DE102020207444B4 - Method for removing external contamination on a vehicle and vehicle with a device for removing such contamination - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for removing external dirt on a vehicle (A), in which a vehicle (B) equipped with a cleaning unit carries out the following process steps: - receiving (20) a cleaning request from a dirty vehicle (A); - sensory detection (22) a dirty spot on the dirty vehicle (A) after approaching the dirty vehicle (A); and - cleaning (23) the contaminated area with the cleaning unit (35).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for removing external contamination on a third-party vehicle, in particular for cleaning vehicle sensors of a third-party vehicle. The present invention further relates to a vehicle with a device for removing such contamination from a third-party vehicle.

A large number of sensors are installed in today's vehicles. For driver assistance systems, sensors continuously monitor the vehicle's surroundings in order to support the driver in the driving task and inform him at an early stage about potential dangerous situations. The sensory detection of the vehicle's surroundings is even more important for autonomously driving vehicles, since automatic driving of self-driving vehicles is only possible if the road and potential obstacles are detected. Different types of sensors based on different technologies can be used to detect the environment, whereby a particularly reliable image of the environment is often generated by a combination of data from different sensors, i.e. through so-called sensor fusion. In addition to radar and ultrasonic sensors, sensors that are based on optical detection of the environment are used.

In this way, detailed image information can be evaluated by one or more cameras aimed at the vehicle surroundings, whereby traffic signs or other objects and, when using a stereo camera, the distance and speed of potential obstacles can also be recognized. Likewise, one or more lidar sensors (light detection and ranging) can be used to scan and measure the vehicle surroundings with laser light in high resolution and regardless of the external lighting conditions.

Particularly for autonomously driving vehicles, it is necessary that the sensory detection of the vehicle's surroundings works error-free at all times. This is the only way to ensure, for example, that obstacles are identified early and that appropriate responses can be made. However, if the sensors become dirty, especially with optical methods such as LIDAR, it can no longer be possible to correctly detect the vehicle's surroundings and the vehicle cannot continue driving safely.

In this case, the sensor must be cleaned before the journey can continue safely. For this purpose, a passenger can be asked to get out after the vehicle has stopped and to clean the sensor. However, if an autonomous vehicle were to run empty, the vehicle would have to rely on external help as no passenger could get out to remove the pollution. Furthermore, the vehicle could drive to a car wash if the contamination was detected early enough and the current level of contamination still allows this.

Automatic cleaning systems for the various sensors can also be permanently installed on the vehicle. Such a cleaning system for one or more vehicle sensors of an autonomously driving vehicle is, for example, in US 2019 / 0 008 345 A1 and the US 2019 / 0 009 752 A1 disclosed.

But such automatic cleaning systems provided on the vehicle also have disadvantages. At least all safety-critical sensors would have to be equipped with such cleaning systems, which would lead to non-negligible additional costs, especially given the large number of sensors installed in autonomous vehicles. Furthermore, for reasons of visibility or design, these sensors are often mounted on the vehicle in places that are difficult to reach by the vehicle's cleaning systems.

Furthermore, they reveal DE 10 2018 101 105 A1 and the DE 10 2018 002 608 A1 Cleaning procedures in which vehicle-to-vehicle communication regarding cleaning and contamination takes place.

This is how it is done DE 10 2018 101 105 A1 a spray device is actuated on a first vehicle and an image of the actuated spray device is captured by a second vehicle and transmitted to the first vehicle. Based on the image of the actuated spray device, it is determined whether there is a fault in the spray device,

The DE 10 2018 002 608 A1 describes a method in which a first motor vehicle has a camera device and/or a sensor device, by means of which measurement data characterizing the outside of a second motor vehicle can be recorded. The recorded measurement data is provided to an electronic computing device of the second motor vehicle, which can determine a degree of contamination and/or damage to the outside of the second motor vehicle depending on the data received.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for eliminating external To provide dirt on a vehicle and a vehicle with a device for removing such dirt.

