematic plan view in the manner of a block diagram, an embodiment of the working device according to the invention using an inventively designed ultrasonic operating assistance system.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

The following will be with reference to 1 Embodiments of the invention and the technical background described in detail. Identical and equivalent as well as equivalent or equivalent elements and components are designated by the same reference numerals. Not in every case of their occurrence, the detailed description of the designated elements and components is reproduced.

The illustrated features and other properties can be isolated in any form from each other and combined with each other, without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 Thus, in a schematic plan view in the manner of a block diagram, an embodiment of the working device according to the invention 1 namely in the form of a vehicle 1' - Using an inventively designed ultrasonic operating assistance system 10 ,

The vehicle according to the invention 1' has a body 2 on, on which wheels 4 attached, via a drive unit 41 and a steering / braking unit 42 a drive, steering and braking system 40 be driven, steered or braked and accordingly via drive means 43 or steering / braking means 44 with the drive unit 41 or with the steering / braking unit 42 are actively connected.

To support the operation of the vehicle 1' is an ultrasound operation assistance system 10 which may be a driver assistance system, a steering assistance system and / or a parking assistance system or a combination thereof.

The ultrasonic operation assistance system 10 is formed by a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 11 that over a bus 14 with a control unit 15 of the ultrasound operation assistance system 10 , For example, in the sense of an ultrasonic assistance system are connected. The ultrasonic sensors 11 are especially designed to be an environment of the vehicle 1' , for example, to detect obstacles.

Although according to the invention the existing ultrasonic sensors 11 of the vehicle 1' existing driver assistance system 10 also for the detection of acoustic signals of certain operating components, for example the wheels 4 , the drive 41 or the steering / braking unit 42 , are used. However, in the embodiment according to FIG 1 the additionally provided ultrasonic sensors 12 and 13 , which also over the bus 14 with the control unit 15 are connected. In contrast to the general ultrasonic sensors 11 of the ultrasound operation assistance system 10 these are the additional ultrasonic sensors 12 and 13 so-called assigned or dedicated ultrasonic sensors, namely in the ultrasonic sensor 12 an ultrasonic sensor, which is a wheel 4 is assigned, and the ultrasonic sensor 13 to an ultrasonic sensor, which the drive 41 assigned.

Additional sensors may be formed on other vehicle components.

In the application are by the ultrasonic sensors 11 . 12 and 13 However, acoustic signals that lie in the ultrasonic range can also be detected in the audible range for humans, and over the bus 14 to the control unit 15 transmitted. There they can be subjected to an evaluation or evaluation.

Additionally or alternatively, via the communication unit 16 and the communication channel 17 the detected acoustic signals and / or related data to an external evaluation unit 20 , for example, a cloud 20 ' , are sent there to perform a more complex evaluation and then an evaluation result via the communication unit 16 and the communication channel 17 to the control unit 15 of the ultrasound operation assistance system 10 transferred to.

The operation of the drive unit 41 and / or the steering / braking unit 42 can through the control unit 50 the working device 1 or of the vehicle 1' including the evaluation by the ultrasonic operation assistance system 10 or by the external evaluation unit 20 respectively. This is the control unit 50 of the vehicle 1' over a first bus 51 with the drive unit 41 and the steering / braking unit 42 and a second bus 52 with the control unit 15 of the ultrasound operation assistance system 10 connected.

These and other features and characteristics of the present invention will be further elucidated with reference to the following statements:

The present invention makes use of the knowledge that with an ultrasound operation assistance system and in particular with an ultrasound driving assistance system, which can also be referred to as ultrasound systems for short, sound in the can be received by the human audible range. In this case, detected raw signals can be evaluated directly by the control unit and fused together. It is conceivable, for example, to diagnose the loading of a particulate filter by means of additional microphones in the exhaust gas system.

In particular, it can be thought of evaluating and classifying acoustic signals while driving with, for example, a number of MEMS microphones and an evaluation unit. In addition to the acoustic signals, it is also possible to process data of the vehicle operating state, for example from available CAN buses.

Such processing can be done with machine learning and machine pattern recognition techniques, for example, with regression modeling and / or using neural networks.

