DE102022124920A1 - CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

A control device for a motor vehicle is provided, wherein the control device has an input interface, an output interface and a processor connected to the input interface and the output interface. The control device is designed to receive sensor data from a sensor installed on the motor vehicle and connectable to the control device by means of the input interface, to detect a bus driving ahead by means of the processor based on the received sensor data, to determine a location of a bus stop at which the bus is likely to stop next, and to generate a control signal if the determined location is at a predetermined distance from the motor vehicle, and to output the generated control signal by means of the output interface to an information output unit of the motor vehicle that can be connected to the control device, so that the information output unit issues a lane change recommendation to a driver of the motor vehicle.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a control device for a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle with the control device and/or a control method for a motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, a computer program is provided which includes instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to at least partially carry out the control method. Additionally or alternatively, a computer-readable medium is provided that includes instructions that, when the instructions are executed by a computer, cause it to at least partially execute the control method.

Driver assistance systems are increasingly being installed in modern motor vehicles, especially automobiles.

Driver assistance systems (FAS; English (Advanced) Driver Assistance Systems, (A)DAS) are electronic, in particular mechatronic, devices in motor vehicles to support the driver in certain driving situations. The focus here is often on safety aspects, but also on increasing driving comfort. Another aspect is improving economic efficiency.

However, especially in urban driving situations or in city traffic, despite the already installed or known driver assistance systems, time is often lost because one has to stop behind an (omni) bus that stops at a stop, since if one does not know the local area it is not known. where the bus will have its scheduled stop

Against the background of this prior art, the task of the present disclosure is to specify a device and a method, which are each suitable for enriching the prior art.

The task is solved by the features of the independent claim. The subclaims contain optional further developments of the disclosure.

The task is then solved by a control device for a motor vehicle, the control device having an input interface, an output interface and a processor connected to the input interface and the output interface.

The control device can be part of or represent a driving assistance system. The control device can be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). The electronic control unit can be an intelligent processor-controlled unit that can communicate with other modules, for example via a central gateway (CGW) and, if necessary, via field buses such as the CAN bus, LIN bus, MOST bus and FlexRay or via automotive Ethernet, for example together with telematics control devices and/or environmental sensors, can form the vehicle on-board network.

It is conceivable that the control unit controls functions relevant to the driving behavior of the motor vehicle, such as the engine control, the power transmission, the braking system and/or the tire pressure monitoring system. In addition, driver assistance systems, such as a parking assistant, an adapted cruise control (ACC), a lane keeping assistant, a lane change assistant, traffic sign recognition, light signal recognition, a starting assistant, a night vision assistant and/or an intersection assistant, can be controlled by the control unit .

The control device is designed to receive sensor data from a sensor installed on the motor vehicle and connectable to the control device using the input interface.

The control device is designed to detect a bus driving ahead by means of the processor based on the received sensor data.

An omnibus, or bus for short, is a large road vehicle that is used to transport numerous people, for example in local public transport (ÖPNV).

In the European Union, in accordance with the comments in Annex I to Directive 70/156/EEC, motorized land vehicles of classes M2 or M3 with more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat are officially considered motor buses (KOM) and are motor vehicles. In Switzerland, motor vehicles in class M2 over 3.50 t or M3 are referred to as company cars in accordance with Art. 11 Para. 2b VTS. Motor vehicles falling under at least one of these definitions may be considered buses within the scope of the present disclosure.

Furthermore, the term “omnibus” can be interpreted broadly. An omnibus can then also be a trolleybus or trolleybus and/or a tram.

It is conceivable that the bus is a regular bus. A public bus is an omnibus used to transport people on concerts sioned lines or with fixed bus stops.

The control device is designed to use the processor to determine a location of a bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next.

A (bus) stop, also called a stop, is a place on a local public transport line that is served by trams, trolleybuses, buses or other public transport on a scheduled or at least regular basis to enable passengers to get on and off to enable. If a stop is located directly on the street, special traffic regulations apply to all vehicles, especially when driving past and parking.

Apart from any relevant regulations, changing to a second available lane from a standstill is usually no longer possible or sometimes involves risks due to the high difference in speed to the other vehicles coming from behind in the target lane.

Therefore, a situation in which the motor vehicle comes to a standstill behind the bus stopped at the bus stop should be avoided.

The control device is designed to generate a control signal by means of the processor when the specific location is at a predetermined distance from the motor vehicle.

The control device is designed to output the generated control signal by means of the output interface to an information output unit of the motor vehicle that can be connected to the control device, so that the information output unit issues a lane change recommendation to a driver of the motor vehicle.

The control device described above enables a driver or a motor vehicle driver who has no knowledge of the stops at which a (regular) bus ahead is scheduled to stop to choose the optimal lane. This is solved, among other things, by showing the driver a lane change recommendation at an early stage. This can prevent time being lost when driving motor vehicles in city traffic and a critical situation at the bus stop.

Possible developments of the control device described above are explained in detail below.

