Method and device for determining road quality

Abstract

Method (900) for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304), the method (900) comprising the following step: Changing (904) a processing rule for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304) as a function of an additional parameter (308) which represents road condition information (310) representing a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) in a direction of travel (312); characterized by a step (906B) of suspending the determination of the road quality for a predetermined period (812) based on the additional parameter (308), wherein the predetermined period (812) is specified by a content (314) of the road condition information (310).

Description

State of the art

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for determining road quality, to a corresponding device and to a corresponding computer program product.

[0002] With AHC (Adaptive High Beam Control; "sliding headlight range", also referred to in the literature as "adaptive cut-off line" = "aCOL"), a beam angle of a vehicle's headlights is set to increase the driver's visibility without dazzling other road users or "opponents" on the road. A camera detects opponents, for example via their lighting (signal) devices, and determines their position or object position, e.g. as the camera's viewing angle. A safety angle is set for this position information to the target angle of the headlights. The safety angle is intended to prevent dazzling opponents, for example due to inadequacies in measurement or, in particular, due to uneven road surfaces.

[0003] In this context, bridges or railway crossings in the roadway pose a particular challenge, as they have sleepers and / or expansion joints that cause the vehicle to pitch when driving over them.

[0004] DE 199 02 015 A1 shows an arrangement for adapting the lighting system on a motor vehicle.

[0005] DE 10 2011 017 697 A1 shows a method and a device for controlling a light emission of a headlight of a vehicle.

[0006] FR 2 927 857 A1 shows a method for adapting a headlight for a vehicle.

[0007] JP 2010-143506 A shows an automatic leveling method for a vehicle lamp.

[0008] DE 10 2012 216 088 A1 shows a method and an evaluation and control unit for adjusting a headlight beam boundary of a headlight cone.

[0009] DE 10 2011 014 455 A1 shows a method and a device for operating a vehicle with a lighting device.

[0010] DE 10 2005 027 887 A1 shows a method and a device for informing a vehicle driver.

[0011] DE 10 2011 081 380 A1 shows a method for controlling the light emission of a headlight of a vehicle. Disclosure of the invention

[0012] Against this background, the present invention presents a method for determining road quality, a device that uses this method, and finally a corresponding computer program product according to the main claims. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the respective subclaims and the following description.

[0013] Existing approaches to determining road quality for adjusting headlight beam angles or safety angles focus on finding solutions to the fact that headlights are often adjusted slightly too late, thus dazzling other road users. It is assumed that road quality remains constant over a longer period of time, so that a safety angle optimized for the current road quality can be set. The pitch rate or pitch angle is evaluated. If large fluctuations occur, it is assumed that the road quality is poor. A large safety angle is then set. If there are hardly any fluctuations in the pitch values, it is assumed (after some time, e.g., 20 seconds) that the road quality is good and that hardly any fluctuations will occur in the future. A small safety angle can then be set for good visibility.The reaction to the transition to poor road quality occurs immediately to avoid dazzling others. The reaction to the transition to good road quality occurs with a delay due to the assumption of constant road quality as a preventive measure against glare.

[0014] An alternative concept proposes standardizing road quality to enable a rapid response of the safety angle to speed changes. At high speeds, bumps have a greater impact on pitching behavior than at low speeds. Standardization provides a measure of road quality that can be used to meaningfully determine a speed-dependent safety angle.

[0015] By including an additional parameter in a method for determining road quality, a pronounced pitching movement of a vehicle can be integrated into the method in such a way that glare of oncoming vehicles by the vehicle's headlights can be avoided and the best possible illumination of the road for a driver of the vehicle can be achieved.

[0016] In a further development of this approach, the additional parameter is based, for example, on signs or traffic signs detected by a vehicle's camera, which indicate, for example, the presence of a bridge.

