DE102021129931A1 - PROCEDURE, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for operating a parking assistance system (110) for a vehicle (100) is proposed. The parking assistance system (110) is set up to control the vehicle (100) along a trajectory (TR). The method comprises: receiving (S1) a certain trajectory (TR) along which the vehicle (100) is to be steered, determining (S2) a number of safety zones (SZ1 - SZ3) around the received trajectory (TR) on the basis of a corresponding number of predetermined security areas (SB1 - SB3) for the vehicle (100), wherein a respective security area (SB1 - SB3) comprises a geometric area that includes the vehicle (100), and wherein the respective determined security zone (SZ1 - SZ3) comprises a geometric area which is swept over by the respective safety area (SB1 - SB3) when the trajectory (TR) is followed,receiving (S3) an environment sensor signal which is indicative of an object ( 210, 220, 230),associating (S4) the object (210, 220, 230) with a specific safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) if a position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230) in the safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3), and controlling (S5) the vehicle (100) along the received trajectory (TR) depending on the position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230) and the object (210, 220 , 230) associated security zone (SZ1 - SZ3).

Description

The present invention relates to a method, a computer program product, a parking assistance system and a vehicle.

Parking assistance systems are known which are set up to plan a trajectory for a vehicle on the basis of received sensor data and to control the vehicle along the planned trajectory. The top priority here is to avoid the vehicle colliding with an object in the vicinity. In order to achieve this, planned trajectories are traversed comparatively slowly, so that the braking distance for stopping the vehicle is short.

The speed at which the trajectory is traversed can be defined as a function of the environment and of objects present in the environment, for example based on the distance of a particular object from the vehicle. When an object is close to the vehicle, it is driven slowly, and when an object is far from the vehicle, it can be driven faster.

U.S. 2019/0369616 A1 discloses various methods with which a trajectory for an autonomous vehicle can be planned. In this case, in particular, a speed profile is determined as a function of detected objects for following the planned trajectory.

Against this background, an object of the present invention is to improve the operation of a parking assistance system.

• Empfangen einer bestimmten Trajektorie, entlang der das Fahrzeug zu steuern ist,
• Ermitteln einer Mehrzahl an Sicherheitszonen um die empfangene Trajektorie herum auf Basis einer korrespondierenden Mehrzahl von vorbestimmten Sicherheitsbereichen für das Fahrzeug, wobei ein jeweiliger Sicherheitsbereich einen geometrischen Bereich umfasst, der das Fahrzeug einschließt, und wobei die jeweilige Sicherheitszone einen geometrischen Bereich umfasst, der beim Abfahren der Trajektorie von dem jeweiligen Sicherheitsbereich überstrichen wird,
• Empfangen eines Umgebungssensorsignals, das Indikativ für ein in einer Umgebung des Fahrzeugs angeordnetes Objekt ist,
• Zuordnen des Objekts zu einer bestimmten Sicherheitszone, wenn eine Position des Objekts in der bestimmten Sicherheitszone liegt,
• Ermitteln eines Geschwindigkeitsprofils für das Fahren des Fahrzeugs entlang der empfangenen Trajektorie in Abhängigkeit der Position des Objekts, der dem Objekt zugeordneten Sicherheitszone, und einer zu dem der zugeordneten Sicherheitszone korrespondierenden Sicherheitsbereich zugeordneten Grenzgeschwindigkeit, und
• Steuern des Fahrzeugs entlang der empfangenen Trajektorie gemäß dem ermittelten Geschwindigkeitsprofil.

Accordingly, a method for operating a parking assistance system for a vehicle is proposed, the parking assistance system being set up to control the vehicle along a trajectory. The procedure includes:

• receiving a specific trajectory along which the vehicle is to be steered,
• Determination of a plurality of safety zones around the received trajectory based on a corresponding plurality of predetermined safety zones for the vehicle, wherein a respective safety zone comprises a geometric area which encloses the vehicle, and wherein the respective safety zone comprises a geometric area which when driving along the trajectory is swept over by the respective safety area,
• Receiving an environment sensor signal that is indicative of an object arranged in an environment of the vehicle,
• assigning the object to a specific security zone, if a position of the object is within the specific security zone,
• Determining a speed profile for driving the vehicle along the received trajectory as a function of the position of the object, the safety zone assigned to the object, and a limit speed assigned to the safety area corresponding to the assigned safety zone, and
• Controlling the vehicle along the received trajectory according to the determined speed profile.

This method has the advantage that control of the vehicle along the determined trajectory in an environment with lateral obstacles is simplified and improved. In addition, the control of the vehicle becomes more robust. It is advantageously sufficient to determine the safety zone in which the object is located in order to derive measures relating to the control of the vehicle, in particular to determine and apply a speed profile for the journey.

