Method and device for ascertaining trafficability of vehicle to narrow places

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for ascertaining the travelability of a vehicle (20) to narrow places (12), comprising: a first step for detecting a road section (10) that is potentially to be traveled by the vehicle (20) by means of at least one environment sensor (30) of the vehicle (20); a second step for determining a travelable surface (14) within the detected road section (10); a third step for dividing the drivable surface (14) into a plurality of successive segments (40); a fourth step for determining travelability for each segment (40) of the travelable surface (14) by comparing an outer dimension (22) of the vehicle (20) with a corresponding dimension of the travelable surface (14) in the corresponding segment (40); and a fifth step for: outputting information indicating that the vehicle (20) has travelability to the road section (10) if the outer dimension (22) of the vehicle (20) in each section (40) is smaller than the corresponding boundary (16) of the travelability surface (14) by a predefined safety distance; otherwise, information indicating the absence of travelability of the road section (10) is output.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining the drivability of a vehicle through narrow locations. Background Technology

[0002] Assistance systems for vehicles such as buses and trucks are known from the prior art. These systems, for example, can automatically park in parking spaces and / or prevent vehicle collisions by displaying objects in the vicinity of the vehicle and / or by visualizing the parking environment and / or by using motorized braking functions.

[0003] In addition, there is a growing demand for further support for drivers of vehicles in complex driving tasks, such as driving conditions that are difficult to assess. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method is provided for determining the drivability of a vehicle to a narrow location, wherein the vehicle is preferably configured as a road vehicle (e.g., a motorcycle, bus, transport vehicle, or truck).

[0005] In the first step of the method according to the invention, road segments potentially to be traversed by the vehicle are detected using at least one environmental sensor of the vehicle. The at least one environmental sensor is, for example, a 2D camera and / or a 3D camera (e.g., configured as an RGB camera, an infrared camera, and / or a monochrome camera, respectively) and / or a lidar sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor and / or a radar sensor and / or a vehicle environmental sensor different from the aforementioned sensors. Advantageously, multiple environmental sensors of the same or different types can be used, particularly advantageously arranged at different locations on the vehicle and / or with different orientations. In this way, road segments potentially to be traversed by the vehicle can be detected regardless of the vehicle's position and / or orientation relative to the corresponding road segment. For example, when the vehicle approaches a road segment to be detected, the road segment can be detected using a front camera, while road segments extending perpendicular to the current direction of travel can be advantageously detected using cameras arranged on the sides of the vehicle. Furthermore, appropriate algorithms can be used to fuse measurement signals from multiple environmental sensors, in order to detect, for example, more accurate and / or more reliable information about road segments.

[0006] In the second step of the method according to the invention, a drivable surface within the detected road segment is determined based on detected information about the road segment potentially to be traversed. "Drivable surface" should be understood as a surface within the road segment that is, in principle, drivable by separately used vehicles (e.g., buses or two-wheeled vehicles). For example, basic drivability is considered to be achieved when the surface within the road segment possesses suitable characteristics such as hardness and / or smoothness. Furthermore, a number of other criteria can be employed to determine the drivable surface, which are further explained below in the description of advantageous configurations of the invention.

[0007] The drivable surface can be defined, for example, by a left boundary line and a right boundary line, wherein the boundary lines can be defined, for example, by a broken line, which represents a "driving path" available for the vehicle.

[0008] In the third step of the method according to the invention, the drivable surface is divided into a plurality of successive segments. Advantageously, the segments have substantially uniform lengths in the longitudinal direction of the drivable surface; however, the invention is not limited thereto. More advantageously, the lengths of the segments are determined according to the length of the vehicle.

[0009] In the fourth step of the method according to the invention, drivability is determined for each segment of the drivable surface by comparing the vehicle's external dimensions with the corresponding dimensions of the drivable surface within the corresponding segment. The vehicle's external dimensions can be derived, for example, from a 2D and / or 3D model of the vehicle (e.g., provided by a memory unit), and / or based on the vehicle's outer contour, particularly the top view of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable to represent the vehicle by a simplified geometric description or shape (e.g., a rectangle that fully includes the vehicle's external dimensions) to, for example, reduce the computational workload when comparing corresponding dimensions.

[0010] In the fifth step of the method according to the invention, if the external dimensions of the vehicle (specifically, the model of the vehicle) are smaller than the corresponding boundary of the drivable surface by a predetermined safety distance in each segment, then information indicating that "the vehicle has drivability to the road segment" is output. Otherwise, information indicating that "drivability to the road segment does not exist" is output.