[0017] With the procedure enhanced by the additional parameter, it is possible, for example, to temporarily lower the headlights or temporarily raise a safety angle for headlight inclination to avoid dazzling opponents when driving over a bridge threshold, for example. Alternatively or additionally, the determination of road quality can be suspended to prevent a long measurement of pitching behavior, which may be required for the determination, from being distorted by extreme values ​​that might be measured when driving over the thresholds of a bridge. This can advantageously prevent a strong pitching movement of the vehicle from leading to a lower road quality rating.According to the approach presented here, the effect of a temporary, locally limited, lower road quality has little or no impact on the road quality estimate used to adjust the safety angle, since the assumption that the determined road quality remains constant over a longer period of time can be replaced by a specifically calculable time window for the road quality deterioration. The driver's overall visibility – which can depend, among other things, on the safety angle – can thus be advantageously increased.

[0018] With the concept presented here, even a brief blinding of the opponent caused by a pitching of the vehicle - also known as "flashing" - can be effectively avoided.

[0019] A method for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle comprises the following step: Changing a processing rule for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle as a function of an additional parameter which represents road condition information which represents a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle in a direction of travel.

[0020] Road quality can be understood as the condition of a roadway on which the vehicle is to travel, particularly with regard to any unevenness of the road surface. Such unevenness can be particularly relevant, requiring adjustments to a vehicle's headlight system to illuminate the road in accordance with the traffic situation. An additional parameter can be understood as a control parameter for controlling the execution of a processing instruction, for example, for briefly pausing the determination of the road quality of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling or for taking into account a (likewise) short-term change in the safety inclination angle for adjusting a headlight. A processing instruction can be understood as an algorithm for determining the quality of a road by a vehicle and / or for adjusting the inclination angle of the vehicle's headlights.The road condition information can provide information about a special feature of the road section ahead of the vehicle, which may be particularly relevant, for example, for controlling the inclination of the vehicle's headlights. The special feature can be a phenomenon that is clearly limited or can be limited locally and in relation to your driving time. For example, the road condition information can provide an indication of the presence or degree of severity of bumps or speed bumps running across the road. In particular, the road condition information can provide this information before the vehicle has reached the road section characterized by the special feature. Such speed bumps exist, for example, when entering and exiting bridges and at railway crossings.By modifying a processing rule for determining road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle, it is possible to intervene in the execution of, for example, a predefined algorithm of the method so that the particularity of the road section in question, represented by the road condition information, can be adequately taken into account. Specifically, a vehicle's headlight system can be controlled with sufficient advance time so that an oncoming vehicle is not dazzled by the headlights of the ego vehicle.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the method includes a step of reading in the road condition information. The road condition information can originate from various sources, i.e., be provided by a suitable device in the vehicle or externally. Reading in the road condition information can occur repeatedly, for example, at predetermined intervals.

[0022] In particular, the method can comprise a step of tilting at least one headlight of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time based on the additional parameter. The predetermined period of time can be specified by a content of the road condition information. In the tilting step, the headlight and a second headlight of the vehicle can be tilted downwards, i.e., in the direction of the road. The tilt of the vehicle's headlights can be performed, for example, by a high-beam assistant of the vehicle that uses the method according to the invention. The predetermined period of time can correspond to a travel time for crossing the special feature of the road section ahead of the vehicle, as specified by the road condition information.This embodiment offers the advantage that the headlight tilt period can be kept as short as possible to avoid dazzling the driver of an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the vehicle implementing the method thus regains optimal visibility of the section of road ahead as soon as possible.

[0023] Headlight tilting can be implemented in different ways depending on the actual implementation. In addition to mechanically pivoting the headlight or a headlight module (e.g., the lens in a projection system), changing the light distribution is also possible. In particular, the beam angle of the cut-off line can be lowered, which is a natural choice for adaptive systems such as AHC. Depending on the headlight implementation, this can be achieved, for example, by changing a diaphragm in the headlight (subtractive generation of the light distribution) or by switching off or dimming individual areas (additive light generation, e.g., with LED headlights).

[0024] With an adaptive system such as CHC or Matrix Beam, a horizontal safety angle can be increased additionally or alternatively in order to avoid dazzling other vehicles when the vehicle rolls.

