DE102018212901A1 - Method for determining a stopping position for an automated vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining a stopping position (303) for an automated vehicle (301) at a bus stop (304), comprising the following steps: • receiving a destination and / or a request to stop; • receiving environmental data; • determining one based on the surroundings data at a stop area (303) located at the front end of a bus stop (304) in the direction of travel of the vehicle, • outputting a signal for actuating the vehicle (301) such that it is in the determined stop area (303) comes to a standstill if a stop request has been received and / or the determined stopping area (303) is in the immediate vicinity of the destination.

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to a method for determining a stopping position for an automated vehicle, a device set up for executing the method, a computer program for executing the method, and a machine-readable storage medium on which this computer program is stored.

Methods for automated parking are known from the prior art.

In the DE 102015220467 A1 For example, a method for assisting a driver when parking a vehicle is proposed with the following steps: recognizing a typical parking situation by means of at least one captured image; Detect whether the parking situation has a threshold that can be driven over; Calculating a parking trajectory in a parking position assigned to the typical parking situation; Detecting a height profile of the parking trajectory at least in the area of the threshold that can be driven over; The vehicle is automatically brought into the parking position, the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle being controlled depending on the detected height profile.

Disclosure of the invention

• • Empfangen eines Zielortes und/oder einer Anhaltaufforderung;
• • Empfangen von Umfelddaten;
• • Ermitteln eines sich an einem in Fahrtrichtung des Fahrzeugs vorderen Ende einer Bushaltestelle befindlichen Haltebereichs, basierend auf den Umfelddaten;
• • Ausgeben eines Signals zur Ansteuerung des Fahrzeugs derart, dass es in dem ermittelten Haltebereich zum Stehen kommt, falls eine Anhaltaufforderung empfangen wurde und/oder sich der ermittelte Haltebereich in unmittelbarer Nähe des Zielortes befindet.

The invention relates to a method for determining a stopping position for an automated vehicle at a bus stop, comprising the following steps:

• • receiving a destination and / or a stop request;
• • receiving environmental data;
• • Determining a stopping area located at a front end of a bus stop in the direction of travel of the vehicle, based on the surroundings data;
• Outputting a signal to control the vehicle in such a way that it comes to a standstill in the determined stopping area if a stopping request has been received and / or the stopping area determined is in the immediate vicinity of the destination.

An automated vehicle can be understood to mean a partially, highly or fully automated vehicle. In particular, the automated vehicle can be a driverless vehicle that can be operated at least partially without human intervention. The vehicle can be, for example, a classic car or a minibus or a shuttle. The vehicle can also be other types of vehicles, such as two or three-wheelers.

The surroundings data of a surroundings of the destination can be acquired, for example, by sensors belonging to the vehicle, such as external cameras, radar, lidar and / or ultrasound sensors. This data can then be received, for example, by a control unit on which the method is running. The environment data can also represent data from sensors of other vehicles and / or infrastructure devices. Furthermore, the environment data can be data from an external server. In particular, data from a map server are available, on which detailed information about potential stopping areas in the area of the destination is stored.

In the receiving step, for example, a destination of a vehicle occupant or future vehicle occupants is received via a suitable wired or wireless interface. The destination can also be a pick-up location for the vehicle occupant. The vehicle occupant or future vehicle occupant can enter his desired destination, for example in the vehicle and / or via an app with his mobile phone or computer. If the destination is not entered directly in the vehicle, it can be received wirelessly, for example, from a server or directly from a terminal of the vehicle occupant. If the future vehicle occupant is not yet in the vehicle, the entry is preferably made via an app or by telephone.

Alternatively or in addition, the vehicle occupant can also issue a stop request to the vehicle, which can be received accordingly by the vehicle. This request can be made in accordance with the entry of a destination via a switch or an input device on the vehicle or, for example, via an app. This stop request can signal the vehicle that the vehicle occupant wants to get out at the next possible stop position. Alternatively, such a stop request can also imply an exit at the next bus stop, for example if the vehicle offers a fixed route with predefined stopping areas. Here, either all or only some of the stopping positions can represent stopping positions in bus stops.

