DE102019204790A1 - Device for generating an optical warning area for a floor vehicle or a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (2) for generating an optical warning area (13) for a floor vehicle or a vehicle (9), the warning area (13) having an illumination field (14) which can be dynamically changed in the warning area (13) and is connected to extends around the vehicle (9) on all four sides, comprising: an input interface (4) for acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle (9); a processing unit (5) for processing the status data of the vehicle (9) and for generating control data for the lighting device (3); an output interface (6) for outputting the control data for controlling a lighting device (3) of the vehicle (9) or floor vehicle in order to generate a lighting field (14) corresponding to the status data; wherein the control data are generated and adapted as a function of the status data. The present invention also relates to a method for generating an optical warning area (13) for a floor vehicle or vehicle (9) as well as a system (1) and a vehicle (9).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for generating an optical warning area for a floor vehicle or a vehicle, a system and a method for generating an optical warning area for a floor vehicle or vehicle.

In the vicinity of vehicles there are always situations in which a vehicle poses a hazard. In particular in the area behind a vehicle or in areas that are difficult for the driver to assess, there is always a risk to people who are in this driving area or working area with machines. In trucks, therefore, so-called reversing beepers have increasingly prevailed, which draw attention to a reversing truck. The reversing areas, which are difficult to see or cannot be seen by the driver, are to be secured by acoustically warning people in the vicinity of the vehicle.

In the case of industrial trucks or floor vehicles such as forklifts, for example, the four steerable wheels of the vehicle result in a working and driving area that is not necessarily recognizable for people in the vicinity of the floor vehicles. In order to warn people who are in the danger area or work area of the floor vehicle, floor vehicles often have optical and / or acoustic warning devices. These can be warning lights or flashers or acoustic reversing beeps.

In the DE 10 2012 024 494 a projector for a floor vehicle or motor vehicle is proposed, with which warning symbols are projected onto the ground behind the vehicle. The warning symbols can also be projected onto neighboring walls to alert people to a danger. Different symbols such as a stop symbol or a warning graphic are suggested here.

In the case of forklifts it is known to equip them with several lights that project a light bar to the side and behind the forklift in order to make people in the vicinity aware of the forklift and to stop them to maintain a safety distance. The distance between the light bars on the floor and the vehicle is fixed.

From the KR 10 15 36 632 there is known a projector for generating a warning light with which a plurality of concentric circles are projected on the ground near a vehicle. Such a projector can, for example, be permanently mounted on a floor vehicle, for example a forklift, in order to project concentric circles as a warning onto the roadway in the rear area. The document also proposes a projector which can be manually mounted on a vehicle and which, in the event of a breakdown, projects concentric warning circles onto a road area behind the vehicle in order to warn approaching vehicles.

The object of the present invention is to propose an improved device for generating an optical warning area for a vehicle or a floor vehicle in order to achieve increased safety for people in the vicinity of the vehicle. The improved device should be usable for different vehicles.

• eine Eingangsschnittstelle zum Erfassen von Zustandsdaten bezüglich des Zustands des Fahrzeugs;
• eine Verarbeitungseinheit zum Verarbeiten der Zustandsdaten des Fahrzeugs und zum Erzeugen von Steuerungsdaten für die Beleuchtungseinrichtung;
• eine Ausgangsschnittstelle zum Ausgeben der Steuerungsdaten zur Ansteuerung einer Beleuchtungseinrichtung des Fahrzeugs oder Flurfahrzeugs, um ein mit den Zustandsdaten korrespondierendes Beleuchtungsfeld zu erzeugen; wobei die Steuerungsdaten in Abhängigkeit der Zustandsdaten generiert und angepasst werden.

To achieve this object, the present invention relates to a device for generating an optical warning area for a truck or a vehicle, the warning area having an illumination field that is dynamically variable in the warning area and extending around the vehicle on all four sides, comprising:

• an input interface for acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle;
• a processing unit for processing the status data of the vehicle and for generating control data for the lighting device;
• an output interface for outputting the control data for controlling a lighting device of the vehicle or floor vehicle in order to generate a lighting field corresponding to the status data; wherein the control data are generated and adapted as a function of the status data.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a system for generating an optical warning area for a floor vehicle or a vehicle, with a device for generating an optical warning area that extends around the vehicle on all four sides, and with a lighting device for generating one Illumination field within the warning area, where
the device has an input interface for acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle; and an output interface for outputting control data for controlling the lighting device of the vehicle or truck; and a processing unit for processing the status data of the vehicle and for generating the control data for the lighting device;
the lighting device comprises at least one lamp and is designed to receive the control data from the processing unit and, based on the control data, to control the lamp in such a way that light is emitted and the lighting field is illuminated, the lighting field being dynamically variable within the warning area.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle with a system as described above or with a device as described above and an illumination device for generating an illumination field within an optical warning area. The term “vehicle” also includes trucks, floor vehicles, industrial trucks, mobile machines, in particular for use in industrial halls and interior spaces, with all vehicles also being able to be driven autonomously or partially autonomously.

