Procedure for a motor vehicle, procedure for a data processing device, motor vehicle and data processing device

By assessing impairment states and utilizing swarm data to optimize vehicle strategies, the method minimizes contamination of vehicle environment recognition systems, enhancing recognition quality and reducing cleaning costs.

DE102024205515B3Active Publication Date: 2025-11-06VOLKSWAGEN AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
DE102024205515
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-06-14
Publication Date
2025-11-06
Estimated Expiration
2044-06-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for maintaining the cleanliness of viewing windows of optical and radiation-based environment recognition systems in vehicles, such as cameras and LiDAR sensors, are inefficient and costly due to the high contamination potential, which affects the quality of environment recognition.

Method used

A method involving impairment state assessment of environment recognition systems before and after traveling a route section, using swarm data from a fleet of vehicles to determine and transmit restriction information, allowing for an optimized vehicle strategy to minimize contamination and impairment.

Benefits of technology

Reduces the potential for contamination of viewing windows by optimizing vehicle routes and strategies based on historical data, thereby maintaining effective environment recognition with reduced cleaning efforts.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to two methods for one or more motor vehicles (10) and one method for a data processing device (12). Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle (10) and a data processing device (12). The plan is to generate swarm data from a fleet of motor vehicles, including limitations of their environmental perception systems (16) associated with the road sections traveled by the vehicles (10) in the fleet. An optimized vehicle strategy will then be determined from the swarm data, reducing the limitations of the environmental perception systems (16) of the vehicles (10).
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Description

[0001] The invention relates to two methods for motor vehicles and one method for a data processing device. Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle and a data processing device. The motor vehicles are preferably partially or fully automated vehicles (autonomous vehicles).

[0002] Optical or beam-based environmental perception systems, such as cameras, radar, and LiDAR sensors, are frequently used for environmental perception in vehicles. This is especially true for autonomous vehicles. The quality of environmental perception in such systems depends significantly on the quality of the camera's and sensors' view of the field of view. For radar and LiDAR sensors, the view refers to the viewing window through which the sensor's electromagnetic waves, the so-called primary light, are emitted into the field of view, and the backscattered light, the so-called secondary light, is received, particularly from within the field of view. However, the camera's and sensors' unobstructed view of the viewing window can be temporarily or permanently impaired.Obstructions to visibility through a sensor's viewing window can occur due to stubborn dirt, damage, and / or ongoing deterioration of the window's optical properties. These obstructions can be caused by factors such as a windshield or the protective cover of a LiDAR or radar sensor, precipitation like rain, dew, frost, snow, and ice, as well as spray kicked up by vehicles ahead and the resulting contamination, and the accumulation of contaminants like dust, insects, bird droppings, or flying debris, falling branches, leaves, pollen, and the like.

[0003] Methods for determining the current range of a vehicle's beam-based sensor for environmental perception are known. An example is described in German patent application DE 10 2018 008 903 A1. In this method, a beam-based sensor emits sensor beams of known intensity and detects reflections of these beams. From this, a back-reflectance intensity is evaluated, and the measured distance is correlated with this back-reflectance intensity. In this way, an autonomous vehicle can independently detect a current reduction in the range of a beam-based sensor.

[0004] Furthermore, cleaning systems for autonomous vehicles to restore visibility when radiation-based environmental sensors are dirty are already known, for example from German patent application DE 10 2021 200 098 A1. Essentially, these known cleaning systems use cleaning fluids that are carried along with the vehicle. The problem here is that the amount of transportable cleaning fluid per vehicle and per sensor is limited.

[0005] To address this problem, methods and devices have been developed in which external soiling on soiled vehicles is removed by other vehicles equipped with cleaning units, as known from German patent application DE 10 2020 207 444 A1, or by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) with integrated cleaning units, as known from German patent application DE 10 2021 003 443 A1.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2017 009 091 A1 describes a method for determining a driving recommendation for a receiver vehicle traveling along a route. First, a change in the state of contamination of a sensor system in a transmitter vehicle, occurring during travel along the route, is recorded. Then, a driving operating condition associated with the route is determined based on this change in the state of contamination of the sensor system. The driving recommendation for the receiver vehicle is then determined based on these driving operating conditions.

