Method and system for processing signals transmitted to a motor vehicle by a telecommunications entity

Abstract

The present invention relates to a processing method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunications entity and received by a radio frequency signal communication instrument arranged inside the vehicle, by means of a computer system (100) installed on a motor vehicle, and to a system for implementing such a method and to a motor vehicle comprising such a system. The object of the present invention is to determine the credibility of radio frequency signals transmitted by a telecommunications entity, said radio frequency signals especially being signals containing data relating to the route followed by the vehicle and / or to its geographical position.

Description

[0001] This invention claims priority from French application No. 1904472 filed on April 26, 2019, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of driving assistance systems for motor vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio frequency signal communication instrument arranged inside a vehicle, by means of a computer system installed in the motor vehicle. The present invention also relates to a computer system for implementing such a method. The present invention is particularly applicable to autonomous and connected motor vehicles. Background Art

[0003] It is known that autonomous vehicles need to move in intelligent transportation systems that are being developed and / or exploited, and in such systems, vehicles must use communication technologies to interact with various communication entities, such as infrastructure, other vehicles, or mobile communication devices (such as smartphones) carried by pedestrians. To provide autonomous driving functions, these communication technologies are indeed essential, because autonomous vehicles use these communication technologies in particular to determine their perception of the surrounding environment; for this purpose, autonomous vehicles use the signals transmitted to them by various communication entities. It can thus be understood that when one wishes to provide reliable autonomous driving functions to maximize the safety of road users, the processing of these signals, which will determine the perception of the autonomous vehicle and is generally carried out by the autonomous vehicle itself, is very important. One of the primary requirements that vehicle manufacturers must meet is therefore the implementation of technologies that make it possible to determine, when a signal is received, whether that signal can be considered safe, in which case its content should be taken into account to provide driver assistance functions, or if the signal may have been corrupted, in which case its content should not be taken into account to provide driver assistance functions.

[0004] To meet this basic requirement, driving assistance systems have been developed that implement signal processing methods to verify the integrity of received signals. In particular, there are methods implemented by motor vehicle driving assistance systems that rely on cryptographic techniques to verify the authenticity and / or integrity of received signals that have been transmitted by a telecommunication entity. However, in addition to verifying the authenticity and integrity of the signal, these methods are not helpful in verifying that the content of the signal is consistent with a particular driving environment (especially with respect to the geographical location of the vehicle and / or the route followed by the vehicle).

[0005] In addition, with respect to such specific information (which may form part of the content of signals transmitted by a telecommunications entity to autonomous and connected vehicles), other driving assistance systems have been developed, which implement other signal processing techniques to determine the credibility of received signals, as described, for example, in document US20170365171. However, these systems typically limit themselves to using specific techniques to process radio frequency signals, but they generally do not provide any specific mechanism to limit processing errors. In other words, currently available systems are limited to drawing conclusions about the credibility of received signals based on verification of a single condition determined by the radio frequency signal processing techniques used. For example, some current systems implement signal processing techniques such that they can only verify the geographical location information contained in the signal. Thus, when using such a system, when a received signal contains correct location information but also incorrect route information, the signal is considered credible, when in fact it is not. This thus leads to the risk of considering corrupted messages, which is highly regrettable, because although considering corrupted radio frequency signals may not be overly troublesome when it comes to video transmission, in the context of autonomous driving, it is crucial to minimize the risk of this occurring as much as possible. In fact, in the context of providing autonomous driving assistance functions, considering corrupted signals can have catastrophic consequences, which may endanger the lives of road users.

[0006] In addition, there is another risk associated with relying on a single signal processing technique, which is caused by the known drawbacks of traditional radio frequency signal processing techniques. In fact, it is known that all techniques for processing radio frequency signals unfortunately have drawbacks, which may be particularly troublesome in the context of autonomous driving. For example, techniques based on the angle of arrival of the signal suffer from the problem of the constant movement between autonomous vehicles. Similarly, techniques based on signal power (such as RSSI) are constrained by attenuation and the realism of the model used to estimate the power of the received signal. Likewise, techniques based on the time of arrival of the signal are also affected by the signal propagation conditions and the realism of the model used. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a method for overcoming these drawbacks. The object of the present invention is in particular to provide a method and a system which can better minimize the possibility of corrupted signals being considered to provide driving assistance functions. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a method and a system which are capable of determining the credibility of radio frequency signals transmitted by a telecommunications entity (in particular signals containing data related to the route followed and / or geographical location).