Further aspects of the invention relate to a corresponding method and a computer program product with program code for carrying out the steps of the method when the program code is executed on a computer, as well as a storage medium on which a computer program is stored that, when executed on a computer, causes the method described herein to be carried out.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the method and the computer program product can be implemented in accordance with the configurations described for the device and the system and the vehicle in the dependent claims.

Depending on the type of vehicle or floor vehicle (industrial truck, mobile machines, forklifts, etc.), the danger area around the vehicle is different. In order to ensure adequate safety for people in the vicinity of the vehicle, the device according to the invention makes it possible to generate an optical warning area around the vehicle in which there is a dynamically variable lighting field that is generated as a function of status data of the vehicle. For this purpose, status data relating to the status of the vehicle are recorded according to the invention by means of an input interface. This status data can relate, for example, to a movement, a direction, a steering angle of the steering wheel, a gear selection, vehicle dimensions or the like. On the one hand, they can include data that describe the current state of the vehicle. However, they can additionally or optionally relate to data from the recent past or forecast data about a possible movement path of the vehicle. These status data of the vehicle are processed in a processing unit in such a way that control data for a lighting device are generated therefrom. The control data are output by means of an output interface in order to make them available to a lighting device of the vehicle or industrial vehicle and to control this lighting device. In this way, an illumination field corresponding to the status data is generated, which is adapted to the respective situation and thus improves the safety of people in the vicinity, but at the same time does not illuminate an unnecessarily large warning zone that is no longer observed in the long term. If only static status data of the vehicle, such as the dimensions and the type and position of the lighting device or individual lights, are taken into account, the entire warning area is illuminated. The illumination field is then the same as the warning area.

The optical warning area is understood to be the area that can be maximally illuminated by the lighting device. The warning area then has a brightness that differs from and delimits the surroundings, so that people are made aware of the projected bright area. The illumination field is the area or the area within the warning area that is illuminated depending on the situation. The illumination field is generated as a function of the status data of the vehicle. The illumination field can be as large as the optical warning area. As a rule, however, the illumination field comprises a smaller part of the warning area, which depends, for example, on the expected vehicle movement.

In a preferred embodiment, the processing unit comprises a planning unit which, from the status data of the vehicle, determines a path or path or a trajectory that describes the expected vehicle movement on a movement path. On the basis of the trajectory or the determined path, control data are generated for the lighting device to control it. The control data are therefore dependent on the status data. Changing status data lead to changed control data so that the lighting field can be dynamically adapted to the movement or planned movement of the vehicle.

The status data of the vehicle preferably include information about the Direction of movement, the speed and / or position of the vehicle. The direction of movement is not only to be understood as the current direction of movement, but also a planned direction of the vehicle, which can be done, for example, by selecting a gear. In this way, a distinction can be made between forward travel and reverse travel.

The processed status data of the vehicle likewise preferably include information about the dimensions of the vehicle. This can also include changed dimensions, which change the overall dimensions, for example, by picking up extended objects or loads using a forklift truck. Such a change in the dimensions could for example be detected by means of a camera. The changed dimensions can lead to a changed (enlarged) optical warning area. The dynamic illumination field can then also be enlarged accordingly.

Further static information (status data) of a vehicle is preferably the position of the lighting device on the vehicle, the type of lighting device and, if applicable, the number of different lighting means of a lighting device. In addition to the dynamic status data, this information flows into the generation or calculation of the control data for the lighting device in order to generate an adapted warning area and, if necessary, an adapted lighting field.

The status data of the vehicle can preferably also include the steering angle of the steerable wheels. Depending on the steering angle of the wheels, the position of the lighting field as well as its size and extent as well as its shape can be changed.

In a preferred embodiment, in particular, the longitudinal extent of the illumination field is dependent on the current speed of the vehicle or on the predicted speed. If, for example, the acceleration of a vehicle is detected, the longitudinal extension or extension in the direction of the steering wheels can be adapted to a higher speed than the current speed. In this way, the safety for people in the vicinity of the vehicle is increased again.

