WO2019121429A1

WO2019121429A1 - Method and system for the autonomy-level-dependent setting of a mobile communication terminal

Info

Publication number: WO2019121429A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/085076
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Schraut
Original assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
Priority date: 2017-12-18
Filing date: 2018-12-14
Publication date: 2019-06-27
Also published as: DE102017222997A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the autonomy level-dependent setting of a mobile communication terminal, wherein in a vehicle an autonomy level for the operation of the vehicle is dynamically determined and, in dependence thereon, at least one parameter of the communication terminal communicatively connected to the vehicle is changed.

Description

Method and system for autonomy-level-dependent setting of a mobile communication terminal

The invention relates to a method and a system for the autonomy level-dependent setting or configuration of a mobile communication terminal and preferably for controlling or configuration of a mobile

Communication terminal (smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, smart watch, laptop, ...) by a vehicle or a control unit of the vehicle depending on a dynamically determined level of autonomy.

In Europe (defined, inter alia, by the Federal Highway Research Institute) and in the USA (eg, specified in SAE J3016), autonomous driving is classified into six levels of autonomy:

Level 0: "Driver only", the driver drives himself, steers, accelerates, brakes, etc.

Stage 1: Certain assistance systems help with vehicle operation, for example Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

Stage 2: partial automation. Functions such as automatic parking, tracking, general longitudinal guidance, acceleration, deceleration are provided by the

Assistance systems taken over, z. B. the traffic jam assistant.

Stage 3: High Automation. The driver does not have to constantly monitor the vehicle. The vehicle autonomously performs functions such as triggering the turn signal, lane change and lane keeping. The driver can turn to other things, but is prompted if necessary within a warning time by the vehicle to take the lead.

Stage 4: full automation. The guidance of the vehicle is permanently taken over by the vehicle. If the vehicle does not cope with the driving tasks, the driver may be asked to take the lead.

Stage 5: No driver required. No human intervention is required other than setting the destination and starting the vehicle. Depending on the level of autonomy, a vehicle user must therefore track the driving situation more or less intensively, in order to be able to adapt the autonomous actions of the vehicle or intervene in the autonomous driving behavior, if necessary. Also depending on a level of autonomy, the user of the vehicle can therefore devote his attention to other things. For example, it is possible for him to use content (texts, pictures, films, music, ...). For playback of media content, a mobile communication terminal can be used. The mobile communication terminal in particular selective applications that serve the output of the media content.

What is problematic now is that when the autonomy level changes from a higher level (e.g., level 4) to a lower level (e.g., level 3), the vehicle user also needs to pay more attention to the driving.

During the consumption of the content, the user may not take this change or was delayed.

The invention therefore has the task of eliminating this problem. There is therefore provided a method and system according to the independent claims. Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

In a first aspect, a method for autonomous level-dependent

Setting a mobile communication terminal is provided, wherein in a vehicle dynamically an autonomy level for the operation of the vehicle is set, and depending on at least one parameter of the communicatively connected to the vehicle communication terminal is changed.

The at least one parameter may define a functionality category in which functions categorized by the communication terminal are categorized. In particular, the parameter may define the enabling and / or disabling of a function of the communication device or a category of functionality. Depending on the level of autonomy, at least one category of functionality or function can be defined. In this case, an autonomy level can be subdivided into sub-levels, and at least one function or functionality category can be defined for each sub-level. In particular, a function relates to the possibility of activating or deactivating an output unit or an actuator of the communication terminal. If a function of the communication terminal is defined as inadmissible by the parameter, then this function can not be performed and thus an output by the corresponding actuator or the output unit can not be done or only in a specific / changed manner

A function of the communication terminal may be dependent on an associated need for attention in the at least one

Functionality category be categorized. The need for attention can be determined statistically, empirically and / or depending on which content is output by the communication terminal, and in particular which output units (screen, speakers, ...) and / or actuators (vibration actuator) of the communication terminal for the output are activated.

