Method and device for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal that can be coupled to the vehicle

Abstract

Method (300) for detecting a collision between a vehicle (100) and an object (105) using a mobile terminal (110) that can be coupled to the vehicle (100), the method (300) comprising the following steps: Reading (305) a terminal signal (224) for detecting the object (105), wherein the terminal signal (224) represents a signal provided by an image sensor (115) of the terminal (110); Reading (310) a driving state signal (254) for detecting a driving state of the vehicle (100), wherein the driving state signal (254) represents a measured variable output by an acceleration sensor (220) of the terminal (110); Determining (315) a collision signal (256) for indicating an impending collision between the vehicle (100) and the object (105) using the terminal signal (224) and the driving state signal (254), wherein in step (315) of determining, a collision risk is determined using the terminal signal (224) and plausibility-checked using the driving state signal (254) in order to determine the collision signal (256); and Providing (335) an activation signal (240) to the interface (140) between the terminal (110) and the vehicle (100) using the collision signal (256) to activate a vehicle safety system (245) installed in the vehicle (100).

Description

Prior ArtThe present invention relates to a method for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal device couplable to the vehicle, to a corresponding computer program product, to a corresponding device and to a mobile terminal device couplable to a vehicle.A mobile terminal, for example a smartphone, is nowadays equipped with a multiplicity of sensors which can be used for a driver assistance function for supporting a driver of a vehicle.DE 60 2004 003 596 T2 describes a conventional system for using a mobile terminal in a vehicle.WO 2011 / 042 876 A1 discloses a method in which images of a camera of a portable device arranged in a vehicle are used to determine a risk of collision.US 2011 / 0 169 626 A1 discloses a system for warning a driver in the event of a collision risk, which can be detected using a camera of a portable device.DE 10 2011 103 802 A1 discloses a processor of a vehicle which can control an operation of a camera in a mobile device. In summary, the processor houses or interfaces with numerous vehicle systems and controls their interaction with the mobile device and its camera.Disclosure of the InventionAgainst this background, the present invention presents an improved method and an improved apparatus for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object, a corresponding computer program product and an improved mobile terminal device which can be coupled to a vehicle, according to the main claims. Advantageous embodiments are evident from the respective dependent claims and the following description.A mobile terminal, for example a smartphone, can have a sensor which can be used to detect a risk of collision in a vehicle. Advantageously, for detecting the risk of collision, a signal of the sensor can be combined with data relating to a driving state of the vehicle. According to various embodiments, such driving state data can be provided, for example, by a further sensor of the mobile terminal or can be read in via an external interface of the mobile terminal. A data transmission between the mobile terminal and, for example, a device of the vehicle can be realized via such an external interface.A method for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal couplable to the vehicle is presented, wherein the method comprises the following steps:reading in a terminal signal for detecting the object, wherein the terminal signal represents a signal provided by an image sensor of the terminal;reading in a driving state signal for detecting a driving state of the vehicle, wherein the driving state signal represents a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor via an interface between the terminal and the vehicle and / or by an acceleration sensor of the terminal; anddetermining a collision signal for indicating an imminent collision between the vehicle and the object using the terminal signal and the driving state signal.A mobile terminal can generally be understood to mean a mobile telephone, in particular a smartphone, a tablet computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The mobile terminal can have an autonomous energy supply, for example a rechargeable battery. The mobile terminal may include a housing that allows the mobile terminal to be held in the hand. For example, the housing may have a length of less than 15 cm, a width of less than 10 cm, and a thickness of less than 3 cm. A screen can be integrated into the housing. Such a mobile terminal can be distinguished by a location-independent availability of PIM data (PIM= Personal Information Manager) and by at least one interface for data transmission, for example for telecommunication services.The mobile terminal may comprise a mechanical coupling device for releasably attaching the mobile terminal to a structure of the vehicle. The mobile terminal can be rigidly fastened to the vehicle via the mechanical coupling device, so that an acceleration of the vehicle can be transmitted to the mobile terminal without a time delay.An image sensor can be understood to mean, for example, a camera of the terminal device. The image sensor can be integrated into the terminal device in a particularly space-saving manner. The mobile terminal, when coupled to the vehicle, may be oriented such that the image sensor may sense an environment in front of the vehicle. By means of such an image sensor, images of an object located in the environment of the vehicle, for example images of a vehicle driving in front, can be recorded. These images can be used to determine, in particular, a distance of the vehicle from the object. The terminal signal can comprise information about the object, for example the distance or a relative speed between the vehicle and the object.The driving state signal can comprise information about the driving state of the vehicle. This may be a current driving state of the vehicle. For example, the driving state can relate to