Commercial vehicle with controlled pattern projection

Abstract

Commercial vehicle (100), including: a light source (102) arranged on at least one side (104) of the commercial vehicle (100), which is configured to project a controllable pattern (106) onto a ground surface (108) adjacent to the respective side (104) of the commercial vehicle (100); and a control unit (114) connected to the light source (102) by means of a signal, which is designed to detect an operating state of the commercial vehicle (100) and to control the light source (102) to signal the detected operating state by means of the projected pattern (106), wherein the light source (102) is arranged in spatial relation to at least one vehicle door (118) on the side of the vehicle, preferably a passenger door (118), and the control unit (114) is configured to output the pattern (106) with a first color during a first time phase for boarding and to output it with a second color different from the first color during a second time phase for exiting.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a commercial vehicle designed to project a controllable pattern.

[0002] Conventional optical safety systems for public transport are known from document DE 20 2016 004 062 U1. Such safety systems comprise several laser emitters mounted on the vehicle that project a beam of light onto the ground in the vicinity of the vehicle to mark a boarding and alighting area visibly for other road users. In particular, a line is projected laterally in front of and a line laterally behind a bus onto the pavement or cycle path to mark the boarding and alighting area. By ensuring that the projected lines are sufficiently far from the passenger door, passengers can be protected from careless cyclists when boarding or alighting.

[0003] Other optical safety systems for vehicles are also known from the publications DE 10 2009 009 473 A1 and WO 2015 / 149813 A1.

[0004] A disadvantage of existing safety systems is that they can only be used when a vehicle is stationary. Furthermore, the conventionally projected lines are spaced away from the danger zone, making it difficult for approaching road users to immediately identify the danger zone or, in the case of multiple lanes, even the vehicle itself.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide a technique that proactively reduces the dangers emanating from a commercial vehicle, in particular by making collision hazards immediately and predictably recognizable to other road users. A further or alternative object is to provide users of the commercial vehicle, for example passengers, with options for action in a clear spatial relationship to the commercial vehicle.

[0006] This problem or problems are solved by a commercial vehicle with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments and applications of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and are explained in more detail in the following description with partial reference to the figures.

[0007] According to one aspect, a commercial vehicle is provided. The commercial vehicle includes a light source arranged on at least one side of the vehicle, which is configured to project a controllable pattern onto a ground surface adjacent to the respective side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the commercial vehicle includes a control unit connected to the light source, which is configured to detect an operating state of the commercial vehicle and to control the light source to signal the detected operating state by means of the projected pattern.

[0008] The ground surface, i.e., the surface onto which the pattern is projected, can include a roadway or a lane. Specifically, the ground surface can include part of the lane currently occupied by the commercial vehicle and / or part of the lane adjacent to the lane currently occupied by the commercial vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the ground surface can include part of a parking area and / or a maneuvering area.

[0009] The light source can be distributed along the side of the commercial vehicle (for example, across the entire side). For instance, a homogeneous light source can extend horizontally along the side of the vehicle. Alternatively, the light source can comprise a multitude of uniformly distributed partial light sources. The light source can extend or be distributed along a large portion of the vehicle's side, with "large portion" encompassing more than half of the vehicle's side.

[0010] The light source may be concealed from above by an exterior panel. The light source may be located in a recess on the side of the vehicle, open for downward and / or sideways projection.

[0011] The projected pattern can extend beyond the length of the commercial vehicle. For example, the projected pattern can extend across the front and / or rear of the vehicle. The controllability of the pattern can include its extent (for example, longitudinally and / or laterally).

[0012] The projected pattern can be changed according to a control signal from the control unit. The projected pattern can be controlled with regard to shape and / or color.

[0013] The control unit can also be configured to detect a road user on the projected ground surface. When the control unit detects a road user on the projected ground surface, it can control a change in the color of the projected pattern. For detecting the road user, the commercial vehicle can, for example, include a LIDAR sensor (for optical, direction-resolved distance measurement, also known as "light detection and ranging"), a radar sensor, and / or a stereo camera with an image recognition device, all of which are in signal communication with the control unit.