[0025] The method can also include a step of increasing a safety angle with respect to determining a degree of tilt of the at least one headlight for a predetermined period of time based on the additional parameter. The predetermined period of time can be specified by a content of the road condition information. This embodiment can ensure even better protection of the driver of an oncoming vehicle against glare, since insufficient tilt of the headlights due, for example, to measurement or calculation errors can be effectively and easily prevented.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, the method may include a step of suspending the determination of road quality for a predetermined period of time based on the additional parameter. The predetermined period of time can be specified by a content of the road condition information. This makes it easy to prevent a result of the road quality determination from being falsified by an extreme measured value, such as that which may occur when driving over a bridge threshold. This embodiment has the advantage of preventing a potentially excessive tilt of the vehicle's headlights, which would limit the driver's view of the road section ahead.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the method, road condition information representing the content of a traffic sign detected by an optical sensor of the vehicle can be used in the changing step. The content of the traffic sign can identify the road section ahead of the vehicle as a bridge and / or a railway crossing. The optical sensor can be a camera of the vehicle. Thus, the content of the traffic sign can advantageously be used to infer in good time an impending pitching movement due to driving over a bridge sleeper or expansion joint, and, for example, an adaptive high beam assistant of the vehicle can be set or regulated with a timely advance.

[0028] Alternatively, the content of the traffic sign can identify the road section ahead of the vehicle as one with deteriorated road surface quality. This allows the method proposed here to be advantageously extended to detect other potential causes of a pronounced pitching movement of the vehicle.

[0029] Furthermore, in the step of changing, road condition information may be used which represents a shape and / or color of a traffic sign detected by an optical sensor of the vehicle.

[0030] Accordingly, the additional parameter can be pre-configured based on the shape and / or color. For example, the triangular shape typical of warning signs can be easily recognized very quickly by a vehicle's camera and unambiguously assigned using a simple, suitable algorithm. With this advantageous pre-configuration, the time savings achieved by the process can be increased even further.

[0031] According to a further embodiment of the method, road condition information representing a marker in a digital map of a vehicle's navigation system can be used in the changing step. The marker can identify the road section ahead of the vehicle as a bridge and / or a railroad crossing. Thus, even without the presence of a vehicle camera, a bridge or railroad crossing ahead, or a similar form of structure that could cause a pronounced pitching movement of the vehicle when driving over it, can be unequivocally identified. The method can thus be used in a particularly cost-effective manner, since a device for optical detection can be dispensed with.

[0032] For example, road condition information representing an entry made by a user in a digital map of a vehicle's navigation system can be used in the modification step. The entry can, for example, identify the road section ahead of the vehicle as one with deteriorated road surface quality. With this embodiment, a so-called "learning map" can be advantageously used for the purposes of the concept proposed here, embodied in the method presented here.

[0033] A device for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle has the following feature: a changing device for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle as a function of an additional parameter which represents road condition information which represents a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle in a direction of travel.

[0034] The device can be configured to carry out or implement the steps of the method presented here in the corresponding device. This embodiment of the invention in the form of a device also allows the problem underlying the invention to be solved quickly and efficiently.

[0035] In this case, a device can be understood as an electrical device that processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals depending on them. The device can have an interface, which can be implemented in hardware and / or software. In a hardware implementation, the interfaces can, for example, be part of a so-called system ASIC, which contains a wide variety of functions of the device. However, it is also possible for the interfaces to be separate integrated circuits or to consist at least partially of discrete components. In a software implementation, the interfaces can be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller alongside other software modules.

[0036] Also advantageous is a computer program product with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and is used to carry out the method according to one of the embodiments described above when the program product is executed on a computer or a device.