a speed or driving direction or to a change in the speed or driving direction. According to various embodiments, the driving state can be determined using a sensor integrated into the mobile terminal or using a vehicle sensor integrated into the vehicle.A vehicle sensor can be, for example, a speed, acceleration, brake pressure or steering angle sensor of the vehicle. The vehicle sensor can advantageously be used to determine a driving state of the vehicle, such as an acceleration or braking process or a steering movement.An interface can be realized, for example, in the form of a plug connection or radio signal transmitter integrated into the terminal. A connection between the vehicle sensor or a transmission device of the vehicle and the interface can accordingly be established via a data cable or also wirelessly via a radio signal. By means of the interface, the terminal can be coupled particularly reliably and in an uncomplicated manner to the vehicle sensor or to an evaluation device for evaluating a signal of the vehicle sensor.Additionally or alternatively, the driving state may be determined using an acceleration sensor of the mobile device. Under an acceleration sensor, for example, a 6-D sensor integrated into the terminal device can be used. 9-D acceleration sensor. If the mobile terminal is rigidly coupled to the vehicle, then a deceleration of the vehicle can be detected accurately and reliably by means of the acceleration sensor of the mobile device.The collision signal may be detected by combining the terminal signal and the driving state signal. This can be carried out using a logic unit, for example a processor, of the mobile terminal.The described approach can make use of the fact that in mobile terminals, for example conventional smartphones, usually high-resolution cameras with a resolution of at least 8 megapixels are integrated. Such smartphones can be fastened by mounting, for example, to a windshield in a vehicle interior in such a way that the camera is oriented forward in the direction of travel and can record and evaluate images in front of the vehicle. The images recorded by the camera can be used to implement driver assistance functions such as, for example, the so-called forward collision warning ("predictive collision warning") or FCW for short. In this case, a GPS signal of a GPS receiver or a corresponding signal of another positioning system can also be used to determine speed information of the vehicle. On the basis of a self-speed of the vehicle and a distance of a preceding vehicle or object, for example a pedestrian, determined by a camera of the mobile device, a time to collision, also known as time to collision or TTC, can be determined and a multi-level warning can be output to a driver in the case of an imminent collision.According to one specific embodiment, vehicle data such as speed, acceleration and other signals available in the vehicle, for example present on a CAN bus of the vehicle, may be transmitted to the mobile terminal via the interface of the mobile device, so that performance of a driver assistance function implemented on the terminal may be improved. By means of such a connection of the terminal to the vehicle data, false warnings of the driver assistance function can be avoided, as a result of which the acceptance of the driver assistance function can be increased.According to one specific embodiment of the approach presented, in the step of ascertaining, a risk of collision may be determined using the terminal device signal and checked for plausibility using the driving state signal in order to ascertain the collision signal. As a result, the risk of collision can be determined with particularly high reliability and false warnings can be avoided.Furthermore, the method can comprise a step of providing a warning signal using the collision signal in order to output a collision warning via the terminal. A collision warning can be understood to mean, for example, an acoustic signal or a warning message which is displayed via a screen of the terminal. The warning signal can be used to inform the driver of the risk of collision particularly quickly, so that the driver can react in good time in order to prevent a collision.The method may include a step of reading in an image signal for recognizing a state of a driver. In this case, the image signal can represent a signal output by a further image sensor of the terminal device. Furthermore, the step of providing the warning signal can be carried out as a function of the image signal. An image signal can generally be understood to mean an image of the driver, in particular of the driver's face, recorded and evaluated by a camera of the terminal device facing the driver. In this case, the image signal can, for example, depict an eyelid stroke or a viewing direction of the driver. The image signal can be used to output the collision warning even earlier, for example if the driver is tired or inattentive.According to a further embodiment of the present approach, the method may comprise a step of reading in a telephony signal, which may represent an active telephone connection of the terminal. In this case, the step of providing the warning signal can be temporally advanced in response to the telephony signal. By the telephone signal, attention of the driver with respect to the driving task to be managed by him can be estimated, similar to the image signal relating to the driver. This can further reduce a risk of collision.Moreover, the method may comprise a step of providing an activation signal to the interface between the terminal and the vehicle using the collision signal to activate a vehicle safety system. A vehicle safety system can be understood to mean, for example, an automatic emergency braking function, a lane keeping assistant, a cruise control system, a speed limiting assistant, a restraint system or other, in particular predictive, safety systems of the vehicle, which can be activated as a function of the collision signal. By such a step, the safety of the driver can be further enhanced.A computer program product having program code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and can be used for carrying out the method according to one of the embodiments described above when the program