[0014] The control unit can be configured to detect a driving maneuver. The projected pattern can be controlled depending on the detected driving maneuver. The driving maneuver can include a lane change, a shunting operation, a parking operation, and / or a turning operation.

[0015] The controlled color of the pattern can depend on a classification of the detected driving maneuver, a predicted duration of the driving maneuver and / or an average or maximum driving speed of the maneuver.

[0016] The control unit can be configured to predict the road surface that will be traversed during the detected driving maneuver. The pattern can be projected, at least partially, onto the predicted road surface. The projected pattern can indicate the road surface traversed according to the prediction, for example, by including a boundary line of the traversed road surface. The pattern can be projected onto a portion of the predicted road surface that borders the side of the vehicle. Alternatively, or in combination, the pattern can be projected onto a portion of the predicted road surface that is projectively accessible to the light source.

[0017] In the pre-calculation, the ground surface can be considered traversed if, due to the driving maneuver, at least one wheel travels across it and / or the vehicle sweeps over it. The ground surface projected with the pattern at an initial time point can, according to the driving maneuver, be traversed by at least one wheel of the vehicle and / or swept over it at a later, second time point. For example, the ground surface illuminated by the projected pattern may subsequently be traversed during a turning maneuver. The projected pattern may lack a directional indication (such as an arrow or an angle). For example, the projected pattern may not simply indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle during the driving maneuver.

[0018] The projected pattern can indicate the spatial extent of the road surface traversed during the maneuver. The projected pattern can be a restricted area. The projected restricted area pattern can consist of straight and / or parallel stripes. The stripes can be at an angle of 30° to 60° to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0019] The control unit can further be configured to detect the movement of the commercial vehicle and modify the projected pattern accordingly. One projection direction can compensate for the detected movement of the commercial vehicle (for example, completely or partially). The entire projected pattern, or at least parts of it (for example, all parts arranged within the pattern), can be stationary relative to the ground surface.

[0020] The light source is positioned spatially in relation to at least one vehicle door, preferably a passenger door. The control unit is designed to output the pattern with a first color during an initial boarding phase and to output the pattern with a second color different from the first during a second boarding phase. The first color can be green and the second color can be red.

[0021] The control unit can be configured to detect the vehicle's position at a stop, for example, based on driving movements and / or satellite-based positioning. The first and second time phases can be disjoint. At the stop, a stopping phase, the first time phase, the second time phase, and a departure phase can follow each other directly. While stationary at the stop, either the first or the second color can be projected.

[0022] In the first phase, the passenger door can be unlocked, opening, or open. An unlocked door can be in a state that allows it to be opened from outside the vehicle (e.g., by a touch sensor). In the second phase, the driver's door can be closing, closed, or locked. If the driver's door is locked and / or in the second state, external activation (e.g., of a touch sensor) from outside the vehicle may be ineffective.

[0023] The projected pattern can indicate an access area in front of the passenger door for boarding and / or alighting. A schematic representation of the door by the projected pattern is optional.

[0024] The access area can intersect or cross a carriageway or lane (e.g., a cycle path) (i.e., extend across the carriageway). The control unit can further be configured to detect road users on the carriageway or lane, for example, using LiDAR sensors, radar sensors, and / or image recognition of a signal from the stereo camera. The control unit can also be configured to project a warning pattern when a detected road user approaches. This pattern, particularly the warning pattern, can include a timed flashing pattern.

[0025] The commercial vehicle can be, in particular, a bus, a truck, a semi-trailer truck or a construction vehicle.

[0026] The preferred embodiments and features of the invention described above can be combined in any way desired. Further details and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic perspective representation of a first embodiment of a commercial vehicle; Fig. 2 a schematic perspective representation of a second embodiment of the commercial vehicle; Fig. 3 a schematic sectional view for the implementation of a light source that can be used in each embodiment; and Fig. 4 a perspective bottom view of the light source according to Fig. 3.

[0027] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an exemplary commercial vehicle, generally designated by reference numeral 100. The commercial vehicle 100 comprises at least one light source 102, which is arranged on at least one side 104 of the commercial vehicle 100. The light source 102 is configured to project a controllable pattern 106 onto a ground surface 108 adjacent to the respective side 104 of the commercial vehicle 100. The light source 102 is distributed over a large part of the longitudinal direction of the side of the vehicle. The controllable pattern 106 can comprise several stripes 110 running diagonally to the longitudinal direction of the commercial vehicle 100.