The need for attention can be determined in particular depending on which senses of a user are required for the use of the respective function. The attention demand may be adjusted to the signal based on a detected time from sending a signal to the user until a detected reaction of the user when the user performs a function of the communication terminal. This time may e.g. based on a communication of the control unit with the communication terminal (e.g., time from the issuance of a message by the communication terminal and detecting an influence by the user by operation of

Vehicle controls by the control unit). This can be repeated, e.g.

done randomly.

Thus, an average reaction time of the user can be included and, for example, an intervention of an assistance system in the driving sequence already started or prepared when an influence of the user is no longer expected. Likewise, depending on the time detected, the function of the Categorize communication terminal into another category. This means that if the time has been determined to be longer, it is assumed that a function carried out on the communication terminal binds more attention and is thus to be classified into a different category of functionality. Thus, depending on the time, a dynamic classification of the functions of the communication terminal can take place as well as a dynamic assignment of the functions or categories to the autonomy levels.

The categorization of the at least one function may be in the

Functionality category be predetermined.

The autonomy level can be detected on the basis of highly accurate map data and / or by means of environment data of the vehicle and be determined based on an evaluation of the environment data, preferably by the at least one

Control unit of the vehicle.

Depending on the at least one parameter, information concerning the respective level of autonomy can be output or provided by the communication terminal, in particular by a display of the

Communication terminal.

In a further aspect, there is provided a system comprising at least one control unit configured to dynamically control a vehicle in a vehicle

Set the autonomy level for the operation of the vehicle and one

A communication unit configured to provide a communicative connection between the vehicle and a communication terminal, and to change at least one parameter of the communication terminal communicatively connected to the vehicle depending on the established autonomy level.

The invention will now be described with reference to the figures:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the inventive method.

Fig. 2 shows an example of a system according to the invention. According to the invention, a dynamic determination of the autonomy level takes place in a vehicle, and thus also a determination as to which autonomous functions the vehicle carries out, which driving functions the user of the vehicle is thus taken off. The possible level of autonomy is in particular dynamically dependent on the situation, for example on the basis of an evaluation of available data from sensors of the vehicle (eg RADAR, LIDAR, ultrasound and / or optical sensors such as cameras, etc.), representing the environment data of the vehicle, and / or on the basis of map data and navigation information (weather, traffic, time, slope, curvature, ...). In particular, at least one control unit in the vehicle serves to determine the autonomy level based on the data being evaluated by the control unit or another control unit. The vehicle has a communication unit that allows the mobile communication terminal to be connected to the vehicle. In particular, there is a wireless and / or wired connection between the mobile communication terminal and the vehicle (for example, a Bluetooth, WLAN, USB, ... connection). In particular, the communication unit recognizes the existence of a connection to the mobile communication terminal. The communication unit is then configured to output information to the mobile communication terminal or to provide this information on the basis of a signal indicating the autonomy level. In particular, the signal indicating the autonomy level is output by the at least one control unit. Alternatively or additionally, the autonomy level, which is dynamically fixed, can be determined by the

Communication unit to be queried. The to the mobile

Communication terminal output or retrieved from this information defines in particular a parameter to be set on the communication terminal.

The information is communicated from the communicatively connected to the vehicle

Communication terminal received or retrieved and evaluated. The

Evaluation can be done by a software application on the

Communication terminal done. According to the evaluation then takes a Setting on the mobile communication device. The setting can be, in particular, a configuration of the communication device and preferably a control of actuators, ie acoustic, optical or tactile output units of the mobile communication terminal. In particular, a configuration is made such that the output of media content is changed, blocked, restricted, shared with information, and / or augmented.

The configuration of the communication terminal is thus dependent on the level of autonomy, i. a degree of autonomy or a state of

Assistance systems of the vehicle and their activity. By the

Driver assistance systems of the vehicle, a driving situation or environment data is collected or supplied by essentially known sensors and processed by the vehicle.

An essential aspect of the invention therefore relates to the fact that, depending on the state of the assistance systems or their assessments of the

Driving situation is a function release on the mobile communication terminal. For this purpose, certain categories of functions for the mobile

Communication terminal to be provided, which define at which state or in which recognized driving situation which functionality category is selected on the mobile communication terminal or activated or deactivated.

