Vehicle and vehicle control method

Abstract

The present application relates to a computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle, which may include: periodically transmitting multiple pulse signals via multiple ultra-wideband antennas, wherein the multiple pulse signals are reflected by obstacles during outward propagation to generate multiple reflected signals; receiving the reflected signals and determining the flight time and signal strength of each received reflected signal; determining whether the obstacle is a hand based on each determined flight time and each determined signal strength; in response to determining that the obstacle is a hand, recognizing a hand gesture; and outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform the corresponding operation. The present application also relates to an electronic device that implements the above method and a vehicle that can be controlled using gestures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicle control, and more particularly to a method for controlling a vehicle by recognizing gestures based on an ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna. The present application also relates to a vehicle that can be controlled using gestures. Background Art

[0002] Usually, when a user wants to control the vehicle from outside the vehicle, for example, opening and closing doors, locking doors, opening and closing windows, opening and closing the front and rear trunks, switching music, adjusting the volume, controlling lights, etc., he often needs to enter the vehicle to operate, or press buttons on the outside of the vehicle (when the trunk is open). This operation method is time-consuming and laborious.

[0003] Although it is also possible to use a portable electronic device such as a wireless key or a mobile phone to control the vehicle from outside, this approach requires additional equipment. When the wireless key is lost or the portable electronic device is unavailable, it is more difficult to perform these operations.

[0004] When using a single UWB antenna to detect gestures, the accuracy of micro-gesture recognition is insufficient due to the blind spot of the single UWB antenna detection. Therefore, a simpler and more accurate method for controlling a vehicle from outside the vehicle is desired. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Purpose of the Invention

[0006] One object of the present application is to provide a computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle and a vehicle, the advantage of which is that gestures can be recognized by setting up multiple ultra-wideband antennas to control the vehicle from outside the vehicle, thereby improving the accuracy of vehicle control.

[0007] Another object of the present application is to provide a computer-implemented method and vehicle for controlling a vehicle, the advantage of which is that gestures can be recognized by controlling the transmission frequency of multiple ultra-wideband antennas to control the vehicle outside the vehicle, thereby improving the accuracy of vehicle control.

[0008] Another object of the present application is to provide a computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle and a vehicle, which have the advantage that the vehicle can be woken up more simply and accurately based on a recognized gesture outside the vehicle.

[0009] Another object of the present application is to provide a computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle and a vehicle, which have the advantage that different components of the vehicle can be controlled more simply and more precisely from outside the vehicle based on recognized gestures.

[0010] Another object of the present application is to provide a vehicle that can be controlled by gestures. The advantage of this application is that by setting up multiple ultra-wideband antennas, the user can control the vehicle externally without using any other mobile device or having any substantial contact with the vehicle, thereby improving the user experience.

[0011] Another object of the present application is to provide a vehicle that can be controlled by gestures, which has the advantage of allowing the user to control the vehicle by gestures when an authorized device is recognized to be close to the vehicle, thereby improving the user experience and reducing the possibility of misoperation.

[0012] Technical Solution

[0013] In order to achieve or at least partially achieve the above-mentioned purpose of the invention, one aspect of the present application relates to a computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle, which may include: periodically transmitting multiple pulse signals through multiple ultra-wideband antennas, wherein the multiple pulse signals are reflected by obstacles during outward propagation to generate multiple reflected signals; receiving the reflected signals and determining the flight time and signal strength of each received reflected signal; determining whether the obstacle is a hand based on each determined flight time and each signal strength; in response to determining that the obstacle is a hand, recognizing the hand gesture; and outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform the corresponding operation. In this method, since multiple ultra-wideband antennas are provided to recognize gestures, the accuracy of vehicle control can be improved. In addition, when it is desired to control the vehicle outside the vehicle, the user can make a gesture outside the vehicle, and the user's gesture can be recognized by the above method, and based on the recognition result, the vehicle can be controlled to perform the operation corresponding to the user's gesture.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, adjacent ultra-wideband antennas among a plurality of ultra-wideband antennas are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Reflected signals reflected from obstacles at different angles can be obtained by each ultra-wideband antenna spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Because multiple ultra-wideband antennas spaced apart by a predetermined distance are used in this method instead of a single ultra-wideband antenna, reflected signals of the hand can be obtained from multiple angles. This allows for the formation of three-dimensional features of the hand, which is more conducive to determining gestures. Each of the multiple ultra-wideband antennas can emit pulse signals having different frequencies. A spatial three-dimensional model of the obstacle can be established based on the spatial positions of the antennas of adjacent ultra-wideband antennas, the flight time of reflected signals of different frequencies, and the signal strength, and whether the obstacle is a hand can be determined based on the spatial three-dimensional model. By controlling the multiple ultra-wideband antennas to transmit pulse signals of different frequencies, a more accurate spatial model of the gesture can be obtained, thereby improving the accuracy of controlling the vehicle from outside the vehicle.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment, outputting an operation command corresponding to a gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation may include: waking the vehicle based on a specific hand gesture in response to the vehicle not being awakened. According to an exemplary embodiment, outputting an operation command corresponding to a gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation may also include: controlling different components of the vehicle to perform the operation corresponding to the gesture based on the gesture in response to the vehicle being awakened. In this embodiment, the vehicle can be woken more simply and accurately based on a recognized gesture from outside the vehicle.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment, outputting an operation command corresponding to a gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation may include determining the corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made, or determining the corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made and the direction of the gesture.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment, outputting an operation command corresponding to a gesture to control the vehicle to perform the corresponding operation may include determining a component to be controlled based on a combined gesture. For example, after a component to be controlled is determined by a first gesture, a second gesture performed within a predetermined time after the first gesture is used to control the component to perform the operation corresponding to the second gesture. This allows for simpler and more precise control of different vehicle components from outside the vehicle to perform operations corresponding to gestures.

