DE102019210045A1 - Method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle as a function of vital parameters of an occupant - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle as a function of vital parameters of an occupant of the vehicle is proposed, comprising the steps of: detecting vital parameters of the occupant of the vehicle via at least one detection means arranged on the occupant, determining a current status of the occupant based on the determined vital parameters , Controlling the at least one driver assistance system depending on the determined current state of the occupant.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle as a function of vital parameters of an occupant of the vehicle.

The automation of vehicles to control new driving functions in the field of assisted or automated to autonomous driving using appropriate assistance systems, or ADAS for short, requires more and more data, also to constantly improve functionality. This data can be made available by sensors in the vehicle, also known as on-board sensors, cloud communication, Car2X communication, map data or other data sources. Based on this data, the assisted or automated journey becomes safer, more comfortable and more efficient.

In order to constantly improve functionality, however, it is also necessary to constantly monitor occupants, especially the driver. Here, the already mentioned or additionally installed onboard sensors can monitor the driver and occupant conditions, e.g. eye movement or other indicators, e.g. for fatigue detection, as in the DE 10 2017 216 875 A1 suggested. Response time, body temperature, etc. can also be monitored. These sensors are usually expensive and are not yet fully developed. Also, the information from these sensors only depict current situations and cannot be used predictively, since no history is known that suggests the cause of the detected current state of the occupant, for example why the driver is tired. Another problem is that with these sensors it is not possible to collect all of the information that is sometimes very important for the implementation of assisted or automated or autonomous driving. For example, it is very difficult to determine the driver's or occupant's heartbeat because it requires a sensor that is in contact with the body. This is difficult to do.

Since not all possibilities for controlling driver assistance systems have been exhausted with the previous methods, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and a control device by means of which the control of a driver assistance system is improved. This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous refinements are the subject of the dependent claims.

A method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle as a function of vital parameters of an occupant of the vehicle is proposed, comprising the steps of: detecting vital parameters of the occupant of the vehicle via at least one detection means arranged on the occupant, determining a current status of the occupant based on the determined vital parameters , Controlling the at least one driver assistance system depending on the determined current state of the occupant.

In one embodiment, the control of the at least one driver assistance system is an activation or deactivation and / or a setting of the driver assistance system.

Driver assistance systems serve to make the journey for passengers in a vehicle as comfortable and safe as possible, especially in the case of highly automated and, in the future, autonomous driving. Until then, they mainly serve to support the driver in his driving task, and only in special versions to support the occupants. Driver assistance systems can only be provided as a warning, e.g. Output warning tones or visual signals to draw the driver's attention to a potential danger. However, they can also be designed for active intervention by controlling one or more actuators, e.g. by activating a brake actuator or by intervening in the steering.

So far, vital parameters that are detected by a detection device arranged on the occupant have not been used to control the driver assistance systems. By using the vital data, the state of the occupant can be recorded more precisely than before and can be determined on the basis of whether and which driver assistance system should be activated or deactivated.

It can be provided that a specific driver assistance system is activated or deactivated depending on the detected state, or also several complementary driver assistance systems.

In one embodiment, the setting of the driver assistance system is a setting of an already active driver assistance system or a presetting of a driver assistance system for which it has been determined that it will be activated soon, e.g. about a predictive process. In addition or as an alternative to activating or deactivating, an active or to be activated driver assistance system can be set depending on the detected current state of the occupant. This is advantageous because settings that are too aggressive or too weak for a current state of the occupant can reinforce their state or are not sufficient to e.g. to warn you quickly enough or to put you in an alert state.

In a further development, the driver assistance system is set depending on the determined current state and comprises at least one of: calculating and driving a trajectory, setting a speed and / or a distance to a vehicle in front, setting a time and / or distance to the vehicle in front for activation a warning signal and / or braking, setting a sensitivity and / or intensity and / or volume of a warning signal, setting a volume of an information and / or entertainment system. For example, a new trajectory to be traversed can be determined if a certain state of the occupant, for example the driver, has been determined in order to calm the driver or to change his state in a different way. In addition, speed and / or distance to a vehicle in front can be set, ie a higher or lower speed can also be set in combination with a greater or lesser distance to the vehicle in front. The time and / or distance to the vehicle in front can also be set for activating a warning signal and / or braking, ie again here that these parameters can be set depending on the state of the occupant, so that the state can also be improved by the setting. The sensitivity and / or intensity and / or volume of a warning signal and the volume of an information and / or entertainment system can also be set in order to react to the state in an adapted manner.