The fact that the parking assistance system is set up for controlling the vehicle along the trajectory means, for example, that the parking assistance system is set up for partially autonomous or fully autonomous driving of the vehicle along the trajectory. Partially autonomous driving is understood to mean, for example, that the parking assistance system controls a steering device and/or an automatic drive level. Fully autonomous driving means, for example, that the parking assistance system also controls a drive device and a braking device. One can also say that the parking assistance system is set up for automated control and/or driving of the vehicle. The parking assistance system has a degree of automation according to the SAE classification system, for example. The SAE classification system was published in 2014 by SAE International, an automotive standards organization, as J3016, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to On-Road Motor Vehicle Automated Driving Systems". It is based on six different levels of automation and takes into account the level of system intervention and driver attention required. The SAE levels of automation range from level 0, which corresponds to a fully manual system, through driver assistance systems in levels 1 to 2, to partially autonomous (levels 3 and 4) and fully autonomous (level 5) systems, which no longer require a driver . An autonomous vehicle (also known as a driverless car, self-driving car and robotic car) is a vehicle that is able to detect its surroundings and navigate without human input and it corresponds to SAE automation level 5. In the present case, the parking assistance system has in particular an automation level of level 3 or higher up.

The determined trajectory can be a trained and stored trajectory, can be a trajectory specified by a unit external to the parking assistance system and/or the vehicle, or can also be a trajectory determined by the parking assistance system itself. The trajectory includes, for example, a large number of points, each with a fixed position, which form the trajectory when linked together. Except for a starting point and an ending point of the trajectory, each point in the trajectory has a preceding point and a succeeding point. When controlling the vehicle along the trajectory, the parking assistance system regulates the vehicle systems in such a way that a specific reference position of the vehicle, such as a center point of a rear axle of the vehicle, moves along the trajectory. It should be noted that the trajectory can also have a representation other than that described above, for example the trajectory can include a lane for several wheels of the vehicle, and that the proposed method can also be used with this or other other representations of the determined trajectory.

A plurality of predetermined security areas is assigned to the vehicle. Each security perimeter encloses the vehicle and may also include an area. A respective safety area is a geometric area, which can be in the form of a three-dimensional shape, or it can also be in the form of a two-dimensional shape. A respective safety area can be regarded as an area that defines a safety distance from the vehicle. If the vehicle has a sensor system that makes it possible to record the vehicle's surroundings in three dimensions, a three-dimensional safety area can be advantageous. On the other hand, the method is less computationally intensive when working with a two-dimensional safety area. A three-dimensional security area can also be converted into a two-dimensional security area by projection onto a ground plane.

Different safety zones are used to define different safety distances, with an object falling below a respective safety distance being able to have particular effects on the control of the vehicle by the parking assistance system.

The plurality of security areas includes at least two security areas. In particular, the security areas are nested within one another, which means that, for example, an outer security area completely contains an inner security area.

The plurality includes a set greater than or equal to 2. An innermost security area that is included in the plurality includes at least precisely the vehicle. Other security areas include an additional area, such as an area that has a certain distance from the vehicle everywhere, for example a distance of 50 cm, a distance of 100 cm, a distance of 200 cm, a distance of 300 cm or even a distance of 500 cm. However, a respective safety area can also be predetermined such that the distance to the vehicle is different in different positions of the vehicle, for example the safety area in front of the vehicle can be closer to the vehicle than the safety area to the side of the vehicle.

The plurality of predetermined safety areas can be determined and provided for a respective vehicle by a manufacturer of the vehicle or of the parking assistance system, for example the number of predetermined safety areas is stored on an internal memory of the parking assistance system.

A safety zone around the trajectory is determined for each safety area. The respective safety zone comprises a geometric area which is swept over by the respective safety area when the vehicle follows the trajectory in a simulated or imaginary manner. It can also be said that the respective safety zone forms a travel path with a respective safety distance from the vehicle. The safety distance for the respective safety zone is given by the underlying safety area.

It should be noted that the definition of at least two safety areas results in a logical division of the vehicle's surroundings into three areas: the inner safety area, the outer safety area, which encloses the inner safety area, and the remaining area, which is neither to the inner nor to the belongs to the outer security area.

The environmental sensor signal, which is indicative of an object arranged in an area surrounding the vehicle, is received in particular by an on-board environmental sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor arrangement, a camera, a radar, a lidar and/or other environmental sensors. For example, a position of a point on a surface of an object can be determined on the basis of the environmental sensor signal. This point can be entered into a continuously updated two-dimensional or three-dimensional map of the vehicle's surroundings. An object can exist as a single point, a cloud of points, and/or a geometric shape in the map. For example, the sensor raw data only provide individual points, so that the environment is represented by a point cloud. Object recognition can also assign one or more points to an object on the basis of the point cloud, for example by clustering and the like. Provision can also be made for the determined object to be stored in the map by means of a geometric shape with associated object information (semantic information).