[0018] Another aspect of the present application relates to an electronic device for implementing the above-described method. The electronic device may include: one or more processors and one or more memories communicatively connected to the one or more processors. The one or more memories store programs executable by the one or more processors. When the programs stored in the memories are executed by the processors, the processors can perform the above-described method.

[0019] Another aspect of the present application relates to a vehicle, which may include: a vehicle body; an ultra-wideband device disposed outside the vehicle body and including a plurality of ultra-wideband antennas, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas periodically transmit a plurality of pulse signals and receive a plurality of reflected signals generated by reflection from obstacles; and a control unit communicatively connected to the ultra-wideband device. The control unit may be configured to: determine the flight time and signal strength of each of the plurality of reflected signals; determine whether the obstacle is a hand based on each determined flight time and each signal strength; in response to determining that the obstacle is a hand, recognize a hand gesture; and output an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation. The vehicle allows a user to control it without using any other mobile device or having any substantial contact with the vehicle, thereby improving the user experience.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle may further include an identification device communicatively coupled to the control unit. Upon the identification device detecting that the distance between the authorized device and the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold, the control unit may be configured to permit gesture control of the vehicle. By determining whether gesture control is permitted based on the proximity of the authorized device to the vehicle, the likelihood of incorrect operation can be reduced, thereby improving the user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, describes exemplary embodiments of the present application to explain the principles of the present invention. It should be understood that the drawings are intended to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present application rather than to limit them. The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the inventive concept of the present application and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification. In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle provided with a UWB device is schematically shown.

[0023] Figure 2 A flowchart schematically illustrates a method for controlling a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram schematically shows the signal propagation of a UWB antenna arranged outside a vehicle.

[0025] Figure 4 The block diagram schematically shows a hardware system for implementing the method for controlling a vehicle of the present application.

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the determination of the position of one point among a plurality of points constituting an obstacle.

[0027] Figure 6 A block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present application for controlling electronic devices of a vehicle based on UWB gesture recognition is shown.

[0028] Throughout the drawings and detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements, features, and structures. For clarity and ease of description, the drawings may not be drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] To better understand the present application, various aspects of the present application will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these detailed descriptions are merely descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way. Throughout this specification, the expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0030] In the present application, the order in which the processing steps are described does not necessarily represent the order followed by these processes in actual operations, unless otherwise specified or limited or can be inferred from the context.

[0031] It should also be understood that expressions such as "comprises," "including," "having," "includes," and / or "comprising" are open rather than closed expressions in this specification, indicating the presence of the listed features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. In addition, when expressions such as "at least one of..." appear after listed features, they modify the entire listed features rather than just the individual elements of the listed features. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present application, "may" is used to mean "one or more embodiments of the present application." In addition, the expression "exemplary" is intended to refer to an example or illustration.

[0032] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including engineering terms and scientific and technological terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. It should also be understood that, unless otherwise specified in this application, words defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they do in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense.

[0033] It should be noted that, unless there is any conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a vehicle provided with an ultra-wideband (UWB) device is schematically shown.

[0036] In an exemplary embodiment, the UWB device 120 may be disposed on the roof of the vehicle 100. The UWB device 120 may include at least one UWB antenna A. For example, Figure 1 As shown, the UWB device 120 includes four UWB antennas A1-A4. The four UWB antennas A1-A4 may be disposed on the top of the vehicle 100 outside the vehicle 100. However, it should be understood that although Figure 1The multiple UWB antennas A of the UWB device 120 are shown mounted on the exterior roof of the vehicle 100, but the present application is not limited thereto. The UWB device 120 may be mounted in various locations on the vehicle 100 without departing from the teachings and spirit of the present application. For example, the UWB device 120 may be mounted on at least one of the two sides, rear side, and front side of the vehicle 100. In another embodiment, some of the multiple UWB antennas A in the UWB device 120 may be mounted on the roof of the vehicle 100, while others may be mounted on the sides. Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, one or more UWB antennas A may also be mounted inside the vehicle 100. Because the vehicle 100 includes the UWB device 120, even if a user performs a gesture outside the vehicle 100, the gesture can be recognized by the UWB device 120. Consequently, the vehicle 100 allows the user to control the vehicle 100 without using any other mobile devices or making any physical contact with the vehicle 100, thereby improving the user experience.