In particular, according to the invention, unusual noises are to be detected in working devices and / or in vehicles even without the help of the driver and workshop staff, which indicate a defect. For this purpose, it is not absolutely necessary to install and use additional components in the vehicle.

The ultrasonic control device one already in the device 1 or in the vehicle 1' existing ultrasonic operating assistance system and in particular an ultrasonic driving assistance system 10 according to the invention is intended by the vehicle 1' or generally from the working device 1 detect and / or evaluate any noise generated and, in particular, determine the state of certain components based on the noises.

The signal acquisition takes place by means of the same sensors 11 and the evaluation by the same controller 15 how they are used to capture the environment.

The detection and evaluation of the acoustic signals with regard to the condition of the working device 1 and their components may be alternately or simultaneously with the object detection and detection of the surroundings by ultrasonic collation.

Vehicles cause characteristic noise patterns at the respective operating points. If the noises measured during operation deviate from such noise patterns, this may indicate a specific condition of individual components and / or an error. The computing unit in the vehicle - for example in connection with the control unit 15 an ultrasonic operation assistance system 10 calculates suitable acoustic features such as frequency spectra, time-based features, tonality, impulsiveness or modulation characteristics from the sensor signals and compares them with reference features at certain operating points. If the feature sizes deviate in an unexpected manner, then the vehicle can send the feature set and possibly also raw signals of the current time to a cloud 20 ' or a suitable other external evaluation unit 20 sent.

There, for example, it can be checked whether the noise pattern already known noise patterns of other vehicles 1' corresponds and how many of these vehicles had which errors. In this way, it is possible to clearly assign an error to the noise pattern that justifies the vehicle 1' Send immediately to the workshop, then activates the vehicle 1' for example a fault lamp. If the error can not be clearly assigned, then the cloud can 20 ' give the workshop personnel appropriate instructions on which possible errors the vehicle 1' should be explored explicitly.

A high loading state of the particulate filter, the ultrasonic control unit 15 Recognize that less high frequency components are present in the combustion noise and the combustion noise are also quieter overall. For detection, the sensors are 11 . 12 . 13 especially well suited near the exhaust.

The soot loading has a particularly large impact on high frequencies, with modern engine management generally avoids these high frequencies. Therefore, it is advantageous that whenever a load measurement is necessary, the engine is specifically adjusted so that it generates the highest possible intense frequencies. High frequencies result from rapid combustion and high exhaust gas flow rates.

• - Beim Ottomotor kann der Zündwinkel so „spät“ verstellt werden, dass die Verbrennung noch nicht abgeklungen ist, obwohl der Zylinderauslass bereits geöffnet wird. Alternativ kann der Zündwinkel in Richtung „früh“ verstellt werden, wodurch der Motor anfängt leicht zu klopfen.
• - Beim Dieselmotor können die Nacheinspritzungen so spät vorgenommen werden, dass die Verbrennung noch nicht abgeklungen ist, obwohl der Zylinderauslass bereits geöffnet wird. Alternativ können die Voreinspritzungen weggelassen und die Haupteinspritzung in Richtung „früh“ verstellt werden, wodurch der Motor anfängt zu nageln.
• - Bei aufgeladenen Motoren kann durch Verstellen des Wastegateventils oder des VTG-Stellers der Ladedruck und damit die Verlustleistung erhöht werden. Gegebenenfalls können durch späte Zündung bzw. Einspritzung zusätzliche Verluste erzeugt werden.
• - Bei Motoren mit Abgasrückführung kann diese abgestellt werden, damit kein rückgeführtes Abgas die Verbrennung verlangsamen kann.
• - Bei Hybridfahrzeugen kann gezielt die Last des Verbrennungsmotors erhöht werden.

The following aspects can be considered according to the invention in the analysis of detected acoustic signals:

• - In the gasoline engine, the ignition angle can be adjusted so "late" that the combustion has not subsided, although the cylinder outlet is already open. Alternatively, the firing angle may be adjusted "early", causing the engine to start knocking easily.
• - In the diesel engine, the post-injections can be made so late that the combustion has not subsided, although the cylinder outlet is already opened. Alternatively, the pilot injections may be omitted and the main injection may be advanced toward "early" causing the engine to start to nail.
• - For turbocharged engines, the boost pressure and thus the power loss can be increased by adjusting the wastegate valve or the VTG actuator. Optionally, additional losses may be generated by late ignition or injection.
• - For engines with exhaust gas recirculation, this can be switched off, so that no recirculated exhaust gas can slow down the combustion.
• - In hybrid vehicles targeted the load of the engine can be increased.