In embodiments, the parking assistance system is set up to determine a map of the surroundings of the vehicle on the basis of the surroundings sensor signal. The map can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional. Furthermore, the map can also be 2.5-dimensional, which means that the map is only two-dimensional, but includes additional information regarding a height of individual objects or object points. For example, objects or object points of a category are "traversable" e.g. if their height is less than 15 cm, a category "cannot be driven over" (if the height is more than 15 cm), and a category is "cannot be driven under" if an object is at a height is above the roadway so that the vehicle cannot pass under it, such as a barrier or a branch. The vehicle, the determined trajectory, the safety areas and the determined safety zones can also be entered in the map.

A respective detected object is assigned to a certain safety zone if a position of the object lies in the safety zone. This can be done, for example, on the basis of the map, from which one can practically “read” the security zone in which an object is located.

For example, the parking assistance system determines a subdivision of the 2D, 2.5D or 3D map according to the safety zones determined. If the map contains a point cloud of the environment, the zone in which the point is located can be determined for each point in the point cloud based on its position (coordinates) and can thus be assigned accordingly.

If a static object is within a certain safety zone, then as soon as the vehicle is next to the object along the trajectory, the object will be within the safety zone associated with the safety zone. In the case of dynamic objects, such as other road users that are moving, the assignment of the object to a specific safety zone can change at any time, which is why the position of the object is continuously tracked and the determination of the safety zone in which the object is located, for example, again with each recorded change in position is carried out. This ensures that the assignment is up-to-date.

A speed profile for driving the vehicle along the specific trajectory is then determined as a function of the position of the object, the safety zone assigned to the object and a limit speed assigned to the assigned safety zone corresponding to the safety zone.

The speed profile describes, for example, the limit speed (maximum speed) at which the vehicle may move at a specific position along the trajectory. Depending on the safety zone in which the object is located, a maximum speed can be provided for a specific section along the trajectory for safety reasons. The specific section is determined in particular by the fact that when the vehicle is located at a point in the specific section, the object lies in the safety area assigned to the safety zone. This means that the object has fallen below the safety distance on which the predetermined safety area is based, and as a consequence the maximum speed in the specific, for example, reduced compared to other sections of the trajectory in which there is no object in the safety area.

A speed limit is assigned to each safety area. The speed limit assigned to the corresponding safety area is correspondingly assigned to the respective safety zone.

The vehicle is then steered along the received trajectory according to the determined speed profile.

According to one embodiment of the method, when determining a respective safety zone, a control accuracy when controlling the vehicle along the trajectory and/or a Measurement accuracy of an environment sensor, from which the environment sensor signal is received, is taken into account.

In this embodiment, a respective safety zone widens as the distance along the trajectory increases. The extent of the widening is determined in particular by a control error that can occur when controlling the vehicle and/or a measurement error that occurs when the surroundings are detected by the surroundings sensor.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the control accuracy is determined as a function of the received trajectory and/or of environmental conditions.

For example, the control accuracy is lower for a trajectory with a small radius of curvature (tight curve) than for a trajectory with a large radius of curvature (slight curve). The environmental conditions can also influence the control accuracy, for example a slip of a wheel on a wet or frozen surface can be greater than on a dry surface, the slip can cause the vehicle to deviate from the trajectory despite correct steering angle.

The environmental conditions can be determined, for example, on the basis of a corresponding sensor signal that is received from an environmental sensor, such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and/or a rain sensor or the like.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the plurality of predetermined security areas includes three security areas.

The number of predetermined security areas can also include more than three security areas, for example four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten or more than ten security areas. The more safety areas are predetermined, the finer the control of the vehicle can be planned when driving along the trajectory.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the assignment of the respective speed limit to the safety areas is such that the speed limit increases in stages from the inside to the outside.

In other words, a limit speed is assigned to each predetermined safety area in such a way that a first predetermined safety area, which comprises a smaller area than a second predetermined safety area, is assigned a lower limit speed than the second predetermined safety area.

In this embodiment, the limit speed increases stepwise from the innermost security area to the outermost security area.

The limit speed for the innermost security area, which is particularly close to the vehicle, for example at a maximum distance of five centimeters or ten centimeters from the vehicle, is in particular zero, which means that the vehicle is stopped if an object enters this security area device.

It should be noted that the vehicle is not stopped until it approaches the object. Even if an object is in the innermost safety zone, but still well ahead of the vehicle, the parking assistance system can still cause the vehicle to drive along the trajectory until the object is close.

According to a further embodiment of the method, an avoidance trajectory is determined when the object is in the safety zone corresponding to a predetermined safety area, the avoidance trajectory being determined in such a way that the object, when updated safety zones are determined on the basis of the avoidance trajectory, is outside of the predetermined security area corresponding updated security zone.

