FR3139226A1 - Method and device for detecting at least partial lifting of a stationary vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for detecting the lifting of a stationary vehicle (10). For this purpose, first image data are received at a first time instant from a camera (101) on board the vehicle (10). The first image data is compared with second image data acquired by the same camera (101) at a second time point preceding the first time point. The result of the comparison makes it possible to detect that the vehicle (10) is lifted. When lifting is detected, one or more vehicle protection operations (10) are triggered. Figure for abstract: Figure 1

Description

Method and device for detecting at least partial lifting of a stationary vehicle

The present invention relates to methods and devices for detecting lifting of a stationary vehicle, for example a motor vehicle. The present invention also relates to a method and a device for processing image data for detecting partial or total lifting of a vehicle.

Technology background

Vehicles, and particularly motor vehicles, are subject to attempted theft. Among these theft attempts, one technique used by thieves consists of lifting the vehicle while it is parked, for example to place it on a truck or van and transport it to a location where the thieves will attempt to unlock the vehicle. . Another technique consists of lifting part of the vehicle, for example at one of the wheels of this vehicle using a jack to remove the wheel in question.

To protect vehicles and their components from these theft attempts, certain vehicles are equipped with alarms which are triggered when a lifting or movement of the vehicle is detected while the vehicle was previously stationary.

There are three types of alarms, namely perimeter alarms, volumetric alarms and tilt detection alarms. Each of these types of alarm requires the installation of special sensors and software that are not part of the vehicle's original or standard equipment, which generates additional costs for the owner.

Summary of the present invention

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the costs associated with detecting an attempt to lift a vehicle.

According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for detecting lifting of a stationary vehicle, the method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps:

- reception of first image data at a first time instant from a camera on board the vehicle, the camera having in its field of vision at least part of an environment outside the vehicle;

- comparison of the first image data with second image data acquired by the camera at a second time instant prior to the first time instant;

- detection of at least partial lifting of the vehicle from a comparison result;

- triggering of at least one vehicle protection operation following detection.

According to the present invention, only data received from a vehicle-mounted camera is used to detect whether an attempt to lift the vehicle is in progress. Such a camera is fitted to a large number of contemporary vehicles and such equipment is likely to become widespread since European regulations, known as GSR2 (General Safety Regulation / GSR II: EU 2019/2144), require that all vehicles be equipped with a camera for ADAS system functions (from the English “Advanced Driver-Assistance System” or in French “Advanced Driving Assistance System”) such as the LKA system (from the English “Lane-Keeping Assist” or in French “Lane Keeping Assistant”) and automatic emergency braking, known as AEB (from the English “Autonomous Emergency Braking”, or “autonomous emergency braking” in French).

Thus, an attempt to lift the vehicle is detected with standard equipment and therefore at lower cost, for significant security and protection of the vehicle against theft.

According to one variant, the method further comprises the following steps:

- reception of locking data representative of a vehicle locking command;

- acquisition of the second image data by the camera following receipt of the locking data.

According to another variant, the at least one operation belongs to a set of operations comprising:

- locking of at least one computer controlling at least one component of a vehicle traction chain;

- generation and rendering of at least one signal representative of a vehicle lifting detection alarm;

- transmission of alert data to a mobile communication device via a wireless link.

According to an additional variant, the at least one member of the traction chain corresponds to:

- a vehicle engine; and or

- a vehicle gearbox; and or

- a set of vehicle wheels; and or

- at least one component of a vehicle steering system,

and for which said detection alarm corresponds to:

- an audible alarm; and or

- a visual alarm.

According to yet another variant, at least partial lifting of the vehicle is detected when a content of a first image represented by the first image data is different at least in part from a content of a second image represented by the second image data.

According to an additional variant, the comparison of the first image data and the second image data comprises the following steps:

- determination of a first horizon line by processing the first image data;

- determination of a second horizon line by processing the second image data;

- comparison of the first horizon line and the second horizon line,

at least partial lifting of the vehicle being detected when the first horizon line and the second horizon line are different.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for detecting the lifting of a stationary vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of a source code, an object code, or an intermediate code between a source code and an object code, such as in partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a ROM memory of the microelectronic circuit type, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or terrestrial radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the present invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet type network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in executing the method in question.

Brief description of the figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3, in which:

schematically illustrates a vehicle stationary in a specific environment, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

schematically illustrates a device configured to detect lifting of a stationary vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method for detecting lifting of a stationary vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the implementation examples

A method and a device for detecting the lifting of a stationary vehicle will now be described in what follows with reference jointly to Figures 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description which follows.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention, the detection of lifting of a stationary vehicle, that is to say a stationary vehicle, for example parked, comprises reception, for example by a vehicle computer, first image data at a first time instant. These first data are advantageously received from a camera on board the vehicle, the camera having in its field of vision at least part of an environment outside the vehicle. The first image data is compared to second image data acquired by the same camera at a second time point preceding the first time point. The result of the comparison makes it possible to detect that the vehicle is lifted, or at least partially, for example when the first image data corresponds to content of a first image different from the content of a second image corresponding to the second data image. When lifting is detected, one or more vehicle protection operations are triggered, such as for example triggering an alarm, transmitting an alert and/or locking one or more computers controlling one or more components of the vehicle's traction chain.

