PROCEDURES FOR SAFELY PARKING A VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a computing unit and a method for safely parking a vehicle, wherein it is checked whether an emergency situation exists, wherein after recognizing an emergency situation a driver assistance system drives the vehicle to the side of the road, characterized in that information from an external database is queried and taken into account by the driver assistance system.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for safely parking a vehicle according to claim 1 and a computing unit according to claim 15. State of the art

[0002] From DE 10 2007 046 037 B3, a device for increasing road safety is known. It includes a driver health calculation module that uses signals from health data sensors to calculate, for example, a priority intervention situation. An intervention module is provided that translates the respective intervention situation into appropriate reactions and measures. A vehicle interference module is provided that reports vehicle data to the intervention module and, upon request from the intervention module, issues commands to individual vehicle subsystems to automatically initiate measures to minimize hazards or necessary rescue operations in the event of a sudden deterioration in a driver's health. If an acute health hazard is detected, the vehicle is automatically slowed down and moved to the right-hand side of the road. Disclosure of the invention

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide an improved method and an improved computing unit.

[0004] The object of the invention is solved by the method according to claim 1 and by the computing unit according to claim 14.

[0005] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] An advantage of the method according to the invention is that information is queried from an external database and taken into account by the driver assistance system. In this way, for example, current information about the vehicle's surroundings, traffic, weather, traffic conditions, or even current information about lane closures, construction sites, or an optimal parking spot can be retrieved from the external database. Thus, the driver assistance system has more and / or more up-to-date information available. This allows the vehicle to be parked more safely and, if necessary, more quickly.

[0007] The vehicle is driven to the side of the road and parked, for example. Depending on the direction of travel, this could be the right or left edge of the roadway. In another embodiment, the vehicle is slowed down and stopped in its current lane. For example, the hazard warning lights are activated to indicate that the vehicle has stopped and to warn following traffic. Furthermore, the existence of an emergency situation can be transmitted to other vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0008] In another embodiment, the driver assistance system accesses data from a digital map of the roadside. This allows for the development of an optimal strategy for parking the vehicle at the roadside based on this data. Preferably, roadside features such as an exit, a bridge pier, an embankment, or road surface conditions such as an unpaved shoulder or a tarmac hard shoulder can be detected and taken into account. Furthermore, the roadside data can also be received from other vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0009] In another embodiment, an emergency situation is detected if the driver does not accept a return of a driving function performed by the driver assistance system.

[0010] In another embodiment, the driver's fatigue, distraction, or state of health is checked to detect an emergency situation. This allows driver problems to be identified and the vehicle to be brought to a safe stop.

[0011] In another embodiment, the driver's weight distribution is monitored to detect an emergency. If the weight distribution deviates from a predetermined standard distribution, an emergency is detected and the vehicle is automatically shut down. Monitoring the weight distribution allows, for example, the simple and reliable detection of driver unconsciousness and the associated shift in weight.

[0012] In another embodiment, a technical function of the vehicle is checked for correct operation. If the check reveals that the function does not meet a predefined capability, an emergency situation is detected. In this way, technical emergencies of the vehicle can also be detected and taken into account to trigger a safe shutdown procedure.

[0013] For example, the functionality of a safety feature such as a brake or correct tire pressure can be checked using the described procedure.

[0014] In another embodiment, sensors detect the vehicle's surroundings and the driver assistance system takes this information into account. This allows, for example, the current traffic situation or weather conditions such as snow or ice to be detected and considered by the driver assistance system when parking the vehicle safely. Furthermore, traffic density and speed can also be detected and taken into account by the driver assistance system when parking the vehicle safely.

[0015] In another embodiment, the speed of a following vehicle and / or the distance to the following vehicle is detected and taken into account by the driver assistance system, particularly during braking and lane changes while the vehicle is safely parked. This further increases safety during the automatic parking of the vehicle.

[0016] In another embodiment, data about the roadside in the direction of travel is checked for a suitable bus stop up to a defined distance from the vehicle, and a bus stop is selected. The driver assistance system then drives the vehicle to the selected bus stop and parks it there. Thus, regardless of the information from the vehicle's sensors, and even if a suitable bus stop is located further away, the system can safely park the vehicle at the optimal bus stop within a defined range. This increases safety when parking the vehicle.