[0007] The publication DE 10 2012 022 207 B3 concerns a method for providing current route information by at least one motor vehicle. A communication device in the motor vehicle establishes a communication connection to a peer-to-peer network and registers the motor vehicle there as a participant in the peer-to-peer network, so that a communication address of the motor vehicle can be determined by at least one other participant in the peer-to-peer network.

[0008] German patent application DE 10 2016 002 768 A1 discloses a method for operating a communication network comprising several motor vehicles. Each motor vehicle includes a sensor device with at least one environmental sensor. When its sensor device detects a malfunction of an environmental sensor, at least one motor vehicle transmits status data describing the malfunction and including the vehicle's position data to at least one external evaluation device to determine interference area information describing an interference area for the environmental sensors of the motor vehicles.

[0009] It is understandable that the effort required to clean radiation-based environmental detection systems remains very high despite the available solutions. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the potential for contamination of the viewing windows of radiation-based environmental detection systems in order to reduce the cleaning effort required.

[0010] The invention is based on the objective of minimizing the contamination potential of the viewing windows of optical and radiation-based environmental detection systems.

[0011] The problem according to the invention is solved by two methods for motor vehicles and one method for a data processing device, as well as by a motor vehicle and a data processing device according to the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the respective dependent claims.

[0012] One aspect concerns a method for a motor vehicle, in particular a partially or fully automated motor vehicle. The method is particularly suitable for reducing limitations of a motor vehicle's environmental perception system.

[0013] In one process step, an initial impairment state of a vehicle's environmental perception system is determined before the vehicle travels a section of road. A road section is a definable segment of a drivable route. An impairment state essentially represents the quality of the environmental perception system's detection function and can be expressed, for example, as a percentage between zero (no function and / or no visibility) and 100 percent (unimpaired). Determining the impairment state of an environmental perception system is generally known to those skilled in the art. For example, the impairment state of the environmental perception system is preferably determined based on a reference measurement.For this purpose, sensor beams of known intensity are emitted, and reflections of the sensor beams are detected. A back-reflectance intensity is then evaluated from this back-reflectance and correlated with the measured distance. In the case of cameras, reference images are preferably used and compared with a current camera image, and / or the camera images are evaluated based on image properties such as blurriness and / or obscured areas of the image to determine an impairment condition. The vehicle's environmental perception system preferably comprises one or a plurality of optical and / or beam-based sensors, such as cameras, LiDAR, radar, and / or ultrasonic sensors.

[0014] In a further procedural step, a second impairment state of the vehicle's environmental perception system is determined after the vehicle has traversed the road segment. In other words, a way is created to map the influence of a (traversed) road segment on the impairment state of the vehicle's environmental perception system. Preferably, location information of the vehicle or the traversed road segment, for example, at least a start and end point, is determined by the vehicle, for example, via a navigation system and / or a GPS tracking system. The length of the road segment is preferably variable. For example, road segments with fixed, predefined lengths can be provided.Alternatively, it is preferably provided that the motor vehicle or its driver specifies a section of road of a desired length. Preferably, the second impairment state is determined in the same way as the first impairment state, in order to avoid process-related differences as far as possible. Preferably, the second impairment state of the motor vehicle's environmental perception system is determined immediately after the motor vehicle has driven over the section of road. "Immediately after driving over" refers, for example, to a period of no more than ten minutes, preferably no more than five minutes, and most preferably no more than one minute after driving over the section of road.Preferably, at least one motor vehicle or a group of vehicles in a fleet consisting of a large number of motor vehicles is equipped to be able to evaluate at least one optical or radiation-based environment recognition system with regard to its current ranges and / or data quality, in order to be able to evaluate sections of the route after they have been driven under different conditions.

[0015] In a further process step, a limitation of the vehicle's environmental perception system associated with the traversed section of road is determined based on the identified first and second impairment states. For example, the limitation of the environmental perception system results from the difference between the first and second impairment states. Preferably, a limitation of the vehicle's environmental perception system is only indicated if a predefined threshold regarding the difference between the first and second impairment states is exceeded. For example, a limitation of the vehicle's environmental perception system is only classified as relevant if a limitation, such as a reduction in visibility range, of more than 10 percent compared to the first impairment state and / or a state without any impairment has been determined.This allows minor, less relevant restrictions to be suppressed for the purpose of facilitating (subsequent) data analysis.

