Control and recording device for a motor vehicle and method for recognizing an image code by means of a recognition unit installed in a motor vehicle

Abstract

Control and detection device (40) for a motor vehicle (100), characterized in that the control and detection device (40) is configured to recognize and interpret an image code (10) located outside the motor vehicle (100) and within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle (100) when installed in a motor vehicle (100), wherein the image code (10) is designed as a machine-readable code (10) and contains at least one piece of information which the control and detection device (40) is able to evaluate, characterized in that the image code (10) is integrated into the rear view of a traffic sign applicable to an opposite carriageway, wherein the opposite carriageway is the carriageway which is opposite the carriageway on which the motor vehicle is located.in which the control and detection device (40) according to the invention is installed and which is approved for oncoming traffic.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a control and detection device for a motor vehicle and a method for recognizing an image code by means of a control and detection device installed in a motor vehicle. State of the art

[0002] Wrong-way drivers pose a high risk on motorways and roads with physically separated carriageways. Current measures aimed at reducing the danger to other road users are based on a traffic report, which is usually based on an emergency call from a driver already at risk. A considerable amount of time passes before a wrong-way driver is reported, and a change in behavior is not brought about by the person responsible, i.e. the wrong-way driver, but by all other road users. They are instructed, for example, to drive on the far right of the road and not to overtake. It would be far more effective, however, to detect a wrong-way vehicle as early as possible and actively prevent or stop it by warning the driver or taking enforcement action against the wrong-way vehicle.

[0003] The main problem here, however, is the reliable detection of a motor vehicle driving in the wrong direction, since a false detection of a wrong-way driving combined with a warning to the driver or active enforcement measures, such as emergency braking on the motorway, at the very least poses a significant acceptance problem and, more likely, even a great potential for damage and danger.

[0004] One possible way to implement such a measure is to use so-called asphalt claws, for example, at motorway exits, which slash the tires of vehicles traveling the wrong way, thus bringing them to a halt. However, installing this infrastructure solution at the more than 2,000 motorway exits in Germany is not only very costly, but also causes further economic damage through the removal of damaged vehicles and the disruption of traffic flow.

[0005] Electronic technologies designed to detect and prevent wrong-way driving are also being discussed publicly. For example, a wrong-way driving vehicle could be automatically braked and, if necessary, guided to the side of the road using the technology and actuators already widely used in modern driver assistance systems. However, the fundamental problem remains the reliable detection of wrong-way driving. The information from current digital navigation maps and current GPS tracking is too imprecise to reliably detect wrong-way driving. To achieve this, the location of the wrong-way driving vehicle must be significantly more precise, and the accuracy of the digital maps must also increase. Furthermore, the digital maps would have to be constantly updated.For example, during temporary highway construction sites, vehicles are intentionally and safely traveling on the opposite lane due to the altered traffic routing. Traffic routing may also be temporarily altered in the area of ​​on- and off-ramps due to construction work.

[0006] Further approaches to protecting traffic from wrong-way drivers are known, for example, from WO 2009 / 081816 A1 and WO 03 / 044984 A1. However, these approaches do not provide comprehensive protection for the wrong-way driver or the road users in their vicinity.

[0007] US 2013 / 0 314 252 A1 discloses a control and detection device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of the invention, wherein the image code is designed as a machine-readable code.

[0008] DE 10 2007 048 842 A1 discloses a driver assistance system with a control unit, wherein driving on roads in an unintended or prohibited direction is detected by evaluating the reflectors of guide posts and the post path of traffic signs.

[0009] DE 102 19 904 A1 shows an actuating device for a motor vehicle which uses a sensor to detect and evaluate traffic signs in order to activate a braking system, for example in the event of a violation of an entry ban. Disclosure of the invention

[0010] According to the invention, a control and detection device for a motor vehicle is provided. According to the invention, the control and detection device is designed, when installed in a motor vehicle, to recognize and interpret an image code attached or located outside the motor vehicle and within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle.