In addition to the position, alignment and extent of the illumination field, the width, that is to say the width extent, of the illumination field can also be dependent on the current steering angle of the vehicle. In particular, swiveling out areas of the vehicle that protrude significantly beyond the steering wheels is taken into account here. It is advantageous here to include objects or loads protruding beyond the vehicle in the assessment.

In addition to the adaptation of the size of the illumination field, for example the longitudinal extent or width extent, and the shape of the illumination field, the light intensity used by the illumination device can also be adapted to the status data. The illumination field can, for example, be brighter, that is to say have a higher light intensity, when the vehicle is traveling at a higher speed. The illuminance is preferably homogeneous so that a uniformly illuminated surface is created. The brightness within the illumination field can, however, also differ and, for example, be brighter in the predicted direction of travel.

In a preferred embodiment, the status data, which is processed in the processing unit and on the basis of which the control data for controlling the lighting device is generated, directly comprises a movement path or a trajectory of the expected vehicle movement on a movement path. The trajectory or the movement path are preferably generated by a path prediction unit of the vehicle or floor vehicle. Such trajectories are made available to the driver, for example, in the simplest form by optical parking aids. Lines corresponding to the predicted path of movement of a vehicle when reversing are displayed on a screen for the driver. In an expanded form, however, such trajectories can also be used in a vehicle for partially autonomous driving or a parking process that can at least partially be carried out independently. The generation of such trajectories is known to the person skilled in the art and is used in particular in partially autonomous vehicles. This information can also be used in the device according to the invention, so that a planning unit in the processing unit can be dispensed with. This makes the device itself more cost-effective, since less computing capacity has to be made available.

In an advantageous embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention, the lighting device comprises several lights, projectors, headlights or similar light elements. The lights are preferably arranged on all sides of the vehicle so that a visual warning area is generated around the vehicle, that is, along all four sides of the vehicle. The lights are preferably switched on or off by means of the control data generated by the processing unit in order to achieve the desired lighting field within the Generate warning area. They could also be moved electromechanically. The lights are also preferably designed as LEDs, which, on the one hand, leads to low energy consumption and, on the other hand, enables high illuminance and simple dynamic adaptation and change of the illumination field.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the input interface can be queried several times, for example cyclically, at adjustable, short intervals to increase the dynamics of the adaptation of the illumination field. The status data of the vehicle is received correspondingly quickly at the input interface. In a further step, a cyclical check is made to determine whether the new status data deviate from the previous status data that has already been processed. If this is the case, the new status data are processed and, based on this, new control data for the control of the lighting device are generated in order to adapt the lighting field to the new status data. The control data generated as a function of the status data are transmitted to the lighting device. It is controlled accordingly and the desired lighting field within the warning area is generated.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Systems gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung eines Fahrzeugs gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3 eine weitere Darstellung eines Fahrzeugs gemäß einem Aspekt der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung eines Fahrzeugs mit Beleuchtungseinrichtung gemäß einem Aspekt der Erfindung; und
• 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b schematische Darstellungen eines Fahrzeugs gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung mit unterschiedlich ausgeprägten Beleuchtungsfeldern.

The invention is described and explained in more detail below with reference to a few selected exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a system according to an aspect of the present invention;
• 2 a schematic representation of a vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention;
• 3 a further illustration of a vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention;
• 4th a schematic representation of a vehicle with lighting device according to one aspect of the invention; and
• 5a , 5b , 6a , 6b schematic representations of a vehicle according to the present invention with differently defined lighting fields.

1 shows a system 1 according to the present invention for generating a visual warning area for a floor vehicle (such as a forklift truck) or a vehicle. The system 1 has a device 2 for generating an optical warning area and a lighting device 3 to generate an illumination field within the warning area.

The device 2 has an input interface 4th , on which the status data of a vehicle are available. Using the input interface 4th the status data are recorded and the device 2 made available. The status data are sent to a processing unit 5 passed where they are processed. The status data become control data for controlling the lighting device 3 generated as a function of the status data, preferably with a control algorithm. The control data are transmitted via an output interface 6th the lighting device 3 made available, in the schematic representation shown here, a lamp 7th includes.

The processing unit 5 In the embodiment shown here, it includes a planning unit 8th which predicts a trajectory or a movement path on which the vehicle is moving from the status data of the vehicle. In a further step, the control data for controlling the lighting device are generated from the movement path, with the control data being changed dynamically as soon as the status data at the input interface change 4th are recorded, have changed.