[0011] It should be noted that the predetermined safety distance can be determined, for example, based on the size and / or shape of the vehicle used, and / or based on a predetermined value given by the driver of the vehicle, and / or based on the type and / or shape of the road segment. It should also be noted that the safety distance can be composed of multiple safety distances, which can be individually determined for different areas of the vehicle (e.g., front corner, rear corner, lateral area, etc.) and can be individually evaluated accordingly with respect to the boundaries of the drivable surface.

[0012] The method according to the invention offers the particular advantage of reliably and automatically assessing the drivability of a road segment before entering it, even before the driver has access to such a segment. This allows the driver to make an early decision based on the output information regarding drivability: whether to consider using the road segment. This is particularly advantageous for narrow and / or winding and / or unevenly wide roads, alleyways, junctions, etc. Thus, for example, it can prevent the driver from driving on a drivable road segment and then having to reverse at an excessively narrow intersection.

[0013] Furthermore, damage such as scratches and / or dents on the vehicle can be avoided by using the method according to the invention, since the vehicle no longer needs to drive on narrow roads.

[0014] The dependent claims illustrate preferred extensions of the invention.

[0015] In an advantageous configuration of the invention, information regarding "drivable accessibility" or "non-drivable accessibility" is output to the driver of the vehicle via an interface. This interface is, for example, an acoustic output device (e.g., a vehicle speaker) and / or an optical output device (e.g., a vehicle display) and / or a tactile output device (e.g., a steering wheel vibration device). Alternatively or additionally, the information regarding "drivable accessibility" or "non-drivable accessibility" is transmitted to a system for partially and / or fully autonomous driving of the vehicle, enabling the system to determine a suitable trajectory for the vehicle based on this information. When using a display as the interface, it is particularly conceivable to display camera images of road segments, marking areas in which narrow passages exist.

[0016] In a particularly advantageous configuration of the invention, when comparing the external dimensions of the vehicle with the dimensions of the drivable surface within the respective examined segments, the vehicle is virtually rotated about a vertical axis (also referred to as the z-axis of the vehicle) and / or moved within the drivable surface as needed to position the vehicle within the drivable surface as completely as possible. "Virtually rotated" should be understood as the vehicle model, i.e., the virtual representation, rotating relative to the corresponding segment. Alternatively or additionally, the virtual rotation and / or movement of the vehicle corresponds to the vehicle's actual mobility between successive segments of the drivable surface. This actual mobility is derived, for example, from vehicle geometry, particularly from the vehicle's track width and / or steering capability and / or turning radius, wherein this mobility can be stored, for example, in the form of vehicle parameters in the vehicle's memory unit and can be retrieved from the memory unit when needed. In this way, a particularly realistic assessment of the actual drivability of road segments can be made, taking into account the vehicle's actual maneuverability. Alternatively or additionally, a suitable trajectory can be derived for the vehicle to travel through the road segment based on virtual rotation and / or movement, wherein the trajectory is output to the vehicle's display and / or transmitted to a system for partially autonomous and / or autonomous driving. When output to the display, the trajectory can advantageously be overlaid onto a diagram of the road segment on the display to enable orientation that is particularly easy for the driver. Here, the road segment can be displayed, in particular, based on a model and / or on images from a camera device.

[0017] Furthermore, the drivable surface segments can be seamlessly adjacent to or overlapping each other, for example, having an overlap corresponding to a real distance of 20 cm to 1 m, preferably 50 cm, or a distance different from these. Alternatively or additionally, the overlapping segments may each have a predefined uniform overlap or an overlap adjusted according to the respective boundary conditions. Therefore, it may be meaningful, for example, to reduce the overlap between segments within a road segment in areas containing curves and / or obstacles, in order to reliably evaluate drivability in such potentially more critical areas. The degree of overlap of uniformly overlapping segments and / or variablely overlapping segments can also be determined based on the existing computational performance used to calculate drivability and / or the response time required to determine drivability. The overlap can also be viewed as a virtual forward stride of the vehicle within the road segment.

