DE102020106237B4 - Accidental damage detection system with low-energy real-time signal processing - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (10) for detecting damage to a parked motor vehicle, characterized in that it has a passive controller (30) supplied with electrical energy by a backup battery (51) or an accumulator (51) and an active controller (30) that starts up in parallel when the passive controller (30) is activated Digital controller (40), which is supplied with electrical energy by an accumulator (52) or an on-board network (53) of the motor vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to an accident damage detection system with low-energy, real-time signal evaluation and a method for operating the system.

In order to monitor a parked vehicle for parking collisions while the vehicle driver is absent and, if necessary, to inform the vehicle owner or fleet manager of damage, systems are used which detect parking collisions and notify the vehicle owner or fleet manager or an authorized addressee.

Vehicle vibrations and structure-borne noise events on body parts are detected via a central sensor or individual sensors attached to vehicle exterior parts. These structure-borne sound signals are evaluated and classified as damage events (scratch/impact/dent/compression) depending on their severity. and the absent vehicle driver or owner is informed via telematics. After a time delay (start-up time > 5 seconds), the area camera of the vehicle is activated and the area around the vehicle can be viewed by the authorized user via remote access and/or a recording or video recording is automatically made with the area camera or a dashcam.

Current damage detection systems are integrated into the vehicle's electronic architecture and networked with various vehicle systems. In order to evaluate data and signals, microcontrollers usually have to be started up and booted from sleep mode so that they can communicate with each other via bus systems, exchange data and carry out functions. The detected signals can therefore only be recorded with high latency and evaluated with analysis functions.

Damage signal recording systems of this type are disadvantageous for a parked motor vehicle because of the quiescent current consumption (up to 0.5 A) required for permanent activity. Evaluation CPUs or microcontrollers and amplifiers put a significant strain on the vehicle electrical system due to their energy consumption. Furthermore, especially in the case of a high-frequency damage-sound event, due to the high latency times due to the need to start up CPUs after a trigger signal, part of the signal event can be lost and not stored for evaluation, so that input signal components relevant to the evaluation are missing.

From the CN 104134311A a stationary alarm device and a method for monitoring traffic accidents are known. The alarm device includes a microcontroller, a first acceleration sensor, a second acceleration sensor and a communication module. The first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor are used to detect a first acceleration value and a second acceleration value, respectively. A first setting is set in the first acceleration sensor and a second setting is set in the microcontroller. In the method, the first acceleration value of a crash barrier is detected by a first acceleration detection mode and compared to the first set value. If the first acceleration value is greater than or equal to the first set value, a second acceleration detection mode is started. The second acceleration value is detected and compared with the second set value. When the second acceleration value is greater than or equal to the second set value, traffic accident signals are transmitted.

the WO 2008/007878 A1 discloses a black box system for a vehicle. The vehicle black box contains an accident detection unit and a control unit. The accident detection unit includes a noise sensor for detecting noise around the vehicle, an impact sensor for detecting impact applied to the vehicle, a leaf switch for detecting vibration of the vehicle, and a balance switch for detecting balance of the vehicle. If the accident detection unit detects a signal that relates to a condition that exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it evaluates this as an accident. The control unit performs control so that image data received from a camera is recorded in both a volatile memory and an external memory. When an event signal is received from the accident detection unit while image data is being recorded, an accident folder is created in non-volatile memory and details of the accident are recorded in the accident folder.

the CN 106960603A concerns a system for the prevention and control of traffic accidents based on on-board recording devices. The traffic accident prevention and control system includes a collision signal detection unit, a WMAN unit, a GPS unit, and a voice output unit connected in series. The collision signal detection unit is connected to the onboard recorder. After detection of a collision, the WMAN unit is activated, which transmits a network signal to GPS units of vehicles within a front given area around the crashed vehicle, including the crashed vehicle's GPS unit, to activate it. The GPS unit of the accident vehicle continuously sends the GPS position of the vehicle, which is received by vehicles in the specified area around the vehicle, whose GPS units calculate the distance and relative orientation to the accident vehicle and output it via the voice output unit.

