Method and device for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of vehicles on a monorail

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of a motor vehicle on a monorail, wherein the presence of a second motor vehicle on the monorail traveling directly ahead on the same lane and a third motor vehicle on the monorail traveling directly ahead of the second motor vehicle on the monorail is detected with the aid of an environmental sensor, wherein a lateral misalignment of the second motor vehicle on the monorail and the third motor vehicle on the monorail relative to the motor vehicle on the monorail is determined, and a target object is selected for the method for distance adjustment based on at least one of the lateral misalignments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of vehicles on a monorail. Background Art

[0002] DE 10 2017 205 506 A1 discloses a method for distance control of a motor vehicle on a single track, which motor vehicle is following a preceding motor vehicle which is also travelling on a single track directly in front.

[0003] - wherein the longitudinal distance of the vehicle on the single track from the preceding vehicle is determined,

[0004] - wherein a lateral offset between a vehicle on the monorail and a preceding vehicle is determined,

[0005] - a setpoint distance between the monorail vehicle and the preceding vehicle is determined as a function of the transverse offset, and - the longitudinal distance is brought closer to the setpoint distance by a driver-independent change in the braking torque or drive torque of the monorail vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0006] The invention relates to a method for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of a vehicle on a monorail.

[0007] - the presence of a second motor vehicle on the single track travelling directly ahead on the same lane and a third motor vehicle on the single track travelling directly ahead of the second motor vehicle on the single track is detected by means of an environmental sensor,

[0008] wherein a lateral offset of the second motor vehicle on the monorail and a third motor vehicle on the monorail relative to the motor vehicles on the monorail is determined, and a target object is selected for the method for distance control as a function of at least one of the lateral offsets.

[0009] This makes it possible to achieve more comfortable automatic distance control for vehicles on a single track, especially when traveling in groups. If appropriate, by detecting two vehicles traveling ahead, it is possible to achieve almost parallel travel with the vehicle traveling ahead with a significant offset, and to adjust the distance to the other vehicle traveling ahead of the two parallel vehicles. In the distance control, the distance to the vehicle traveling ahead, referred to as the target object, is adjusted to a preset value. The preset value can also depend on a variable, such as the current speed.

[0010] The advantageous design of the present invention is characterized in that, for a case where the lateral offset of the second motor vehicle on the monorail exceeds a preset first threshold value, the second motor vehicle on the monorail is selected as the target object. In this case, the distance adjustment is related to the vehicle traveling ahead, similar to the field of passenger cars.

[0011] An advantageous embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, when the lateral offset of the second motor vehicle on the monorail exceeds a preset second threshold value and the lateral offset of the third motor vehicle on the monorail is below a preset third threshold value, the third motor vehicle on the monorail is selected as the target object.

[0012] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the first threshold value and the second threshold value are identical.

[0013] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value are identical.

[0014] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the target object is a monorail vehicle traveling ahead and that the distance between the monorail vehicle and the monorail vehicle traveling ahead is adjusted.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the distance control is carried out by means of a driver-independent braking intervention or engine torque intervention.

[0016] The present invention further comprises a device comprising means designed to carry out the method according to the present invention. In particular, this relates to a control device in which a program code for carrying out the method according to the present invention is stored. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The accompanying drawings include Figure 1 :

[0018] Figure 1 In the three images, a group of three motorcycles moving from left to right is shown in a top view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The present invention relates to the distance regulation for a motorized two-wheeled vehicle, which especially moves in a group of other motorized two-wheeled vehicles. In the following explanation, the present invention is described for the special situation of a motorcycle, wherein the present invention obviously also can be used for other motorized two-wheeled vehicles.

[0020] Here a motorcycle is observed, which is moving in a group of motorcycles, as is usually the case in group travel. The motorcycle is not in the first position, or in the second position within the group being traveled, but occupies the third position, or even travels further behind.

[0021] Unlike car drivers, motorcycle drivers often drive sideways or laterally offset from one another during group travel. For motorcycles, it is not necessary to take into account the vehicle ahead that is traveling significantly laterally offset in the automatic distance control, since there is no risk of a collision due to the lateral offset. Therefore, a more comfortable distance control for the driver can be based on detecting the position of the two closest vehicles traveling ahead and selecting one of the two vehicles from which the longitudinal distance should be automatically adjusted.

[0022] Figure 1 1 shows three driving situations in a top view from top to bottom, in which a motorcycle 100 follows two motorcycles 101 and 102 driving ahead. All three vehicles are driving from right to left on the right lane of the road shown in the top view. Motorcycle 100 is driving with automatic distance control, motorcycle 101 is the motorcycle driving directly ahead, and motorcycle 102 is the frontmost vehicle of the group consisting of three motorcycles.

[0023] exist Figure 1 In the upper image of FIG. 1 , motorcycle 100 is traveling on the right edge of the right lane and its surroundings sensors detect two motorcycles 101 and 102 traveling ahead. Motorcycle 101 has a large lateral offset x relative to motorcycle 100, so there is no danger of a collision. Therefore, the distance control system selects the first motorcycle 102 of the group as the target object and adjusts the distance a. For the sake of highlighting, the target object is surrounded by a dashed ellipse as in the two lower images.

[0024] In the middle image, motorcycle 100 is moving on the left edge of the right lane. Since there is again a large lateral offset x relative to motorcycle 101 traveling ahead, the first motorcycle 102 of the group is again selected as the target object and the distance a is adjusted.

[0025] In the lower image, all three motorcycles 100, 101 and 102 move almost sequentially. The lateral offset x of motorcycle 101 relative to motorcycle 100 is very small, so that motorcycle 101 is selected as the target object and distance a is set for it.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of a vehicle (100) on a single track, - wherein the presence of a second monorail motor vehicle (101) travelling directly ahead of the monorail motor vehicle (100) on the same lane as the monorail motor vehicle (100) and a third monorail motor vehicle (102) travelling directly ahead of the second monorail motor vehicle on the same lane as the monorail motor vehicle (100) are detected by means of environmental sensors, wherein a lateral offset (x) of the second vehicle of the monorail and of the third vehicle of the monorail relative to the vehicles of the monorail is determined, and - selecting a target object for a method for distance adjustment based on at least one of the lateral misalignments (x), wherein the second motor vehicle (101) on the monorail is selected as the target object in the case where the lateral misalignment (x) of the second motor vehicle (101) on the monorail exceeds a preset first threshold value, or the third motor vehicle (102) on the monorail is selected as the target object in the case where the lateral misalignment (x) of the second motor vehicle (101) on the monorail exceeds a preset second threshold value and the lateral misalignment (x) of the third motor vehicle (102) on the monorail is below a preset third threshold value, and wherein the first threshold value, the second threshold value and the third threshold value are the same.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The target object is the single-track vehicle traveling ahead, and the distance between the single-track vehicle and the single-track vehicle traveling ahead is adjusted.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The distance control is carried out using driver-independent braking interventions or engine torque interventions.

4. A device for selecting a target object for automatic distance adjustment of a vehicle (100) on a monorail, comprising means designed to implement the method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3.

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