[0037] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a representation of a typical bridge structure; Fig. 2 a representation of an exemplary level crossing; Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an apparatus for determining road quality according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 examples of traffic signs indicating the presence of a bridge; Fig. 5 examples of traffic signs indicating the presence of a level crossing; Fig. 6 examples of traffic signs indicating the presence of a road section with poor road surface quality; Fig. 7 an abstract representation of a warning sign; Fig. 8 diagrams for explaining a reaction to a bridge sleeper with and without a device for determining road quality, according to embodiments of the present invention; and Fig. 9 is a flowchart of a method for determining road quality according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and having a similar effect, whereby a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

[0039] Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a typical structure of a bridge 100. Two arrows mark sleepers or expansion joints 102 at the beginning and end of the bridge 100. Driving over the sleepers 102 causes vehicles to make a pronounced pitching movement, which can cause oncoming vehicles to be dazzled by the vehicle's headlights.

[0040] Fig. Figure 2 shows an example of a level crossing 200. Level crossings 200 also feature sleepers 102—at the transition from the road to the rail bed, as well as on the rails themselves. Thus, there is a risk that, if the headlights of a vehicle crossing the level crossing 200 are switched on, the driver of an oncoming vehicle could be dazzled by the flashing lights.

[0041] In addition to the Fig. 1 and Fig. In addition to the characteristics explained in section 2, other road-related conditions, such as impaired road surface quality due to road construction work, can also cause a pronounced pitching motion of a vehicle. These characteristics may also have a significant impact on the vehicle's internal determination of road quality.

[0042] Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a device 300 for determining road quality. Shown is a vehicle 304 traveling on a road 302, in which the device 300 is installed. The vehicle 304 is any road-bound vehicle, such as a passenger car or truck. The device 300 comprises a modification device 306 for determining road quality for a road 302 traveled by a vehicle 304, depending on an additional parameter 308 for the device 300. The additional parameter 308 is based on road condition information 310 read into the modification device 306. The road condition information 310 characterizes a condition of a section of the road 302 lying in front of the vehicle in a direction of travel 312 indicated by a directional arrow. Fig. 3, the road condition information 310 represents a content 314 of a traffic sign 316 detected by an optical sensor 315 of the vehicle 304. The optical sensor 315 is a camera installed behind a windshield of the vehicle 304, which is directed towards an environment lying in front of the vehicle 304 in the direction of travel 312.

[0043] The content 314 of the traffic sign 316 containing the corresponding information can be a text and / or a shape and / or color. The modification device 306 has suitable algorithms to decode the text and / or the shape and / or color and, based thereon, to determine the suitable additional parameter 308. The traffic sign 316 has, in the Fig. 3 indicates an upcoming bridge. Accordingly, the roadway condition information 310 includes text in the form of the name of a body of water spanned by the bridge. Thus, the roadway condition information 310 can be used to infer the presence of at least one threshold and / or expansion joint 102, and the additional parameter 308 can be determined accordingly.

[0044] Based on the additional parameter 308, inclination information 318 for an inclination 320 of headlights 322 of the vehicle 304, indicated by an arrow, is determined in the device 300 and output via an interface to a suitable device, e.g., a high-beam assistant of the vehicle 304, so that the inclination 320 of the headlights 322 can be configured such that, even in the event of a significant pitching movement of the vehicle 304 when crossing the threshold 102, drivers of oncoming vehicles are not dazzled. The inclination 320 of the headlights 322 is determined based on the additional parameter 308 for a predetermined period of time resulting from the content 314 of the road condition information 310. Depending on the embodiment of the headlight, instead of an inclination of the headlight, the light distribution itself emitted by the headlight can also be modified such that the beam angle is less strongly directed upwards.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the device 300 not shown in the figures, it comprises a device for increasing a safety angle with respect to a degree of inclination 320 of the headlights 322. A time period is also specified for increasing the safety angle, which time period results from the content 314 of the road condition information 310.

[0046] As an alternative to the interpretation of Fig. 3, the content 314 of the traffic sign 316 may represent other road construction features that may trigger a strong pitching movement of the vehicle 304, for example a railroad crossing or contamination of the road surface due to a nearby construction site.

[0047] In the Fig. 3, the changing device 306 receives the road condition information 310 from the optical sensor 315 of the vehicle 304. According to an alternative embodiment, the device 300 can be designed to change the road condition information 310 in a manner similar to the representation in Fig. 3, to determine the additional parameter 308 and to transmit it to the device 300 for determining the road quality.