the DE 10 2012 018 521 A1 relates to a method for detecting damage in a motor vehicle having a control unit and at least one sensor device, in which the control unit uses the sensor data transmitted from the at least one sensor device to the control unit to assess whether a damage event has occurred in or on the motor vehicle and, if this applies, a damage report is generated. In this way, damage can be clearly assigned to individual renters, especially in the case of rental vehicles.

the DE 10 2016 210 773 A1 discloses an apparatus for detecting damage to a parked vehicle. The device comprises a first sensor unit with at least one sensor of a first sensor type, which is designed to acquire first measurement data, a second sensor unit with at least one sensor of a second sensor type, which is designed to acquire second measurement data, a third sensor unit with at least one sensor a third sensor type, which is designed to acquire third measurement data, and an evaluation unit which is connected to the sensor units and a communication interface. The evaluation unit is designed to detect damage to the vehicle by a combined evaluation of the first measurement data and the second measurement data and the third measurement data and to output information about the damage to the communication interface.

From the DE 10 2016 213 435 A1 a device for a vehicle for detecting minor damage, in particular parking bumps, is known. The device has at least one acceleration sensor system that is sensitive in at least 6 spatial directions and is designed in such a way that it is designed for low accelerations, in particular for accelerations below 1 G.

Against this background, the invention has set itself the task of providing a device and a method with which damage to a parked motor vehicle can be detected and evaluated in real time and which have low energy consumption, so that the on-board network of the motor vehicle is not loaded .

The object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 9. Configurations and developments of the invention result from the dependent claims and the description.

The invention relates to a device for detecting damage to a parked motor vehicle, comprising a passive controller supplied with electrical energy by a buffer battery or an accumulator and an active digital controller which boots up (boots) in parallel when the passive controller is activated and which is powered by an accumulator or the on-board network of the motor vehicle is supplied with electrical energy.

In one embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises an activation unit which is set up to activate the passive controller and to start the booting of the active digital controller when a damage signal is received.

In one embodiment, the activation unit comprises a gate with a piezoelectric sensor and an oscillator, which are part of a microsystem (MEMS). The oscillator is set up to provide a clock frequency for an analog-to-digital converter.

In one embodiment, the passive controller includes a sensor using microsystems technology, a unit for signal processing, an analog/digital converter and an SRAM memory. The signal conditioning unit is set up to amplify and filter the signal from the sensor and feed it to the analog-to-digital converter, and the analog-to-digital converter is set up to digitize the supplied signal and store it in the SRAM memory.

In one embodiment of the device, the sensor is a piezo accelerometer. In a further embodiment, the sensor is a vibration microphone, in particular a condenser microphone implemented using microsystems technology.

In one embodiment of the device, the analog/digital converter is operated with a switching frequency in the range from 48 kHz to 200 kHz, which the oscillator provides for the activation unit.

In one embodiment, the active digital controller includes a microprocessor and memory and is configured to performed boot process with the microprocessor digital processing of the data stored in the SRAM memory and to control a WLAN module and / or a tracking module and / or a camera module and / or a communication module.

In one embodiment, the microprocessor has an ARM architecture. In another embodiment, the working memory is a DRAM memory.

In one embodiment of the device, the activation unit and the passive controller are supplied with electrical energy from a backup battery or an accumulator, and the active digital controller is supplied with electrical energy from the vehicle electrical system. A power supply that is independent of the vehicle electrical system is used for the start signal evaluation of the damage signal and its processing in real time without latency, while the active digital controller boots up in parallel for further signal evaluation and analysis. Other modules with higher energy requirements (e.g. WLAN module, dashcam module, triangulation module, communication module, connectivity box) are activated. These are then supplied with energy by the vehicle's energy system in the "active case" (an accident or damage event only rarely occurs).

In a variant, all units of the device are supplied with electrical energy from a single accumulator. The accumulator can be recharged repeatedly while the motor vehicle is being driven by its energy system. By charging in the driving cycle, the low energy consumption in "shutdown mode" due to the two-stage signal processing can be bridged.

In one embodiment, the device according to the invention can be installed in any motor vehicle as a retrofit solution. In a further embodiment, the device according to the invention is portable and can be connected to the body and to an interface to the vehicle electrical system of a desired motor vehicle.