This object is achieved by a method with the features of claim 1, a method with the features of claim 6 and by a corresponding vehicle according to claim 9. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In a method according to the invention for removing external contamination on a vehicle, a vehicle equipped with a cleaning unit receives a cleaning request from a third-party vehicle. After approaching the third-party vehicle, the dirty area on the third-party vehicle is detected by sensors. The contaminated area is then cleaned with the cleaning unit.

In this way, dirt on the third-party vehicle and in particular dirty sensors on the third-party vehicle can be cleaned immediately, even in places that are difficult to access, so that driving safety for the third-party vehicle can be guaranteed without interrupting the journey.

In particular, the cleaning request relates to contamination of at least one sensor of the third-party vehicle.

• - werden mit der Reinigungsanfrage auch Angaben über den mindestens einen verschmutzten Sensor empfangen;
• - positioniert sich das mit der Reinigungseinheit ausgestattete Fahrzeug basierend auf den Angaben über den mindestens einen verschmutzten Sensor so in der Nähe des Fremdfahrzeugs, dass eine Reinigung des mindestens einen verschmutzten Sensors möglich ist; und
• - wird daraufhin der mindestens eine verschmutzte Sensor gereinigt.

According to an embodiment of the invention

• - information about at least one dirty sensor is also received with the cleaning request;
• - the vehicle equipped with the cleaning unit positions itself based on the information about the at least one dirty sensor in the vicinity of the third-party vehicle in such a way that cleaning of the at least one dirty sensor is possible; and
• - The at least one dirty sensor is then cleaned.

Here, the information about the at least one dirty sensor preferably includes position data of this at least one dirty sensor in a vehicle-fixed coordinate system of the third-party vehicle.

In particular, the cleaning request is received from the third-party vehicle via a mobile data connection.

• - eine Verschmutzung erfasst; und
• - eine Reinigungsanfrage an ein Fremdfahrzeug mit einer Reinigungseinheit gesendet.

Furthermore, in a method according to the invention for removing external contamination on a vehicle caused by the dirty vehicle

• - pollution detected; and
• - sent a cleaning request to a third-party vehicle with a cleaning unit.

In particular, contamination of at least one sensor of the dirty vehicle is detected, with the cleaning request relating to the contamination of the at least one sensor.

Advantageously, in this case, information about the at least one dirty sensor will also be sent to the third-party vehicle with the cleaning request.

• - eine Reinigungseinheit;
• - eine Kommunikationseinheit, über welche eine Reinigungsanfrage von dem Fremdfahrzeug empfangen werden kann;
• - eine Sensoreinheit, mit der das Fremdfahrzeug erfasst werden kann; und
• - eine Auswerte- und Steuereinheit, der nach Empfang einer Reinigungsanfrage Sensordaten der Sensoreinheit, zugeführt werden und die mittels der Sensordaten die Position der Verschmutzung an dem Fremdfahrzeug ermittelt und die Reinigungseinheit so ansteuert, dass eine Reinigung des Fremdfahrzeugs erfolgt.

Accordingly, a vehicle includes a device for removing external contamination on a third-party vehicle

• - a cleaning unit;
• - a communication unit via which a cleaning request can be received from the third-party vehicle;
• - a sensor unit with which the third-party vehicle can be detected; and
• - an evaluation and control unit, to which, after receiving a cleaning request, sensor data from the sensor unit are supplied and which uses the sensor data to determine the position of the contamination on the third-party vehicle and controls the cleaning unit in such a way that the third-party vehicle is cleaned.

Advantageously, the cleaning unit includes a cleaning nozzle and/or the sensor unit includes an external camera.

• 1 zeigt schematisch das erfindungsgemäße Verfahren zur Beseitigung von äußeren Verschmutzungen an einem Fremdfahrzeug; und
• 2 zeigt schematisch eine Draufsicht zweier Fahrzeuge mit einer Reinigung eines ersten Fahrzeugs durch eine Reinigungsdüse eines zweiten Fahrzeugs.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the claims in conjunction with the figures.