[0037] Figure 2 A flowchart showing a method of controlling a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram schematically illustrates signal propagation of a UWB device disposed outside a vehicle. Figure 4 The figure schematically shows a hardware system block diagram for implementing the method for controlling a vehicle of the present application.

[0038] The following will be combined Figures 2 to 4 Describe the principle of vehicle control based on UWB gesture recognition.

[0039] Reference Figure 2 In step S210, the UWB device 120 transmits a plurality of UWB pulse signals SG through a plurality of UWB antennas A. The plurality of UWB pulse signals SG may be reflected by obstacles OB during outward propagation to generate a plurality of UWB reflected signals SR.

[0040] For example, Figure 3 As shown, multiple UWB antennas A of a UWB device 120 mounted on the exterior roof of a vehicle 100 can emit UWB pulse signals SG at a specific frequency. Each of the multiple UWB pulse signals SG may reflect off an obstacle OB during outward propagation. For example, when a user makes a gesture within a predetermined range outside of vehicle 100 or inside vehicle 100, the UWB pulse signals SG emitted by the multiple UWB antennas A are blocked by the user's hand, acting as obstacle OB, generating a UWB reflected signal SR.

[0041] In step S220, the UWB antenna A may receive the UWB reflected signal SR reflected by the obstacle OB and determine the time of flight (TOF) and signal strength of each received UWB reflected signal SR. Figure 3 As shown, the UWB device 120 can receive the UWB reflection signal SR reflected by the obstacle OB through the UWB antenna A and process the received UWB reflection signal SR. For example, the UWB device 120 can input the received UWB reflection signal SR to the control unit 132 of the host 130. The control unit 132 can be, for example, a system on a chip (SOC). The control unit 132 of the host 130 can extract signal features of the UWB reflection signal SR and analyze the UWB reflection signal SR based on the extracted signal features. The control unit 132 can determine the TOF and signal strength of each UWB reflection signal SR based on the extracted signal features of the UWB reflection signal SR.

[0042] In step S230 , the control unit 132 may determine whether the obstacle OB is a hand according to the determined TOF and signal strength of each UWB reflection signal SR.

[0043] To determine TOF, each UWB antenna A transmits a UWB pulse signal SG in a specific direction, and a timer begins simultaneously with the transmission of the UWB pulse signal SG. The UWB pulse signal SG propagates through the air and immediately returns upon encountering an obstacle OB. The UWB antenna A immediately stops the timer when it receives the reflected UWB signal SR. Assuming the propagation speed of the UWB pulse signal SG in the air is v, the distance s from each UWB antenna A to the obstacle OB can be calculated based on the time t recorded by the timer: s = v * t / 2. The calculated distance from each UWB antenna A to the obstacle OB provides information about the obstacle's depth.

[0044] In addition, since different media have different reflectivities, the signal strength of each UWB reflection signal SR may also be determined to determine the medium constituting the obstacle OB.

[0045] For example, if the depth information of the UWB reflected signal SR determined by TOF exceeds a specific depth range, the obstacle OB can be determined not to be a hand. Alternatively, if the signal strength of the UWB reflected signal SR exceeds a specific range, the obstacle OB can also be determined not to be a hand. In other words, only when both the depth information and signal strength of the UWB reflected signal SR determined by TOF meet specific conditions can the obstacle OB be determined to be a hand.

[0046] For example, the process of identifying the obstacle OB is described by taking the UWB device 120 including four UWB antennas A1 - A4 as an example.

[0047] Reference Figure 3 Four UWB antennas A1-A4 are mounted on vehicle 100 and spaced as far apart as possible. Each of the four UWB antennas A1-A4 simultaneously transmits UWB pulse signals SG at frequencies f1-f4. These four frequencies propagate through the air and are reflected by obstacles OB. By controlling multiple (e.g., four) UWB antennas to transmit pulse signals of different frequencies to recognize gestures and control the vehicle from outside, vehicle control accuracy can be improved.

[0048] Each of the four UWB antennas A1-A4 can receive UWB reflected signals SR at four frequencies f1-f4. Based on the known position of each UWB antenna A, the TOF of the UWB pulse signal SG at each frequency, and the signal strength of the received UWB reflected signal SR at each frequency, the control unit 132 can calculate the position and shape of the spatial obstacle OB from the perspective of the UWB antenna A.

[0049] As an example, to obtain the three-dimensional spatial shape of obstacle OB, obstacle OB can be divided into multiple spatial units (e.g., multiple points B1, ..., Bn). For each of the four UWB antennas A1-A4, the precise spatial position of each of the multiple units comprising obstacle OB is determined based on the determined TOF of each UWB pulse signal SG. After obtaining the precise spatial position of each unit, the precise spatial positions of each unit are combined to obtain the three-dimensional spatial shape of obstacle OB.

[0050] The control unit 132 may synthesize a more complete spatial 3D model of the obstacle OB by using the sub-space 3D models of the obstacle OB obtained based on the angles of the four UWB antennas A1 - A4 , thereby determining whether the obstacle OB is a hand.