Adjusting settings of the driver assistance system in such a way that it is adapted to the state of the occupant can result in the state being stabilized or an excited or tense state being reduced. Targeted settings can thus be used to improve assisted as well as automated to autonomous driving.

In a further development, recorded vital parameters of the occupant are at least one or a combination of: information on a diet, information on physical activity, information on calories consumed within a predetermined past period, information on health data, including current heart rate, heart rate within a given past Period, current blood pressure, current body temperature, and information on sleeping behavior. By using as much detailed information about the current and past status as possible, both health and physical and mental, a more precise decision can be made as to whether and which driver assistance system is activated or deactivated and / or whether an adjustment of the driver assistance system is necessary. In principle, all of a portable recording device such as a fitness wristband, a smart watch or another means that can record the vital parameters of a user can be used for the method. Data from a history can also be referred to as vital parameters and used for the method.

In a further development, a cause of a state of the occupant is determined based on the determined vital parameters, and the driver assistance system is controlled based on this. If a cause of a condition of the occupant e.g. can be determined from the history of his vital signs, an even more precise decision can be made as to whether and which driver assistance system is activated or deactivated and / or whether an adjustment of the driver assistance system is necessary.

Furthermore, a control device is proposed which can be brought into communication connection with a detection means arranged on an occupant, is in communication connection with at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle and is set up to control the at least one driver assistance system. In addition, the control device is set up to carry out the described method. To carry out the method, it is necessary to collect and merge a large amount of data from different facilities in order to be able to carry out an analysis that is as accurate as possible and to calculate it, to decide whether and which driver assistance system is activated or deactivated and / or whether a setting of the Driver assistance system is necessary.

In a further development, the control device is provided for arrangement in the vehicle or is an external control device that is in communication with the vehicle. The control unit can be installed in the vehicle or can be provided as an external control unit. Corresponding wireless or wired interfaces are provided in each embodiment in order to transmit data from the detection means or the other, e.g. To be able to receive sensors in or on the vehicle for evaluation and to be able to send them to a control unit in the vehicle in order to control the driver assistance system or systems, i.e. to activate, deactivate and / or adjust.

Furthermore, a system for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle as a function of vital parameters of an occupant of the vehicle is proposed, having a described control device, and wherein the detection means is a detection means arranged on or in the body of the occupant and is set up to detect vital parameters of the occupant .

In a further development, the detection means is one or a combination of: an implant, a bracelet worn on the occupant's wrist, a watch worn on the occupant's wrist, an ear tag, a chain, a badge, a piece of clothing, a body band. All types of detection means can be used as long as they have appropriate interfaces and can record vital parameters of the user, ie the occupant of the vehicle, directly on the user.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, with reference to the figures of the drawing which shows details according to the invention, and from the claims. The individual features can each be implemented individually or in groups in any combination in a variant of the invention.

• 1 zeigt eine schematische Darstellung eines Systems mit unterschiedlichen Ausführungen des Erfassungsmittels und des Steuergeräts der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• 2 zeigt eine schematische Darstellung eines Verfahrensablaufs gemäß einer Ausführung der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• 1 shows a schematic representation of a system with different versions of the detection means and the control device of the present invention.
• 2nd shows a schematic representation of a method sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As much data as possible is required to optimize the control of driver assistance systems. In the future, decisions will also become increasingly important when a driver assistance system in the vehicle 100 to be activated or deactivated. The decision as to whether the existing or planned settings of the driver assistance system for the occupant or passengers is becoming increasingly important 1 are suitable or whether adjustments need to be made to the settings. These decisions to control the driver assistance systems have an impact on user acceptance and the safety of the driver assistance systems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide further options for improving the control of at least one driver assistance system.

Monitoring of the surroundings of the vehicle by means of appropriate sensors such as cameras, radar and lidar etc. is already known. In addition, methods are already known which enable monitoring of the interior and also partially of the occupant condition. The monitoring of the occupant status can be carried out by sensors such as cameras arranged in the interior, optical monitoring of the status of the occupant or occupants taking place here. In addition, already in the vehicle or in components of the vehicle, e.g. the vehicle seat, built-in sensors are known through which vital parameters of the occupant can be determined. However, the latter method is very complex and only current data can be made available, no history.

A state of the monitored occupant can already be determined by the previously known methods and an action can be carried out by a driver assistance system based on this knowledge, e.g. braking or warning when it is determined that the occupant is inattentive, tired or suddenly ill.