The functionality category determines a functional scope of the mobile

Communication terminal, for example, the type of communication or the off or reproduction of media content regulated. In particular, one category may be more restrictive than another, i. it can be less in one category

Functions of the communication terminal to be released than in the other category.

In one application, the assistance systems of the vehicle can, for example, define an autonomy level (3, 4, 5) and, depending on the detected autonomy level, the functions of the terminal can then be set. By the

Autonomy level is implicitly defined as much attention to driving must be dedicated by the user of the vehicle and which user's senses are advantageously needed to cope with operation at the autonomy level. Thus, depending on the level of autonomy, it is also determined how much attention the driver has to the use of the mobile

Can use communication terminal and in particular the consumption of media content. Thus, with a higher attention requirement for the driving operation, functions of the terminal can be restricted so that only functions which are available to the communication terminal are available

Require attention

When operating at a higher level of autonomy, functions can then be provided which involve the driver more strongly or attract more attention. Thus, for example, at a low autonomy level, it is possible to provide only voice functionalities / interaction of the communication terminal or functions requiring only short attention spans.

Depending on the increase in the autonomy level of the vehicle, for example, in a transition from a lower level to a higher level, then a

Changing the configuration of the communication terminal done so that more functions are available. As already described, functions of the communication terminal can be categorized or summarized. Instead of specific functions, an autonomy level can also be assigned one or more categories, each with at least one function.

The transitions between the levels of autonomy are preferably not abrupt, but gradual. The levels of autonomy can each be divided finer, so that an autonomy level can have several sub-levels. Each lower level can also be assigned a category or function.

Also, in a transition from one level of autonomy to another, a change in attitude can be delayed. For example, an indication can be issued by means of an optical, acoustic or tactile display unit of the communication terminal that a transition from one autonomy level to another takes place, is or will take place (eg based on a signal of an assistance system and / or the evaluation of the environment). / map data). So can one Preview the transition. If, for example, a change from a higher level of autonomy to a lower level of autonomy, this can be done to the user of the

Vehicle displayed on the terminal. The information that a different level of autonomy must be selected, in particular on the basis of highly accurate map information and / or the environment data of the vehicle done.

It is thus provided that the information output or provided by the communication unit directly or indirectly causes a change of setting on the communication terminal. The information may e.g. a (push) message that causes a display or a message on a graphical display of the communication terminal. The information can define the content of the message. Also, e.g. the output of an audible or tactile perceptible signal, e.g. a tactile / haptic feedback by the communication terminal after receiving the information.

Alternatively or additionally, on the communication terminal a

software application that receives, retrieves and / or evaluates the information. The application can then make the settings on the communication terminal based on the information

Configure communication terminal and its functions accordingly. The setting / configuration includes in particular the definition or change of at least one optical output, an acoustic output and / or a haptic feedback. The vehicle thus has the option of

Communication with the application on the communication terminal the

To release or limit the functionality on the terminal and

in particular, to output information on the terminal. Depending on the above category, applications may also run on the

Communication terminal and / or certain types of communication (e.g., telephony, data services, standards used for communication and / protocols, ...) / or media content is shared / blocked.

In particular, it is also provided that circumstances which the vehicle recognizes as relevant for the selection of the autonomous level are displayed to the user on the terminal become. Thus, for example, messages or image information can be output on the terminal, the current or future driving state of

Vehicle or an autonomy level of the vehicle. In particular, an indication can be issued on the communication terminal that a change to another level of autonomy takes place. The autonomy level is determined in particular by signals of the available driver assistance systems and their function.

For example, a categorization can take place in such a way that only functions which are recorded or processed via the sense of hearing of the user, that is to say in particular, are released at a lower autonomy level

Audio information. As the level of autonomy increases, the services that are intended for optical processing can also be successively released. Finally, the level of autonomy can be increased to such an extent that full attention can be paid to the enabled features of the terminal (e.g., running games, providing interactive virtual reality environments, ...).