The immediate vicinity of the destination can be understood to mean that the stopping area must be in a predefined area which, for example, corresponds to a circular area defined by a radius around the destination. The The stop area would be in the immediate vicinity of the destination if the distance to the destination is smaller than the predefined radius. For example, the stopping area could be in the immediate vicinity of the destination if the distance or the radius is less than 300 m, 200 m, 100 m, 50 m, 20 m, 10 m or 5 m.

Alternatively, close proximity can also be understood to mean that a predefined time must not be exceeded in order to reach the actual destination. For example, in the immediate vicinity can be understood that the target position should be reachable on foot in less than 5 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min, 30 s or 10 s. To determine whether the stopping area meets this requirement, data material and common algorithms for calculating the walking times of pedestrians can be used.

Based on the determined stopping position, signals for controlling the vehicle are output. These signals can directly actuate actuators, but they can also only represent further processable signals for controlling the vehicle. In particular, the vehicle is guided longitudinally and / or transversely based on the signals.

The proposed method has the advantage that blockage situations within a bus stop can be avoided for the subsequent line traffic. In addition, stress situations can be avoided for passengers of the vehicle, which would be honored by a bus driver in an alternative stopping position in the bus stop. In addition, an optimization of the flow of road traffic can be achieved since buses can enter the bus stop completely despite a vehicle stopping at a corresponding stopping position and the bus consequently does not block the road or block it for subsequent traffic. By means of this method, bus stops can consequently be used as a temporary stopping position for the boarding and / or disembarking of passengers of the automatically operated vehicle and, at the same time, further as a conventional bus stop for regular buses.

In a further embodiment of the method, the environment data are received by a server, in particular a map server.

This embodiment of the method offers the advantage that even automated vehicles without suitable sensors or suitable means for evaluating stopping areas can approach an optimized stopping area. Furthermore, receiving card data offers the possibility of using aggregated knowledge or aggregated sensor data. By aggregating different measured values and, if necessary, experience values associated with them (for example by evaluating a journey by a vehicle occupant), highly precise map data can be generated, which in turn contribute to the control of improved or optimized stopping areas.

In a further embodiment of the method, the environment data received comprise sensor data acquired from at least one further vehicle and / or an infrastructure device.

This embodiment of the invention offers the advantage that sensor data that have not been recorded by the vehicle's own sensor system can be used. This can ensure a better determination of optimized stopping areas. Sensor data from infrastructure facilities can be understood, for example, as sensors attached to buildings, columns, lanterns, bus stops or other infrastructure facilities. The sensors can be, for example, cameras, radar, lidar and / or ultrasonic sensors.

In a further embodiment of the method, this has the additional step of determining a location of a vehicle occupant in the vehicle, in particular a seat of the vehicle occupant. In the step of determining the stopping area, a stopping area is determined based on the environment data received and the determined location of the vehicle occupant.

The location of the at least one vehicle occupant can be determined, for example, via an interior sensor system of the vehicle. For example, an interior camera and / or seat mats, sensors on a holding device inside the vehicle, RFID chips, Bluetooth receiver and / or comparable sensors can be used for this. In determining the location of the occupant, the primary purpose is to determine through which exit of the vehicle, in particular through which door, the vehicle occupant will leave the vehicle. This information is used in the further course of the method to approach an optimized stopping area. In order to ensure that the vehicle occupant gets out at this position, it is advantageous to determine from which door the vehicle occupant is leaving the vehicle before determining the stopping position.

If there is still no vehicle occupant in the vehicle, to determine the stopping area it can first be determined through which door a future passenger will enter. For this can this can be detected, for example, using the vehicle's own sensors.

This embodiment of the method offers the advantage that the stopping position is perfectly matched to the vehicle occupant.

In a further embodiment of the method, the stopping area is determined in such a way that the vehicle can continue its journey after stopping in the stopping area without having to reset.