[0008] According to the present invention, these objects are achieved by a processing method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio signal communication instrument arranged inside the vehicle, by means of a computer system installed in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

[0009] - determining, by using the signal, at least one characteristic parameter of the signal and data characterizing a content segment of the signal;

[0010] - acquiring measurement data generated by using detection means arranged inside the vehicle, a vehicle navigation system configured to interact with a satellite positioning system, and / or the radio signal communication instrument;

[0011] - determining, by using the characteristic parameter of the signal, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal, and the measurement data, a value of a first main credibility parameter related to the route followed by the vehicle;

[0012] - determining, according to a value of a first secondary credibility parameter and a value of a second secondary credibility parameter, a value of a second main credibility parameter related to the geographical location of the vehicle, for the value of the first secondary credibility parameter, determined by using the characteristic parameter of the signal, and for the value of the second secondary credibility parameter, determined by using the data characterizing the content segment of the signal and the measurement data, and

[0013] - if the value of the first main credibility parameter and the value of the second main credibility parameter are the same, controlling to store the data characterizing the content segment of the signal on a data storage medium arranged in the vehicle, so that the data characterizing the content segment of the signal can be used by a driving assistance system of the vehicle to provide a driver assistance function, or, if the value of the first main credibility parameter and the value of the second main credibility parameter are different, establishing that the signal should be ignored.

[0014] According to a variant, the characteristic parameter of the signal may include an angle value, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal may include data characterizing a route established by the communication entity, the measurement data may include data characterizing a measured longitudinal axis and data characterizing a measured route, and the step of determining the value of the first main credibility parameter may include the following steps:

[0015] - using the angle value at the measured longitudinal axis to determine a first angle;

[0016] - using the route established by the communication entity and the measured route to determine a second angle; and

[0017] - If the difference between the first angle and the second angle is less than or equal to a first preset threshold, assign a first preset credibility value to the first main credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the first angle and the second angle is greater than the first threshold, assign a second credibility value to the first main credibility parameter.

[0018] According to another variant, the characteristic parameter of the signal may include a measured power value, and the step of determining the value of the second main credibility parameter may include the following steps:

[0019] - Determine a theoretical power value by using a modeling module,

[0020] - Determine the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value, and

[0021] - If the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is less than or equal to a second preset threshold, assign a first preset credibility value to the first secondary credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is greater than the second preset threshold, assign a second preset credibility value to the first secondary credibility parameter.

[0022] According to another variant, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal may include data characterizing the transmission duration of the signal and data characterizing the geographical location established by the communication entity, the measurement data may include the measured reception duration of the signal and data characterizing the measured geographical location, and the step of determining the value of the second main credibility parameter may include the following steps:

[0023] - Determine a first distance value by using the transmission duration of the signal, the measured reception duration of the signal, and a propagation speed value,

[0024] - Determine a second distance value by using the geographical location established by the communication entity and the measured geographical location,

[0025] - Determine the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and

[0026] - If the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is less than or equal to a third preset threshold, assign a first credibility value to the second secondary credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is greater than the third preset threshold, assign a second credibility value to the second secondary credibility parameter.

[0027] Another object of the present invention is to provide a processing system which can be mounted on a motor vehicle and can process signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio frequency signal communication instrument arranged inside the vehicle. The processing system includes at least one information processing unit, and the information processing unit includes at least one processor configured to implement the above method and a data storage medium.

[0028] Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer program for performing the steps of the above method when the program is executed on a computer.

[0029] Another object of the present invention is to provide a medium usable in a computer, on which the above program is recorded.