This has the advantage that the object can be bypassed. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for static objects located in the innermost security zone. The avoidance trajectory can only relate to a section of the received trajectory, or else a comprehensively changed trajectory is determined. This depends, for example, on other objects that are in the area. The received trajectory is preferably changed as little as possible by the avoidance trajectory.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the trajectory determined is a trajectory planned as a function of the environment or a stored trajectory.

The stored trajectory is, for example, a trajectory driven manually by the user with the vehicle and recorded by the parking assistance system (“trained parking”).

According to a further embodiment of the method, the environmental sensor signal includes an optical sensor signal and/or an ultrasonic sensor signal.

The optical sensor signal includes, for example, an image of the environment captured by a camera and/or a point cloud of the environment captured by radar, a laser scanner and/or lidar.

According to a further embodiment of the method, a priority is assigned to the predetermined security areas, wherein a higher priority is assigned to a first predetermined security area, which comprises a smaller area than a second predetermined security area, wherein each security zone is assigned the priority assigned to the corresponding security area, and whereby the object is only assigned to the security zone with the highest priority.

It can also be said that the priority of the security areas decreases from the inside to the outside. The innermost security area, which at least includes the vehicle, has the highest priority. With this embodiment it is avoided that a respective object is assigned to several security areas. This speeds up and simplifies the proposed method.

According to a second aspect, a computer program product is proposed which comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to execute the method according to the first aspect.

A computer program product, such as a computer program means, can be made available or supplied by a server in a network, for example, as a storage medium such as a memory card, USB stick, CD-ROM, DVD, or in the form of a downloadable file. This can be done, for example, in a wireless communication network by transferring a corresponding file with the computer program product or the computer program means.

For example, the computer is part of a parking assistance system, which is thus enabled to carry out the method according to the first aspect.

• eine Empfangseinheit zum Empfangen einer bestimmten Trajektorie, entlang der das Fahrzeug zu steuern ist, und zum Empfangen eines Umgebungssensorsignals, das indikativ für ein in einer Umgebung des Fahrzeugs angeordnetes Objekt ist,
• eine Ermittlungseinheit zum Ermitteln einer Anzahl an Sicherheitszonen um die empfangene Trajektorie herum auf Basis einer korrespondierenden Anzahl von vorbestimmten Sicherheitsbereichen für das Fahrzeug, wobei ein jeweiliger Sicherheitsbereich einen geometrischen Bereich umfasst, der das Fahrzeug einschließt, und wobei die jeweilige ermittelte Sicherheitszone einen geometrischen Bereich umfasst, der beim Abfahren der Trajektorie von dem jeweiligen Sicherheitsbereich überstrichen wird,
• eine Zuordnungseinheit zum Zuordnen des Objekts zu einer bestimmten Sicherheitszone, wenn eine Position des Objekts in der Sicherheitszone liegt,
• eine Geschwindigkeitsprofil-Ermittlungseinheit zum Ermitteln eines Geschwindigkeitsprofils für das Fahren des Fahrzeugs entlang der empfangenen Trajektorie in Abhängigkeit der Position des Objekts, der dem Objekt zugeordneten Sicherheitszone, und einer zu dem der zugeordneten Sicherheitszone korrespondierenden Sicherheitsbereich zugeordneten Grenzgeschwindigkeit (V1 - V3), und
• eine Steuereinheit zum Steuern des Fahrzeugs entlang der empfangenen Trajektorie gemäß dem ermittelten Geschwindigkeitsprofil (VP).

According to a third aspect, a parking assistance system for a vehicle is proposed. The parking assistance system is set up to control the vehicle along a trajectory. The parking assistance system has:

• a receiving unit for receiving a specific trajectory along which the vehicle is to be steered and for receiving an environment sensor signal which is indicative of an object arranged in an environment of the vehicle,
• a determination unit for determining a number of safety zones around the received trajectory based on a corresponding number of predetermined safety zones for the vehicle, wherein a respective safety zone comprises a geometric area that encloses the vehicle, and wherein the respective determined safety zone comprises a geometric area, which is swept over by the respective safety area when following the trajectory,
• an assignment unit for assigning the object to a specific security zone if a position of the object is in the security zone,
• a speed profile determination unit for determining a speed profile for driving the vehicle along the received trajectory depending on the position of the object, the safety zone assigned to the object, and a limit speed (V1 - V3) assigned to the safety area corresponding to the assigned safety zone, and
• a control unit for steering the vehicle along the received trajectory according to the determined velocity profile (VP).