• 1 shows schematically the method according to the invention for removing external contamination on a third-party vehicle; and
• 2 shows schematically a top view of two vehicles with a first vehicle being cleaned by a cleaning nozzle of a second vehicle.

For a better understanding of the principles of the present invention, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It is understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments and that the features described can also be combined or modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

1 shows schematically a flowchart of a method according to the invention. Two vehicles are involved in this process, a dirty vehicle that needs to be cleaned, hereinafter referred to as vehicle A, and another vehicle that carries out the cleaning of the dirty vehicle and is hereinafter referred to as vehicle B.

In the method, vehicle A first determines in a method step 10 that it has contamination and therefore requires cleaning. In particular, vehicle A can detect that one or more sensors no longer work or only work to a limited extent due to contamination and need to be cleaned.

Then, in method step 11, vehicle A sends a request or request to clean the affected sensors as well as the position of the sensors in relation to a reference point of vehicle A to a nearby vehicle B via a mobile data connection. Characteristics can be used as reference points of vehicle A such as the windows, door handles, tires or even the front end or rear end of the vehicle, as these features are particularly easy to capture from another vehicle.

The signal transmission between vehicle A and vehicle B takes place as vehicle-to-vehicle communication, also known as car-to-car, C2C, car2car, vehicle-to-vehicle, V2V communication. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication can take place directly between the two vehicles involved, for example based on Bluetooth, WLAN or similar radio technologies, or also indirectly via a base station.

Vehicle A can also determine its own position, for example using a GPS receiver of a navigation system, and also transmit this current vehicle position data. On the one hand, this enables vehicle B to identify the correct vehicle for cleaning even when there is a lot of traffic. On the other hand, the method is then, for example when communicating via short-range technologies such as Bluetooth or WLAN, not limited by the limited communication range of these technologies. This makes it possible to plan the cleaning at an early stage, even if the vehicles A and B involved are still at a greater distance from one another. For example, based on digital map data, the course of the road in front of the vehicles can be taken into account and cleaning can be announced for a road that is clear and straight ahead over a longer period of time.

Furthermore, information can also be transmitted as to whether vehicle A is stationary when the position data is transmitted and therefore does not change its position, or whether it is in motion. In the latter case, provision can be made for vehicle A to transmit its current position repeatedly, for example at regular intervals. It can also be provided that during the original transmission of the position data from a navigation device of the vehicle A, data is transmitted to a programmed route and used to estimate future position data. In this way, the earliest possible rendezvous point can be determined based on the routes and expected speeds of vehicles A and B.

Finally, information about vehicle A, such as the vehicle model, the vehicle color, the vehicle license plate or, if necessary, the vehicle identification number, can also be transmitted in order to enable the correct vehicle to be identified for cleaning.

In method step 20, a vehicle B, which has technical means for vehicle-to-vehicle communication, receives the request or request as well as the associated position data via the mobile data connection. If this vehicle B is further equipped with a suitable cleaning system, it first checks in a method step 21 whether the request should be accepted. This can be done, for example, based on the vehicle user's presets. For example, they can enter in the vehicle settings that a cleaning request from a third-party vehicle should always, never, or only be accepted under certain conditions.

One such requirement can, for example, be that a cleaning request will only be accepted if payment is made in the form of “cleaning credits”. Likewise, the assumption can be made dependent on whether the cleaning unit in vehicle B is well suited for cleaning the dirty sensor of vehicle A, for example depending on the position of the dirty sensor, or currently has sufficient cleaning fluid. It can also be done during cleaning process that would require a longer period of time, the acceptance of the cleaning request depends on whether a travel delay caused by this is acceptable for the user of vehicle B at the scheduled cleaning time.

Furthermore, the cleaning request can be accepted automatically or only after confirmation by the vehicle user, to whom a corresponding request is issued via a user interface, for example by display on a display or a voice output.

If vehicle B accepts the request from vehicle A, in method step 22 it measures vehicle A when it is in the immediate vicinity, for example when it is overtaken on the highway or when the vehicles come to a stop next to each other at a traffic light. For this purpose, vehicle B uses its own vehicle sensors.