[0030] Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle which includes the above system. Description of the Drawings

[0031] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

[0032] Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a processing system according to the present invention, and

[0033] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing some steps of a processing method according to the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0034] According to the present invention, a processing system 100 that allows processing of signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity is a computer system, as Figure 1 shown, the computer system includes an information processing unit 101, and the information processing unit includes: one or more processors; a data storage medium 102; at least one input and output interface 103 that allows receiving data (or signals) and allows transmitting data (or signals); and optionally a digital signal processor 104 that can receive, demodulate and amplify data according to the general knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the processing system 100 is installed in a motor vehicle and is housed on one or more of the vehicle's computers, electronic control units, and other telematics boxes. According to other embodiments, the processing system 100 is housed on a computer independent of the motor vehicle and interacts with the computer of the vehicle's driving assistance system through its input and output interfaces 103. According to a preferred embodiment, the processing system 100 forms a component of the computer of the vehicle's driving assistance system. Thus, regardless of which embodiment of the present invention, the processing system 100 is always able to interact through its input and output interfaces 103 not only with the vehicle's driving assistance system, but also with any other system and / or device of the vehicle that is from time to time, periodically, and / or continuously required to act in conjunction with the vehicle's driving assistance system.

[0036] Traditionally, the vehicle's driving assistance system is based on a plurality of detection devices arranged in the vehicle and on one or more dedicated logic controllers, computers, and / or processors, which can control the operation of certain vehicle components according to a preset function and according to the signals and / or data generated by the detection devices to help provide various driving assistance functions (such as emergency braking assistance, obstacle avoidance assistance, lane keeping assistance, parking assistance, etc.). For example, the driving assistance system includes at least one lidar device, radar detection device, camera, ultrasonic sensor, compass, and / or inertial unit, and each of these detection devices preferably includes a signal processing module capable of generating data based on the received signals. Alternatively or additionally, the driving assistance system includes a central signal processing module that is capable of generating data based on the signals sent by each of these detection devices.

[0037] Furthermore, in order to implement some tasks related to some steps of the method according to the present invention described below, the driving assistance system is also provided with interfaces and other dedicated hardware and software elements that allow it to interact with other vehicle devices for interaction within an intelligent transportation system. Such devices particularly include radio frequency signal communication instruments arranged in the vehicle, with which the driving assistance system can interact to exchange data with other components of the intelligent transportation system (such as road infrastructure, remote data sources, other vehicles, electronic devices worn by pedestrians) and / or smartphones in the vehicle. By using these components, the driving assistance system and thus the processing system 100 that interacts with it or forms a part of it can obtain signals transmitted by communication entities and received by using the radio frequency signal communication instruments.

[0038] In addition, in order to perform other tasks related to other steps of the method according to the present invention described below, the driving assistance system includes dedicated hardware and software components for interacting with the vehicle's navigation system, which generally includes a receiver for interacting with a satellite positioning system. By using these components, the driving assistance system and thus the processing system 100 that interacts with it or forms part of it can obtain data from the navigation system, in particular measurement data related to the route followed by the vehicle and / or the geographical location of the vehicle (e.g., GPS coordinates).

[0039] According to the present invention, all the elements described above contribute to allowing the processing system 100 to implement the method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio frequency signal communication instrument, as described below in conjunction with Figure 2 the description of the method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio frequency signal communication instrument.

[0040] In a first step 201 of the method according to the present invention, the processing system 100 uses the received signal to determine at least one characteristic parameter of the signal and data characterizing a content segment of the signal. In this case, the characteristic parameters of the signal thus determined may include an angle value (e.g., corresponding to the angle of arrival of the signal) and a power value (e.g., corresponding to the measured power value of the signal (e.g., RSSI)). In addition, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal may include data characterizing the route followed by the vehicle established by the communication entity, data characterizing the transmission duration of the signal, and data characterizing the geographical location of the vehicle established by the communication entity.