[0051] In step S240, in response to determining that the obstacle OB is a hand, a hand gesture is identified. For example, features corresponding to each gesture may be pre-stored in the storage device of the host 130. When the obstacle OB is determined to be a hand, the features of the obstacle OB are matched with the stored gestures. If a match is found with a stored gesture, the obstacle OB is determined to be that gesture. Otherwise, the obstacle OB is determined not to be a gesture.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the matching process may be performed by the control unit 132. For example, the control unit 132 may perform matching with a pre-stored gesture model, thereby determining the meaning of the gesture based on the matching result.

[0053] When using a single UWB antenna, due to the limited detection angle of a single UWB antenna, blind spots will appear during the recognition process, making it difficult to ensure the accuracy of micro-gesture recognition. In order to obtain multi-angle UWB reflection signals SR, as mentioned above, the present application adopts a solution of multiple UWB antennas A. In addition, in the present application, multiple UWB antennas A should be as far apart as possible to obtain a spatial 3D model of the obstacle OB with more complete information. Otherwise, if multiple UWB antennas A are close to each other, the effect will be not much different from that of a single antenna. In the present application, by using multiple ultra-wideband antennas with a sufficiently large spacing distance instead of a single ultra-wideband antenna, the reflection signal of the hand can be obtained from multiple angles. In this way, the three-dimensional features of the hand can be formed, which is more conducive to the judgment of the gesture. In addition, the above method can more accurately identify the user's micro-gestures, which helps to accurately control the vehicle.

[0054] The principle of using multiple UWB antennas A for scanning and imaging is described in detail below.

[0055] like Figure 5 As shown, four UWB antennas A1-A4 transmit UWB pulse signals SG with frequencies f1-f4 respectively. To simplify the analysis of the problem, the positioning process of a unit in space (eg, point B) is first analyzed.

[0056] A plane coordinate system is established from a bird's-eye view of the vehicle 100. As an example, the coordinate origin may be set at the geometric center of the quadrilateral formed by the four UWB antennas A1-A4.

[0057] The four UWB antennas A1-A4 scan through the same angle at the same time, and the scanning angular velocity of the four UWB antennas A1-A4 is also the same, which is ω (unit: ° / s). Assuming that when t=0, the scanning angle is 0°, then the time required for scanning one circle (360°) = 360 / ω(s).

[0058] Because the four UWB antennas A1-A4 scan point B at different angles, they also scan point B at different times. This means there's a time difference between the four UWB antennas A1-A4 scanning point B. However, because the scanning speed can be very rapid, far exceeding the speed of objects outside vehicle 100, it can be assumed that point B is not moving when the four UWB antennas A1-A4 scan point B, and the aforementioned time difference can be ignored. To simplify the analysis, it can be assumed that the four UWB antennas A1-A4 scan point B at the same time.

[0059] Assume that the distance from UWB antenna Ax to point B is L(Ax-B). The four UWB antennas A1-A4 simultaneously transmit UWB pulse signals SG1-SG4 with frequencies f1-f4 respectively.

[0060] The first UWB pulse signal SG1 transmitted by the first UWB antenna A1 at the first frequency f1 propagates to point B and is reflected by point B. The reflected first UWB reflected signal SR1 is then reflected by the four UWB antennas A1-A4 and received by the four UWB antennas A1-A4. The sum of the transmission distance and the reception distance of the first UWB pulse signal SG1 is calculated (using the aforementioned TOF, received signal strength, etc.). The UWB pulse signal SG can be collectively referred to as the round-trip signal distance L(Ax-Ay). For example, L(A1-A4) is the round-trip distance of the signal transmitted by the first UWB antenna A1 and reflected back to the fourth UWB antenna A4. Therefore, L(A1-B)=L(A1-A1) / 2, L(A2-B)=L(A1-A2)-L(A1-B), L(A3-B)=L(A1-A3)-L(A1-B), L(A4-B)=L(A1-A4)-L(A1-B), based on which the distances from the four UWB antennas A1-A4 to point B can be obtained.

[0061] Based on the principles of solid geometry, if the distances from point B to the four UWB antennas A1-A4, each with a known spatial location, are known, the location of point B can be determined. For example, the spatial coordinates of point B are labeled (x1, y1, z1). Similarly, when the second UWB antenna A2, the third UWB antenna A3, and the fourth UWB antenna A4 transmit UWB pulse signals SG2-SG4 at frequencies f2, f3, and f4, respectively, the spatial coordinates of point B can be determined: (x2, y2, z2), (x3, y3, z3), and (x4, y4, z4).

[0062] Under normal circumstances, the errors of the spatial coordinates of point B (x1, y1, z1), (x2, y2, z2), (x3, y3, z3), and (x4, y4, z4) are not large. However, in order to obtain the spatial position of point B more accurately, some calculation methods can be used to reduce the errors.