[0016] In a further process step, a radio signal is transmitted (by the vehicle) containing restriction information about the limitations of the vehicle's environmental perception system associated with the traversed section of road. This information is used to determine a vehicle strategy that can be optimized to reduce the limitations of the vehicle's environmental perception system. In other words, this process generates the restriction information necessary for determining the reduction of the vehicle's environmental perception system limitations for each traversed section of road and transmits it to an external data processing unit via radio signal communication. In practice, it is preferably a large number of vehicles that supply the external data processing unit with the necessary restriction information.This generates so-called swarm data, from which valuable information can be obtained regarding the reduction of limitations in vehicle environmental perception systems. From this, a (holistically) optimized vehicle strategy can be developed, minimizing the potential for contamination of the viewing windows of radiation-based environmental perception systems. It is understandable that the radio signal also contains information that enables the identification of the traveled route segment, such as location and / or road information, the start and end points of the journey, and the like.

[0017] When assessing the impairment status of the environmental perception system, a distinction is preferably made between temporary impairment, such as contamination, and permanent impairment, i.e., a lasting structural change, such as damage. Temporary impairments, such as contamination, are easier to remedy than permanent impairments, for example, by cleaning compared to the costly replacement of an affected sensor in the environmental perception system. Therefore, it is possible to evaluate the traveled sections of the route in such a way that, while driving on these sections represents a potential impairment of the environmental perception system, this impairment is comparatively easier to remedy and thus requires less effort.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that, as the motor vehicle travels along the route segment, at least one environmental and / or vehicle condition is detected by the vehicle, and the radio signal further includes the detected environmental and / or vehicle condition. In other words, additional available data related to the traveled route segment are preferably determined, enabling a more targeted evaluation of the swarm data. Examples of environmental conditions include traffic conditions, such as high or low traffic density; road surface conditions, such as wet, dirty, covered with leaves, and the like; season; time of day; weather data; and the like. Examples of vehicle conditions include vehicle type, direction of travel, speed, acceleration, orientation or positioning of the motor vehicle in a parking space, duration of parking in the parking space, and the like.The aforementioned environmental and vehicle conditions can be combined in any way. This allows for the generation of swarm data, from which it can be determined, for example, that the onset of rain on a particular stretch of road is especially detrimental, as it obscures the viewports of the environmental perception systems. Therefore, the affected section of road should be avoided by the vehicle or specific vehicle groups, and / or a particularly large, predetermined minimum distance to vehicles ahead should be maintained. This example illustrates how, in this way, the driving behavior of vehicles in, for example, an autonomous vehicle fleet can be optimally adapted to location, time of day and year, weather conditions, and the like, in order to prevent, as far as possible, any limitations in the environmental perception systems after driving on certain stretches of road.Furthermore, some vehicles in the fleet may, for example, have modifications, a trailer, and / or be particularly susceptible to contamination of the viewing windows of environmental detection systems under certain conditions, so that specific procedures for planning a vehicle strategy under certain environmental conditions are preferably specified for specific vehicle groups in the fleet.

[0019] Furthermore, the procedure includes a step in which a radio signal containing a predetermined route segment and a request to travel along that segment is received. When the vehicle travels along the predetermined route segment, it does so. In other words, a targeted drive is conducted to evaluate the limitations of the vehicle's environmental perception system on a specific route segment. This allows for the availability of swarm data with sufficient information about the specified route segment to determine an optimized vehicle strategy.Furthermore, specific vehicles from a fleet equipped with (particularly) suitable environmental perception sensors can be preferentially selected to drive along specific sections of the route. This allows for the collection of sufficient data under varying environmental conditions to make sufficiently accurate probabilistic predictions regarding limitations of environmental perception systems after traversing these sections, for example, for specific vehicle groups and conditions. For instance, by analyzing swarm data, it might be discovered that on a particular section of the route, with a specific wind direction and above a certain wind speed, a particularly large amount of dust is stirred up from a field, for example, during a specific time of year, especially if it has not rained at that location for at least two weeks.Consequently, it was recognized that vehicles on this section of road are particularly heavily soiled by dust kicked up during this period. Therefore, an optimized vehicle strategy could be to proactively avoid this section of road if such conditions are sufficiently likely to occur or are expected to occur.