[0017] In another embodiment, upon detection of an emergency situation, additional data about the driver's health is automatically transmitted from an external database to an emergency services center. This provides the emergency services with crucial information for the care of a driver in distress. Access to the external database allows for quick and easy retrieval of the driver's information.

[0018] In another embodiment, technical data about the vehicle is automatically transmitted to an emergency service upon detection of an emergency situation. This can, for example, improve on-site vehicle recovery or repair. Depending on the chosen embodiment, the vehicle's technical data can be acquired from the vehicle's sensors and / or read from and transmitted from an internal or external database. Access to the external database offers the advantage of fast and reliable data transmission. Furthermore, by providing a vehicle identifier, for example, a database containing comprehensive information about a wide variety of vehicles can be accessed and the technical data transmitted. This allows for more efficient on-site vehicle recovery and / or repair.

[0019] In a further embodiment, a warning is issued to the driver upon detection of increased driver fatigue, with the frequency or intensity of the warning preferably depending on the degree of driver fatigue. This achieves improved driver warning.

[0020] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle, an external database and a rescue station, and Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a program flow for carrying out the described procedure.

[0021] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 1, which includes a driver assistance system 2, a monitoring unit 3, a sensor 4, an actuator 5, a communication unit 6, and a data storage device 7. The individual elements of the vehicle are interconnected via data and / or control lines.

[0022] The driver assistance system can, for example, be designed as a navigation system with a digital map. It can also be designed as an automatic distance control system, for example, using radar and / or video sensors, to automatically maintain a predetermined distance to a vehicle ahead. Furthermore, the driver assistance system can be designed as a lane keeping system, for example, using an optical camera to ensure the vehicle stays within its lane. Finally, the driver assistance system can be designed as a side monitoring system, for example, using ultrasonic sensors to monitor adjacent lanes and warn the driver of a potential collision risk when changing lanes. Depending on the chosen configuration, one or more of these driver assistance systems can be provided in the vehicle.Driver assistance systems are designed to support the driver in operating the vehicle. Key tasks include, for example, speed control, lane keeping, and distance control.

[0023] The communication unit 6 is designed to establish a data connection to an external computing unit. The communication unit 6 can, for example, be a mobile phone permanently installed in vehicle 1. Alternatively, a mobile device, such as a smartphone, can also be used. Using the communication unit 6, current information about traffic, such as traffic jams or accidents, or about roads, such as short-term road closures, can be obtained by accessing an external computer or database. The communication unit 6 can also be designed to exchange data, such as positions and / or speeds, with other vehicles. The sensors 4 can, for example, be radar, ultrasonic, or video sensors to detect and identify surrounding objects.Furthermore, sensor 4 can be configured as an inertial sensor to detect the current motion state of the vehicle. Additionally, sensor 4 can be configured as a positioning system to detect the current position of the vehicle. Finally, sensor 4 can also be configured as a monitoring sensor to detect a function or behavior of the vehicle, for example, as a tire pressure sensor.

[0024] Actuator 5 can represent any type of actuator in the vehicle, for example a braking system, a steering system or an injection system.

[0025] Monitoring unit 3 is designed to monitor the driver's vital functions and, if a vital function is impaired, to detect an emergency situation and activate the driver assistance system to safely stop the vehicle. This can be achieved using sensors 4, such as an interior camera or a weight sensor. Any other type of sensor can also be used to monitor the driver's vital functions, such as their pulse. Furthermore, the measurement and spectral analysis of the driver's steering movements can be used to detect fatigue or impaired vital functions.

[0026] For example, four weight sensors can be provided in the seat of the vehicle 1 to monitor the driver's weight distribution. Additionally, a standard weight distribution can be stored in the data storage device 7.

[0027] The monitoring unit 3 has a processing unit 8, which can be used to activate the driver assistance systems and also to query information from an external database 10 or to transmit information to an emergency services center 11. The database 10 is, for example, a cloud-based computer and contains current information about the weather, road conditions, and traffic in the vehicle's vicinity. In addition, the database 10 can also contain information about the vehicle or information about the driver, in particular information about the driver's health or any pre-existing medical conditions.

[0028] Depending on the chosen embodiment, the external database 10 has a second communication unit, in particular a transmitter / receiver unit 12, with which information can be exchanged with the vehicle 1 and / or, for example, with a rescue station 11. The rescue station 11 also has a further communication unit, e.g., in the form of a transmitter / receiver unit 13, for receiving and sending data.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic program flow for carrying out the procedure.