The respective unit of the parking assistance system can be implemented in terms of hardware and/or software. In the case of a hardware implementation, the respective unit can be embodied, for example, as a computer or as a microprocessor. In the case of a software implementation, the respective unit can be designed as a computer program product, as a function, as a routine, as an algorithm, as part of a program code or as an executable object. Furthermore, each of the units mentioned here can also be designed as part of a higher-level control system of the vehicle, such as a central electronic control device and/or an engine control unit (ECU: Engine Control Unit).

The embodiments and features described for the proposed method apply accordingly to the proposed parking assistance system.

According to a fourth aspect, a vehicle is proposed with at least one environment sensor for detecting an environment of the vehicle and for outputting a corresponding environment sensor signal, and with a parking assistance system according to the third aspect.

The vehicle is, for example, a passenger car or a truck. The vehicle preferably includes a number of sensor units that are set up to detect the driving state of the vehicle and to detect an environment of the vehicle. Examples of such sensor units of the vehicle are image recording devices such as a camera, radar (radio detection and ranging) or also a lidar (engl. light detection and ranging), ultrasonic sensors, location sensors, wheel angle sensors and/or wheel speed sensors. The sensor units are each set up to output a sensor signal, for example to the parking assistance system, which carries out the partially autonomous or fully autonomous driving as a function of the detected sensor signals.

Further possible implementations of the invention also include combinations of features or embodiments described above or below with regard to the exemplary embodiments that are not explicitly mentioned. The person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the invention.

Further advantageous refinements and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims and of the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below.

• 1 zeigt eine schematische Ansicht eines Fahrzeugs mit vorbestimmten Sicherheitsbereichen aus einer Vogelperspektive;
• 2 zeigt eine weitere schematische Ansicht des Fahrzeugs mit den Sicherheitsbereichen und einer beispielhaften Trajektorie sowie die ermittelten Sicherheitszonen;
• 3A zeigt eine weitere schematische Ansicht des Fahrzeugs mit den Sicherheitsbereichen, einer weiteren beispielhaften Trajektorie und die ermittelten Sicherheitszonen sowie mehrere Objekte;
• 3B zeigt ein Diagramm als ein Beispiel für ein ermitteltes Geschwindigkeitsprofil;
• 4A zeigt eine weitere schematische Ansicht des Fahrzeugs mit den Sicherheitsbereichen und einer weiteren beispielhaften Trajektorie sowie die ermittelten Sicherheitszonen;
• 4B zeigt eine weitere schematische Ansicht des Fahrzeugs mit den Sicherheitsbereichen und einer weiteren beispielhaften Trajektorie sowie die ermittelten Sicherheitszonen;
• 5 zeigt ein schematisches Blockdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Parkassistenzsystems; und
• 6 zeigt ein schematisches Flussdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels für ein Verfahren zum Betreiben eines Parkassistenzsystems.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the enclosed figures.

• 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle with predetermined safety areas from a bird's eye view;
• 2 shows a further schematic view of the vehicle with the safety areas and an exemplary trajectory as well as the determined safety zones;
• 3A shows a further schematic view of the vehicle with the safety areas, a further exemplary trajectory and the determined safety zones as well as several objects;
• 3B shows a diagram as an example for a determined speed profile;
• 4A shows a further schematic view of the vehicle with the safety areas and a further exemplary trajectory as well as the determined safety zones;
• 4B shows a further schematic view of the vehicle with the safety areas and a further exemplary trajectory as well as the determined safety zones;
• 5 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a parking assistance system; and
• 6 shows a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of a method for operating a parking assistance system.

Elements that are the same or have the same function have been provided with the same reference symbols in the figures, unless otherwise stated.

1 FIG. 12 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 from a bird's eye view. The vehicle 100 is, for example, a car that is arranged in an environment 200 . Car 100 has a parking assistance system 110, which is embodied as a control unit, for example. In addition, a plurality of environment sensor devices 120, 130 are arranged on car 100, these being optical sensors 120 and ultrasonic sensors 130, for example. The optical sensors 120 include, for example, visual cameras, a radar and/or a lidar. The optical sensors 120 can each capture an image of a respective area from the environment 200 of the car 100 and output it as an optical sensor signal. The ultrasonic sensors 130 are set up to detect a distance to objects arranged in the environment 200 and to output a corresponding sensor signal.

On the basis of the sensor signals detected by sensors 120, 130, parking assistance system 110 is able to drive car 100 partially or fully autonomously. Except the ones in the 1 illustrated optical sensors 120 and ultrasonic sensors 130 can be provided that the vehicle 100 has various other sensor devices 120, 130. Examples of this are a wheel speed sensor, a wheel angle sensor, a steering angle sensor, a microphone, an acceleration sensor, an antenna with a coupled receiver for receiving electromagnetically transmittable data signals, and the like.