[0020] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for a data processing device. The data processing device preferably corresponds to a server or a backend, preferably with a trained neural network (artificial intelligence) for processing the acquired historical vehicle swarm data, which were obtained in particular for a motor vehicle by the method described above.

[0021] In one step of the process, a large number of radio signals are received, containing comprehensive restriction information about limitations associated with road sections traveled, as measured by the environmental perception systems of one or more motor vehicles. In other words, this step involves receiving the radio signal transmitted by the motor vehicle in the previously described process. Additionally or alternatively, further comparable radio signals are also received from this motor vehicle or vehicles.

[0022] In a further processing step, the restriction information from the received multitude of radio signals is aggregated. In other words, the restriction information generated by a fleet of vehicles is collected, gathered, and processed as swarm data to obtain useful information regarding the reduction of limitations in a vehicle's environmental perception system. Specifically, data is accumulated on the extent to which the environmental perception systems of vehicles in a fleet have been impaired after sections of a route network have been driven under varying, detectable environmental conditions, or after parking spaces have been used by vehicles for specific periods.

[0023] In a further process step, a vehicle strategy is determined based on the aggregated restriction information. This strategy is optimized to minimize the limitations of a vehicle's environmental perception system. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that the vehicle's environmental perception systems are as unlikely as possible to be impaired by contamination and / or damage to their sensor windows due to environmental conditions, and / or that driving safety is maintained. Furthermore, the anticipated cleaning effort—i.e., time, costs, and / or energy—for the sensor windows after expected contamination is also considered, either additionally or alternatively, to restore sufficiently high environmental perception quality.Furthermore, cost-benefit analyses and / or energy consumption assessments are preferably carried out for journeys with longer and / or more time-consuming route segments to avoid limitations of environmental perception systems due to contamination. Additionally, the costs of non-compliance with predetermined time windows caused by detours taken by vehicles from the fleet are preferably included in the analysis. In particular, special prioritization of journeys to ensure compliance with time windows for individual journeys by vehicles from the fleet can be considered. Furthermore, probability thresholds can preferably be defined for the occurrence of relevant impairments of environmental perception systems, such that if such a probability threshold is exceeded, a measure such as a route planning change for a vehicle should be implemented.

[0024] In further embodiments of the invention, route changes can be implemented and / or destinations or intermediate destinations for vehicles within an autonomous vehicle fleet can be adjusted if, cumulatively over route segments, particularly in combination with idle times, relevant limitations for environmental perception systems for individual vehicles are sufficiently likely to occur. For example, pre-planned trips can be exchanged between vehicles if, for one vehicle, no relevant soiling of the viewing windows is expected under the prevailing conditions, for example, due to a different vehicle geometry.

[0025] In a further step of the process, a radio signal containing the determined optimized vehicle strategy is transmitted. This enables the receiving vehicle to implement the optimized vehicle strategy in order to reduce limitations of its environmental perception system.

[0026] Furthermore, it is planned that the system will determine when the number of aggregated restriction information points regarding limitations of a motor vehicle's environmental perception systems for a predetermined section of road falls below a predefined minimum. In this case, a (different) radio signal encompassing the predetermined section of road and a request to travel on that section will be sent. Additionally, the radio signal containing the determined optimized vehicle strategy will be sent if the number of aggregated restriction information points exceeds or equals the predefined minimum.

[0027] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for a motor vehicle, in particular a partially or fully automated motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is preferably the motor vehicle of the method described above. In other words, the process steps of the following method can be advantageously combined with the previously mentioned method for a motor vehicle. The method is particularly suitable for reducing limitations of a motor vehicle's environmental perception system.

[0028] In a first process step, a radio signal is received containing a vehicle strategy derived from aggregated restriction information and optimized to reduce the restrictions of a vehicle's environmental perception system. This radio signal corresponds in particular to the radio signal transmitted by the data processing unit.