[0011] The advantage of such a control and detection device installed in a motor vehicle is that, by recognizing an image code, the information contained therein, for example, about the exact location coordinates of the image code and its position relative to a roadway to which entry is prohibited, can be used to clearly detect and interpret, for example while the motor vehicle in which the control and detection device is installed, a wrong-way trip by the motor vehicle in which the control and detection device is installed. This increases road safety. An image code is understood to be information encoded in an image that can be decoded or encoded by a recognition unit or a reading unit. The encoding is done pictorially using a one-, two-, or multi-dimensional pattern.

[0012] According to the invention, the image code is embodied as a machine-readable code, and the image code contains at least one piece of information that the control and detection device can evaluate. Furthermore, the image code is preferably embodied as a QR code, i.e., as a Quick Response code. Furthermore, the image code is preferably embodied as an image code comparable to a QR code. Such machine-readable codes can be recognized very quickly and are easy to implement. Any information can be transmitted using them. By combining them with a specific location, where they are only visible or clearly interpretable to a wrong-way driver, they can, for example, encode warnings that prevent a wrong-way driver from entering a motorway exit.Machine-readable codes such as QR codes have a far greater degree of distinctiveness than, for example, a traffic sign, which can be more easily confused with other traffic signs by a control and recording device. Furthermore, the machine-readable codes can be two- or multi-dimensional.

[0013] Preferably, the at least one piece of information is information for detecting wrong-way driving or for detecting an impending wrong-way driving of a motor vehicle. In such an embodiment, a wrong-way driving of a motor vehicle in which a control and detection device according to the invention is installed can be responded to at an early stage. Countermeasures can therefore be initiated at an early stage to avert damage that would otherwise be expected. These countermeasures can be active or passive. For example, a countermeasure can consist of the driver receiving a warning message or of the motor vehicle being brought to a standstill. Preferably, the at least one piece of information is information indicating that entry is prohibited.

[0014] Preferably, checksums are also encoded in the image code, ensuring the unambiguous and complete recognition of at least one piece of information. This virtually eliminates false recognition of the no-entry sign. This further increases the safety of the vehicle on the road.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the control and detection device comprises at least one video sensor that can be arranged inside a motor vehicle. Such video sensors have a high resolution and are capable of quickly and reliably detecting an image code.

[0016] Preferably, the image code is mounted below and / or above and / or in the front view of a traffic sign prohibiting entry and / or integrated into the rear view of a traffic sign and, in this position, is recognizable and interpretable by the control and detection device when installed in a motor vehicle. By combining the image code with the traffic sign or with the position of the sign, wrong-way driving can be prevented particularly reliably. Furthermore, the exact location of the sign and its position relative to the roadway on which, for example, an entry ban may apply are preferably additionally encoded in the image code. In such an embodiment, wrong-way driving can be checked for plausibility by recognizing an image code in addition to traffic sign recognition.Furthermore, the sign is preferably a traffic sign indicating that entry is prohibited and is located, for example, at a motorway exit or at a parking lot entrance. In a further preferred embodiment, the image code is applied to a roadway object, and the image code is recognizable and interpretable in this position by the control and detection device. Such a roadway object is preferably a sign gantry or a toll gantry located on or near a motorway section.According to the invention, the image code is integrated into the rear view of a traffic sign applicable to an opposite lane, wherein the opposite lane is the lane opposite the lane on which the motor vehicle is located in which the control and detection device according to the invention is installed and which is permitted for oncoming traffic.