[0063] For example, a more accurate spatial position of point B can be obtained by calculating the arithmetic mean of the spatial coordinates (x1, y1, z1), (x2, y2, z2), (x3, y3, z3), and (x4, y4, z4) of point B using the following equation 1:

[0064] Equation 1:

[0065] (x,y,z)=[(x1,y1,z1)+(x2,y2,z2)+(x3,y3,z3)+(x4,y4,z4)] / 4

[0066] Alternatively, the error can be reduced by calculating the weighted average of point B's spatial coordinates (x1, y1, z1), (x2, y2, z2), (x3, y3, z3), and (x4, y4, z4). Since the error increases with distance, the closer the measurement distance is to the transmitting antenna, the smaller the measurement error, and the weight can be increased. The farther the distance is from the transmitting antenna, the larger the measurement error, and the weight can be decreased. For example, the following method can be used to calculate the weighted average of B's spatial coordinates:

[0067] (1) Based on (x1, y1, z1), it is determined that point B is on the left side of vehicle 100. Therefore, (x, y, z) = [(x1, y1, z1) + (x2, y2, z2) + 2*(x3, y3, z3) + 2*(x4, y4, z4)] / (2 + 2 + 1 + 1);

[0068] (2) Based on (x1, y1, z1), it is determined that point B is on the right side of vehicle 100. Therefore, (x, y, z) = [2*(x1, y1, z1) + 2*(x2, y2, z2) + (x3, y3, z3) + (x4, y4, z4)] / (2 + 2 + 1 + 1);

[0069] (3) Based on (x1, y1, z1), it is determined that point B is in front of vehicle 100. Therefore, (x, y, z) = [(x1, y1, z1) + 2*(x2, y2, z2) + 2*(x3, y3, z3) + (x4, y4, z4)] / (2 + 2 + 1 + 1);

[0070] (4) According to (x1, y1, z1), it is judged that point B is behind vehicle 100, so (x, y, z) = [2*(x1, y1, z1)+(x2, y2, z2)+(x3, y3, z3)+2*(x4, y4, z4)] / (2+2+1+1).

[0071] It should be understood that the arithmetic mean and weighted mean described above are merely exemplary methods for calculating the spatial coordinates of point B. Other methods may be used to reduce the error in the spatial coordinates of point B to obtain a more accurate spatial position of point B. Furthermore, other weighted mean methods may also be used, the concepts of which are similar to those of the weighted mean algorithm described above.

[0072] The above method is used to obtain the spatial coordinates of a single point B. If obstacle OB is a three-dimensional object, it can be considered to be composed of countless points B1, ...Bn. Using the above method, the spatial coordinates of these points can also be obtained. Based on these spatial coordinates, the overall shape of obstacle OB around vehicle 100 can be reconstructed.

[0073] Thereafter, the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle OB within a predetermined time period can be determined in combination with the periodic scanning of the UWB antenna A, thereby determining the change in the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle OB and recognizing the gesture.

[0074] In step S250 , an operation command corresponding to the determined gesture may be output to control the vehicle 100 to perform a corresponding operation.

[0075] When the user wishes to control the vehicle from outside the vehicle, they can make a gesture from outside the vehicle. The user's gesture is recognized through steps S210 to S240, and based on the recognition result, the vehicle is controlled in step S250 to perform an operation corresponding to the user's gesture. This allows the user to control the vehicle from outside the vehicle.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment, when the control unit 132 determines that the gesture means to increase or decrease the volume, the control unit 132 may control the volume control circuit 134 of the entertainment device on the vehicle 100 to control the volume of the vehicle 100 speaker 142 or the entertainment device's speaker (which may be an external speaker, including but not limited to a vibrator sound panel). For example, when the control unit 132 determines that the gesture means to open or close the window, the control unit 132 may control the window motor 144 on the vehicle 100 to perform the corresponding operation. Similarly, the control unit 132 may also control the door motor 145, front and rear trunk motor 146, door lock 147, front and rear trunk lock 148, and light control circuit 149 based on the determined meaning of the gesture to perform the corresponding operation.

[0077] When controlling the vehicle 100 to execute an operation command corresponding to the recognized gesture, if there are multiple conflicting operation commands at the same time, the vehicle 100 does not execute any operation.

[0078] In a first example, if the user swings his hand downward next to a window of the vehicle 100 , the vehicle 100 may be controlled to open the window downward based on the recognized gesture.

[0079] In the second example, next to a window of the vehicle 100, if the first user and the second user swing their hands at the same time, with the first user's hand pointing upward and the second user's hand pointing downward, the vehicle 100 does not perform any operation because these are contradictory operation commands.

[0080] In a third example, if the user swings his hand upwards next to the trunk of the vehicle 100 , the vehicle 100 may be controlled to open the trunk lid upwards based on the recognized gesture.

[0081] In other examples, when the user swings his hand outward next to the door of vehicle 100, the door is opened, and swings his hand inward to close the door; when the user swings his hand upward next to the front or rear trunk of vehicle 100, the lid is opened, and swings his hand downward to close the lid; when the user swings his hand upward next to the window of vehicle 100, the window is closed, and swings his hand downward to open the window; when the user places his hand flat next to vehicle 100 and slowly lifts it upward, the volume gradually increases, and when the user places his hand flat and slowly drops it downward, the volume gradually decreases; when the user places his hand vertically next to vehicle 100 and moves it slowly to the left, the music switches to the previous song, and when the user places his hand vertically and moves it slowly to the right, the music switches to the next song; and when the user points his finger at the headlights in front of vehicle 100 and clicks, the music can be switched between low beam, high beam, and off.