In the 1 three predetermined security areas SB1 - SB3 are shown. The inner security area SB1 encloses the vehicle 100 and additionally a small area around the vehicle 100 . The middle security area SB2 encloses the inner security area SB1 and also an area around it, and the outer security area SB3 encloses the central security area SB2 and an additional area around it.

Although in the 1 shown only in two dimensions, a respective safety area SB1 - SB3 can also be in the form of a three-dimensional shape. Furthermore, the security areas SB1 - SB3 can have a different shape than that in FIG 1 shown octagonal shape and different security areas SB1 - SB3 can also have different shapes.

The parking assistance system is, for example, based on the 5 explained in more detail trained and to carry out the basis of 6 procedure explained set up. Furthermore, the parking assistance system 110 is in particular for carrying out the following based on the 2 , 3A , 3B and 4A , 4B processing steps explained set up.

2 shows another schematic view of the vehicle 100 with the security areas SB1 - SB3, which are rectangular in this example. In addition, an exemplary received trajectory TR is shown, which the vehicle 100 under the control of the parking assistance system 110 (see 1 or 5 ) should drive. The parking assistance system 110 determines a respective safety zone SZ1-SZ3 on the basis of the predetermined safety areas SB1-SB3 and the received trajectory TR. Each of the security zones SZ1-SZ3 includes an area that is swept by the corresponding security area SB1-SB3 when the vehicle 100 is moving along the trajectory TR. The respective safety zone SZ1-SZ3 extends in particular on both sides of the trajectory TR. One can also say that the respective safety zone SZ1-SZ3 envelops the trajectory TR. Security zones that are further out also envelop security zones that are further in. For example, security zone SZ2 encloses security zone SZ1.

3A shows a further schematic view of the vehicle 100 with the safety areas SB1-SB3, a further exemplary trajectory TR and the correspondingly determined safety zones SZ1-SZ3. Furthermore, in the 3A three objects 210, 220, 230 are shown, which are distributed laterally along the trajectory TR. Objects 210, 220, 230 and their positions are detected by parking assistance system 110 (see 1 or 5 ) is determined, for example, on the basis of a received environmental sensor signal.

First object 210 is outside of each safety zone SZ1 - SZ3 determined by parking assistance system 110 . The second object 220 is partially within the outer security zone SZ3 and the third object 230 is partially within the second security zone SZ2 and partially within the third security zone SZ3. On the basis of this arrangement of objects 210, 220, 230, parking assistance system 110 determines, for example, a speed profile that indicates the maximum speed v at which vehicle 100 may travel at a particular position along trajectory TR. The speed profile is an example in the 3B shown.

3B shows a diagram DIAG as an example for a determined speed profile VP. The vertical axis V indicates velocity and the horizontal axis S indicates distance or position along trajectory TR. In this example, three speed levels V1, V2, V3 are specified. The speed V3 is, for example, the limit speed (maximum speed) at which the vehicle 100 is controlled when no surrounding objects are detected. The speed levels V1 and V2 are assigned to the safety areas SB2 and SB3. The safety area SB1 is assigned the limit speed 0.

Three positions P1 - P3 are marked on the S-axis. These are the positions of the objects 210, 220, 230 along the trajectory TR. The respective position P1-P3 corresponds to the point of the trajectory TR which is closest to the respective object 210, 220, 230, that is to say has the smallest distance from it. Depending on the safety zone SZ1-SZ3 in which the respective object 210, 220, 230 is located, the maximum permissible speed for the vehicle 100 is limited. The first object 210 lies outside of the ascertained safety zones SZ1-SZ3, which is why no particular limitation of the speed is ascertained at the position P1. The second object 220 is partially in the outer security area SZ3, which is why the maximum speed in an area around the position P2 is limited to the limit speed V2 assigned to the security area SB3. In this example, the width of the area or the section along the trajectory TR in which the speed is reduced corresponds to the extent of the safety area SB3. In embodiments, the width of the area can also be chosen differently.

The third object 230 lies partly in the second security zone SZ2 and partly in the third security zone SZ3. Since the second security zone SZ2 has higher security requirements than the third security zone SZ3, the measures associated with the second security zone SZ2 are implemented, ie the maximum Speed in an area around position P3 of third object 230 is limited to limit speed V1 assigned to second safety area SB2. One can also say that the second security zone SZ2 has a higher priority than the third security zone SZ3 and the object 230 is therefore treated on the basis of the specifications defined for the second security zone SZ2. In this case it is irrelevant that the object 230 partly also lies in the third security zone SZ3.

It should be noted that alternative or additional measures for limiting the speed are also possible. In particular, as an alternative, an avoidance trajectory can be determined (not shown), so that the limit speed is as constantly high as possible, which ensures that the trajectory TR can be followed quickly.