As soon as vehicle B can reach the sensor(s) of vehicle A to be cleaned with its cleaning unit, it then begins the cleaning process in method step 23. The positioning and temporal coordination of the cleaning can be done both by evaluating the sensor signals from distance-measuring sensors of vehicle B and taking into account the position and movement of vehicle B, as well as by evaluating video images from vehicle A, which are taken with an external camera of vehicle B be recorded. The external camera can also be used to check the alignment of the cleaning unit, for example a cleaning nozzle, and correct it if necessary. The effectiveness of the cleaning can also be checked using the external camera. However, the cleaning can also take place independently of such a check for a predefined period of time, which experience shows is sufficient to clean the respective vehicle sensor.

If the cleaning process has been successfully completed by vehicle B, a corresponding message can be transmitted to vehicle A in a subsequent method step 24. This message is then received and further processed by vehicle A in method step 13. For example, vehicle A can reactivate a sensor that delivered incorrect signals due to contamination and was therefore switched off.

However, if vehicle B has rejected the cleaning request from vehicle A in method step 21, it transmits a corresponding message to vehicle A in method step 25. After vehicle A has received the rejection in method step 12, it can then send the cleaning request to other vehicles without any time delay .

Furthermore, it can be provided that vehicle B first transmits a corresponding confirmation message to vehicle A after receiving a cleaning request, even if the cleaning request is accepted.

2 shows schematically a top view of two vehicles A and B with vehicle A being cleaned by a cleaning unit of vehicle B. Both vehicle A and vehicle B only have schematically indicated sensors for detecting the respective vehicle surroundings and a communication unit for the vehicle as described above. to-vehicle communication to transmit cleaning requests.

In the example shown, vehicle A has already come to a stop in front of a stop line 30, which is installed on the road ahead of this intersection, for example in the area of a traffic-lighted intersection. Vehicle A has two sensors 31, 32, for example lidar sensors mounted on the roof, and has recognized that sensor 31 is dirty and therefore not functional. Vehicle B, which has received and accepted a request from vehicle A to clean sensor 31, also approaches stop line 30.

Vehicle B now measures vehicle A. For this purpose, vehicle B uses its own sensors 33, 34 (also referred to as sensor units), which can in particular be designed as RADAR, LIDAR, ultrasonic sensors and/or external cameras. In order to determine the exact position of the sensor 31 to be cleaned, the sensor data from the sensors 33, 34 are fed to an evaluation and control unit 37 via a digital data bus in the vehicle. In particular, video signals that are recorded with the sensor 33, which is designed as an external camera in the figure, can be evaluated in the evaluation and control unit 37 using suitable image processing methods in order to recognize the dirty sensor 31 and determine its exact position. Based on this, the evaluation and control unit 37 then appropriately controls a cleaning unit of vehicle B. Furthermore, the evaluation and control unit 37 is connected to a communication unit 36, via which the cleaning request was received from the vehicle A.

The cleaning unit 35 of vehicle B has a cleaning nozzle, which is shown in the figure th example is arranged at the upper end of the B-pillar in the area of the vehicle roof. Likewise, this can also be arranged in another convenient position, such as in the area of the A-pillar or, for example, integrated in the exterior mirrors. In particular, the cleaning unit 35 can also have a plurality of cleaning nozzles, which can be arranged at different positions, for example on the A, B and C pillars and/or on the driver and passenger sides.

The cleaning nozzle can preferably be rotatably mounted in order to be able to adapt or change its orientation during the cleaning process using adjustment devices provided for this purpose, such as servo motors. In this way it can be ensured that sensors arranged in different areas of vehicle A can also be easily reached and a slight relative movement between vehicle A and B can be compensated for. Likewise, the cleaning nozzle can also be moved laterally if necessary, for example by attaching it to a telescopic rod.

By using such an adjustable cleaning unit 35 and/or carrying out the cleaning at different relative positions of the vehicles to one another, the cleaning unit 35 can then reach and clean a large part of the outside of vehicle A.