[0017] Preferably, the distance between the control and detection device and the image code, below which the control and detection device is able to recognize and interpret the image code, is predetermined. Such a predetermination is achieved, for example, by predetermining the resolution of the control and detection device and the size of the image code and selecting a fixed value. Such an embodiment can ensure, among other things, that image codes are only recognized by the control and detection devices of those motor vehicles for which the image codes were intended.Thus, in such an embodiment, image codes arranged on the opposite lane of a motorway, for example, are not erroneously recognized and misinterpreted by the motor vehicle having the control and detection device due to the excessive distance and / or the implausible relative location.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the control and detection device is designed to provide an initialization signal as soon as the image code has been recognized and interpreted. In a further preferred embodiment, the control and detection device is designed to provide an initialization signal and corresponding data as soon as the image code has been recognized and interpreted. By means of the initialization signal provided by the control and detection device or by means of the corresponding data provided, for example, an active countermeasure against wrong-way driving can be initialized by a driver assistance system. For example, a motor vehicle having the control and detection device can be brought to a stop at the edge of the roadway or other steps can be initiated.

[0019] Preferably, the control and detection device is further configured, when installed in a motor vehicle, to transfer the motor vehicle into a state of interrupted driving by triggering an emergency braking action and / or by deactivating the engine ignition as soon as the image code has been recognized and interpreted. Preferably, the motor vehicle is automatically brought to a standstill at the edge of the roadway. In such an embodiment, road safety is increased because the vehicle automatically maneuvers itself out of the dangerous situation upon detection of wrong-way driving or an impending wrong-way driving. Furthermore, the control and detection device is preferably configured to provide the initialization signal to a driver assistance system.The driver assistance system can then bring the motor vehicle into a state of interrupted driving by triggering an emergency braking and / or by deactivating the engine ignition.

[0020] Preferably, the control and detection device is also capable of video traffic sign recognition. In such an embodiment, traffic sign recognition and image code recognition are used in combination. By recognizing image codes in addition to traffic sign recognition, the plausibility check of a wrong-way trip can be carried out more safely and reliably, for example. Furthermore, traffic sign recognition can be secured using image code recognition.

[0021] Furthermore, a method for recognizing an image code using a control and detection device according to the invention installed in a motor vehicle is provided, which comprises the following method steps: recognizing an image code located within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle and containing at least one piece of information using the control and detection device. Interpreting the at least one piece of information contained in the image code using an image processing unit provided by the control and detection device. Providing the recognized and interpreted at least one piece of information using the control and detection device. Such a method increases road safety.

[0022] In a preferred further development of the method, the control and detection device is at least one video sensor arranged within the motor vehicle, and the image code is a machine-readable code. In such an embodiment, the method enables very fast and reliable recognition of information, even while the motor vehicle is in motion.

[0023] Furthermore, the at least one piece of information contained in the image code is preferably information for detecting wrong-way driving or for detecting an impending wrong-way driving of the motor vehicle, and the method further comprises the step of transferring the motor vehicle to a state of interrupted driving as soon as the information about wrong-way driving of the motor vehicle has been detected and interpreted. In such an embodiment of the method, the motor vehicle is placed into a rest state, ideally at the edge of the roadway, as soon as wrong-way driving is detected by the control and detection device of the motor vehicle. Thus, the motor vehicle no longer poses a danger to traffic or the occupants of the motor vehicle.

[0024] Preferably, the control and detection device comprises a driver assistance system.

[0025] Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and described in the description. Drawings

[0026] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings and the following description. They show: Fig. 1 an embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention, and Fig. 2 an exemplary embodiment of two different image codes which can be recognized by the recognition unit of an embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention. Embodiments of the invention