The status data at the input interface 4th are made available by the vehicle. This can be, for example, data from the steering, the brakes, the gear shift or the gear selector, the gas pedal or data from vehicle sensors and a combination of these data.

2 shows a vehicle according to the invention 9 that is a truck. The vehicle 9 comprises the device 2 out 1 . In the present case, the lighting device 3 one at the rear of the vehicle 9 arranged lamp 7th . The lamp 7th can be designed in the form of a light strip. The device according to the invention can be used, for example, to create an illumination field behind the vehicle 9 generated to warn people behind the vehicle. With several lights 7th at the rear of the vehicle 9 can also be an area to the side of the rear of the vehicle 9 be illuminated. All about vehicle safety 9 can increase more lights 10 on the side or in the front of the vehicle 9 be positioned.

3 shows schematically using the example of a forklift 11 with a load 12 one from the device 2 generated optical warning area 13 who takes care of the vehicle 9 extends around on all four sides. The warning range preferably only depends on static status data. The warning area can be switched on, for example, when the vehicle is started, for example to ensure that it is error-free Check function. Within the warning area 13 is a dynamically changeable lighting field 14th to see. The warning area 13 is the area that is maximal from the illumination field 14th can be illuminated. In the example shown here, this is a forklift 11 trained vehicle 9 (Floor vehicle) in rest position and does not move. The steering wheels are set in a straight line. A gear is not selected. The almost elliptical lighting field 14th is designed so that its center of gravity coincides approximately with the center of the area of the forklift truck 11 coincides with the forks 15th are also taken into account. Would take the burden 12 over the forks 15th could extend beyond the illumination field 14th have a larger longitudinal extension at the front (in relation to the forklift).

How 3 can be seen, is the illumination field 14th significantly brighter than the surroundings of the vehicle 9 . The illuminance is preferably uniform, which is achieved through the use of LEDs as lights 7th is simply achieved.

4th shows an example of a forklift 11 driving backwards. The forklift 11 has a lighting device 3 who have favourited multiple lights 7th includes. In 4th is the visual warning area 13 shown, which is the maximum extent of the illumination field 14th represents. The warning area 13 can also depend on status data of the vehicle, with data from the lighting device here as a rule 3 and the dimensions of the vehicle 9 flow in. The focus of the warning area 13 usually corresponds to the center of the area of the vehicle 9 .

The field of illumination 14th so extends around the vehicle 9 or the forklift 11 around that the center of the area of the forklift 11 deviates from the center of gravity of the illumination field. The field of illumination 14th extends significantly further behind the vehicle 9 as the vehicle 9 moved backwards. The dashed lines show the predicted trajectory 17th (Direction of travel) of the vehicle 9 , each representing the path of movement of the vehicle's wheels.

The representation according to 4th could be shown on a display in the vehicle. The as dashed lines 16 trained trajectories 17th are typically known to the driver from other "Surround View" displays, such as those used in parking systems in cars.

In the 5a and 5b is in turn a as a forklift 11 trained vehicle 9 shown in a top view representation. It can be clearly seen that in both 5a and 5b the warning area 13 is equal to. The field of illumination 14th according to 5b has a larger area, in particular a larger width and a larger longitudinal extent. The field of illumination 14th is correspondingly larger as the vehicle 9 according to 5b moves faster than the vehicle 9 according to 5a . The field of illumination 14th thus takes into account the speed of the vehicle 9 . Due to the greater extent, people can be in the vicinity of the vehicle 9 warned earlier and made aware of the approaching vehicle.

The 6a and 6b make a comparison of the lighting fields 14th of a forklift 11 at different steering angles. The steering angle of the forklift 11 in 6a is smaller, in the present case about 30 °, than the steering angle of the forklift 11 according to 6b , here about 45 °. The illumination field according to 6a is narrower, so it has a smaller width than the significantly wider illumination field 14th according to 6b . It can therefore be clearly seen that the width of the illumination field 14th depends on the steering angle or steering angle of the vehicle.

The invention has been comprehensively described and explained with reference to the drawings and the description. The description and explanation are to be understood as examples and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments or variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art after using the present invention and after carefully analyzing the drawings, the disclosure and the following claims.