[0082] In order to improve the gesture recognition rate, the number of UWB antennas A can be increased. Multiple antennas can obtain the reflected signals of the obstacle OB from multiple angles, thus forming the spatial three-dimensional features of the obstacle OB, which is more conducive to the judgment of gestures. Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a distribution diagram of multiple UWB antennas A is shown, where a certain distance is opened between the multiple UWB antennas A to obtain UWB reflection signals SR of obstacles OB at multiple angles.

[0083] According to another exemplary embodiment, since the UWB antenna A can also pass through the body of the vehicle 100 and enter the interior of the vehicle 100, the interior of the vehicle 100 is also covered by the UWB antenna A. Therefore, gesture recognition can also be performed inside the vehicle 100 to control the vehicle 100 to perform corresponding operations.

[0084] According to another exemplary embodiment, it is also possible to determine whether the vehicle 100 is in an awake state before outputting an operation command corresponding to the recognized gesture to control the vehicle 100 to perform the corresponding operation. If it is determined that the vehicle 100 is not awake, a specific hand gesture can be made to awaken the vehicle 100. If it is determined that the vehicle 100 is awake, different gestures can be used to control different components of the vehicle 100 to perform the operation corresponding to the recognized gesture according to the method described above.

[0085] For example, the component of vehicle 100 to be controlled by the gesture can be determined based on the location where the gesture is made. By way of example and not limitation, if a gesture is made at the left front door of vehicle 100, the component to be controlled by the gesture can be determined to be the left front door, left window, or left turn signal, and the gesture can then be matched with predetermined gestures for controlling the left front door, left window, and left turn signal to determine the specific component to be controlled. If a gesture is made directly in front of the vehicle, the component to be controlled can be determined to be the vehicle's headlights, wipers, or sunroof (if any), and the specific component to be controlled can then be determined based on whether the gesture matches predetermined gestures for controlling the headlights, wipers, and sunroof.

[0086] Furthermore, the component of vehicle 100 to be controlled by the gesture can be determined based on the direction of the gesture. For example, if a user makes a gesture pointing to the left front while facing forward (i.e., the direction the front of the vehicle is facing), the component to be controlled by the gesture can be determined to be a component on the left front side of the vehicle. If a gesture is made pointing to the right front, the component to be controlled by the gesture can be determined to be a component on the front side of the vehicle. If a user makes a gesture pointing to the left front while facing backward (i.e., the direction the rear of the vehicle is facing), the component to be controlled by the gesture can be determined to be a component on the right rear side of the vehicle. If a gesture is made pointing to the right front, the component to be controlled by the gesture can be determined to be a component on the left rear side of the vehicle. Subsequently, the specific component to be controlled is determined by matching the recognized gesture with the predetermined control gestures for the identified possible components.

[0087] The component to be controlled can also be determined based on a combination of gestures. For example, multiple predetermined gestures can be predefined, each corresponding to a different vehicle component. After the vehicle component to be controlled is determined through a first gesture, if a second gesture is recognized within a predetermined time (for example, but not limited to 1 second), the specific operation of the component can be controlled using the command corresponding to the second gesture.

[0088] As an example, assuming that gesture A indicates that the control component is the left window, gesture B indicates that the control component is the right window, gesture C indicates that the control component is the trunk, gesture D indicates an open operation, and gesture E indicates a close operation, then:

[0089] When the left window is closed: If the user performs gestures A and D within 1 second, the left window will be opened. If the user performs gesture A first and then gesture D 1 second later, no part of the vehicle will be operated because the time for performing gesture D exceeds the preset 1 second.

[0090] When the left window is open: When the user performs gestures A and D within 1 second, no operation is performed on any vehicle components because the left window is already open;

[0091] When the user performs gesture E and gesture B successively, no operation is performed on any component of the vehicle because there is no operation corresponding to the combination; and

[0092] If both windows are closed and only the trunk is open, the user performing gesture E alone can determine that the trunk is to be closed. This allows for simpler and more precise control of various vehicle components from outside the vehicle based on the location of the gesture, the direction of the gesture, and the combination of gestures. It should be understood that the above description of gestures is merely intended to illustrate exemplary methods for implementing the technical solutions of this application and is not intended to limit the same in any way. All possible implementations that a person skilled in the art can infer or envision based on the above description are intended to fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0093] In another embodiment, for example, vehicle 100 may include an identification device 150 that can be communicatively connected to control unit 132 of host computer 130. When a user approaches vehicle 100 with an authorized device, identification device 150 can determine whether the distance between the authorized device and vehicle 100 is less than a predetermined threshold. Identification device 150 can transmit this identification result to control unit 132. Based on the identification result, control unit 132 can determine whether gesture control of vehicle 100 is permitted. For example, if identification device 150 determines that the distance between the authorized device and vehicle 100 is less than a predetermined threshold, control unit 132 permits gesture control of vehicle 100. In this way, gesture recognition only begins when vehicle 100 recognizes an authorized device. This prevents unauthorized users from performing unauthorized operations, improving vehicle safety. Since operations require dual verification of user identity and gesture recognition, the possibility of erroneous operation is reduced.