[0029] In a further process step, the vehicle automatically steers itself according to the received optimized vehicle strategy and / or a prompt is issued to the driver to steer the vehicle according to the received optimized vehicle strategy. In this way, the optimized vehicle strategy is implemented by the vehicle to reduce the limitations of its environmental perception system.

[0030] Furthermore, the method includes the step of transmitting a radio signal containing the vehicle's strategy and a request to optimize the current strategy with regard to reducing limitations of the vehicle's environmental perception system. This radio signal is preferably transmitted before the data processing unit receives it. In other words, the vehicle preferably sends a request to the data processing unit, and in response to the received request, the data processing unit executes the procedure described above. This allows the data processing unit to optimize current or planned vehicle strategies to proactively reduce limitations of the vehicle's environmental perception system.

[0031] In a further preferred embodiment, the optimized vehicle strategy comprises route guidance, driving style, and / or parking space for a vehicle, each optimized to minimize the impairment of a vehicle's environmental perception system. Preferably, according to the optimized vehicle strategy, when creating the route guidance for a vehicle, road segments are selected that cause no or at least minimal impairment of the vehicle's environmental perception system. For example, the road segments of alternative routes are compared with regard to the impairments to the vehicle's environmental perception system caused by driving on the respective route. The route with the least impairment is then preferably selected.Driving style can relate to factors such as speed (e.g., driving slowly to minimize spray), following distances (e.g., maintaining a greater distance to allow spray to settle), and / or driving offset within one's lane (e.g., to avoid puddles or potholes). Parking spaces can be chosen based on factors such as whether there are trees above them that could potentially cause contamination from bird droppings, pollen, and / or other sources of contamination in the vicinity, such as sandy paths or driveways, construction site entrances, and the like.

[0032] Another aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is preferably the vehicle used in one or both of the methods described herein for a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle comprises an environment detection system configured to detect the vehicle's surroundings, for example, with one or a plurality of optical and / or radiation-based sensors, such as cameras, LiDAR, radar, and / or ultrasonic sensors. The motor vehicle further comprises a communication unit configured to transmit and receive radio signals, for example, a Car2X communication unit configured to transmit and receive high-frequency radio signals, such as Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, and / or WLAN radio signals. The motor vehicle further comprises a control unit configured to perform one and / or both of the methods described above for a motor vehicle.The advantages achieved with the method(s) can be achieved analogously with the motor vehicle. The disclosed combinations of features of the method(s) are transferable to the motor vehicle by analogy. Therefore, a repetitive description of the features and advantages is omitted.

[0033] Another aspect of the invention relates to a data processing device. The data processing device is preferably the data processing device described in the method for a data processing device. The data processing device comprises a communication unit configured for sending and receiving radio signals, for example, a communication unit configured to send and receive high-frequency radio signals, such as Bluetooth, ultra-wideband, and / or WLAN radio signals. The data processing device further comprises a processor configured to perform the method described above for a data processing device. The advantages achieved with the method can be achieved analogously with the data processing device. The disclosed combinations of features of the method are transferable analogously to the data processing device.Therefore, a repetitive description of the features and advantages is omitted.

[0034] Another aspect of the invention relates to a system comprising a plurality of motor vehicles, of which at least one, preferably some, and particularly preferably all, of the motor vehicles are configured with the features of the motor vehicle described above, and a data processing device configured as the data processing device described above. A repetitive description of the features and advantages is therefore omitted.

[0035] The individual process steps of the method according to the invention are preferably configured as one or more processes that run on one or more processors in one or more electronic computing devices and are generated during the execution of one or more computer programs. The computing devices are preferably configured to cooperate with other components, in particular a control unit and / or a processor, to implement the functionalities described herein. Equally preferably, the control unit and / or the data processing device is configured as a central (single-unit) or as a decentralized (multi-unit) component.

[0036] The individual components of the control unit and / or the data processing device are preferably configured as one or more processes running on one or more processors in one or more electronic computing devices and generated during the execution of one or more computer programs. The computing devices are preferably configured to cooperate with other components, such as a communication unit, to implement the functionalities described herein. The instructions of the computer programs are also preferably stored in a memory, such as a RAM element. However, the computer programs can also be stored in a non-volatile storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, flash memory, or the like.