product is executed on a computer or a device is also advantageous.An apparatus for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal device that can be coupled to the vehicle has the following features:a reading unit for reading in a terminal signal for detecting the object, wherein the terminal signal represents a signal provided by an image sensor of the terminal;a further read-in unit for reading in a driving state signal for detecting a driving state of the vehicle, wherein the driving state signal represents a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor via an interface between the terminal and the vehicle and / or by an acceleration sensor of the terminal; anda determination unit for determining a collision signal for indicating an imminent collision between the vehicle and the object using the terminal signal and the driving state signal.The device can be completely integrated into the mobile terminal. In the present case, a device can be understood to mean an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals as a function thereof. The device can have the interface, which can be designed as hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware configuration, the interface can be part of a so-called system ASIC, for example, which contains a wide variety of functions of the device. However, it is also possible for the interface to be a separate, integrated circuit or to consist at least partially of discrete components. In the case of a software configuration, the interface can be a software module which is present, for example, on a microcontroller, in addition to other software modules. A read-in unit, a further read-in unit and a determination unit can also be understood to mean an electrical control unit which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals as a function thereof. The object underlying the present approach can be achieved quickly and efficiently by the device.Finally, the present approach provides a mobile terminal couplable to a vehicle, the mobile terminal comprising:a device for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using the mobile terminal, according to an embodiment presented here;an image sensor for reading the terminal signal for recognizing the object; andan interface for reading in the driving state signal for detecting a driving state of the vehicle, wherein the driving state signal represents a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor of the vehicle and / or by an acceleration sensor of the terminal device.By means of such a mobile terminal, the object underlying the present approach can be implemented in a particularly space-saving and efficient manner.The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example with reference to the attached drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an imminent collision between a vehicle and a further vehicle, wherein the vehicle is coupled to a mobile terminal device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal device that can be coupled to the vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.In the following description of advantageous exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the different figures and acting in a similar manner, wherein a repeated description of these elements is omitted.FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an imminent collision between a vehicle 100 and an object 105, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. According to this exemplary embodiment, object 105 is, for example, a further vehicle 105 that is driving in front of vehicle 100. A mobile terminal 110, for example a smartphone, is arranged in the vehicle 100 between a driver and a windshield. The mobile terminal 110, also called a mobile device, may be attached to the windshield or to a dashboard of the vehicle 100, for example, by means of a suitable bracket, so that the driver can view a screen of the terminal 110. The mobile terminal 110 may be detached from attachment to the vehicle 100 and used independently of the vehicle 100, for example outside the vehicle 100, for example for telephony, for utilizing Internet services or for navigating.The mobile terminal 110 comprises a first image sensor 115 and optionally a further image sensor 120. The mobile terminal 110 is arranged such that the image sensor 115 points in a direction of the further vehicle 105. The image sensor 115 is designed to provide a terminal signal for ascertaining a distance between the vehicle 100 and the further vehicle 105. The terminal signal may represent an image signal captured by the first image sensor 115 or may be based on such an image signal. The further image sensor 120 is directed at the face of the driver, wherein the further image sensor 120 is configured to provide an image signal for detecting a state of the driver, for example a degree of wakefulness.A radio antenna 135 is shown schematically at an upper end of the terminal 110, by means of which radio antenna the mobile terminal 110 can establish a wireless connection, for example for voice transmission.According to one exemplary embodiment, mobile terminal 110 has an interface 140 to a vehicle sensor 145. The interface 140 is designed to receive a driving state signal, which can comprise vehicle data or operating data of the vehicle 100, from the vehicle sensor 145 or from a processing device or evaluation device coupled to the vehicle sensor 145 via a connected data cable or a wireless radio connection.The terminal signal output from the image sensor 115 and the driving state signal output from the vehicle sensor 145 are read in by the mobile terminal 110 and combined with each other to detect a risk of collision between the vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 105. The mobile terminal 110 is designed to ascertain a collision signal on the basis of the terminal signal and the driving state signal, provided that there is the risk of a collision between the vehicle 100 and the further vehicle 105. The collision signal can be used to provide a warning signal in order to output a collision warning via the terminal 110 to the driver, for example in the form of a warning tone and / or a warning notice to which the driver can react accordingly.According to