[0048] According to a further embodiment not shown in the figures, device 300 comprises a device for suspending the determination of the road quality for a predetermined period of time based on the additional parameter. This ensures that the determination of the road quality is not disrupted by an extreme value resulting from a vehicle pitching movement. The device for suspending the determination of the road quality can easily be combined with the changing device 306.

[0049] Fig. 4 shows to illustrate the Fig. The vehicle scene illustrated in Figure 3 shows some examples of traffic sign 316, which can be placed at the side of the road to indicate an upcoming bridge. Traffic sign 316 on the left in the illustration is a warning sign for military vehicles, which is placed in front of bridges, among other places. Sign 316 indicates the load class for which an upcoming bridge is designed.

[0050] Thus, traffic sign 316 indirectly indicates the presence of a bridge. In the form illustrated in the middle and right of the illustration, traffic sign 316 is designed as a sign for a specific river and thus directly indicates an upcoming bridge. Fig. 4 shown exemplary traffic signs represents the Fig. 3 explained the content of the traffic sign as a clear text.

[0051] As can be seen from the illustration in Fig. As explained in Figure 3, the camera of the vehicle approaching sign 316 detects sign 316, which indicates the bridge. The vehicle's headlight system, including the control algorithm and road quality detection, is then adjusted to the bridge.

[0052] Fig. 5 shows the results of the Fig. 3 explained the adaptation of the road quality calculation to signs, some examples of traffic signs 316 that indicate the presence of a level crossing are shown. Various examples of signs 316 and signal devices that indicate a level crossing as in Fig. 2. Here you can see the Fig. 3, the content of traffic sign 316 can represent an image – here, for example, in the form of a locomotive or a barrier – and, for example, additionally a shape, since the shape of the St. Andrew's cross used for level crossings is clearly identifiable. The Fig. 3 presented device can be designed to evaluate light signals at level crossings.

[0053] The detection of level crossings via signs 316, for example the “St. Andrew’s Cross”, traffic lights or a barrier, can be used advantageously according to the approach presented here to react to the presence of a level crossing.

[0054] Fig. According to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 shows examples of traffic signs 316 that indicate the presence of a road section with potentially deteriorated road quality. These can also provide road condition information, based on which the appropriate additional parameter can be determined. In the illustration in Fig. 6 shows a warning sign 316 that can be used to estimate a deterioration in road quality. A selection of additional signs that can be used in combination with the warning sign 316 is shown as an example. The warning sign 316 is clearly identifiable as such due to its characteristic triangular shape and / or red color. The additional signs provide additional road condition information via their text. In combination, the warning sign 316 plus the additional sign can be used to determine road damage, bumps, and potential road contamination, which can be advantageously used to determine the headlight inclination or safety angle in AHC.

[0055] To illustrate the traffic sign recognition, Fig. 7 an abstract representation of traffic sign 316 as a warning sign. In the illustration in Fig. 3, the characteristic triangular shape of the warning sign 316 can be used as a first approximation to pre-parameterize the road quality detection. As a result, for example, the safety angle can be increased or the road quality can be temporarily or preventively assessed as worse. The easy recognition of the sign is advantageous, which can save resources. To improve the detection performance and to differentiate road signs that are irrelevant for road quality detection (e.g., warning signs that indicate a narrowing of the roadway), the information from the Fig. 6. In addition to the shape of warning sign 316, recognizing the color red also helps with correct classification.

[0056] Fig. Figure 8 shows various diagrams to explain a reaction to a bridge threshold or a comparable roadway feature with and without a device for determining road quality, according to embodiments of the present invention. A plurality of graphs are shown, plotted over a specific time period. By superimposing the graphs, different reaction times can be easily compared depending on the different technical requirements. The graph progressions are shown schematically and simplified for clarity.

[0057] In the Fig. In the diagram shown in Figure 8, a first dotted line crossing the graphs indicates a time 800 of recognition of the traffic sign 316, here by way of example in the form of the Fig. 4. A second dotted line crossing the graphs indicates a time 802 when the bridge sleeper is crossed.