This embodiment of the method offers the advantage that a rapid approach and departure of the stopping area can be guaranteed and the bus stop is only very briefly approached by the vehicle. This optimizes the flow of traffic and several vehicles can use the bus stop as an entry and / or exit. In addition, this embodiment of the method offers the advantage that a bus can drive very close to the vehicle and thus an optimized use of the bus stop or the area assigned to the bus stop is possible. Since the vehicle does not have to reset, it can continue driving even when the bus is very close.

In a further embodiment of the method, the environment data comprise information about the nature of potential exit positions in the environment of the vehicle, in particular about the presence of puddles of water.

This embodiment of the invention offers the advantage that a further optimization of the exit position or the determination of a stopping area is possible. By recognizing puddles of water, both the risk of injury and contamination of the vehicle occupant when exiting the automated vehicle can be reduced.

In a further embodiment of the method, the environment data include information about the nature of curbs in the area surrounding the vehicle, in particular about the height and / or damage to the curbs.

This embodiment of the method also offers the advantage that an optimized exit position or an optimized stopping area can be determined. An analysis of curbs can prevent injuries, for example, by twisting or slipping when getting out of the vehicle. In addition, depending on the height of the curb, an automated change in the vehicle height at the curb of the vehicle can be changed. This is possible, for example, using the vehicle's hydraulic or pneumatic suspension systems, which are already used in buses today.

The stopping area or an exit or entry position at the destination is determined based on the environment data received and optionally on the determined location of the vehicle occupant in the vehicle or at the roadside / at the bus stop. The stopping area is determined in such a way that the vehicle occupant gets out at an exit position that is also optimally suited for the exit. This means in particular that there are no puddles or large water accumulations at the exit point, that the curb has no damage and optimally offers a good exit height. Depending on the vehicle type of the automatically operated vehicle, high or low curbs or exit positions can therefore preferably be approached without a curb. High curbs are understood to be curbs with a height greater than or equal to 10 cm. A low curb is understood to mean a curb with a height of less than 10 cm.

Furthermore, a device is claimed which is set up to carry out all steps of a method on which this application is based. The device can in particular be a control unit. The device can also be a computer, which is part of a server cluster, for example.

A computer program is also claimed. This computer program comprises instructions which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out a method according to the present application.

In addition, a machine-readable storage medium is used, on which this computer program is stored.

list of figures

• 1 shows a schematic process diagram.
• 2 shows a stopping process of a vehicle in a bus stop.
• 3 shows an optimized stopping process of a vehicle in a bus stop.

embodiments

In a first exemplary embodiment, an automatically operated vehicle is equipped with surroundings sensors for determining the infrastructure information, such as a road layout, a geometry of a bus stop, in particular lines and / or curbs, and occupancy states of parking spaces or bus stops. Video, radar, lidar and ultrasonic sensors are used as sensors. The vehicle also has path planning methods for deriving a trajectory from the current position to a target position, a vehicle motion method for implementing these trajectories in the vehicle and at least one control unit for carrying out these algorithmic methods.

In the first exemplary embodiment, a passenger is in the automatically operated vehicle, which is operated without a driver. In the vehicle it runs in 1 schematically illustrated method, which in step 101 starts.

In step 102 the vehicle receives a destination via an external server. This destination was set by the passenger using an app before entering the vehicle and transmitted to the server. The destination is 20 m from a bus stop for regular buses and therefore in the immediate vicinity of this bus stop. In the method on which this exemplary embodiment is based, possible stopping positions are classified as being in the immediate vicinity if, on average, the actual destination can be reached on foot in less than a minute from the stopping position.

In step 103 In the control unit of the vehicle, environmental data are received, which were recorded by the sensors of the vehicle.

In step 104 based on the environment data, a stop area is determined in the bus stop at the destination.

In 2 and 3 are, for example, different options for determining a stopping area in a bus stop 204 shown.

In 2 a) is from a vehicle 201 a stopping area 203 in a rear to middle area of a bus stop in the direction of travel 204 selected and the vehicle is selected 201 to the holding area 203 leading trajectory 202 calculated. This trajectory 202 is from the vehicle 201 drive through, making it in 2 B) in the selected stop area 203 comes to a standstill. When a corresponding stop point is selected in a rear or middle area of the bus stop 204 there may be disruptions to scheduled services, which is why this type of stopping area is disadvantageous.