A turbocharger generates at high speed a very intense noise, which is clearly heard in some vehicles in the interior. Because of the high speed of a direct speed measurement is very complicated and expensive, which is why additional sensors have not prevailed. The noise of the turbocharger is very characteristic and because of the high speed also very high and therefore perfectly suited to be diagnosed by ultrasonic sensors. Thus, the speed of the turbocharger can be detected by the ultrasonic control unit and transmitted to the engine control unit. In this case, the turbocharger speed can be used to protect the turbocharger from too high a speed. With this protection, the turbocharger can be operated closer to the maximum speed and smaller in size for the same performance. In addition, with a known turbocharger speed, it is easier to predict how the boost pressure will change.

A leak or a hole in the exhaust system leads to a loud combustion noise, in particular, the high frequency components are louder. For detection, the sensors near the exhaust lines are particularly well suited. In order to be able to distinguish a small leak in the exhaust line from an empty particle filter, the diagnosis is always carried out when the particle filter has previously been emptied. This is the case after a long ride with high load, for example on the highway. In case of a leak, the noise near the exhaust is louder than it is with a completely empty particulate filter but intact exhaust system.

Many other components can also be diagnosed in this way. In particular, moving components are well suited for the diagnosis. Underneath are e.g. Also a dry oil pump, a defective wheel bearing or worn brakes. The higher the frequency of the characteristic noise of a defective component, the easier it is to detect the defect with the aid of the ultrasonic sensor system.

Depending on the environmental conditions and the vehicle or component operating mode, the load measurement, the leak test and other diagnostics can be performed differently well.

For example, idling and engine starting, as well as the transition from full load to thrust are suitable for adjusting the operating parameters for a load measurement. Above all, a high engine performance at low vehicle speed is suitable for detecting a leak in the exhaust system. A defective wheel bearing can be detected particularly well at high lateral accelerations and worn brakes are particularly good for heavy braking at low vehicle speed.

The direction of the noise source can be the ultrasonic control unit 15 determine, for example, a cross-correlation calculation of the signals of two sensors 11 . 12 or evaluates characteristic level differences in the acoustic characteristics. By calculating the direction of two sensor pairs, the exact location of a sound source can be identified by triangulation. In this way it can be found out which sound sources are inside and which outside the vehicle 1' are located.

The influence of the sounds coming from outside the vehicle 1' can be identified with the help of the locating and filtered out at narrow band expression from the frequency spectrum. Alternatively, the analysis of the noise pattern can be intermittently interrupted even with the influence of external sound sources. This is particularly suitable for very strong external sound sources, or if the computational effort for the compensation of external sound sources should not be invested.

The spatial location of the noise works particularly well for high frequency components, since the wavelength is particularly small here. Optionally, with the help of these high frequency components even the exact location within the vehicle 1' determined and based on which the faulty component can be more easily identified.

In general, the locating of the sounds of very low frequencies but also to physical limits, which are likely to lie in about there, where the human being the direction of a sound source can no longer locate reliable.

It may be preferred additional ultrasonic sensors 12 and 13 inside the working device 1 or the vehicle 1' be attached to even better capture and localize the internal noise.

It is particularly advantageous and inexpensive these sensors 11 . 12 . 13 to connect to the same control unit. Furthermore, it is also possible to use sensors of a different design, for example electret microphones or structure-borne noise sensors.

• - Die erheblichen Kosten für ein zusätzliches Steuergerät 15 und ggf. auch für zusätzliche Sensoren 12 und 13 entfallen.
• - Durch die hohe Anzahl der Ultraschallsensoren 11, 12, 13 - gewöhnlich bis zu 12 Stück pro Fahrzeug - können Umgebungsgeräusche von internen Geräuschen besonders gut unterschieden und aus dem zu analysierenden Frequenzspektrum herausgerechnet werden

In accordance with the invention, the following advantages are remote:

• - The significant cost of an additional controller 15 and possibly also for additional sensors 12 and 13 omitted.
• - Due to the high number of ultrasonic sensors 11 . 12 . 13 - usually up to 12 pieces per vehicle - ambient noise can be distinguished very well from internal noise and excluded from the frequency spectrum to be analyzed

The procedure according to the invention and the system can in principle be used in all working devices 1 and vehicles 1' be used for which an equipment with ultrasonic sensors - in the sense of an ultrasonic operation assistance system 10 or ultrasonic driver assistance system - comes into question.