one exemplary embodiment, the driver state is additionally monitored via the further image sensor 120. If it is determined using the image signal of the further image sensor 120 that the driver is tired or inattentive, the warning signal can already be provided at an earlier point in time so that the driver can react to the collision warning in good time.According to one exemplary embodiment, the driving state signal can additionally or alternatively be provided by a sensor integrated in the mobile terminal 110, in particular by an acceleration sensor. In this case, the interface 140 may be optional.FIG. 2 shows a mobile terminal 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mobile terminal 110 may be the mobile terminal 110 illustrated in FIG. 1. The mobile terminal 110 has a mechanical interface via which the mobile terminal 110 can be fastened to a vehicle.As already described with reference to FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 100 according to an exemplary embodiment has an image sensor 115, a further image sensor 120, a radio antenna 135 and an interface 140 for coupling the mobile terminal 100 to the vehicle. The image sensors 115, 120 can each realize a camera functionality. The image sensor 115 is configured to provide a terminal signal 224. The further image sensor 120 is configured to provide an image signal 234. A driving state signal 254, for example from a vehicle sensor 145 of the vehicle, can be received via the interface 140.The mobile terminal 110 has a device 200 for detecting a collision between the vehicle and an object. The device 200 may also be referred to as a smartphone forward collision warning driver assistance system, smartphone FCW, smartphone FCW system or system for short.The device 200 has a read-in unit 205 for reading in the terminal signal 224, a further read-in unit 210 for reading in the driving state signal 254, and a determination unit 215 for determining a collision signal 256. The read-in unit 205 is connected to the image sensor 115. The further read-in unit 210 is connected to the vehicle sensor 145 via the interface 140 integrated into the terminal 110, wherein the vehicle sensor 145 is arranged outside the terminal 110 in the vehicle 100. The read-in unit 205 and the further read-in unit 210 are furthermore each connected to the determination unit 215.According to one exemplary embodiment, the terminal 110 has an acceleration sensor 220 which is designed to detect, for example, a braking or acceleration process of the vehicle via the mechanical coupling of the mobile terminal 110 to the vehicle. The acceleration sensor 220 is connected to the further read-in unit 210. Depending on the exemplary embodiment, the further read-in unit 210 can be designed to receive a driving state signal 254 from the acceleration sensor 220 and, additionally or alternatively, a driving state signal 254 from the vehicle sensor 145 in-vehicle via the interface 140.The determination unit 210 is configured to determine the collision signal 256 using the terminal signal 224 provided by the read-in unit 205 and the driving state signal 254 provided by the further read-in unit 210, provided that the terminal signal 224 and the driving state signal 254 indicate an imminent collision between the vehicle 100 and an object detected by the image sensor 115. In order to determine the collision signal 256 even more efficiently, the determination unit 215 can be designed to determine a risk of collision using the terminal device signal 115 and to plausibilize it using the driving state signal 254.According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, device 200 is designed to ascertain a warning signal 160 on the basis of collision signal 256. For this purpose, the device 200 may have a warning signal determination unit 225 connected to the determination unit 215, which warning signal determination unit is designed to provide the warning signal 160 using the collision signal 256. Furthermore, the warning signal determination unit 225 can be connected to an output device 230 of the terminal 110, for example a loudspeaker or a screen, in order to output an acoustic or visual collision warning to the driver in response to the warning signal 160.Optionally, the warning signal determination unit 225 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention can read in the image signal 234 of the further image sensor 120, such that the warning signal 160 is determined using the collision signal 256 and is already provided at an earlier point in time using the image signal 234, if an indication of inattentiveness of the driver of the vehicle can be gathered from the image signal 234. Thus, output device 230 may output a warning to the driver a correspondingly earlier prompt in response to warning signal 160 if the driver is inattentive.Furthermore, the device 200 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be designed to output a telephony signal 235 to the warning signal determination unit 225 in response to an active telephone connection of the terminal 110. The telephony signal 235 can be used, like the image signal 234, to provide the warning signal 160 already at an earlier point in time using the collision signal 256, so that the driver can be alerted to the imminent collision correspondingly earlier if the driver could be distracted due to the telephone connection.Additionally or alternatively, the warning signal determination unit 225 may be configured to provide an activation signal 240 using the collision signal 256. For this purpose, warning signal determination unit 225 may communicate with a vehicle safety system 245 which is situated outside terminal 110 and is installed in vehicle 100, for example, via a CAN bus of vehicle 100, to which terminal 110 is connected, for example, via radio or via interface 140. The vehicle safety system 245 may be activated in response to the activation signal 240.