However, the known systems can be improved further by providing a method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle, the control additionally taking place as a function of vital parameters of the occupant of the vehicle. Driver assistance system means that the vehicle can provide at least one assisted mode, but can also have further stages from automated to autonomous driving. In addition to the already known methods of environment detection, the control or regulation of vehicle behavior, and the issuance of warnings to the vehicle occupant (s) by the driver assistance system, the method also includes the additional acquisition of parameters, the occupant's vital parameters, via a external facility. All recorded data are processed to form an overall picture of the current state of the occupant and flow into the evaluation of activating, deactivating and / or adjusting at least one driver assistance system present in the vehicle depending on the detected state of the occupant.

Nowadays, a lot of people use detection tools 10-12 to record your vital parameters, e.g. so-called SmartWatches and fitness wristbands 10 , as well as earrings 11 , Body bands 12th etc. as in 1 shown as an example. There are also others in 1 due to the clarity, not shown, detection means for detecting vital parameters of a user, for example an occupant 1 of a vehicle 100 . Such detection means can both on and in the body of the occupant 1 be provided. Other possible, but not shown, detection means are, for example, implants, a chain, an attachment, but also an item of clothing, shoes also counting as items of clothing.

All of these means of registration 10-12 What they have in common is that they use integrated sensors to monitor the vital parameters of their wearer or the person on whom they are arranged, record and can also advantageously save a history. In this way, a great deal of information about the person's bodily functions can be recorded, stored and made available for use, for example according to the present invention. The recorded vital parameters are data, for example, about the current heartbeat, but also a history of the person's activity within a certain period of time, for example within the past hours. Data, for example about sleep behavior or insomnia based on a recorded sleep time of the person, as well as physical activities and the type of activity, and further information can also be recorded. In addition, the person's energy consumption can also be determined by, for example, a pedometer in combination with a heart rate. Depending on the version of the data acquisition device 10-12 A wide variety of vital parameters are recorded, so that the invention is not limited to the vital parameters mentioned, but also new ones from a recording means 10-12 provided data can be included in the evaluation.

In addition, this means of registration 10-12 also in common that they have a corresponding communication interface, which makes it possible for the data recorded, i.e. the vital parameters of the occupant 1 or the monitored person, for example to a processing device such as a control device 200 , 201 to send. This connection is illustrative in 1 as dashed lines from the detection means 10-12 to the control unit 200 shown. The dashed lines from the detection means 10-12 to the external control unit 201 are omitted for the sake of clarity.

The control unit mentioned 200 , 201 can be in the vehicle 100 arranged control unit 200 his or an external control unit 201 that with another control unit in the vehicle 100 communicates, which forwards the corresponding control signals to the actuators of the driver assistance system. An external control unit can also be used 201 directly transmit control signals to the actuators of the driver assistance system. The control signals are in 1 as dashed lines from the control unit 200 or. 201 to acoustic indicators 2nd , to optical display devices 3rd and to actuators 4th , shown here as an example as a brake actuator.

The control signals serve the facilities 2nd , 3rd , 4th to control the driver assistance system depending on the detected and processed vital parameters, ie to activate or deactivate them and / or to make settings.

By evaluating state data determined in addition to previously available parameters, that of the person or the occupant 1 arranged detection means 10-12 the condition of the occupant can be detected 1 be better recognized. The control of the driver assistance system can thus also be improved. This means that it can be better determined whether a driver assistance system is based on the state of the occupant 1 to be activated or deactivated. This also makes it easier to determine whether current settings of the driver assistance system for the current state of the occupant 1 are suitable or should be adapted. Settings of an already active driver assistance system can be changed, or default settings can be made for a driver assistance system that is to be activated soon.

Driver assistance systems are systems that enable the vehicle 100 an occupant 1 like a driver, but also other occupants, assisted or assisted in automated to autonomous driving. Such systems are both pure display systems, for example acoustic display devices 2nd or optical display devices 3rd , as well as systems that track the movement of the vehicle 100 can influence, i.e. actuators as in 1 exemplary on the brake actuator 4th shown.

Conditions of the occupant ascertainable by vital parameters 1 or driver can be, for example: stress, fatigue, anger or anger, excitement, fear, joy, illness, lethargy, ie physical impairment. The present method makes it possible based on external detection means 10-12 to provide control of one or more driver assistance systems to available status data of the user or occupant.

For example, in the assisted as well as in the autonomous driving mode and each intermediate mode when a stressed condition is detected due to, for example, high blood pressure or high heart rate, this can be inferred, for example by evaluation in the control unit 200 or 201 that the occupant is in a hurry and therefore an appropriate route must be chosen. This means that a corresponding trajectory is calculated and selected or an already calculated trajectory is changed in order to find a shorter route or a longer route with fewer downtimes so as not to upset the driver.