The invention also relates to a method for operating the device according to the invention. In the method according to the invention, when an analog damage signal is received, the damage signal is processed and digitized in the passive controller by filtering and amplification and stored in the SRAM memory. At the same time, the input of the analog damage signal triggers the active digital controller to start up, and the active digital controller continues to digitally process the data stored in the SRAM memory after the start-up has been completed.

In one embodiment of the method, the active digital controller controls at least one active module in order to determine positions and movements of WLAN-enabled devices in the area surrounding the device and/or to create image or video recordings of the area surrounding the device and/or to send messages to a mobile communication device of a user of the device.

The incoming damage signal is amplified by an (analogue) passive controller, filtered or processed and stored almost in real time in an SRAM memory with low energy consumption (speed processing). The damage signal is available for evaluation after digitization with an AD converter with a signal-suitable frequency without loss due to latency. By retrieving the signal, the active digital controller can classify the signal with complex evaluation algorithms and communicate with the interface modules.

One of the advantages of the device according to the invention and the system according to the invention is that it places only a small load on the on-board network of a parked vehicle. The input signal is completely recorded through the parallel activation of data processing modules and the storage of the original signal in the passive controller. The latency time between the arrival of the damage signal and its amplification and filtering and digitization is very low. By separating the battery-operated "zero-latency system" and the time-following system with an active digital controller, the combination and networking with various energy-intensive active modules for further data processing is possible with very little power consumption and without data loss.

Further advantages and refinements of the invention result from the description and the accompanying drawings.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

• 1 zeigt eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;
• 2 veranschaulicht eine Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

The invention is shown schematically using embodiments in the drawings and is further described with reference to the drawings.

• 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention;
• 2 illustrates an embodiment of the method according to the invention.

1 shows an embodiment of the device 10 according to the invention, which includes a passive controller 30 and an active digital controller 40 .

An activation unit 20 comprises a gate 21 with a piezoelectric sensor (piezo switch) which is part of a microsystem (MEMS) which also comprises a vibrating microphone 31 (condenser microphone in microsystems technology) and an oscillator 22 which acts as a clock for an analog-to-digital converter 33 serves. The activation unit 20 does not consume any electrical energy in the standby mode.

The passive controller 30 has registers, counters and mixer logic implemented in hardware for storing the data without loss of information and without standby energy consumption. The passive controller 30 enables data to be stored without any latency in the event of activation. In addition to the MEMS sensor 31 (condenser microphone in microsystems technology), the passive controller 30 includes a unit 32 for signal processing, which amplifies and filters the signal from the sensor 31 and feeds it to an analog/digital converter 33, which operates with a switching frequency in the range from 48 kHz to 200 kHz is provided by the oscillator 22. The digitized signal is stored in an SRAM memory 34 . The passive controller 30 is set up to trigger a boot process of the active digital controller 40 after activation (symbolized in the drawing by the arrow between the passive controller 30 and the active digital controller 40).

The active digital controller 40 is set up to carry out further digital processing of the data stored in the SRAM 34 with a microprocessor after the boot process has taken place. The active digital controller 40 includes a microprocessor 41, which in one embodiment has an ARM architecture. The microprocessor 41 is connected to a working memory 42, e.g. a DRAM memory, and controls a WIFI module 43, which has a WLAN chip, a scan module 44, which is set up for WLAN-enabled devices in the vicinity of the device 10 triangulate, and a camera 45, for example a dashcam, with which recordings of the surroundings of the device 10 can be made.

The activation unit 20 and the passive controller 30 are supplied with electrical energy by a buffer battery or an accumulator 51 .

The active digital controller 40 is supplied with electrical energy from an accumulator 52 or the vehicle electrical system 53 . In a variant, all units 20, 30, 40 are supplied with electrical energy from a single accumulator 51 or 52.

2 illustrates an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The method can be divided into two layers or layers 200 and 300, where the first layer 200 (“speed processing layer”) comprises real-time data processing and the second layer 300 (“batch processing layer”) comprises batch processing of the acquired data. The electrical energy for the first layer 200 is provided by a buffer battery or an accumulator 51, and the electrical energy for the second layer 300 is provided, for example, by the vehicle's electrical system, ie the vehicle energy supply.