[0018] Preferably, each segment is subdivided into predefined categories based on drivability and / or the degree of difficulty in navigating (e.g., when safe distances cannot be maintained or can only be barely observed). Categories such as "impassable," "narrow spacing," and "comfortable spacing" are considered, derived from the corresponding spacing between the vehicle model and the boundary of the drivable surface in each segment. Alternatively or additionally, all or a portion of the segments are displayed on the vehicle's display, labeled with their respective categories. For example, different colors can be used to label the categories to represent the boundaries of the segments and / or drivable surfaces within the segments and / or portions of the segments and / or tracks. As an alternative or additional method for coloring the segments and / or tracks, it is also conceivable to use different textures and / or boundary line widths, etc., to label the categories.

[0019] Particularly advantageously, the drivable surface is determined based on image analysis using predefined criteria for identifying lane boundaries (e.g., natural boundaries, building walls, lampposts, etc.) and / or based on lane markings identified within the road segment and / or based on obstacles identified within the road segment (e.g., collision-related objects such as walls, parked vehicles, etc.) and / or based on an evaluation of the drivability of the identified obstacles and / or based on the potentially variable external dimensions of the vehicle.

[0020] This potentially variable external dimension of the vehicle is derived, for example, from the folded and unfolded states of at least one exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle. In this case, the drivability of a road segment is determined for both the folded and unfolded states of the exterior rearview mirror, and if the external dimension of the vehicle, when the exterior rearview mirror is unfolded, impedes the drivability of the corresponding segment and / or road segment, the exterior rearview mirror is folded (e.g., automatically and / or by means of outputting a prompt to the vehicle user for manual folding). Therefore, the above-described marking of the categories of each segment can advantageously include additional markings for the drivability of the affected segment when the exterior rearview mirror is folded.

[0021] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the method further includes: a step for identifying oncoming traffic participants within a region of the road segment; a step for determining the external dimensions of the other traffic participants; and a step for taking the external dimensions of the other traffic participants into account when determining the drivability, wherein the drivability is determined only if the corresponding segment can be traversed simultaneously by both the vehicle and the other traffic participants. In this case, it is advantageous to display a camera image of the road segment ahead on the vehicle's display, marking areas in which it is particularly advantageous to pass the other traffic participants, and / or areas in which it is not possible to pass them. As mentioned above, this can be shown, for example, based on different color markings and / or in a different manner.

[0022] If, as determined above, not every segment of the drivable surface can be simultaneously driven by the vehicle and the other traffic participant, then one or more segments capable of simultaneous driving are determined, suitable as stopping positions for the vehicle and / or for the other traffic participant to allow passage for the corresponding other traffic participant. Particularly advantageously, alternatively or additionally, time-coordinated procedures and / or suitable trajectories for the vehicle and / or the other traffic participant are determined for driving through the road segments, and transmitted by the vehicle to the other traffic participant using and / or (e.g., via so-called Car2Car communication).

[0023] Furthermore advantageously, the method is repeated during driving through the road segment, thereby enabling, for example, repeated post-planning of the trajectory for the vehicle and display in the vehicle to provide the driver with an improved optical impression of how he can drive through the narrow passage.

[0024] According to a second aspect, an apparatus is proposed for determining the drivability of a vehicle through a narrow passage, wherein the apparatus is configured to implement the method according to the first aspect of the invention. The method is implemented, for example, based on an analysis and evaluation unit of the apparatus, which is configured, for example, as an ASIC, FPGA, processor, digital signal processor, microcontroller, etc. The method is advantageously implemented in the form of a computer program, which is implemented by the analysis and evaluation unit. The features, combinations of features, and advantages derived therefrom correspond to embodiments implemented in conjunction with the first mentioned aspect of the invention, which is so obvious that reference is made to the above-described embodiments to avoid repetition. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Herein lies: Figure 1 An exemplary road segment is evaluated using the method according to the invention for determining the drivability of a vehicle through a narrow passage. Figure 2 Another exemplary road segment, evaluated by means of the method according to the invention for determining the drivability of narrow passages by vehicles and other traffic participants; and Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a vehicle in conjunction with the device according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Figure 1 An exemplary road segment 10 is shown, which is evaluated by means of a method according to the invention for determining the drivability of a vehicle 20 to a narrow point 12, wherein the vehicle is configured as a passenger car.

[0027] In the first step, a camera device 30 arranged in the front area of ​​the vehicle 20 is used to detect road segments 10 that the vehicle 20 may travel through, wherein the camera device is configured as a 2D-RGB camera device.