There schematically illustrates an environment 1 in which a vehicle 10 is parked or stopped, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

The vehicle 10 corresponds for example to a vehicle with a thermal engine, with an electric motor(s) or even a hybrid vehicle with a thermal engine and one or more electric motors. The vehicle 10 thus corresponds for example to a land vehicle, for example an automobile, a truck, a coach, a motorcycle.

Environment 1 corresponds to any environment in which the vehicle 10 can be parked while stationary. A stationary vehicle within the meaning of the present invention corresponds in particular to a vehicle whose engine is switched off and whose openings have been locked closed to prevent any intrusion into the vehicle 10.

Environment 1 corresponds for example to a parking area or zone such as a car park or a roadside.

The vehicle 10 advantageously carries one or more cameras 101 configured for the acquisition of image data of the environment of the vehicle 10, in particular the external environment of the vehicle 10. This or these powered cameras are controlled by one or more computers of the vehicle on-board system 10.

According to a particular example, the camera 101 is associated with an ADAS system of the vehicle 10 such as the LKA system for example, that is to say that the image data acquired by the camera 101 when the vehicle 10 is traveling are used to power the LKA system which processes this image data for the implementation of the functions provided by the LKA system.

The vehicle 10 carries for example a camera 101, called a front camera. Such a camera 101 is advantageously arranged in the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10 under the windshield and at the top and in the middle of this windshield. Such a front camera 101 has a field of vision corresponding to the space located in front of the vehicle 10 according to the direction of movement of the vehicle 10.

The camera 101 includes for example the following elements:

- a photosensitive sensor corresponding for example to a matrix of photoreceptors associated for example with a Bayer filter;

- an optical assembly arranged in front of the sensor facing the scene to be acquired by the sensor, the optical assembly comprising for example an arrangement of one or more lenses; And

- optionally one or more computers associated with memory and configured for processing the images acquired by the sensor.

According to another example, the vehicle 10 has a camera arranged at the level of the front grille or at the level of the front bumper, such a camera having in its field of vision the portion of the road passing in front of the vehicle 10. Such a camera is for example used for the detection and recognition of road markings (lines drawn on the road). Such a camera is, for example, protected from the external environment by a protective glass.

According to yet another example, the vehicle 10 has a camera mounted on or in each exterior mirror.

The data obtained from this camera 101 (and/or other on-board cameras) are transmitted to one or more computers of the vehicle 10 for the control of one or more functions of the vehicle 10.

According to a particular embodiment, the environment 1 of the vehicle 10 further comprises a wireless mobile communication infrastructure, for example a network infrastructure implementing communications according to LTE technology (from the English "Long- Term Evolution” or in French “Long-Term Evolution”), LTE-Advanced (from the English “Long-Term Evolution - Advanced” or in French “Evolution à long-term avanced”), that is to say a 4G or 5G type network for example.

For this purpose, the vehicle 10 carries a communication device or system corresponding for example to a telematic control unit, called TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit”) associated with one or more antennas, which communication device is configured to transmit and receive data to and from a remote device, for example a server 111 of the “cloud” 100 (or “cloud” in French) and/or a mobile communication device 112 (for example a smartphone (from the 'English "Smartphone")).

The network infrastructure includes, for example, communication devices 110 corresponding to relay antennas.

The different computers of the vehicle 10, the camera 101 and the communication unit TCU form for example a multiplexed architecture for the realization of different services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle, for example for the detection of an attempt to lift any or part of the vehicle. The computers, the camera and the TCU unit communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN data bus type communication bus (Controller Area Network). » or in French “Réseau de controllers”), CAN FD (from the English “Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate” or in French “Réseau de controllers à flow flexible data”), FlexRay (according to the ISO 17458 standard) , LIN (from English “Local Interconnect Network” or in French “Réseau interconnectée local”) or Ethernet (according to the ISO/IEC 802-3 standard).

A process for detecting the total or partial lifting of the vehicle 10 is advantageously implemented by a device on board the vehicle 10, for example by one or more processors of one or more computers of the vehicle 10.

A total lifting of the vehicle 10 corresponds to an operation having the objective of moving the vehicle 10 by lifting it, for example to lift it from its parking space where it is stationary towards a platform, for example a trailer of a truck.