In the claims, the words “comprising” and “having” do not exclude the presence of further elements or steps. The undefined article “a” or “an” does not exclude the presence of a plural. A single element or a single unit can perform the functions of several of the units mentioned in the patent claims. An element, a unit, an interface, a device and a system can be implemented partially or completely in hardware and / or in software. The mere mention of some measures in several different dependent patent claims should not be understood to mean that a combination of these measures cannot also be used advantageously. A computer program can be stored / distributed on a non-volatile data carrier, for example on an optical memory or on a semiconductor drive (SSD). A computer program can be distributed together with hardware and / or as part of hardware, for example by means of the Internet or by means of wired or wireless communication systems. Reference symbols in the Claims are not to be understood as restrictive.

List of reference symbols

1

system

2

contraption

3

Lighting device

4th

Input interface

5

Processing unit

6th

Output interface

7th

lamp

8th

Planning unit

9

vehicle

10

lamp

11

Forklift

12

load

13

Warning area

14th

Illumination field

15th

fork

16

line

17th

Trajectory

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was 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.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102012024494 [0004]
• KR 101536632 [0006]

Claims (14)

Device for generating an optical warning area for a floor vehicle or a vehicle (9), the warning area (13) having an illumination field (14) which can be dynamically changed in the warning area (13) and extending around the vehicle (9) on all four sides , full: an input interface (4) for acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle (9); a processing unit (5) for processing the status data of the vehicle (9) and for generating control data for a lighting device (3); an output interface (6) for outputting the control data for controlling a lighting device (3) of the vehicle (9) or floor vehicle in order to generate a lighting field (14) corresponding to the status data; wherein the control data are generated and adapted as a function of the status data. Device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the processing unit (5) comprises a planning unit (8) which determines a movement path or path or a trajectory from the status data of the vehicle (9) which describes the expected vehicle movement on a movement path and on the basis of which the control data for the lighting device (3) are generated. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the status data of the vehicle (9) include information about the direction of movement, the speed and / or the position of the vehicle (9). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the status data of the vehicle (9) provides information about the dimensions of the vehicle (9), the steering angle of the wheels, the position of the lighting device (3) and / or the type of lighting device (3) include. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal extent of the illumination field (14) is dependent on the current speed of the vehicle (9) or on the predicted speed. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the width is dependent on the current steering angle of the vehicle (9). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brightness of the illumination field (14) is dependent on the current speed of the vehicle (9). Device according to Claim 1 characterized in that the status data include a movement path or path or a trajectory of the expected vehicle movement, which is preferably generated by a path prediction unit of a vehicle (9) or floor vehicle. System for generating an optical warning area (13) for a floor vehicle or a vehicle (9), with a device (2) for generating an optical warning area (13) which extends around the vehicle on all four sides, and with a lighting device for generating an illumination field (14) within the warning area (13), wherein the device has an input interface (4) for acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle (9); and an output interface (6) for outputting control data for controlling the lighting device (3) of the vehicle (9) or floor vehicle; and a processing unit (5) for processing the status data of the vehicle (9) and for generating the control data for the lighting device (3); the lighting device (3) comprises at least one lamp (7, 10) and is designed to receive the control data from the processing unit (5) and to control the lamp (7, 10) on the basis of the control data in such a way that light is emitted and that Illumination field (14) is illuminated, the illumination field (14) being dynamically variable within the warning area (13). Vehicle with a system according to Claim 9 or with a device according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th and an illumination device (3) for generating an illumination field (14) within an optical warning area (13). Vehicle after Claim 10 , characterized in that the lighting device (3) comprises several lights (7, 10), preferably on all sides of the vehicle (9), the lights (7, 10) being switched on or off depending on the control data to achieve the desired Generate lighting field (14), the lights (7, 10) are preferably LEDs. Method for generating an optical warning area (13) for a floor vehicle or a vehicle (9), the warning area (13) having an illumination field (14) that can be dynamically changed in the warning area (13) and extending around the vehicle (9 ) comprising the following steps: Acquiring status data relating to the status of the vehicle (9); Processing the status data of the vehicle (9) and generating control data for a lighting device (3) as a function of the status data; wherein the control data are generated and adapted as a function of the status data; Output of control data for controlling a lighting device (3) of the vehicle (9) or floor vehicle. Procedure according to Claim 12 , characterized by the further steps: querying an input interface (4); Receiving status data at the input interface (4); Check whether the new status data deviate from the previous status data processed; if this is the case, processing the new status data and generating new control data for the lighting device (3) in order to adapt the lighting field (14) to the new status data; Output of the new control data to the lighting device (3). Computer program product with program code for performing the steps of the method according to Claim 12 or 13 when the program code is executed on a computer.

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