[0028] In the second step, the drivable surface 14 within the detected road segment 10 is determined. This determination is based on an analysis and evaluation unit 100 configured as a processor (see...). Figure 3 The analysis and evaluation unit is configured to implement a computer program that carries out the method steps according to the invention. Specifically, the boundary 16 of the drivable surface 14 is determined based on the computer program by means of images detected by the camera device 30 and / or additional sensors of the vehicle, including possible road markings and / or obstacles (such as parked vehicles) and / or transitions between hard ground and, for example, adjacent green belts.

[0029] In the third step, the drivable surface 14 is divided into a plurality of successive segments 40, wherein adjacent segments 40 have a predetermined minimum overlap, and wherein the degree of overlap is adjusted in a suitable manner according to the orientation of the road segment 10 and / or the presence of obstacles.

[0030] In the fourth step, drivability is determined for each segment 40 of the drivable surface 14 by comparing the external dimensions 22 of the vehicle 20 with the corresponding dimensions of the drivable surface 14 in the corresponding segment 40, wherein the external dimensions of the vehicle are represented here by a simplified outline of the vehicle 20.

[0031] Here, the vehicle 20 is virtually rotated about its vertical axis 24 and / or moved within the drivable surface 14 when necessary, so as to position the vehicle 20 within the drivable surface 14 as completely as possible. Here, the virtual rotation and / or movement of the vehicle 20 corresponds to the actual mobility of the vehicle 20 between the successive segments 40 of the drivable surface 14.

[0032] Based on the virtual rotation and / or movement of vehicle 20 along road segment 10, a suitable trajectory 70 is also obtained for vehicle 20 to travel through road segment 10. The trajectory 70 is output through a display of vehicle 20 (not shown) in such a way that the trajectory 70 is superimposed on an image of road segment 10 detected by camera device 30.

[0033] In the fifth step, if the outer dimension 22 of vehicle 20 is smaller than the corresponding boundary 16 of drivable surface 14 by a predetermined safety distance in each segment 40, the output indicates that "vehicle 20 has drivability to road segment 10"; otherwise, the output indicates that "road segment 10 does not have drivability".

[0034] Therefore, trajectory 70 is displayed on the screen in a predefined color for each segment 40, corresponding to the category of drivability for that segment 40. Thus, trajectory 70 is displayed in green for segments 40 where a safe distance is maintained. Trajectory 70 is displayed in orange for segments 40 where a safe distance is not maintained but drivability is still possible. Trajectory 70 is displayed in red for segments 40 where drivability is impossible due to the size of vehicle 20 and the size of the drivable surface 14. Trajectory 70 is displayed as an alternating line of red and orange for segments 40 where drivability is only possible when at least one exterior rearview mirror of vehicle 20 is folded.

[0035] In this way, the driver of vehicle 20 is shown in a simple and reliable manner whether and how the road segment 10 to be traversed is passable, and in which locations special care must be taken when performing maneuvers.

[0036] Figure 2 Another exemplary road segment 10 is shown, which is evaluated by means of the method according to the invention for determining the drivability of a narrow passage by vehicles 20 and other traffic participants 90.

[0037] exist Figure 2 In the road segment 10, due to the narrow point 12 caused by obstacle 80 and the uneven spacing of the left and right boundaries 16 of the drivable surface 14, the two vehicles 20 and 90 cannot pass each other at all points.

[0038] For this reason, Figure 1 The drivability of road segment 10 is determined based on the method according to the invention, but in this case, the determination is performed for both vehicle 20 and other oncoming traffic participants 90. Here, a suitable trajectory 70 is suggested for vehicle 20, a suitable trajectory 70' is suggested for other traffic participants 90, and a suitable parking position 110 is suggested for vehicle 20; and the above information is transmitted to corresponding (not shown) control devices in vehicles 20 and 90, which are configured to display this information on corresponding (not shown) displays in vehicles 20 and 90.

[0039] The determination of common drivability is also based on dividing road segment 10 into segments 40. Based on the comparison of the corresponding external dimensions of vehicles 20 and 90 with the dimensions of the drivable surface 14 in the segments 40 examined respectively, some segments 50 that can be driven by vehicles 20 and 90 at the same time are determined.

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a vehicle 20 incorporating a device according to the invention is shown, wherein the device has an analysis and evaluation unit 100 configured as an ASIC, the analysis and evaluation unit being configured to implement the method according to the invention.

[0041] The analysis and evaluation unit 100 is connected to the environmental sensor 30 of the vehicle 20, which is a lidar sensor, in terms of information technology, so as to detect the road segment 10 ahead and evaluate the drivability of the road segment 10 by means of the analysis and evaluation unit 100.