4A and 4B each show a further schematic view of vehicle 100 with safety areas SB1-SB3 and further exemplary trajectories TR. When driving along the received trajectory TR with the vehicle 100, external influences or a limited control accuracy can cause the vehicle 100 to deviate from the trajectory TR. This can lead to the determined safety zones SZ1 - SZ3 no longer being applicable. In order to prevent this, such a deviation can already be taken into account when determining the safety zones SZ1 - SZ3, in that the safety zones SZ1 - SZ3 "expand" as the distance traveled increases, as is shown in FIG 4A is shown. The 4B FIG. 12 shows another case in which a corresponding widening of the safety zones SZ1-SZ3 determined is shown due to a tight curve in the trajectory TR, which cannot be driven exactly due to slip on the wheels of the vehicle 100, for example.

5 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a parking assistance system 110 for a vehicle 100, for example in the 1 vehicle shown. The parking assistance system 110 is for controlling the vehicle 100 along a trajectory TR (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) furnished. The parking assistance system has a receiving unit 112 for receiving a specific trajectory TR, along which vehicle 100 is to be steered, and for receiving an environment sensor signal that is indicative of an environment 200 (see 1 ) of the vehicle 100 arranged object 210, 220, 230 (see 3A ) is on. Furthermore, parking assistance system 110 has a determination unit 114 for determining a number of safety zones SZ1-SZ3 (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) around the received trajectory TR based on a corresponding number of predetermined safety ranges SB1 - SB3 (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) for the vehicle 100, with a respective safety area SB1 - SB3 comprising a geometric area which encloses the vehicle 100, and with the respective safety zone SZ1 - SZ3 comprising a geometric area which when the trajectory TR is driven from the respective safety area SB1 - SB3 is swept over. Furthermore, the parking assistance system 110 has an assignment unit 116 for assigning the object 210, 220, 230 to a specific safety zone SZ1-SZ3 if a position P1-p3 (see 3B ) of the object 210, 220, 230 is in the safety zone SZ1-SZ3, a speed profile determination unit 117 for determining a speed profile VP (see 3B ) for driving the vehicle 100 along the received trajectory TR depending on the position P1 - P3 of the object 210, 220, 230, the object 210, 220, 230 assigned safety zone SZ1 - SZ3, and one to the assigned safety zone SZ1 - SZ3 corresponding safety area SB1 - SB3 associated limit speed V1 - V3, and a control unit 118 for controlling the vehicle 100 along the received trajectory TR according to the determined speed profile VP.

6 shows a schematic flow chart of an embodiment of a method for operating a parking assistance system 110 for a vehicle 100, for example the parking assistance system 110 of FIG 5 and the vehicle 100 of 1 . The parking assistance system 110 is for controlling the vehicle 100 along a trajectory TR (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) furnished. In a first step S1, a specific trajectory TR along which vehicle 100 is to be steered is received. In a second step S2, a number of security zones SZ1 - SZ3 (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) around the received trajectory TR, based on a corresponding number of predetermined safety areas SB1 - SB3 (see 2 , 3A , 3B , 4A , 4B ) for the vehicle 100, with a respective safety area SB1 - SB3 comprising a geometric area which includes the vehicle 100, and with the respective determined safety zone SZ1 - SZ3 comprising a geometric area which when the trajectory TR is driven from the respective safety area SB1 - SB3 is swept over. In a third step S3, an environment sensor signal is received which is indicative of an environment 200 (see 1 ) of the vehicle 100 arranged object 210, 220, 230 (see 3A ) is. In a fourth step S4, the object 210, 220, 230 of a specific security zone SZ1 - SZ3 assigned if a position P1 - P3 (see 3B ) of the object 210, 220, 230 is in the security zone SZ1 - SZ3. In a fifth step S5, a speed profile VP (see 3B ) for driving the vehicle 100 along the received trajectory TR depending on the position P1 - P3 (see 3A ) of the object 210, 220, 230, the safety zone SZ1 - SZ3 assigned to the object 210, 220, 230, and a limit speed V1 - V3 assigned to the safety area SB1 - SB3 corresponding to the assigned safety zone (see 3B ) determined. In a sixth step S6, vehicle 100 is controlled along the received trajectory according to the determined speed profile.

Although the present invention has been described using exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in many ways.