[0058] A first graph 804 shows the pitch angle of a vehicle before, during, and after crossing the threshold. As graph 804 shows, a slight fluctuation is visible at the beginning, resulting from the road quality. At 800, the military sign 316, which is often placed in front of bridges, is visible. At 802, a large fluctuation in the pitch angle can be observed because the vehicle has driven over the bridge threshold. After crossing the threshold, the road quality is again as good as before the threshold.

[0059] A second graph 806 is plotted to illustrate conventional implementations for adjusting the inclination or safety angle of headlights. An increase in the graph at 802 indicates an increase in the safety angle for the headlight inclination. As can be clearly seen from the schematic progression of the second graph 806, conventional systems are reactive, i.e., an adjustment of the safety angle only occurs at 802 when the threshold is crossed. Accordingly, other road users are dazzled, at least briefly, by the flashing. After the threshold 802, the high safety angle is maintained in the conventional design because, when determining the road quality, the system assumes that the road quality is on average the same and that this is a transition to a road section in poor condition.The driver of the ego vehicle has worse visibility after the bridge than before, although the quality of the road has not changed.

[0060] A first improvement according to the approach presented here is shown by a third graph 808. As a result of the inventive detection of the sign 316 at 800, a higher safety angle can be set earlier, thereby preventing the flashing at 802. As the course of the graph 808 shows, the preventive setting of the safety angle occurs shortly after time 800 and comparatively long before time 802.

[0061] A fourth graph 810 explains a further embodiment of the concept presented herein, namely the advantageous suspension of the determination of the road quality for a predetermined period 812. The suspension of the determination of the road quality is indicated by a different representation of the graph 810 using a dashed line. As the representation in Fig. As shown in Figure 8, the suspension of the determination of the road quality begins shortly after the time 800 when the sign 316 is detected and ends at a time 814 indicated by a third dotted line crossing the graphs. As already explained, a duration of the predetermined period 812 is determined based on the additional parameter. After the threshold, the road quality continues to be determined as "normal." By suspending the determination of the road quality, the driver has good visibility after the threshold, since it can still be (justifiably) assumed that the road is in good condition. The safety angle is correspondingly smaller than with the settings illustrated by graphs 806 and 808. The advantage of this method is that the driver of the ego vehicle does not notice the suspension of the determination of the road quality, since the determination takes place within the system. A drop in the road quality due to an incorrectly detected bridge does not occur here.

[0062] A fifth graph 816 illustrates a particularly advantageous embodiment of the concept presented herein, namely the combination of the exemplary embodiments explained with reference to graphs 808 and 810, of preventively increasing the safety angle and suspending the determination of the road quality. After the bridge or sign 316 has been detected at 800, the determination of the road quality is suspended for the duration of the predetermined period 812, and the safety angle is temporarily increased. This prevents flashing or glare when driving over the threshold. At the same time, falsification of the determination of the road quality is prevented, whereby the driver has a well-adjusted safety angle and thus good visibility even after driving over the bridge.

[0063] Incidentally, the inventive analysis of road signs 316 can also be used when no direct determination of road quality is performed, for example, to adjust a fixed safety angle. Since signs 316 indicate inadequate road quality in a broader sense, the safety angle can be adjusted or increased even without explicitly measuring the road quality. The advantage is the savings in computing power when determining road quality. A potentially inaccurate adjustment of the safety angle and the inability to accurately detect a return to good road quality—since it is unclear when a sign expires—must be accepted in this case.

[0064] Fig. 9 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 900 for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle. In a step 902, road condition information is read in, which represents a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle in a direction of travel. In a step 904, a processing rule for determining a road quality for a road traveled by a vehicle is changed depending on an additional parameter, which represents road condition information that represents a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle in a direction of travel. Based on the additional parameter, in a step 906A, headlights of the vehicle are tilted downwards or raised by a predetermined degree for a predetermined period of time.a safety angle is increased with respect to a determination of the degree of headlight tilt for the predetermined period of time. In an additional or alternative step 906B, a determination of the road quality is suspended based on the additional parameter for the predetermined period of time.