The cleaning unit 35 can in particular have a tank for a cleaning liquid and a pump with which the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the sensor to be cleaned via the cleaning nozzle. Cleaning can also be carried out using air pressure, if necessary enriched with a cleaning liquid. In this case, a compressed air tank can be provided, which is connected to an electronically controllable valve followed by a pressure reducer and a compressed air cleaning device. When the valve is actuated, the compressed air then flows out through the cleaning nozzle. In addition, cleaning liquid can be drawn from a tank for the cleaning liquid, whereby the surface to be cleaned can be irradiated with a mixture of a cleaning liquid and air.

The cleaning process is not limited to cleaning sensors of vehicle A, but in addition to cleaning the sensors, it can also include the removal of specific dirt from any location on the outer skin of vehicle A. For example, vehicle B can early remove fresh bird droppings that have just contaminated an advertising lettering or a window of vehicle A.

Furthermore, in addition to cleaning a vehicle sensor, which is carried out as quickly as possible due to detected contamination of the vehicle sensor, cleaning can also be carried out at regular service intervals regardless of detected contamination if contamination increases over time.

The invention can be used to clean any externally accessible vehicle sensors on any vehicle.

Reference symbol list

A

Vehicle with dirty sensor

b

Vehicle with cleaning unit

10 - 13

Process steps carried out in vehicle A

20 - 25

Process steps carried out in vehicle B

30

Stop line

31, 32

Sensors of the dirty vehicle

33, 34

Vehicle sensors with cleaning unit

35

Cleaning unit

36

Communication unit

37

Evaluation and control unit

Claims (10)

Method for removing external contamination on a vehicle (A), in which a vehicle (B) equipped with a cleaning unit carries out the following process steps: - Receiving (20) a cleaning request from a dirty vehicle (A); - sensory detection (22) of a dirty spot on the dirty vehicle (A) after approaching the dirty vehicle (A); and - Cleaning (23) of the contaminated area with the cleaning unit (35). Procedure according to Claim 1 , wherein the cleaning request concerns contamination of at least one sensor (31) of the dirty vehicle (A). Procedure according to Claim 2 , whereby - with the cleaning request there is also information about the at least one dirty sensor (31). will catch; - the vehicle (B) equipped with the cleaning unit positions itself in the vicinity of the dirty vehicle (A) based on the information about the at least one dirty sensor (31) in such a way that cleaning of the at least one dirty sensor (31) is possible; and - the at least one dirty sensor (31) is then cleaned. Procedure according to Claim 3 , wherein the information about the at least one dirty sensor includes position data of this at least one dirty sensor in a vehicle-fixed coordinate system of the dirty vehicle (A). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (B) equipped with a cleaning unit receives the cleaning request from the dirty vehicle (A) via a mobile data connection. Method for removing external contamination on a vehicle (A), in which the contaminated vehicle (A) carries out the following process steps: - Detecting (10) external contamination; and - Sending (11) a cleaning request to a vehicle (B) equipped with a cleaning unit (35). Procedure according to Claim 6 , wherein contamination is detected by at least one sensor (31) of the dirty vehicle (A) and the cleaning request concerns the contamination of the at least one sensor. Procedure according to Claim 7 , with the cleaning request also sending information about the at least one dirty sensor (31) to the vehicle (B) equipped with the cleaning unit (35). Vehicle (B) with a device for removing external contamination on a dirty vehicle (A), with - a cleaning unit (35); - a communication unit (36), via which a cleaning request from the dirty vehicle (A) can be received; - a sensor unit (33, 34) with which the dirty vehicle (A) can be detected; and - an evaluation and control unit (37), which, after receiving a cleaning request, is supplied with sensor data from the sensor unit (33, 34) and which uses the sensor data to determine the position of the dirt on the vehicle (A) and thus controls the cleaning unit (35). that the vehicle (A) is cleaned. Vehicle (B) after Claim 9 , wherein the cleaning unit (35) comprises a cleaning nozzle and/or the sensor unit (33, 34) comprises an external camera.

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