The control device can be designed to receive route information regarding a route of the motor vehicle from a navigation system installed on the motor vehicle and connectable to the control device using the input interface.

A route can be understood as a path along which a motor vehicle moves or (probably) will move in a road network. In addition to location or position information, the route can include a temporal component, i.e. when is the motor vehicle where or when will the motor vehicle be where.

The control device can be designed to use the processor to determine, based on the received route information regarding the route of the motor vehicle, whether the bus stop is on the route of the motor vehicle, and to generate the control signal only if the specific location is on the route of the motor vehicle .

Determining the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next may include determining an identifier of the detected preceding bus based on the received sensor data using the processor.

Determining the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next may include performing a database query comprising outputting the determined identifier to a backend using the output interface and receiving information comprising the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop will hold next, using the input interface.

It is conceivable that the distance from the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next to the motor vehicle is a distance in time and/or distance.

Furthermore, a motor vehicle is provided with the control device described above.

The motor vehicle may be a passenger car, in particular an automobile, a motorised two- or three-wheeler, or a commercial vehicle, such as a truck.

The motor vehicle can be automated. The motor vehicle can be designed to provide at least longitudinal guidance and/or transverse guidance during automated driving of the motor vehicle at least partially and/or at least temporarily.

Automated driving can be carried out in such a way that the movement of the motor vehicle is (largely) autonomous. The automated driving can be controlled at least partially and/or temporarily by the control device.

It is conceivable that, in addition to displaying the lane change recommendation, the motor vehicle actively intervenes in the lateral guidance, in particular at least partially carrying out the lane change.

The motor vehicle can have a camera connected to the input interface with a field of view directed in front of the motor vehicle, which is designed to record image data and output it as the sensor data to the input interface of the control device.

The motor vehicle can have the information output unit connected to the output interface of the control device, which is designed to issue a lane change recommendation to the driver of the motor vehicle based on the control signal.

The information output unit can be designed to provide the lane change recommendation as a haptic (e.g. via a movement of the steering wheel in the direction of the target lane and/or a vibration of the steering wheel), acoustic (e.g. by emitting an advisory tone via the loudspeaker of the motor vehicle) and/or visual (e.g. by means of a display, optionally in the instrument cluster, of the motor vehicle) to output a signal to the driver of the motor vehicle.

What was described above with reference to the control device also applies analogously to the motor vehicle and vice versa.

What has been described above is summarized below in different words and as not limiting the disclosure with reference to a more concrete embodiment of the solution according to the disclosure.

It is conceivable that a device according to the disclosure includes a camera, a navigation system, a backend, an evaluation device as well as optical and acoustic display options.

The logic of the evaluation device can be designed to determine the current position and the expected route of the driver via the navigation system after the destination has been entered and its location function.

The logic of the evaluation device can be designed to use the camera to determine buses in front and their route numbers.

The logic of the evaluation device can be designed to determine the next stop ahead on the expected route of the motor vehicle, at which the bus will stop as planned, by comparing the route number of the bus in front with the bus stop plan of the transport company, which can be stored in the backend determine.

The logic of the evaluation device can be designed to suggest a lane change to the driver through visual and acoustic indications if the bus will stop in the motor vehicle's lane in the near future.

Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a control method for a motor vehicle. The control method includes recognizing a bus in front based on sensor data from a sensor installed on the motor vehicle, determining a location of a bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next, and issuing a lane change recommendation by means of an information output unit of the motor vehicle if the specific location is at a predetermined distance from the motor vehicle.

The control method can be a computer-implemented method, i.e. one, several or all steps of the method can be carried out at least partially by a computer or a data processing device, optionally the control device.

What has been described above with reference to the control device and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the control method and vice versa.

Furthermore, a computer program is provided, comprising commands which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to at least partially execute or carry out the method described above.

A program code of the computer program can be in any code, in particular in a code that is suitable for motor vehicle controls.

What has been described above with reference to the control device, the motor vehicle and the control method also applies analogously to the computer program and vice versa.

Furthermore, a computer-readable medium, in particular a computer-readable storage medium dium, provided. The computer-readable medium includes instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially carry out the method described above.

That is, a computer-readable medium may be provided that includes a computer program as defined above. The computer-readable medium can be any digital data storage device, such as a USB flash drive, hard drive, CD-ROM, SD card, or SSD card.

The computer program does not necessarily have to be stored on such a computer-readable storage medium in order to be made available to the motor vehicle, but can also be obtained externally via the Internet or otherwise.

The above description with reference to the control method, the control device, the computer program and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the computer-readable medium and vice versa.

• 1 zeigt schematisch ein Ablaufdiagramm des Steuerverfahrens, und
• 2 zeigt schematisch ein das Steuerverfahren ausführendes Kraftfahrzeug.

An embodiment is described below with reference to 1 and 2 described.

• 1 shows a schematic flowchart of the control process, and
• 2 shows schematically a motor vehicle carrying out the control procedure.

How out 1 results, the control process essentially has seven steps S1 - S7.