[0037] It is also apparent to those skilled in the art that the functionalities of several computers (data processing devices) can be combined or combined in a single device, or that the functionality of a particular data processing device can be distributed across a multitude of devices in order to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention without deviating from the method according to the invention.

[0038] Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, such as a control unit and / or a data processing device, cause it to perform at least one of the methods mentioned herein, in particular one or both methods for a motor vehicle and / or a method for a data processing device. It is understood that radio signals and their data received or transmitted by the motor vehicle are analogously sent and received by the data processing device (in the sense of a transmitter-receiver pair) and vice versa.

[0039] Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the other features mentioned in the dependent claims.

[0040] Unless otherwise stated in individual cases, the various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another.

[0041] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of two procedures for motor vehicles and one procedure for a data processing device, each according to an implementation form and Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a motor vehicle and a data processing device, each according to an embodiment.

[0042] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of two methods for motor vehicles 10, 14 and a method for a data processing device 12 according to an implementation. The methods according to the invention and their mutual interactions are described in particular in the following. Fig. The flowchart shown in Figure 1 illustrates the process. For each of the three described procedures, a (time) sequence of the flowchart is shown, running from top to bottom. The first sequence (left) relates to the procedure for a first motor vehicle 10. The second sequence (center) describes the procedure for the data processing unit 12. The third sequence relates to the procedure for a second motor vehicle 14. The features described for the procedure for the first motor vehicle 10 can be combined arbitrarily with the features of the procedure for the second motor vehicle 14. In other words, the first motor vehicle 10 and / or the second motor vehicle 14 can perform any combination of the procedure steps of both procedures for motor vehicles 10 and 14.Therefore, the two motor vehicles 10 and 14 do not need to be strictly separated from each other, but this may be preferred (which is why the enumeration of "first" and "second" motor vehicle is omitted in the following).

[0043] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the motor vehicle 10, 14 with a control unit 20 for operating the motor vehicle 10, 14 according to an embodiment, which is used to carry out one and / or both methods for the motor vehicles 10, 14 according to Fig. 1 is set up. The motor vehicle 10, 14 comprises an environment detection system 16 set up to detect the vehicle's surroundings and a communication unit 18 set up to send and receive radio signals.

[0044] Furthermore, in Fig. 2. A schematic representation of the data processing device 12 according to one embodiment is included. The data processing device 12 comprises a communication unit 22 configured for sending and receiving radio signals and a processor 24, which is used to carry out the method for the data processing device 12 according to Fig. 1 is set up. The data processing unit 12 corresponds to a backend, i.e., an external server that communicates with a large number of motor vehicles 10, 14, or a fleet of motor vehicles. The data processing unit 12 is equipped with a trained neural network (artificial intelligence) for processing the acquired historical vehicle swarm data.

[0045] The methods described herein, the motor vehicle 10, 14 and the data processing device 12 make it possible to reduce limitations of an environment detection system 16 of the motor vehicle 10, 14.

[0046] According to a first procedural step 50 of the in Fig. In the first procedure shown for the motor vehicle 10 (left strand), a first impairment state of the environment detection system 16 of the motor vehicle 10 is determined before the motor vehicle 10 drives on a section of the route.

[0047] In a second procedural step 52, a second impairment state of the environmental perception system 16 of the motor vehicle 10 is determined after the motor vehicle 10 has traversed the section of road. For example, the environmental perception system 16 may have been impaired by contamination and / or damage while traversing the section of road. This impairment is reflected in the second impairment state of the environmental perception system 16 of the motor vehicle 10. In this case, the field of view of the environmental perception system 16 is likely to have been deteriorated by the impairment, meaning that the second impairment state represents a greater impairment than the first impairment state.

[0048] In a third procedural step 54, a limitation of the environmental perception system 16 of the motor vehicle 10 associated with the traversed section of the route is determined based on the identified first and second impairment states. For example, the impairment associated with the section of the route is determined by the difference between the first impairment state and the second impairment state.