The input of an analog damage signal 100, e.g. a structure-borne noise signal generated by damage to the motor vehicle, triggers the activation 210 of the gate 21. The signal 100 is processed in step 220 by filtering and amplification and digitized in step 230 and stored in the SRAM memory 34 .

The activation 210 of the gate 21 triggers a boot process 310 of the active digital controller 40 and other active modules 43, 44, 45, 46. In step 320, the digital further processing of the data, which is read from the SRAM memory 34 and processed using the DRAM working memory 42 of the microprocessor 41, takes place. In step 330 different active modules 44, 45, 46 are controlled. In the example shown, these are a WLAN tracking module 44, with which the positions and movements of WLAN-enabled devices in the area surrounding device 10 can be determined, a camera module 45, which controls a dashcam to take pictures or videos of the area surrounding device 10 and a communications module 46 capable of sending messages to a mobile communications device of a user of apparatus 10.

Reference List

10

detection device

20

activation module

21

Gate

22

oscillator

30

passive controller

31

sensor

32

signal conditioning unit

33

AD converter

34

SRAM memory

40

active digital controller

41

microprocessor

42

DRAM memory

43

WiFi module

44

Scan module with triangulation function

45

camera module

46

communication module

51

Backup battery/accumulator

52

accumulator

53

electrical system

100

damage signal

200

Real-time processing (speed processing layer)

210

gate activation

220

signal processing

230

A/D conversion

300

batch processing layer

310

Boot the active digital controller

320

digital data processing

330

module activation

Claims (10)

Device (10) for detecting damage to a parked motor vehicle, characterized in that it has a passive controller (30) supplied with electrical energy by a buffer battery (51) or an accumulator (51) and an active controller (30) that starts up in parallel when the passive controller (30) is activated Digital controller (40), which is supplied with electrical energy by an accumulator (52) or an on-board network (53) of the motor vehicle. Device (10) after claim 1 , which comprises an activation unit (20) which is set up to activate the passive controller (30) upon receipt of a damage signal (100) and to start the booting of the active digital controller (40). Device (10) after claim 2 , wherein the activation unit (20) comprises a gate (21) with a piezoelectric sensor and an oscillator (22) which are part of a microsystem (MEMS). Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the passive controller (30) comprises a sensor (31) in microsystems technology, a unit (32) for signal conditioning, an analog-to-digital converter (33) and an SRAM memory (34), wherein the signal processing unit (32) is set up to amplify and filter the signal from the sensor (31) and to feed it to the analog-to-digital converter (33), and the analog-to-digital converter (33) is set up to digitize the signal supplied and store in the SRAM memory (34). Device (10) after claim 4 , wherein the analog-to-digital converter (33) is operated with a switching frequency in the range from 48 kHz to 200 kHz, which the oscillator (22) provides. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the active digital controller (40) comprises a microprocessor (41) and a main memory (42) and is set up for this, after the boot process has taken place with the microprocessor (41), digital processing of the data stored in the SRAM Carry out data stored in memory (34) and control a WLAN module (43) and/or a tracking module (44) and/or a camera module (45) and/or a communication module (46). Device (10) after claim 6 wherein the microprocessor (41) has an ARM architecture. Device (10) after claim 6 or 7 , wherein the working memory (42) is a DRAM memory. Method for operating a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which, when an analog damage signal (100) is received, the damage signal (100) is processed (220) and digitized (230) in the passive controller (30) by filtering and amplification and in the SRAM memory (34) is stored, and in parallel to this, the input of the analog damage signal (100) triggers a start-up of the active digital controller (40), and in which the active digital controller (40) reads the data stored in the SRAM memory (34 ) stored data is further processed digitally. procedure after claim 9 , in which the active digital controller (40) controls at least one active module (43, 44, 45, 46) in order to determine positions and movements of WLAN-enabled devices in the vicinity of the device (10) and/or image or video recordings of the To create the environment of the device (10) and / or to send messages to a mobile communication device of a user of the device (10).

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