To carry out the procedure, the in 2 motor vehicle 1 shown, a control device 2 with an input interface 21, an output interface 23 and a processor 22 connected to the input interface 21 and to the output interface 23, a camera 3 connected to the input interface 21, a navigation system 4 connected to the input interface 21 and one to the output interface 23 connected information output unit 5. Furthermore, the motor vehicle is connected to a backend 6 via the input interface 21 and the output interface 23.

In a first step S1 of the control method, image data corresponding to the field of view are recorded by means of the camera 3, whose field of view is directed into an area in the direction of travel in front of the motor vehicle 1, and output to the input interface 21 of the control device 2 and received by it.

In a second step S2 of the control method, route information relating to a route of the motor vehicle 1 is output to the input interface 21 of the control device 2 and received by the navigation system 4.

The first and second steps S1, S2 can take place at least partially simultaneously.

In a third step S3 of the control method, a preceding bus and its line number are recognized as an identifier by means of the processor 22 based on the received image data.

In a fourth step S4 of the control method, the control device 2, controlled by the processor 22, carries out a database query in the backend 6 in order to determine a location of a bus stop at which the public bus is expected to stop next. The database query includes outputting the specific line number to the backend 6 using the output interface 23 and receiving information including the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next using the input interface 22.

In a fifth step S5 of the control method, the processor 22 determines, based on the received route information regarding the route of the motor vehicle 1 and the location of the bus stop determined by means of the database query, whether this location or whether the bus stop is on the route of the motor vehicle 1, and whether the time and/or distance of the motor vehicle 1 from this location is below a predetermined limit value.

If both are the case, then in a sixth step S6 of the control method, a control signal is generated by the processor 22 and output via the output interface 23 to or to the information output unit 5, so that the information output unit 5 receives a lane change recommendation in a seventh step S7 of the control method outputs a haptic, acoustic and/or visual signal to a driver of the motor vehicle 1.

Reference symbol list

1

motor vehicle

2

Control device

21

Input interface

22

processor

23

Output interface

3

camera

4

navigation system

5

Information output unit

6

Backend

S1 - S7

Procedural steps

Claims (10)

Control device (2) for a motor vehicle (1), wherein the control device (2) has an input interface (21), an output interface (23) and a processor (22) connected to the input interface (21) and to the output interface (23), characterized in that the control device (2) is designed to: - receive sensor data from a sensor (2) installed on the motor vehicle (1) and connectable to the control device (2) by means of the input interface (21), - by means of the processor (22) based on the received sensor data, to recognize a bus in front, to determine a location of a bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next, and to generate a control signal if the specific location is at a predetermined distance from the motor vehicle (1), and - to output the generated control signal by means of the output interface (23) to an information output unit (5) of the motor vehicle (1) which can be connected to the control device (2), so that the information output unit (5) issues a lane change recommendation to a driver of the motor vehicle (1). Control device (2). Claim 1 characterized in that the control device (2) is designed to: - use the input interface (21) to receive route information relating to a route of the motor vehicle (1) from a navigation system (4) installed on the motor vehicle (1) and connectable to the control device (2). ) to receive, and - by means of the processor (22) based on the received route information regarding the route of the motor vehicle (1) to determine whether the bus stop is on the route of the motor vehicle (1), and to generate the control signal only if the specific location on the route of the motor vehicle (1). Control device (2). Claim 1 or 2 characterized in that determining the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next comprises: - determining an identifier of the recognized, preceding bus based on the received sensor data by means of the processor (22), and - carrying out a database query comprising outputting the specific identifier to a backend (6) by means of the output interface (23) and receiving information comprising the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next, by means of the input interface (21) from the backend (6) . Control device (2) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the distance from the location of the bus stop at which the bus is expected to stop next to the motor vehicle (1) is a distance in time and/or distance. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the motor vehicle (1) has a control device (2) according to one of Claims 1 until 4 having. Motor vehicle (1). Claim 5 , characterized in that the motor vehicle (1) has a camera (2) connected to the input interface (21) with a field of view directed in front of the motor vehicle (1), which is designed to record image data and send it as the sensor data to the input interface (21 ) of the control device (2). Motor vehicle (1). Claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that the motor vehicle has the information output unit connected to the output interface (23) of the control device (2), which is designed to issue a lane change recommendation to the driver of the motor vehicle (1) based on the control signal. Motor vehicle (1) after Claim 7 , characterized in that the information output unit (5) is designed to output the lane change recommendation as a haptic, acoustic and/or visual signal to the driver of the motor vehicle (1). Control method for a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that the control method has: - detecting (S3) a bus in front based on sensor data from a sensor (2) installed on the motor vehicle (1), - determining (S4) a location of a bus stop, at which the bus is expected to stop next, and - issuing (S6) a lane change recommendation by means of an information output unit (5) of the motor vehicle (1) if the specific location is at a predetermined distance from the motor vehicle (1). Computer program and/or computer-readable medium, characterized in that the computer program or the medium comprises instructions which, when the program or the instructions are executed by a computer, ver start, follow the procedure Claim 9 to carry out.

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