If the means of detection 10-12 receives additional information from the user, for example on the nutritional program, this information can also be included in the assessment of the current status.

Assessing whether one or more driver assistance systems of the vehicle 100 activated or deactivated and / or set, is done by including vital parameters in the first step S1 of the procedure by means of or on the occupant 1 arranged detection devices 10-12 are recorded. These become a control unit 200 , 201 transmitted for processing, ie that further data such as navigation data or other data on or in the vehicle 100 Arranged sensors can incorporate recorded data into the processing. Based on the captured data, a condition of the occupant is determined 1 At the second step S2 determined. Based on the state, the third step can then S3 it is decided whether one or more driver assistance systems of the vehicle 100 be activated or deactivated. Activation can take place, for example, when the current state is inattentive, tired or in some other way for a driver 1 is recorded impairing. Here, in the event that the vehicle 100 can drive autonomously, the driving task is taken over. In the event that only automated driving is possible, an acoustic and / or visual warning adapted to the state can be given by the corresponding display devices 2nd , 3rd or a short one, just for the occupant 1 noticeable braking by activating an appropriate actuator 4th , such as the brake actuator, are done to the driver 1 to put them in an alert state.

It can also be decided whether or that the driver assistance system (s) should be set and which setting should be made. The setting can be a setting that corresponds to the current needs of the occupant 1 is coordinated, for example reducing the volume of warning tones via the acoustic display devices 2nd , a present or less present visual display via the optical display devices 3rd . Actuators can also be adjusted 4th take place, so that, for example, braking is carried out earlier and more gently, or later and harder, depending on the detected condition.

Reference list

100

vehicle

1

Occupants e.g. driver

10th

Wristband / watch for recording vital parameters of the occupant

11

Earrings for capturing the occupant's vital parameters

12th

Body band for capturing the occupant's vital parameters

2nd

acoustic indicators

3rd

optical display devices

4th

Actuator, for example brake actuator

200

Control unit in the vehicle

201

external control unit

S1, S2, S3

Procedural steps

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included 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 102017216875 A1 [0003]

Claims (10)

Method for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle (100) as a function of vital parameters of an occupant (1) of the vehicle (100), comprising the steps: - Detecting vital parameters of the occupant (1) of the vehicle (100) via at least one detection means (S1) arranged on the occupant (1), and - Determining a current state of the occupant (1) based on the determined vital parameters (S2), - Controlling the at least one driver assistance system depending on the determined current state of the occupant (S3). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the control of the at least one driver assistance system is an activation or deactivation and / or a setting of the driver assistance system. Procedure according to Claim 2 , wherein the setting of the driver assistance system is a setting of an already active driver assistance system or a presetting of a driver assistance system for which it has been determined that it will be activated soon. Procedure according to Claim 2 or 3rd , the setting of the driver assistance system depending on the determined current state is at least one of: - calculating and driving a trajectory, - setting a speed and / or a distance to a vehicle in front, - setting a time and / or distance for activating a warning signal and / or braking, - setting a sensitivity and / or intensity and / or volume of a warning signal, - setting a volume of an information and / or entertainment system. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein detected vital parameters of the occupant are at least one or a combination of: - information about a diet, - information about a physical activity, - information on calories burned within a given past period, - Comprehensive information on health data current heart rate, heart rate within a predetermined past period, - current blood pressure - current body temperature - Information about sleeping behavior. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a cause of a state of the occupant (1) is determined based on the determined vital parameters and the driver assistance system is controlled based thereon. Control unit (200, 201) that - Can be brought into communication connection with a detection means (10-12) arranged on an occupant (1), and - is in communication connection with at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle (100) and is set up to control the at least one driver assistance system, and - Which is set up to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims. Control unit (200, 201) after Claim 7 , wherein the control device (200) is provided for arrangement in the vehicle (100), or is an external control device (201) in communication with the vehicle (100). System for controlling at least one driver assistance system of a vehicle (100) as a function of vital parameters of an occupant (1) of the vehicle (100), comprising - a control unit (200, 201) Claim 7 or 8th , and wherein the detection means (10-12) is a detection means (10-12) arranged on or in the body of the occupant (1) and is set up to detect vital parameters of the occupant (1). System according to Claim 9 , wherein the detection means (10-12) is one or a combination of: an implant, a bracelet (10) worn on the wrist of the occupant, a watch (10) worn on the wrist of the occupant, an ear tag (11), a chain, an attachment, a garment, a body band (12).

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