[0065] The method 900 can be carried out by the Fig. 3 explained device 300.

[0066] According to further embodiments of the present invention—not shown in the figures—the use of road maps, for example, from a navigation system, can also be used to adjust the safety angle at railroad crossings and bridges, etc. Likewise, according to embodiments, a user of a navigation system can enter the road quality or areas of temporarily lower road quality into a digital map. Such a digital map is also referred to as a "learning map."

[0067] The present invention can also be used to determine road quality or a safety value based on the roll rate. This is particularly important for concepts such as glare-free high beam (CHC or vCOL) and matrix beam.

[0068] The exemplary embodiments described and shown in the figures are selected only as examples. Different exemplary embodiments can be combined with each other in their entirety or with regard to individual features. Furthermore, one exemplary embodiment can be supplemented by features of another exemplary embodiment.

[0069] Furthermore, method steps according to the invention can be repeated and carried out in a different order than that described.

[0070] If an embodiment comprises an “and / or” link between a first feature and a second feature, this is to be read as meaning that the embodiment according to one embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature and according to another embodiment has either only the first feature or only the second feature.

Claims

[1] A method (900) for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304), the method (900) comprising the following step: Changing (904) a processing rule for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304) as a function of an additional parameter (308) which represents road condition information (310) representing a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) in a direction of travel (312); characterized by a step (906B) of suspending the determination of the road quality for a predetermined period (812) based on the additional parameter (308), wherein the predetermined period (812) is specified by a content (314) of the road condition information (310). [2] Method (900) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the method (900) comprises a step of reading (902) the road condition information (310). [3] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the method (900) comprises a step (906A) of tilting (320) at least one headlight (322) of the vehicle (304) for a predetermined period of time (812) based on the additional parameter (308), wherein the predetermined period of time (812) is specified by a content (314) of the road condition information (310). [4] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the method (900) comprises a step of increasing a safety angle (906A) with respect to a determination of a degree of tilt (320) of the at least one headlight (322) for a predetermined period of time (812) based on the additional parameter (308), wherein the predetermined period of time (812) is specified by a content (314) of the road condition information (310). [5] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in the step of changing (904) road condition information (310) is used which represents a content (314) of a traffic sign (316) detected by an optical sensor (315) of the vehicle (304), wherein the content (314) of the traffic sign (316) identifies the road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) as a bridge (100) and / or a level crossing (200). [6] Method (900) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized byin that in the step of changing (904) road condition information (310) is used which represents a content (314) of a traffic sign (316) detected by an optical sensor (315) of the vehicle (304), wherein the content (314) of the traffic sign (316) identifies the road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) as a road section with deteriorated road quality. [7] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in the step of changing (904) road condition information (310) is used which represents a shape and / or color of a traffic sign (316) detected by an optical sensor (315) of the vehicle (304), wherein a pre-parameterization of the additional parameter (308) takes place based on the shape and / or color. [8] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized byin that in the step of changing (904) road condition information (310) is used which represents a marking in a digital map of a navigation system of the vehicle (304), wherein the marking identifies the road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) as a bridge (100) and / or a railway crossing (200). [9] Method (900) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that in the step of changing (904) road condition information (310) is used which represents an entry made by a user in a digital map of a navigation system of the vehicle (304), wherein the entry identifies the road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) as a road section with deteriorated road quality. [10] Device (300) for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304), the device (300) having the following feature: a changing device (306) for determining a road quality for a road (302) traveled by a vehicle (304) as a function of an additional parameter (308) which represents road condition information (310) representing a condition of a road section lying in front of the vehicle (304) in a direction of travel (312), characterized by , that the device (300) is designed to suspend the road quality for a predetermined period of time (812) based on the additional parameter (308), wherein the predetermined period of time (812) is specified by a content (314) of the road condition information (310). [11] Computer program product with program code for carrying out the method (900) according to one of claims 1 to 9, when the program product is executed on a device (300).

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