[0041] Then, in a second step 202 of the method according to the present invention, the processing system 100 acquires (i.e., extracts and / or receives) measurement data generated by using the detection means of the driving assistance system, the vehicle's navigation system, and / or the radio frequency signal communication instrument. In this case, these measurement data may include data characterizing the measured longitudinal axis and / or the measured route, which are determined, for example, by using the compass of the driving assistance system and / or the vehicle's navigation system. In other cases, the measurement data may include data characterizing the signal reception duration measured by using the radio frequency signal communication instrument and / or data characterizing the geographical location measured by using the vehicle navigation system.

[0042] Then, in a third step 203 of the method according to the present invention, the processing system 100 determines the value of a first main credibility parameter related to the route followed by the vehicle by using the characteristic parameters of the signal, the data of the content segment of the signal determined during the first step 201, and the measurement data acquired during the second step 202.

[0043] According to one example, the processing system 100 does this by determining the value of a first angle by using the angle of arrival of the radio signal determined during the first step 201 and the angle value of the vehicle longitudinal axis included in the measurement data acquired during step 202. Then, the processing system 100 determines the value of a second angle by using the route established by the communication entity determined during the first step 201 and the measured route acquired during the second step 202. Finally, the processing system 100 determines the difference between the first angle and the second angle, and if the difference between the first angle and the second angle is less than or equal to a first preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a first preset credibility value to the first main credibility parameter, such as a first Boolean value selected to characterize a credible feature. Conversely, if the difference between the first angle and the second angle is greater than the first preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a second credibility value to the first main credibility parameter, such as a Boolean value selected to characterize a non-credible feature.

[0044] Then, according to the fourth step 204 of the method according to the invention, the processing system 100 determines the value of a second main credibility parameter related to the geographical location of the vehicle according to the value of a first secondary credibility parameter and the value of a second secondary credibility parameter. Preferably, the value of the first secondary credibility parameter is determined by using the characteristic parameters of the signal determined during the first step 201, while the value of the second secondary credibility parameter is determined by using the data representing the content segment of the signal determined during step 201 and the measurement data acquired during the second step 202. Additionally, advantageously, when the value of the first secondary credibility parameter is the same as the value of the second secondary credibility parameter, the processing system 100 assigns a first credibility value (i.e., credible) to the second main credibility parameter. Conversely, when the value of the first secondary credibility parameter is different from the value of the second secondary credibility parameter, the processing system 100 assigns a second credibility value (i.e., non-credible) to the second main credibility parameter.

[0045] According to one example, to determine the value of the first secondary credibility parameter, the processing system 100 first determines a theoretical power value by using a modeling module. Then, the processing system 100 determines the difference between the measured power value determined in step 201 and the theoretical power value. Finally, if the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is less than or equal to a second preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a first preset credibility value (i.e., credible) to the first secondary credibility parameter. Conversely, if the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is greater than the second preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a second preset credibility value (i.e., non-credible) to the first secondary credibility parameter.

[0046] According to another example, to determine the value of the second secondary credibility parameter, the system first determines a first distance value based on the transmission duration of the signal determined during the first step 201, the reception duration of the signal obtained during the second step 202, and a preset propagation speed value. Then, the processing system 100 determines a second distance value by using the geographical location established by the communication entity determined during the first step 201 and the measured geographical location obtained during the second step 202. Finally, the processing system 100 determines the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value. If the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is less than or equal to a third preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a first credibility value (i.e., credible) to the second secondary credibility parameter. On the contrary, if the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is greater than the third preset threshold, the processing system 100 assigns a second credibility value (i.e., not credible) to the second secondary credibility parameter.

[0047] Finally, according to the fifth step 205 of the method according to the present invention, when the values of the first primary credibility parameter and the second primary credibility parameter are the same, the processing system 100 controls to store the data representing the content segment of the signal on the data storage medium arranged in the vehicle, so that the data representing the content segment of the signal can be used by the driving assistance system of the vehicle to provide driver assistance functions. On the contrary, when the values of the first primary credibility parameter and the second primary credibility parameter are different, the processing system 100 determines that the signal should be ignored.