[0094] According to the embodiments of the present application, multiple UWB antennas can be used to detect user gestures, implement gesture recognition, and control the vehicle to perform corresponding operations from outside or inside the vehicle. Since the user does not need to actively obtain control authority, does not need to physically touch the vehicle, and does not need to carry any mobile device, the vehicle can be controlled in a simpler and more convenient way, and the user's operating experience can also be improved.

[0095] Figure 6A block diagram of an electronic device 600 for executing a parking method based on a connected vehicle network according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. The term "electronic device" is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptops, desktop computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframe computers, and other suitable computers. The term "electronic device" may also represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, cellular phones, smartphones, wearable devices, and other similar computing devices. The components shown herein, their connections and relationships, and their functions are provided for example purposes only and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present application as described and / or claimed herein.

[0096] like Figure 6 As shown, the device 600 includes a processor 601, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a computer program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 602 or a computer program loaded from a memory 608 into a random access memory (RAM) 603. Various programs and data required for the operation of the device 600 can also be stored in the RAM 603. The processor 601, the ROM 602, and the RAM 603 are connected to each other via a bus 604. An I / O interface (input / output interface) 605 is also connected to the bus 604.

[0097] Various components in device 600 are connected to I / O interface 605, including: input unit 606, such as a keyboard, mouse, etc.; output unit 607, such as various types of displays, speakers, etc.; storage 608, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, etc.; and communication unit 609, such as a network card, modem, wireless communication transceiver, etc. Communication unit 609 allows device 600 to exchange information / data with other devices via a computer network such as the Internet and / or various telecommunication networks.

[0098] The processor 601 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or specialized processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of the processor 601 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various processors running machine learning model algorithms, digital signal processors (DSPs), and any appropriate processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc. The processor 601 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as the method for inviting participants to a meeting. For example, in some embodiments, the method for inviting participants to a meeting can be implemented as a computer software program that is tangibly contained in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory 608. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program can be loaded and / or installed on the electronic device 600 via the ROM 602 and / or the communication unit 609. When the computer program is loaded into the RAM 603 and executed by the processor 601, one or more steps of the method for inviting participants to a meeting described above can be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the processor 601 can be configured to perform the method for inviting participants to a meeting by any other appropriate means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0099] Various embodiments of the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuit systems, integrated circuit systems, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application specific standard products (ASSPs), system-on-chip systems (SOCs), programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various embodiments can include being implemented in one or more computer programs that are executable and / or interpreted on a programmable system that includes at least one programmable processor, which can be a special purpose or general purpose programmable processor that can receive data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmit data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0100] The program code for implementing the method of the present application can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. The above program code can be packaged into a computer program product. These program codes or computer program products can be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device so that the program code, when executed by the processor 601, enables the functions / operations specified in the flow chart and / or block diagram to be implemented. The program code can be executed entirely on the machine, partially on the machine, partially on the machine as a stand-alone software package and partially on a remote machine, or completely on a remote machine or server.

[0101] In the context of the present application, a machine-readable storage medium can be a tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, device or equipment. A machine-readable storage medium can be a machine-readable signal storage medium or a machine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium can include, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device or equipment, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A more specific example of a machine-readable storage medium can include an electrical connection based on one or more lines, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0102] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user; and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including acoustic input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0103] The systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes back-end components (e.g., as a data server), or a computing system that includes middleware components (e.g., an application server), or a computing system that includes front-end components (e.g., a user computer having a graphical user interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and techniques described herein), or a computing system that includes any combination of such back-end components, middleware components, or front-end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and the Internet.

[0104] A computer system may include a client and a server. The client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact via a communication network. The client-server relationship is established by computer programs running on the respective computers and establishing a client-server relationship with each other. The server may be a cloud server, also known as a cloud computing server or cloud host, a host product within a cloud computing service system that addresses the management difficulties and poor business scalability of traditional physical hosts and VPS services ("Virtual Private Servers," or simply "VPS"). The server may also be a server in a distributed system or a server integrated with blockchain.

[0105] It should be understood that the various forms of the processes shown above can be used to reorder, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this application can be performed in parallel, sequentially, or in a different order, as long as the desired results of the technical solution of this application can be achieved. This is not limited herein.