[0049] In a fourth process step 56, a radio signal containing restriction information about the determined restriction of the environmental perception system 16 of the motor vehicle 10 associated with the traversed section of the route is sent to the data processing unit 12 using the communication unit 16 of the motor vehicle 10. The transmitted radio signal is intended to enable the data processing unit 12 to determine a motor vehicle strategy that can be optimized with regard to reducing the restriction of the environmental perception system 16 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0050] In an optional fifth process step 58, a radio signal is received containing a vehicle strategy determined from aggregated restriction information and optimized to reduce the restriction of the vehicle 10's environmental perception system 16. For example, the data processing device 12 might have detected that, on a specific section of the route, a particularly large amount of dust is stirred up from a field during a certain time of year, given a specific wind direction and above a certain wind speed, and provided that it has not rained at that location for at least two weeks. Consequently, the vehicle 10 would then be particularly heavily soiled by the stirred-up dust on this section of the route.Therefore, the received optimized vehicle strategy could be to proactively avoid this section of the route (if possible) if such conditions are expected to be sufficiently likely to exist or will occur.

[0051] In an optional sixth process step 60a, 60b, the motor vehicle 10 is automatically controlled according to the received optimized motor vehicle strategy (process step 60a), for example in the case of a motor vehicle 10 trained as fully automated, or, in the case of a motor vehicle 10 driven by a driver, a message is issued to the driver of the motor vehicle 10 to control the motor vehicle 10 according to the received optimized motor vehicle strategy by the driver (process step 60b).

[0052] According to a first procedural step 70 of the in Fig. In the method shown in section 1, the data processing device 12 (middle strand) receives a multitude of radio signals containing restriction information about restrictions associated with traveled road sections from environmental detection systems 16 of the motor vehicle 10 or a multitude of similarly configured motor vehicles 10, 14. In other words, in this step, the data processing device 12 receives the radio signal transmitted in the first method for the motor vehicle 10 and a multitude of other similarly configured radio signals.

[0053] In a second process step 72, the restriction information of the received multitude of radio signals is aggregated, thus being processed into evaluable swarm data.

[0054] In an optional third process step 74, another radio signal is received containing a vehicle strategy of the vehicle 14 and a request to optimize the transmitted vehicle strategy of the vehicle 14 with regard to reducing the restriction of the environment recognition system 16 of the vehicle 14.

[0055] In a fourth process step 76, based on the aggregated restriction information, a motor vehicle strategy is determined which is optimized with regard to reducing the restriction of the environment detection system 16 of the motor vehicle 14.

[0056] In a fifth process step 78, a radio signal containing the determined optimized vehicle strategy is transmitted by the data processing unit 12. This radio signal is received by the vehicle 10 in the already described fifth optional process step 58 and / or by the vehicle 14 in a second process step 82.

[0057] According to an optional first procedure step 80 of the in Fig. In the procedure shown in section 1 for the motor vehicle 14 (right-hand strand), a radio signal (the radio signal received in the optional third procedure step 74 of the procedure for the data processing device 12) comprising a motor vehicle strategy of the motor vehicle 14 and a request to optimize the transmitted motor vehicle strategy of the motor vehicle 14 with regard to a reduction of the restriction of the environment detection system 16 of the motor vehicle 14 is sent to the data processing device 12.

[0058] In a second process step 82, a radio signal (the radio signal sent in the fifth process step 78 of the process for the data processing device 12) is received, comprising a motor vehicle strategy determined from aggregated restriction information and optimized with regard to a reduction of the restriction of an environment recognition system 16 of the motor vehicle 14.