[0030] At program point 100, vehicle 1 is in motion and monitoring unit 3 is monitoring the driver's behavior, in particular vital signs, fatigue, distraction, and / or intoxication. In addition, processing unit 8 continuously queries the external database 10 with the help of communication unit 6 for information about the vehicle's surroundings, i.e., information about the weather, traffic, and road conditions, especially the road edge. This data is stored in data storage 7.

[0031] In addition, at program point 100, monitoring unit 3 monitors the functionality of the vehicle, in particular the functionality of individual important components of the vehicle, such as the tire pressure, the braking system or the injection system.

[0032] Furthermore, monitoring unit 3 tracks the driver's weight distribution. For this purpose, several weight sensors are located in the driver's seat, which detect the weight distribution and transmit it to monitoring unit 3. A standard weight distribution is stored in the data memory. To detect an emergency situation, such as an unconscious driver, monitoring unit 3 compares the weight distribution detected by the weight sensors with the stored standard distribution. If monitoring unit 3 detects a predefined deviation of the measured weight distribution from the standard distribution, an emergency situation is identified.

[0033] Furthermore, an emergency situation is detected if monitoring unit 3 detects a malfunction of a vehicle component, a deviation of the driver's vital signs from a predefined set of vital signs, or if it detects a defined state of fatigue, distraction, or intoxication. If monitoring unit 3 detects an emergency situation at program point 100, it proceeds to program point 110. At program point 110, control unit 8 develops a strategy for safely parking the vehicle at the roadside based on the current situation, particularly taking into account data from the external database 10. This strategy considers, for example, data from the external database containing information on weather, traffic, and / or the condition of the roadside.Furthermore, processing unit 8 can also access data from the database, which includes, for example, the digital map. When developing the parking strategy, the system first records which lane the vehicle is in, whether there are vehicles behind it, the distance between the vehicles, and the speed of the vehicles behind.

[0034] When developing the parking strategy, sensors are used to detect the vehicle's immediate surroundings. In particular, the speed and / or distance of a following vehicle is recorded and taken into account when parking the vehicle, especially when braking.

[0035] Furthermore, the processing unit 8 preferably checks the condition of the roadway and / or the roadside in the direction of travel up to a defined distance from the vehicle's position with respect to an optimal stop. In doing so, it takes into account the data from the data storage device 7, in particular digital data from a road map, which may also be stored in a navigation system, for example. Data from the external database 10 regarding the roadside conditions can also be considered. When checking the suitability of the roadside for parking the vehicle, the system verifies, for example, whether there is an exit, a bridge, a grass verge, or an embankment at the roadside. These conditions are unsuitable for parking the vehicle. However, if there is a normal paved hard shoulder at the roadside, it can be used for parking the vehicle.

[0036] After the parking strategy has been created, the processing unit 8, at the following program point 120, activates the necessary driver assistance systems to safely park the vehicle in its current lane or at the roadside, particularly without driver intervention. Parking can involve, for example, braking or changing lanes while braking. Additionally, the hazard warning lights can be activated to signal the vehicle's stop to other road users. Depending on the traffic situation, the vehicle's speed is reduced by intervening in the braking and fuel injection systems. Furthermore, the driver assistance system takes over steering if the emergency situation is caused by a driver emergency. In the event of a technical malfunction of the vehicle, the driver can still control the vehicle, at least partially.

[0037] Furthermore, the existence of an emergency situation can be transmitted to other vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Additionally, data can also be received from other vehicles at the roadside via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0038] The vehicle is driven towards the optimal stop, moving to the right edge of the road. When changing lanes to the right, the traffic situation is taken into account, i.e., vehicles traveling in the right lane in front of and behind the vehicle. Furthermore, a safe distance to vehicles ahead is maintained using automatic distance control.