In a lower level of autonomy, for example Level 3, the user can only be enabled functions such as telephony, listening to music, outputting a soundtrack of a movie, reading and writing short messages, and so on

Functions that do not tie the attention of a user for a long time or that allow him to interrupt the activity at any time. In a higher level of autonomy (eg level 4), functions can then also be provided which direct the driver's view of the driving event and, in particular, require greater attention. Examples of this are e.g. the output of films as well as media content, which are particularly non-interactive and therefore preferably only the consumption of media content and the textual, audio and video communication concern.

In a high level of autonomy (eg level 5), it is then also possible in particular to additionally release functions which require the full attention of the user. This can be especially games and imersive Presentations, and in particular the representation of virtual realities and special media content that require a high emotional or mental commitment of the user. In one embodiment, the terminal may, for example, be a communication terminal that serves to represent a virtual reality (eg, VR glasses, headset) or an augmented reality.

Fig. 1 exemplifies the inventive method. In a step S10, an autonomous level for the operation of the vehicle is set dynamically in a vehicle. In a step S1 1 then depending on at least one parameter of the communicatively connected to the vehicle

Communication terminal changed. Fig. 2 shows a system 20 with a vehicle 21. The vehicle 21 has a

Control unit 22, which is in particular adapted to set an autonomous level for the operation of the vehicle 21. For this purpose, the control unit 22 can in particular evaluate signals from assistance systems of the vehicle and / or sensors of the vehicle. As assistance systems can be evaluated, for example, a brake assistant, a distance maintenance assistant, a parking assistant, a lane departure warning, and / or other known assistance systems. Sensors are the already mentioned optical and / or acoustic sensors (camera,

Ultrasound, RADAR, LIDAR, ...). The communication unit 23 is further shown. This is in particular configured to establish, maintain, and / or provide a communicative connection with the communication terminal 24. Next is the

Communication unit 23 configured to transfer the information to the

Communication terminal 24 fourth 20 provide or for the

Communication terminal 24 to make available. The information is either created by the communication unit 23 or generated by this.

In particular, the communication unit 20 may be connected directly or indirectly to further control units of the vehicle (not shown) and in particular to the control unit 22. For example, the control unit 22 may already have the information forward to the communication unit 23. On the other hand, the communication unit 23 may be configured to generate the information based on data supplied thereto. On the basis of the information, a message can then be output, for example, graphically on the communication terminal 24, as indicated by the symbol 25. The message is thus directly or indirectly dependent on the dynamically defined level of autonomy.

Claims

claims

1. A method for the autonomy-level-dependent setting of a mobile

Communication terminal, wherein

- in a vehicle dynamically an autonomy level for the operation of the

Vehicle is set, and

- depending on at least one parameter of the communicative with the

Vehicle connected communication terminal is changed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is a

Functionality category defined, are categorized in the functions that are executable by the communication terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein each autonomy level at least one functionality category is defined.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a function of the communication terminal depends on an associated

Attention needs grouped into the at least one functionality category.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Attentional needs in each case statistically, empirically and / or determined depending on what content is output by the communication terminal, and in particular which actuators of the

Communication terminal for the output are to be activated.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Attention demand for a function is adjusted based on a detected time from sending a signal to a user of the vehicle, until a detected reaction of the user to the signal when the user performs a function of the communication terminal.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein based on high-precision map data and / or environment data of the vehicle, the autonomy level is set, preferably by at least one

Control unit of the vehicle.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein depending on the at least one parameter information concerning the respective

Autonomie be issued by the communication terminal, in particular by a display of the communication terminal.

9. System for the autonomy-level-dependent setting of a mobile

Communication terminal comprising at least one control unit, which is adapted to set in a vehicle dynamically an autonomy level for the operation of the vehicle and

a communication unit configured to provide a communicative connection between the vehicle and a communication terminal and, depending on the established autonomy level, at least one parameter of the communicatively connected to the vehicle

Change communication terminal.