[0048] Therefore, according to the various aspects of the method and system according to the present invention described above, the possibility of setting functional blocks to consider damaged signals to provide driving assistance functions is better minimized. In fact, due to the implementation of various verification mechanisms (which consider several characteristics of the received signal and its content), the method and system according to the present invention help to allow autonomous and connected vehicles to more reliably determine whether the received signal (especially the signal containing data related to the route followed and / or the geographical location) is credible or damaged.

Claims

1. A processing method for processing signals transmitted by a telecommunication entity and received by a radio signal communication instrument arranged inside the vehicle, by means of a computer system (100) installed on a motor vehicle, characterized in that, the method comprises the following steps: - determining, by using the signal, at least one characteristic parameter of the signal and data characterizing a content segment of the signal, - acquiring measurement data generated by using detection means arranged inside the vehicle, a vehicle navigation system configured to interact with a satellite positioning system, and / or the radio signal communication instrument, - determining, by using the characteristic parameter of the signal, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal, and the measurement data, a value of a first main credibility parameter related to the route followed by the vehicle, - determining, according to a value of a first secondary credibility parameter and a value of a second secondary credibility parameter, a value of a second main credibility parameter related to the geographical location of the vehicle, for the value of the first secondary credibility parameter, it is determined by using the characteristic parameter of the signal, and for the value of the second secondary credibility parameter, it is determined by using the data characterizing the content segment of the signal and the measurement data, and - if the value of the first main credibility parameter and the value of the second main credibility parameter are the same, controlling to store the data characterizing the content segment of the signal on a data storage medium arranged in the vehicle, so that the data characterizing the content segment of the signal can be used by a driving assistance system of the vehicle to provide a driver assistance function, or, if the value of the first main credibility parameter and the value of the second main credibility parameter are different, establishing that the signal should be ignored.

2. The processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the characteristic parameter of the signal comprises an angle value, the data characterizing the content segment of the signal comprises data characterizing a route established by the communication entity, the measurement data comprises data characterizing a measured longitudinal axis and data characterizing a measured route, and the step of determining the value of the first main credibility parameter comprises the following steps: - using the angle value at the measured longitudinal axis to determine a first angle, - using the route established by the communication entity and the measured route to determine a second angle, and - if the difference between the first angle and the second angle is less than or equal to a first preset threshold, assigning a first preset credibility value to the first main credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the first angle and the second angle is greater than the first preset threshold, assigning a second credibility value to the first main credibility parameter.

3. The processing method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the characteristic parameter of the signal comprises a measured power value, and the step of determining the value of the second main credibility parameter comprises the following steps: - determining a theoretical power value by using a modeling module, - determining the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value, and - If the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is less than or equal to a second preset threshold, assign a first preset credibility value to the first secondary credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the measured power value and the theoretical power value is greater than the second preset threshold, assign a second preset credibility value to the first secondary credibility parameter.

4. The processing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The data of the content segment characterizing the signal includes the data characterizing the transmission duration of the signal and the data characterizing the geographical location established by the communication entity, the measurement data includes the measured reception duration of the signal and the data characterizing the measured geographical location, and the step of determining the value of the second main credibility parameter includes the following steps: - Determine a first distance value by using the transmission duration of the signal, the measured reception duration of the signal, and the propagation speed value, - Determine a second distance value by using the geographical location established by the communication entity and the measured geographical location, - Determine the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and - If the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is less than or equal to a third preset threshold, assign a first credibility value to the second secondary credibility parameter, or, if the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value is greater than the third preset threshold, assign a second credibility value to the second secondary credibility parameter.

5. A processing system (100) capable of being loaded on a motor vehicle and processing signals transmitted by a remote communication entity and received by a radio signal communication instrument arranged inside the vehicle, wherein, The processing system includes at least one information processing unit (101), and the information processing unit includes at least one processor configured to implement the processing method according to any one of the foregoing claims and a data storage medium (102).

6. A computer program including program code instructions for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 when the program is executed on a computer.

7. A medium that can be used in a computer, wherein, The medium records the program according to claim 6.

8. A motor vehicle, wherein, The motor vehicle includes the processing system according to claim 5.

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