A partial lifting of the vehicle 10 corresponds to an operation according to which part of the wheels of the vehicle 10 remain in contact with the ground and one or more other wheels are raised from the ground, for example via one or more jacks or other devices intended to raise a part of a vehicle.

In a first operation, first image data is received from the camera 101, for example via a data bus of the on-board system of the vehicle 10.

These first data are representative of a first image of the external environment of the vehicle 10 located in the field of vision of the camera 101 at a first determined time instant.

When the vehicle 10 is stationary, for example with the engine off and the doors locked closed, the camera 101 is controlled to acquire images at regular intervals, for example every 100, 200, 500 or 1000ms.

The first data resulting from the acquisition are for example stored in a memory of the vehicle 10 accessible by the computer in charge of the process.

In a second operation, the first image data are compared to second image data representative of a second image acquired by the camera 101 at a second time instant prior to the first time instant of acquisition of the first image data .

The second image represented by the second image data was thus acquired by the camera 101 before (from a temporal point of view) the first image represented by the first image data obtained in the first operation.

The second image corresponds for example to a reference image whose second image data are stored in the memory of the vehicle 10 accessible by the computer in charge of the process.

The acquisition of the second image is for example triggered by an action of the driver of the vehicle 10, for example by pressing a button of a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) of the vehicle 10, by pressing a button of a remote control (corresponding for example to the vehicle key 10 controlling the remote locking/unlocking of the vehicle) or by pressing a virtual button of an HMI of a mobile application executed on the mobile communication device 112 connected in communication wirelessly with the vehicle 10.

According to another example, the acquisition of the second image data of the second image is triggered automatically when the vehicle 10 is locked, for example by pressing a button on a remote control, on a button on an exterior handle of the vehicle 10 or by actuation of a key in a lock of a door of the vehicle 10.

On receipt of the data from the vehicle locking command 10, the computer in charge of the process transmits a request to acquire an image to the camera 101. On receipt of the second image data, the computer records and stores this second image data in memory as reference image data of the external environment.

The comparison of the first image and the second image is implemented according to any image processing method known to those skilled in the art.

Examples of such methods are described in the thesis document entitled “Robust approaches for image comparison and object recognition” by Julien Rabin, published on December 9, 2019 (Telecom ParisTech®).

According to a variant embodiment, the comparison of the first image and the second image comprises the determination, for each image, of a horizon line, that is to say the determination of a first horizon line in the first image by processing the first image data and determining a second horizon line in the second image by processing the second image data.

An example of a method for determining a horizon line by processing image data is for example described in the document entitled “Detection of the horizon line and vanishing points by deep learning”, published on September 9 2021 by A. Elassam, M.O. Berger and G. Simon in HAL Open Science.

In a third operation, the partial or total lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected according to the result of the comparison of the second operation.

For example, when the comparison corresponds to the comparison of the content of the first image (first image data) with the content of the second image (second image data), a partial or total lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected when the Content of the first image is different from the content of the second image.

When the content of the first image and the content of the second image are identical, then no lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected.

When the comparison corresponds to the comparison of the first horizon line and the second horizon line, a partial or total lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected when the first horizon line and the second horizon line are different.

When the first horizon line and the second horizon line are identical, then no lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected.

In a fourth operation, one or more operations to protect the vehicle 10 are triggered following the detection of the partial or total lifting of the vehicle 10.

The protection operation corresponds for example to one or more of the following operations, in all possible combinations:

- locking of one or more computers controlling one or more members of the traction chain of the vehicle 10, for example the engine of the vehicle 10, the gearbox of the vehicle 10, the wheels of the vehicle 10, one or more members of the system steering of the vehicle 10 (steering wheel, steering column, steering box, etc.): locking the computer(s) makes it possible to block the organ(s) of the traction chain to immobilize the vehicle 10; unlocking is for example made possible only by entering a particular code or by action of an approved control center, this making it possible to block a stolen vehicle; and or

- rendering of an alarm, for example an audible alarm (emission of a sound and/or a message by one or more speakers of the vehicle 10 and/or the vehicle horn) and/or a visual alarm ( triggering of the vehicle's indicators, switching on of the lighting lights of the vehicle 10, display of a message on a screen of the vehicle 10 and/or by projection on the ground, etc.); and or

- transmission of alert data via a wireless connection to the mobile communication device 112 (for example via a mobile application installed on the device 112) to alert the person holding the device 112, with for example display of text , an icon and/or emission of a specific sound; and or

- transmission of alert data via a wireless connection to a server such as the server 111, for example to alert a control center to then alert the owner of the vehicle 10 and/or the police; the alert data includes for example data representative of the geographical location of the vehicle 10, obtained for example from a receiver of a geolocation system such as the GPS system (from the English “Global Positioning System” or in French “Global Positioning System”) or Galileo.