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the reading unit 205 can be connected to a satellite antenna 250 integrated into the terminal 110 for reading in a navigation satellite signal 255, in particular a GPS signal. On the basis of the navigation satellite signal 255, in addition to the distance of the vehicle 100 from the object 105 determined by means of the image sensor 115, an own speed of the vehicle 100 can be determined, so that a time elapsed until a collision occurs can be calculated particularly accurately. The own speed can be included in the determination of the collision signal 256.An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIG. 2.The mobile device 110, for example a smartphone, is configured to execute a driver assistance function, an automatic or an autonomous driving function. Furthermore, the mobile device 110 is equipped with an environment sensor as image sensor 115, for example a camera. The mobile device 110 is further configured to receive operating data 254 from the vehicle, such as speed, acceleration, steering angle or brake pressure. Depending on the environment sensor 115 and on the operating data 254, the driver receives assist signals as warning signals 160 via the mobile device 110, for example in the form of a so-called forward collision warning (FCW), in which warning is given of a collision with an object located in the area in front of the vehicle. Optionally, the mobile device 110 can be configured to send data such as information or actuation commands as activation signal 240 to the vehicle. In a further variant, the mobile device 110 can recognize a driver state by means of an inwardly directed camera as a further image sensor 120, such that an earlier warning of the driver against a risk of collision can take place. Finally, a variant is possible in which the mobile device 110 can detect vehicle movements, in particular by means of the acceleration sensor 220 itself.The vehicle data 254 transmitted to the mobile device 110 is used to suppress mis-warning of the smartphone FCW 200 if the driver brakes sufficiently to avoid a collision. This leads to a better performance of the system 200, for example to fewer false warnings, and thus to a higher acceptance for users.In an optional variant, the steering angle of the vehicle is used for suppressing the FCW warning or collision warning if there is no risk of collision.Another embodiment of the present invention contemplates utilizing vehicle steering angle, vehicle dimensions, and detected lane limits to improve FCW performance.Furthermore, the mobile device 110 may be configured to transmit information or commands to the vehicle, for example to activate the brake of the vehicle as part of an automatic emergency braking function as the vehicle safety system 245.The mobile device camera directed into the interior of the vehicle 100 can also be used as a further image sensor 120 for driver observation. In the case of a gaze turn or drowsiness, which can be detected, for example, via the eyelid stroke of the driver, a warning is provided earlier than in the case of a gaze turn or wakefulness of the driver. The earlier warning can alternatively also take place when the driver telephones.Instead of connecting mobile terminal 110 via interface 140 to vehicle CAN for reading in driving state signal 254, mobile terminal 110 may also use 6-D or 9-D acceleration sensors 220 integrated into mobile terminal 110 in order to detect a deceleration of the vehicle. Based on this information, a false warning may be excluded, which in turn leads to improvement in performance of a smartphone FCW system 200.The described communication paths can be combined with one another.FIG. 3 shows a method 300 for detecting a collision between a vehicle and an object using a mobile terminal device couplable to the vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The mobile terminal can be the terminal described with reference to the preceding figures.First, in a step 305, a terminal signal for recognizing the object is read in. In this case, the terminal signal represents a measurement variable output by an image sensor of the terminal. Subsequently, in parallel or in a temporal advance, a step 310 of reading in a driving state signal for detecting a driving state of the vehicle takes place. In this case, the driving state signal represents a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor via an interface between the terminal and the vehicle and / or by an acceleration sensor of the terminal. Finally, in a following step 310, a collision signal for indicating an imminent collision between the vehicle and the object is ascertained using the terminal device signal and the driving state signal.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method 300 comprises an optional step 320 of providing a warning signal using the collision signal in order to output a collision warning via the terminal.Furthermore, the method 300 can comprise an additional step 325 of reading in an image signal for recognizing a state of a driver. In this case, the image signal can represent a measurement variable output by a further image sensor of the terminal device. The step 325 of providing the warning signal can also be carried out as a function of the image signal.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a step 330 of reading in a telephony signal representing an active telephone connection of the terminal device can take place. Here, the step 320 of providing the warning signal in response to the telephony signal may be advanced in time.Finally, in a further variant, the method 300 may comprise a step 335, in which an activation signal is provided to the interface between the terminal and the vehicle using the collision signal in order to activate a vehicle safety system.The exemplary embodiments described and shown in the figures are chosen only by way of example. Different exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another completely or with respect to individual features. An exemplary embodiment can also be supplemented by features of a further exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, method steps according to the invention can be repeated and carried out in a sequence other than that described. If an exemplary embodiment comprises an "and / or" combination between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read in such a way that the exemplary embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature according to one embodiment and either only the first feature or only the second feature according to a further embodiment.