[0027] In the Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a control and detection device 40 according to the invention for a motor vehicle 100. In this exemplary embodiment, the control and detection device 40 is arranged purely by way of example within a motor vehicle 100 behind its windshield and is directed, among other things, toward the driver's field of vision. However, the control and detection device 40 can also be arranged at a different location within the motor vehicle 100 or outside the motor vehicle 100, for example, on the body of the motor vehicle 100 or even outside the motor vehicle 100. Furthermore, the control and detection device 40 can also be directed toward another area of ​​the surroundings of the motor vehicle 100, for example, toward a side area or a rear area of ​​the motor vehicle 100.The control and detection device 40 is designed to recognize and interpret an image code 10 attached or located outside the motor vehicle 100 and within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle 100. In this exemplary embodiment, the radius of the motor vehicle 100 is predetermined, purely by way of example, to a radius with a radius of 30 meters. However, motor vehicles 100 with control and detection devices 40 according to the invention can also be designed in which the radius within which an image code 10 can be recognized and interpreted by the control and detection device 40 has a radius of, for example, 5 meters, 10 meters, 20 meters, 40 meters, 50 meters, 60 meters, or any other radius.

[0028] In this exemplary embodiment, the image code 10 is embodied as a machine-readable code 10, which, purely by way of example, contains two pieces of information that the control and detection device 40 is capable of evaluating. More precisely, the image codes 10, which the control and detection device 40 is capable of recognizing and interpreting, are embodied in this exemplary embodiment as codes comparable to QR codes 10, i.e., analogous to Quick Response codes 10, in each of which two different pieces of information are encoded. In this exemplary embodiment, the QR codes 10 are installed, purely by way of example, below "no entry" signs at motorway exits and, in this position, can be recognized and interpreted by a control and detection device 40 according to the invention installed in a motor vehicle 100.In this exemplary embodiment, the QR codes 10 encode, purely by way of example, information about the exact location of the QR code 10 and thus of a respective "no entry" sign, and, secondly, information for detecting an impending wrong-way trip by the motor vehicle 100, which has the control and detection device 40 that detects the respective QR code 10. However, the image codes 10 can also be arranged at positions other than the aforementioned traffic signs and can be detected and interpreted in these positions by the control and detection device 40 according to the invention of a motor vehicle 100. Motor vehicles 100 can also be designed with control and detection devices 40 according to the invention that are capable of detecting other image codes 10 with other information encoded therein.In this exemplary embodiment, the information of the QR code 10 about the exact location and the position relative to the roadway on which the entry ban applies is not only used as a data basis for determining an impending wrong-way travel of the motor vehicle 100, but is also transmitted by the control and detection device 40 to a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle 100 in order to increase its performance and to expand its range of functions.

[0029] In this exemplary embodiment, the control and detection device 40 comprises, purely by way of example, a video sensor. However, a control and detection device 40 installed in a motor vehicle 100 can also be designed differently or can comprise or consist of multiple video sensors 40. As already mentioned, the control and detection device 40 or its video sensor 40 in this exemplary embodiment is capable of detecting an image code 10 within a radius of 30 meters from the motor vehicle 100. This means that the distance between the control and detection device 40 and the image code 10, below which the control and detection device 40 is capable of detecting and interpreting the image code 10, is predetermined to 30 meters in this exemplary embodiment purely by way of example.However, it can also be set to any other value by the resolution of the control and detection device 40 and the size of the image code 10 displayed.

[0030] Furthermore, the control and detection device 40 in this exemplary embodiment is designed to provide an initialization signal and corresponding data for a driver assistance system as soon as an image code 10, that is, in this exemplary embodiment, a QR code 10, has been recognized and interpreted. Furthermore, the control and detection device 40 in this exemplary embodiment is designed purely by way of example to transfer the motor vehicle 100 into a state of interrupted driving operation by triggering an emergency braking action as soon as the image code 10 has been recognized and interpreted by the control and detection device 40. For this purpose, the control and detection device 40 can also be designed to transmit a corresponding initialization signal or corresponding data to a driver assistance system.However, motor vehicles 100 can also be designed with a control and detection device 40 according to the invention, in which an initialization signal provided by the control and detection device 40 is received, for example, by a driver assistance system, which then steers the motor vehicle 100 to the edge of the lane and shuts it off. In principle, many different types of reactions to the receipt of an initialization signal provided by the control and detection device 40 are conceivable, including those not yet mentioned here.