[0042] The analysis and evaluation unit 100 is also configured to display the evaluation results on the display 60 of the vehicle 20.

Claims

1. A method for determining the drivability of a vehicle (20) to a narrow location (12), the method comprising: - The first step is to detect road segments (10) that may be traveled by the vehicle (20) by means of at least one environmental sensor (30) of the vehicle (20). - The second step is used to determine the drivable surface (14) within the detected road segment (10). - The third step is used to divide the drivable surface (14) into a plurality of successive segments (40). - The fourth step, which is used to determine the drivability for each segment (40) of the drivable surface (14), is to compare the outer dimensions (22) of the vehicle (20) with the corresponding dimensions of the drivable surface (14) within the corresponding segment (40), and - The fifth step is used to: if the outer dimension (22) of the vehicle (20) is smaller than the corresponding boundary (16) of the drivable surface (14) by a predetermined safety distance in each segment (40), output information indicating that "the vehicle (20) has drivability to the road segment (10); otherwise output information indicating that "the road segment (10) does not have drivability".

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Information regarding "driving accessibility" or "non-driving accessibility" - Output to the driver of the vehicle (20) via the interface (60) of the vehicle (20), and / or - Transmitted to a system for the partially autonomous and / or fully autonomous driving operation of the vehicle (20).

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, - When comparing the external dimensions (22) of the vehicle with the dimensions of the drivable surface (14) within the corresponding segment (40), the vehicle (20) may be virtually rotated about the vertical axis (24) and / or moved within the drivable surface (14) as needed, so as to position the vehicle (20) within the drivable surface (14) as completely as possible, and / or - The virtual rotation and / or movement of the vehicle (20) conforms to the actual mobility of the vehicle (20) between corresponding successive segments (40) of the drivable surface (14), and / or - Based on the virtual rotation and / or movement, a suitable trajectory (70) is obtained for the vehicle (20) to travel through the road segment (10), wherein the trajectory (70) is output through the display (60) of the vehicle (20) and / or the trajectory is transmitted to a system for partially autonomous and / or autonomous driving operation.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, - The segments (40) of the drivable surface (14) are segments (40) that are seamlessly adjacent to or overlap each other, and / or - The overlapping segments (40) have either a predefined uniform overlap or an overlap adjusted according to the respective boundary conditions.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, - Based on drivability and / or based on the difficulty of drivability, each segment (40) is subdivided into predefined categories, and / or - Display all or part of the segments (40) on the display (60) of the vehicle (20) with their respective corresponding categories labeled.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, based on - Image analysis using predefined criteria for identifying lane boundaries (16), and / or - Lane markings identified within the road segment (10), and / or - Obstacles (80) identified within the road section (10), and / or - Evaluation of the drivability and crushability of the identified obstacles (80), and / or - The potential variable external dimensions (22) of the vehicle (20) To obtain the drivable surface (14).

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, - The potential variable external dimensions (22) of the vehicle (20) are derived from the folded and unfolded states of at least one exterior rearview mirror of the vehicle (20), respectively. - Determine the drivability for both the folded and unfolded states of the exterior rearview mirrors, and - If the external dimensions (22) of the vehicle (20) obstruct the drivability of the corresponding segment (40) and / or the road segment (10) when the exterior rearview mirror is in the unfolded state, then the exterior rearview mirror is folded.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The method further includes: - Identify other oncoming traffic participants (90) within the area of ​​the road segment (10). - Determine the external dimensions of the other traffic participant (90). - When determining the drivability, the external dimensions of the other traffic participants (90) are taken into account, and the "drivability exists" is determined only if the corresponding segment (40) can be passed by both the vehicle (20) and the other traffic participants (90) at the same time.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, If not every segment (40) of the drivable surface (12) is simultaneously drivable by the vehicle (20) and the other traffic participant (90), then - Determine one or more segments (50) that can travel simultaneously, suitable as stopping positions for the vehicle (20) and / or for the other traffic participant (90) to allow passage for the corresponding other traffic participant (20, 90), and / or - Calculate time-coordinated processes and / or appropriate trajectories (70) for the vehicle (20) and / or the other traffic participants (90) to travel through the road segment (10), and use and / or transmit them in the vehicle (20) to the other traffic participants (90).

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The method is repeated while driving through the road section (10).

11. An apparatus for determining the drivability of a vehicle (20) to a narrow location (12), wherein, The apparatus is configured to perform the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

Images