[0039] In addition to automatically shutting off the vehicle, information about vehicles in the vicinity can also be transmitted, indicating an emergency. This can be done, for example, by activating hazard warning lights or by transmitting information about an emergency situation via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Furthermore, upon detecting an emergency situation, the vehicle, using the processing unit 8 and the communication unit 6, can simultaneously transmit a corresponding message to the emergency services 11, including the vehicle's position, vehicle data, and driver information, particularly regarding the driver's health status.Furthermore, initiated by the processing unit 8, additional information about the vehicle, its position, and the driver, particularly information about the driver's health, can be transmitted to the rescue center 11 via access to the database 10. For example, the driver's medical records can be accessed using the external database 10. Thus, depending on the chosen configuration, the rescue center has access to technical information about the vehicle, information about the vehicle's surroundings, particularly its location, and information about the driver, especially information about their health and, for example, their medical history. This allows for the optimization of both the rescue of the driver with regard to health aspects and the recovery or repair of the vehicle.

[0040] To check the driver's attention, for example an internally mounted video camera can be used as a sensor, which monitors the driver's attention and issues warning signals to the driver if there are corresponding signs of inattention, or takes over a partial function of the vehicle's driving function or the entire driving function of the vehicle.

[0041] Furthermore, depending on the chosen configuration, monitoring unit 3 can issue a warning signal or display suggestions for rest stops if increasing fatigue or inattention is detected. Additionally, by evaluating the driver's condition, the frequency of notifications about parking areas, rest stops, or cafes can be increased. Signs of severe fatigue are recognized, for example, by prolonged yawning or drooping eyes. Depending on the chosen configuration, once the driver assistance systems have taken over driving functions and the driver is fit to drive again, driving control can be returned to the driver.

[0042] When the vehicle parks automatically, data from the vehicle's digital map is taken into account, considering the traffic situation in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle as detected by sensors. Information from the map for the wider area can also be considered, for example, checking whether a stop, especially an emergency stop, or a parking space is located within a specified distance in the direction of travel.

[0043] The information about the automatic parking can be transmitted to other vehicles, to a traffic radio station, to an external database, or to a police station.

[0044] In another embodiment, an emergency situation according to program point 100 is also detected if the driver assistance system is performing a driving function and intends to return control to the driver, but the driver does not accept the return. In this case, the system switches to program point 110 and automatically shuts down the vehicle. However, if the driver indicates during the automatic shutdown process that they can now take over the driving function, the automatic shutdown is interrupted and control of the vehicle is transferred back to the driver. For example, the driving function could be automatic steering.

Claims

[1] Method for safely parking a vehicle, wherein it is checked whether an emergency situation exists, wherein, after detection of an emergency situation, a driver assistance system safely parks the vehicle, characterized by that information is queried from an external database and taken into account by the driver assistance system. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein data from a digital map of the roadside and / or information from the external database about the roadside are taken into account by the driver assistance system. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance system performs a driving function, wherein the driver assistance system intends to return the driving function to the driver, wherein an emergency situation is detected and the vehicle is safely parked by the driver assistance system if the driver does not accept the handover, wherein in particular the parking of the vehicle by the driver assistance system is aborted if the driver indicates a takeover of the driving function. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, in order to detect an emergency situation, the driver's state of health, fatigue, distraction, or intoxication is checked. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight distribution of the driver is monitored and an emergency situation is detected when there is a predetermined deviation of the weight distribution from a normal distribution. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a technical function of the vehicle is checked and an emergency situation is detected if the function does not exhibit a predetermined level of functionality. [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the environment of the vehicle is detected by means of sensors and taken into account by the driver assistance system. [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a speed and / or distance of a following vehicle is detected and taken into account by the driver assistance system, in particular when braking and changing lanes. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein data about the roadside in the direction of travel are checked for a possible stop at a specified distance to the vehicle, and a stop is selected, and wherein the driver assistance system drives the vehicle to the stop and parks it there. [10] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, upon detection of an emergency situation, the vehicle activates the transmission of additional data about the driver's health to a rescue center using an external database. [11] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, upon detection of an emergency situation, the vehicle activates the transmission of technical data about the vehicle to a rescue center. [12] Method according to claim 11, wherein the technical data are recorded from sensors of the vehicle or read from an internal or external database. [13] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, upon detection of increased driver fatigue, a notification is issued to the driver, wherein preferably the frequency of the output or preferably the intensity of the output depends on the degree of fatigue. [14] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and 10 to 13, wherein the vehicle is slowed down and stopped by the driver assistance system on the lane or the vehicle is driven to the side of the road and stopped by the driver assistance system. [15] Computing unit configured to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.

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