The vehicle 10 protection operation(s) implemented make it possible to protect the vehicle 10 against theft when a partial or total lifting of the vehicle 10 is detected. This makes it possible to increase the security of the vehicle 10 against theft.

There schematically illustrates a device 2 configured to detect the partial or total lifting of a vehicle, for example of the vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds for example to a device on board the vehicle 10, for example a computer.

The device 2 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to the and/or steps of the process described with regard to the . Examples of such a device 2 include, without being limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as an on-board computer of a vehicle, an electronic computer such as an ECU (“Electronic Control Unit”), a computer , a mobile communications device such as a smartphone or tablet. The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, can be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and/or into discrete components. Device 2 can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

The device 2 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and/or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 2 further comprises at least one memory 21 corresponding for example to a volatile and/or non-volatile memory and/or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM , PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 21.

According to different particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment, the device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example other servers or a TCU (from the English "Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Telematic Control Unit”), for example via a communications bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 2 comprises a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices, for example a computer or a TCU of a vehicle, or a remote server or the "cloud », other nodes of the ad hoc network. The interface elements of block 22 include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radio frequency interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the frequency bands at 2.4, 5 or 5.9 GHz, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the band frequency at 2.4 GHz, LTE (from the English “Long-Term Evolution” or in French “Evolution à long-term”), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-advanced);

- USB interface (from the English “Universal Serial Bus” or “Bus Universel en Série” in French);

- HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, or “Interface Multimedia Haute Definition” in French).

According to another particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 2 comprises a communication interface 23 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other servers or other computers of the on-board system when the device 2 corresponds to a calculator) via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a wired network of the CAN type (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Réseau de controlleres”), CAN FD (from the English “Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate” or in French “ Flexible Data Rate Controller Network"), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO/IEC 802-3).

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen, touch or not, one or more speakers and/or other peripherals (e.g. haptic actuator) via respective output interfaces. According to one variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into device 2.

There illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method for detecting the lifting of a stationary vehicle, for example of the vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by one or more processors of one or more devices on board the vehicle 10, or by the device 2 of the .

In a first step 31, first image data are received at a first time instant from a camera on board the vehicle, the camera having in its field of vision at least part of an environment external to the vehicle.

In a second step 32, the first image data are compared with second image data acquired by the camera at a second time instant prior to the first time instant.

In a third step 33, at least partial lifting of the vehicle is detected from a result of the comparison.

In a fourth step 34, at least one vehicle protection operation is triggered following detection.

According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to the apply to the stages of the process of .

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method of triggering one or more operations to protect against the theft of a vehicle which would include secondary steps without this beyond the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured to implement such a process.

The present invention also relates to a system comprising a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle or more generally an autonomous vehicle with a land engine, comprising the device 2 of the .

Claims (10)

Method for detecting lifting of a stationary vehicle (10), said method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps:
- reception (31) of first image data at a first time instant from a camera (101) on board said vehicle (10), said camera (101) having in its field of vision at least part of an external environment of the vehicle (10);
- comparison (32) of said first image data with second image data acquired by said camera (101) at a second time instant prior to said first time instant;
- detection (33) of at least partial lifting of said vehicle (10) from a result of said comparison (32);
- triggering (34) of at least one protection operation of said vehicle following said detection (33). A method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps:
- reception of locking data representative of a locking command of said vehicle (10);
- acquisition of said second image data by said camera (101) following said reception of said locking data. Method according to claim 1 or 2, for which said at least one operation belongs to a set of operations comprising:
- locking of at least one computer controlling at least one member of a traction chain of said vehicle (10);
- generation and rendering of at least one signal representative of a lifting detection alarm of said vehicle (10);
- transmission of alert data to a mobile communication device (112) via a wireless link. Method according to claim 3, for which said at least one member of the traction chain corresponds to:
- an engine of said vehicle (10); and or
- a gearbox of said vehicle (10); and or
- a set of wheels of said vehicle (10); and or
- at least one member of a steering system of said vehicle (10),
and for which said detection alarm corresponds to:
- an audible alarm; and or
- a visual alarm. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, for which at least partial lifting of said vehicle (10) is detected when a content of a first image represented by said first image data is different at least in part from content of a second image represented by said second image data. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, for which said comparison of said first image data and said second image data comprises the following steps:
- determination of a first horizon line by processing said first image data;
- determination of a second horizon line by processing said second image data;
- comparison of said first horizon line and said second horizon line,
an at least partial lifting of said vehicle (10) being detected when said first horizon line and said second horizon line are different. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by a processor. Computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 6 is recorded. Device (2) for detecting the lifting of a stationary vehicle, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for implementing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6. Vehicle (10) comprising the device (2) according to claim 9.