Currently, for example, about 50% of the vehicles 1' equipped with ultrasonic sensors.

In addition, it is also conceivable, an acoustic environment analysis with ultrasonic sensors 11 . 12 . 13 also for other stationary applications in manufacturing areas or in building surveillance.

In these cases, in particular, a combination with other sensors 11 . 12 . 13 like microphones and accelerometers useful.

Claims (12)

Method for acoustic evaluation of the operation of a working device (1) having an ultrasound operation assistance system (10), in which at least during operation of the working device (1) - For detecting acoustic signals from operating components (4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) of the working device (1) and - At least partially for evaluating the detected acoustic signals, the ultrasonic operation assistance system (10) of the working device (1) is used. Method according to Claim 1 in which only ultrasound sensors (11) of the ultrasonic operation assistance system (10) of the working device (1) are used for detecting acoustic signals of operating components (4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) of the working device (1). Method according to Claim 1 in which additional ultrasonic sensors (12, 13) of the working device (1) are used to detect acoustic signals from operating components (4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44) of the working device (1) in addition to existing ultrasonic sensors (11) of the ultrasonic operating assistance system (10) ) be used. Method according to Claim 3 in which one or more additional ultrasonic sensors (12, 13) of the working device (1) are used as dedicated ultrasonic sensors, which are assigned to at least one specific operating component (4, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44), acoustically aligned thereto and / or or be arranged spatially adjacent to this. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which a wheel (4), a drive (41, 43), a steering (42, 44) are provided by ultrasonic sensors (11) of the ultrasound operation assistance system (10) and / or via additional ultrasound sensors (12, 13) ) and / or a brake (42, 44) as an operating component (4, 40, 41, 42) and / or their components are acoustically monitored and / or evaluated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which an evaluation of detected acoustic signals takes place at least partially in a control unit (15) of the underlying ultrasonic operation assistance system (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which an evaluation of detected acoustic signals takes place at least partially in an evaluation unit (20) external to the ultrasound operation assistance system (10) and / or the working device (1), in particular in a cloud (20 ') and / or under transmission of detected acoustic signals or representative data to the external evaluation unit (20), via a communication channel (17) and / or in wireless form. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which acoustic signals detected during evaluation of detected acoustic signals are compared with predetermined acoustic patterns, in particular noise patterns, on the basis of an association between noise patterns and operating states and / or system states, by means of neural networks and / or by means of Method of machine learning. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which, depending on a result of an evaluation of detected acoustic signals, an operating state of the working device (1) is adjusted, a display unit of the working device (1) is controlled or regulated, in particular for displaying a warning message, and / or a data related to a result of an evaluation of detected acoustic signals are transmitted to an external unit with respect to the working device (1), in particular to a workshop or maintenance center. Control unit (15) for an ultrasound operation assistance system (10) of a working device (1), which is set up, a method for acoustically evaluating or monitoring the operation of the working device (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 execute, cause and / or control. Ultrasonic operation assistance system (10) for a working device (1) for detecting an environment of the working device (1) with - one or a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (11, 12, 13) for recording acoustic signals at least from the environment and - a control unit (15) Claim 10 for controlling the operation of the ultrasonic sensors (11, 12, 13), for detecting ultrasonic signals (11, 12, 13) of recorded acoustic signals and for evaluating detected acoustic signals. Working device (1), - with - an aggregate (40), - a control unit (50) for controlling the operation of the unit (40) and - an ultrasonic operation assistance system (10) according to Claim 11 which is operatively connected as part of the control unit (50) and / or with the control unit (50), wherein the control unit (50) is arranged to include in the control of the operation of the unit (40) the ultrasonic operation assistance system (10), which in particular Vehicle (1 ') is formed.

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