Claims

Method (300) for detecting a collision between a vehicle (100) and an object (105) using a mobile terminal (110) which can be coupled to the vehicle (100), the method (300) comprising the following steps: reading in (305) a terminal signal (224) for detecting the object (105), the terminal signal (224) representing a signal provided by an image sensor (115) of the terminal (110); reading in (310) a driving state signal (254) for detecting a driving state of the vehicle (100), the driving state signal (254) representing a measurement variable output by an acceleration sensor (220) of the terminal (110); determining (315) a collision signal (256) for indicating an imminent collision between the vehicle (100) and the object (105) using the terminal signal (224) and the driving state signal (254), wherein in the step (315) of determining a collision risk is determined using the terminal signal (224) and checked for plausibility using the driving state signal (254) in order to determine the collision signal (256); and providing (335) an activation signal (240) to the interface (140) between the terminal (110) and the vehicle (100) using the collision signal (256) in order to activate a vehicle safety system (245) installed in the vehicle (100).Method (300) according to Claim 1, wherein the driving state signal (254) represents a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor (145) via an interface (140) between the terminal (110) and the vehicle (100).Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a step (320) of providing a warning signal (160) using the collision signal (256) in order to output a collision warning via the terminal (110).Method (300) according to Claim 3, having a step (325) of reading in an image signal (234) for detecting a state of a driver, wherein the image signal (234) represents a signal provided by a further image sensor (120) of the terminal device (110), and wherein the step (325) of providing the warning signal (160) is carried out as a function of the image signal (234).Method (300) according to claim 3 or 4, comprising a step (330) of reading in a telephony signal (235) representing an active telephony connection of the terminal (110), wherein the step (320) of providing the warning signal (160) is temporally advanced in response to the telephony signal (235).Computer program product having program code for carrying out the method (300) according to one of Claims 1 to 5 when the program product is executed on an information system.Device (200) for detecting a collision between a vehicle (100) and an object (105) using a mobile terminal (110) which can be coupled to the vehicle (100), the device (200) having the following features: a read-in unit (205) for reading in a terminal signal (224) for detecting the object (105), the terminal signal (224) representing a signal provided by an image sensor (115) of the terminal (110); a further read-in unit (210) for reading in a driving state signal (254) for detecting a driving state of the vehicle (100), the driving state signal (254) representing a measurement variable output by an acceleration sensor (220) of the terminal (110); and a determination unit (215) for determining a collision signal (256) for indicating an imminent collision between the vehicle (100) and the object (105) using the terminal signal (224) and the driving state signal (254); and a warning signal determination unit (225) for providing an activation signal (240) to the interface (140) between the terminal (110) and the vehicle (100) using the collision signal (256) in order to activate a vehicle safety system (245) installed in the vehicle (100).Mobile terminal (110) which can be coupled to a vehicle (100), the mobile terminal (110) having the following features: a device (200) according to Claim 7; an image sensor (115) for reading in the terminal signal (224) for detecting the object (105); and an interface (140) for reading in the driving state signal (254) for detecting the driving state of the vehicle (100), the driving state signal (254) representing a measurement variable output by a vehicle sensor (145) of the vehicle (100) and / or by an acceleration sensor (220) of the terminal (110).

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