Reference List

100

vehicle

110

parking assistance system

112

receiving unit

114

investigation unit

116

allocation unit

117

Velocity profile determination unit

118

control unit

120

sensor unit

130

sensor unit

200

Vicinity

210

object

220

object

230

object

DIAG

diagram

P1

position

p2

position

P3

position

S

Route

S1

process step

S2

process step

S3

process step

S4

process step

S5

process step

S6

process step

SB1

security area

SB2

security area

SB3

security area

SZ1

safety zone

SZ2

safety zone

SZ3

safety zone

TR

trajectory

V

speed

V1

limit speed

v2

limit speed

V3

limit speed

VP

speed profile

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited 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

• US 2019/0369616 A1 [0004]

Claims (12)

Method for operating a parking assistance system (110) for a vehicle (100), wherein the parking assistance system (110) is set up for controlling the vehicle (100) along a trajectory (TR), the method comprising: Receiving (S1) a specific trajectory (TR) along which the vehicle (100) is to be steered, Determining (S2) a plurality of safety zones (SZ1 - SZ3) around the received trajectory (TR) on the basis of a corresponding plurality of predetermined safety areas (SB1 - SB3) for the vehicle (100), a respective safety area (SB1 - SB3) includes a geometric area that includes the vehicle (100), and wherein the respective safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) determined includes a geometric area that is covered when the trajectory (TR) is driven by the respective safety area (SB1 - SB3), Receiving (S3) an environment sensor signal which is indicative of an object (210, 220, 230) arranged in an environment (200) of the vehicle (100), Assigning (S4) the object (210, 220, 230) to a specific security zone (SZ1 - SZ3) if a position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230) is in the specific security zone (SZ1 - SZ3). , Determination (S5) of a speed profile (VP) for driving the vehicle (100) along the received trajectory (TR) as a function of the position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230) which is the object (210, 220 , 230) assigned safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3), and a limit speed (V1 - V3) assigned to the safety area (SB1 - SB3) corresponding to the assigned safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3), and Controlling (S6) the vehicle (100) along the received trajectory (TR) according to the determined speed profile (VP). procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that when determining a respective safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) a control accuracy when controlling the vehicle (100) along the trajectory (TR) and / or a measurement accuracy of an environment sensor (120, 130), from which the environment sensor signal is received , is taken into account. procedure after claim 2 , characterized in that the control accuracy is determined as a function of the received trajectory (TR) and/or of environmental conditions. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plurality of predetermined security areas (SB1 - SB3) comprises three security areas. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assignment of the respective limit speed (V1 - V3) to the safety areas (SB1 - SB3) is such that the limit speed (V1 - V3) increases in stages from the inside to the outside. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an avoidance trajectory is determined when the object (210, 220, 230) is in the safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) corresponding to a predetermined safety area (SB1 - SB3), the avoidance trajectory being such it is determined that the object (210, 220, 230), if updated safety zones (SZ1 - SZ3) are determined on the basis of the avoidance trajectory, is outside the updated safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) corresponding to the predetermined safety area (SB1 - SB3). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the received trajectory (TR) is a trajectory planned as a function of the environment (200) or a stored trajectory. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surroundings sensor signal comprises an optical sensor signal and/or an ultrasonic sensor signal. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the predetermined safety areas (SB1 - SB3) are assigned a priority, a first predetermined safety area (SB1 - SB3) comprising a smaller area than a second predetermined safety area (SB1 - SB3). , is assigned a higher priority, with each security zone (SZ1 - SZ3) being assigned the priority assigned to the corresponding security area (SB1 - SB3), and the object (210, 220, 230) only being assigned to that security zone (SZ1 - SZ3) with the assigned the highest priority. Computer program product, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to carry out the method according to one of Claims 1 - 9 to execute. Parking assistance system (110) for a vehicle (100), the parking assistance system (110) controlling the vehicle (100) along a trajectory (TR) is set up, with: a receiving unit (112) for receiving a specific trajectory (TR) along which the ride vehicle (100) is to be controlled, and for receiving an environment sensor signal that is indicative of an environment (200) of the vehicle (100) arranged object (210, 220, 230), a determination unit (114) for determining a number of Safety zones (SZ1 - SZ3) around the received trajectory (TR) based on a corresponding number of predetermined safety areas (SB1 - SB3) for the vehicle (100), wherein a respective safety area (SB1 - SB3) comprises a geometric area that Vehicle (100) includes, and wherein the respective safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3) comprises a geometric area that is swept over by the respective safety area (SB1 - SB3) when the trajectory (TR) is driven, an assignment unit (116) for assigning the object (210, 220, 230) to a specific security zone (SZ1 - SZ3), if a position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230) is in the security zone (SZ1 - SZ3), a speed profile determination unit (117 ) for determining a speed profile (VP) for driving the vehicle (100) along the received trajectory (TR) as a function of the position (P1 - P3) of the object (210, 220, 230), the object (210, 220, 230) assigned safety zone (SZ1 - SZ3), and a speed limit (V1 - V3) assigned to the safety area (SB1 - SB3) corresponding to the assigned safety zone, and a control unit (118) for controlling the vehicle (100) along the received trajectory ( TR) according to the determined velocity profile (VP).. Vehicle (100) with at least one environment sensor (120, 130) for detecting an environment (200) of the vehicle (100) and for outputting a corresponding environment sensor signal, and with a parking assistance system (110). claim 11 .

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