[0059] In a third process step 84a, 84b, the motor vehicle 14 is automatically controlled according to the received optimized motor vehicle strategy (process step 84a), for example in the case of a motor vehicle 10, 14 trained as fully automated, or, in the case of a motor vehicle 14 driven by a driver, a message is issued to the driver of the motor vehicle 14 to control the motor vehicle 14 according to the received optimized motor vehicle strategy by the driver (process step 84b). Reference symbol list 10 first motor vehicle 12 Data processing equipment 14 second motor vehicle 16 Environment detection system 18 Communication unit of the motor vehicle 20 Control unit 22 Communication unit of the data processing facility 24 processor 50 First procedural step - Determining an initial state of impairment 52 Second procedural step - Determining a second state of impairment 54 Third procedural step - Determining a limitation 56 Fourth procedure step - Sending a radio signal 58 Optional fifth procedure step - Receiving a radio signal 60a, 60b optional sixth process step - Controlling / outputting a message 70 First process step - Receiving a large number of radio signals 72 Second procedural step - Aggregating restriction information 74 Optional third procedure step - Receiving a radio signal 76 Fourth procedural step - Determining a motor vehicle strategy 78 Fifth procedure step - Sending a radio signal 80 Optional first procedure step - Sending a radio signal 82 Second procedure step - Receiving a radio signal 84a, 84b third procedural step - triggering / issuing a notification

Claims

[1] Procedure for a motor vehicle (10) which includes the steps: - Receiving a radio signal encompassing a predetermined route segment and a request to travel on the predetermined route segment, - Determining (50) an initial impairment state of an environment detection system (16) of the motor vehicle (10) before the motor vehicle (10) enters the received predetermined section of the route, - Determining (52) a second impairment state of the environment detection system (16) of the motor vehicle (10) after the motor vehicle (10) has driven over the received predetermined section of the route, - Determining (54) a limitation of the motor vehicle's (10) environmental perception system associated with the section of road traveled, based on the first and second impairment states determined, - Sending (56) a further radio signal containing restriction information about the identified restriction of the motor vehicle's (10) environment detection system associated with the section of road traveled, in order to determine a motor vehicle strategy that can be optimized with regard to reducing the restriction of the environment detection system (16) of a motor vehicle (10). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein when driving the motor vehicle (10) over the section of the route, at least one environmental and / or vehicle condition is detected by the motor vehicle (10) and the further radio signal further comprises the detected environmental and / or vehicle condition. [3] Method for a data processing facility (12) comprising the steps: - Receiving (70) a multitude of radio signals comprising restriction information about restrictions associated with traveled road sections of environment detection systems (16) of one or more motor vehicles (10), - Aggregating (72) the restriction information of the received multitude of radio signals, - Determine that a number of the aggregated restriction information about restrictions of environment detection systems (16) of a motor vehicle (10) with respect to a predetermined section of road falls below a predetermined minimum number of restriction information, - Sending a radio signal encompassing the predetermined route segment and a request to travel on the predetermined route segment, - Determining (76) a motor vehicle strategy optimized with respect to reducing the restriction of an environment sensing system (16) of a motor vehicle (10) based on the aggregated restriction information and - Sending (78) another radio signal comprising the determined optimized motor vehicle strategy under the condition that the number of aggregated restriction information exceeds the specified minimum number of restriction information. [4] Method for a motor vehicle (10, 14) comprising the steps: - Sending (80) a radio signal comprising a motor vehicle strategy of the motor vehicle (10, 14) and a request to optimize the current motor vehicle strategy with regard to reducing the restriction of an environment sensing system (16) of the motor vehicle (10, 14), - Receiving (58, 82) a radio signal comprising a motor vehicle strategy determined from aggregated restriction information exceeding a specified minimum number of restriction information and optimized with regard to reducing the restriction of the environment detection system (16) of a motor vehicle (10, 14) and - automatic steering (60a, 84a) of the motor vehicle (10, 14) according to the received optimized motor vehicle strategy and / or - Outputting (60b, 84b) a message to the driver of the motor vehicle (10, 14) to steer the motor vehicle (10, 14) according to the optimized motor vehicle strategy received by the driver. [5] Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the optimized motor vehicle strategy comprises a route guidance, a driving style and / or a parking space for a motor vehicle (10, 14), each of which is optimized with respect to a reduction of the restriction of an environment detection system (16) of a motor vehicle (10, 14). [6] Motor vehicle (10, 14), comprising: - an environment detection system designed to detect the vehicle's surroundings (16), - a communication unit designed to send and receive radio signals (18), - a control unit (20) configured to perform the method according to one of claims 1 or 2 and / or 4 or 5. [7] Data processing facility (12), comprising: - a communication unit (22) designed to send and receive radio signals and - a processor (24) configured to perform the method according to claim 3.

Citation Information

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