[0031] In this exemplary embodiment, the control and detection device 40 is further capable of video traffic sign recognition. This is supplemented by the previously described image code recognition by the control and detection device 40. Thus, the recognition of a traffic sign can be supplemented by an additionally recognized and interpreted image code 10. If a roadway is restricted, for example, due to construction work, image codes 10 that incorrectly describe the course of the road can simply be removed or covered, so that they are no longer recognized by a control and detection device 40 according to the invention of a motor vehicle 100.

[0032] In Fig. 2 shows exemplary embodiments of two different image codes 10, which can be recognized by a control and detection device 40 according to the invention of an embodiment of a motor vehicle 100. From the viewpoint of the observer, on the left in Fig. 2 shows an image code 10 comparable to a QR code 10, in which the information about the prohibition of entry is encoded purely as an example. If this image code 10 is detected and interpreted by the control and detection device 40 of a motor vehicle 100, the motor vehicle 100 or the control and detection device 40 is able to initiate a damage-preventing reaction. From the viewpoint of the observer, on the right in Fig. Figure 2 shows another embodiment of an image code 10. This is a barcode that is integrated into both sides of the front of a no entry sign. However, motor vehicles 100 can also be designed with control and detection devices 40 according to the invention, which can also be used to recognize other machine-readable, one- or multi-dimensional image codes 10 than those shown in Fig. 2 are capable of.

Claims

[1] Control and detection device (40) for a motor vehicle (100), characterized by that the control and detection device (40) is designed to recognize and interpret, in a state installed in a motor vehicle (100), an image code (10) attached or located outside the motor vehicle (100) and within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle (100), wherein the image code (10) is designed as a machine-readable code (10) and contains at least one item of information which the control and detection device (40) is able to evaluate, characterized bythat the image code (10) is integrated into the rear view of a traffic sign applicable to an opposite lane, wherein the opposite lane means the lane which lies opposite the lane on which the motor vehicle is located in which the control and detection device (40) according to the invention is installed and which is approved for oncoming traffic. [2] Control and detection device (40) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one piece of information is information for detecting wrong-way driving or for detecting an impending wrong-way driving of a motor vehicle (100). [3] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and detection device (40) comprises at least one video sensor (40) which can be arranged within a motor vehicle (100). [4] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the image code (10) is mounted below and / or above and / or in the front view of a traffic sign prohibiting entry and / or is integrated into the rear view of a traffic sign and in this position is recognizable and interpretable by the control and detection device (40) in a state installed in a motor vehicle (100). [5] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between the control and detection device (40) and the image code (10), below which the control and detection device (40) is able to recognize and interpret the image code (10), is predetermined. [6] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and detection device (40) is designed to provide an initialization signal as soon as the image code (10) has been recognized and interpreted. [7] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and detection device (40) is further designed, in a state installed in a motor vehicle (100), to transfer the motor vehicle (100) into a state of interruption of driving operation by triggering an emergency braking and / or by deactivating the engine ignition as soon as the image code (10) has been recognized and interpreted. [8] Control and detection device (40) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control and detection device (40) is further capable of video traffic sign recognition. [9] Method for recognizing an image code (10) by means of a control and detection device (40) installed in a motor vehicle (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, which comprises the following method steps: - detecting an image code (10) placed within a predetermined radius of the motor vehicle (100) and containing at least one piece of information by means of the control and detection device (40); - interpreting the at least one piece of information contained in the image code (10) by means of an image processing unit provided by the control and detection device (40), and - Providing the recognized and interpreted at least one piece of information by means of the control and detection device (40). [10] Method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one piece of information contained in the image code (10) is information for detecting wrong-way driving or for detecting an impending wrong-way driving of the motor vehicle (100), further comprising the step of: transferring the motor vehicle (100) to a state of interrupted driving as soon as the information about wrong-way driving of the motor vehicle (100) has been detected and interpreted.

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