In this embodiment, step 104 therefore the in 3 a) and b) shown stop area 303 from the vehicle 301 determined and a corresponding trajectory 302 to the stopping area 303 certainly. The stop position is here when you drive to the designated bus stop 304 inside this bus stop 304 determined in such a way that during occupancy by the vehicle 301 there is no impediment to scheduled traffic during a passenger getting on and / or off. The vehicle 301 for this purpose drives within the bus stop 304 as far as possible to the front end 303 the stop 304 ,

In step 105 becomes a signal to control the vehicle 301 issued so that it is in the determined stopping area 303 comes to a standstill when the determined stopping area 303 is located in the immediate vicinity of the destination. Since the criterion of immediate proximity is given in this exemplary embodiment, control takes place in accordance with the 3 ,

In a further exemplary embodiment, the stop position within a bus stop is determined according to two criteria:

The method is carried out in such a way that a stop position is ascertained within this bus stop when the intended bus stop is reached, for which there is no impediment to the regular service during the occupancy by the vehicle during boarding and / or disembarking of a passenger, since the regular service does can continue to use the rear parking space. For this purpose, the vehicle travels as far as possible to the front end of the stop within the bus stop. The stop position is determined here, among other things, on the basis of ground markings recorded using the environment data.

In addition, the vehicle is aligned / oriented when stopping / at the parking location in such a way that a comfortable one-way exit from the bus stop 304 is ensured. As a result, the vehicle does not have to be reset before starting again. Since the later exit process is to take place without multiple-train maneuvers, the orientation of the vehicle when stopping or the choice of stopping area depends on the comfortable exit trajectory to be reached from the stop.

In a further exemplary embodiment, environmental data are received from several sources in the step of receiving. On the one hand from the vehicle's own sensors, on the other hand from sensors of other vehicles and Infrastructure facilities, especially sensors at the bus stop. Several cameras and light sources are installed at the bus stop, so that pedestrians can be reliably recognized during the day and at night. In addition, map data are received in the vehicle, which include precise information about the geometry of the bus stop to be approached. The environmental data also contains information about existing puddles and the nature of curbs.

In this exemplary embodiment, the method also includes the further step of determining a location of the vehicle occupant (s). Based on this, it is determined through which door the passenger will exit.

Depending on the determined door and the surrounding data, an optimized stopping area is then determined in a front area of a bus stop, which enables passengers to get in or out comfortably (no puddle at the exit, height of the curb optimized for the vehicle, etc.) and also does not cause any disruption to regular services.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for better information for 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.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102015220467 A1 [0003]

Claims (10)

Method for determining a stopping position (303) for an automated vehicle (301) at a bus stop (304), comprising the steps: • receiving (102) a destination and / or a stop request; • receiving (103) environmental data; • Determining (104) a stopping area (303) located at a front end of a bus stop (304) in the direction of travel, based on the surroundings data; • Outputting (105) a signal for actuating the vehicle (410) in such a way that it comes to a standstill in the determined stopping area (303) if a stopping request has been received and / or the stopping area determined is in the immediate vicinity of the destination. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the environment data are received by a server, in particular a map server. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the environment data received comprise sensor data acquired from at least one further vehicle and / or an infrastructure device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, with the additional step of determining a location of a vehicle occupant in the vehicle (301), in particular a seat of the vehicle occupant, wherein in the step of determining the stopping area (303) a stopping area (303) based on the received environment data and the determined location of the vehicle occupant is determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the determination of the stopping area (303) is carried out such that the vehicle (301) can continue its journey after stopping in the stopping area (303) without having to reset. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surroundings data comprise information about the nature of potential exit positions in the surroundings of the vehicle (301), in particular about the presence of puddles of water. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surroundings data comprise information about the nature of curbs in the surroundings of the vehicle (301), in particular about the height and / or damage to the curbs. Device which is set up to carry out all steps of a method according to one of the preceding claims. Computer program, comprising commands which cause the computer program to be executed by a computer, a method according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th perform. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according Claim 9 is saved.

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