[0106] The above specific embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions may be made based on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application shall be included in the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising: Periodically transmitting a plurality of pulse signals through a plurality of ultra-wideband antennas, wherein adjacent ultra-wideband antennas among the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, and the plurality of pulse signals are reflected by obstacles during outward propagation to generate a plurality of reflected signals; receiving the reflected signals, and determining the flight time and signal strength of each received reflected signal; determining whether the obstacle is a hand according to each of the determined flight times and each of the signal strengths; In response to determining that the obstacle is the hand, recognizing a gesture of the hand; and outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation; The transmitting of multiple pulse signals through the multiple ultra-wideband antennas includes: controlling each of the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas to transmit the pulse signal having a different frequency; Determining whether the obstacle is the hand according to each of the determined flight times and each of the signal strengths includes: Establishing a spatial three-dimensional model of the obstacle based on the antenna spatial positions of the adjacent ultra-wideband antennas, the flight time and signal strength of the reflected signals of different frequencies; and Determine whether the obstacle is the hand according to the spatial three-dimensional model.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein Determining whether the obstacle is a hand according to each of the determined flight times and each of the signal strengths includes: Determining the position and shape of the obstacle based on each determined flight time and each determined signal strength; and Based on the position and shape of the obstacle, it is determined whether the obstacle is the hand.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: Determining the position of the obstacle includes: For each of the ultra-wideband antennas, determining the precise spatial position of each of the plurality of elements constituting the obstacle based on each of the determined flight times; and The precise spatial position of each unit is combined to obtain the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The identifying the hand gesture includes: The hand gesture is recognized based on changes in the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle determined within a predetermined time period.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further includes: in response to the operation commands within the same time period being a plurality of mutually contradictory commands, the vehicle not performing any operation.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein The receiving the reflected signal includes acquiring, through each of the ultra-wideband antennas, the reflected signal reflected by the obstacle at different angles.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein The establishing of the spatial three-dimensional model of the obstacle further comprises: Establishing a plurality of subspace three-dimensional models of the obstacle based on the antenna spatial positions of the adjacent ultra-wideband antennas, the flight time and signal strength of the reflected signal at each frequency; and The multiple subspace three-dimensional models are synthesized to obtain the spatial three-dimensional model.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein Outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation includes: In response to the vehicle not being awakened, the vehicle is awakened based on the specific hand gesture.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein Outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation includes: In response to the vehicle being woken up, different components of the vehicle are controlled based on the gesture to perform operations corresponding to the gesture.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein Outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation includes: determining a corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made; and The corresponding component determined by the gesture control performs the corresponding operation.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein Outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation includes: determining a corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made and the direction of the gesture; and The corresponding component determined by the gesture control performs the corresponding operation.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein Outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation includes: After a component to be controlled is determined by a first gesture, the component is controlled to perform an operation corresponding to the second gesture based on a second gesture made within a predetermined time after the first gesture is made.

13. An electronic device comprising: one or more processors; as well as One or more memories are communicatively connected to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more memories store a program that can be executed by the one or more processors, and when the program is executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors can execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A vehicle comprising: Vehicle body; an ultra-wideband device disposed outside the vehicle body and comprising a plurality of ultra-wideband antennas, wherein the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas periodically transmit a plurality of pulse signals and receive a plurality of reflected signals generated by reflection from obstacles, and adjacent ultra-wideband antennas among the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas are spaced apart by a predetermined distance; and a control unit communicatively connected to the ultra-wideband device, wherein the control unit is configured to: determining a time of flight and a signal strength of each of the plurality of reflected signals; determining whether the obstacle is a hand according to each of the determined flight times and each of the signal strengths; In response to determining that the obstacle is the hand, recognizing a gesture of the hand; and outputting an operation command corresponding to the gesture to control the vehicle to perform a corresponding operation; Wherein, the control unit is configured as: controlling each of the plurality of ultra-wideband antennas to transmit the pulse signal having a different frequency; Establishing a spatial three-dimensional model of the obstacle based on the antenna spatial positions of the adjacent ultra-wideband antennas, the flight time and signal strength of the reflected signals of different frequencies; and Determine whether the obstacle is the hand according to the spatial three-dimensional model.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to: Determining the position and shape of the obstacle based on each determined flight time and each determined signal strength; and Based on the position and shape of the obstacle, it is determined whether the obstacle is the hand.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein: The control unit is configured to: For each of the ultra-wideband antennas, determining a precise spatial position of each of a plurality of elements constituting the obstacle based on each of the determined flight times; as well as The precise spatial position of each unit is combined to obtain the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein: The control unit is configured to: The hand gesture is recognized based on changes in the spatial three-dimensional shape of the obstacle determined within a predetermined time period.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to acquire, through each of the ultra-wideband antennas, the reflected signals reflected by the obstacle at different angles.

19. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to: Establishing a plurality of subspace three-dimensional models of the obstacle based on the antenna spatial positions of the adjacent ultra-wideband antennas, the flight time and signal strength of the reflected signal at each frequency; and The multiple subspace three-dimensional models are synthesized to obtain the spatial three-dimensional model.

20. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The gestures are used to control operations of different components of the vehicle from outside or inside the vehicle.

21. The vehicle of claim 14, further comprising: An identification device is configured to be communicatively connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to allow the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the identification device identifying that the distance between the authorization device and the vehicle is less than a predetermined threshold.

22. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to: determining a corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made; and The corresponding component determined by the gesture control performs the corresponding operation.

23. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to: determining a corresponding component of the vehicle to be controlled by the gesture based on the location where the gesture is made and the direction of the gesture; and The corresponding component determined by the gesture control performs the corresponding operation.

24. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: The control unit is configured to: After a component to be controlled is determined by a first gesture, the component is controlled to perform an operation corresponding to the second gesture based on a second gesture made within a predetermined time after the first gesture is made.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium or media comprising one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 12.

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