[0028] The ground surface 108 of the projection borders directly on the commercial vehicle 100 on the relevant side 104 of the vehicle. In the Fig. In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the floor surface 108 of the projection comprises a clearance area between the commercial vehicle 100 and the boundary line of the lane 112 currently being used by the commercial vehicle 100 and the lane adjacent to the lane 112 on the relevant side 104 of the vehicle.

[0029] The commercial vehicle 100 further comprises a control unit 114 which is in signal communication with the light source 102. The control unit 114 is designed to detect an operating state of the commercial vehicle 100 and to control the light source 102 to signal the detected operating state.

[0030] In the Fig. In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the signaled operating state includes a lane change maneuver as an example of a detected driving maneuver. During manual driving, the control unit 114 detects the intended lane change, for example, based on a steering angle and / or a activated turn signal. During autonomous driving, the control unit 114 detects a planned lane change by exchanging signals with an on-board computer executing the autonomous driving function. In either case, the control unit 114 can be a functional component of the on-board computer.

[0031] Before or as soon as the commercial vehicle 100 changes lanes, the danger zone is projected onto the corresponding ground surface 108. This provides early warning to other road users. Optionally, the control unit 114 colors the pattern 106 of the projection red (for example, starting from a yellow pattern 106) if another road user is detected in the danger zone by the control unit 114.

[0032] Based on the detected lane change maneuver, the control unit 114 calculates an area that the commercial vehicle will drive over with at least one wheel during the lane change maneuver and projects the pattern 106 onto this pre-calculated floor surface 108. Due to the stripes 110 running diagonally across the floor surface 108 to the longitudinal direction of the commercial vehicle 100, i.e., the strip-shaped illuminated areas on the floor surface 108, the pattern 106 corresponds to that of a restricted area.

[0033] The control unit 114 also detects the current speed of the commercial vehicle 100 and controls the projected pattern 106 so that the individual stripes 110 are stationary relative to the road surface 108. Due to the clear speed difference between the commercial vehicle 100 and other road users on the one hand, and the stationary stripes 110 on the other, the intended occupancy of this road surface 108 during the lane change is clearly recognizable to all road users by means of a spatial reference. In addition, since the road surface 108 onto which the pattern 106 is projected borders the commercial vehicle 100, the association with the commercial vehicle 100 as the road user intending to drive on the indicated restricted area is unambiguously indicated.

[0034] In the Fig. In the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the light source is arranged at a uniform height below a two-story window front 116. The light source 102, which extends horizontally over the vehicle side 104, is divided at at least one vehicle door 118 into a longitudinal strip arranged on the outside of the vehicle door 118 and longitudinal strips of the light source 102 attached to the outer skin of the vehicle side 104.

[0035] Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the commercial vehicle 100. The commercial vehicle shown in the second embodiment is a bus with a drive unit 122 pivotally connected to the passenger compartment 120 at the rear of the commercial vehicle 100 via an articulation system. Those features of the second embodiment that are identical or interchangeable with features of the first embodiment are provided with corresponding reference numerals.

[0036] Light source 102 extends across the area in Fig. The vehicle side 104 shown in section 2 is at a uniform height over a large part of the longitudinal direction of the passenger compartment 120. The height of the light source 102 can, for example, be tangential to wheel arches on the relevant vehicle side 104.

[0037] In the Fig. In the second embodiment shown in Figure 2, the control unit 114 detects a turning maneuver or a shunting maneuver as examples of a detected driving maneuver. In the case of the detected shunting maneuver, the drive unit 122 pulls the commercial vehicle 100 to the rear left, so that the Fig. The left side of the vehicle 104 shown in Figure 2 sweeps over the ground area 108 covered by the pattern 106. Preferably, the ground area 108 shown by the pattern 106 includes, in addition to the area swept over by the respective side of the vehicle 104, a safety distance to the side of the vehicle 104 during the entire, pre-calculated driving maneuver.

[0038] The pre-calculation can, for example, be performed up to the completion of the driving maneuver and / or predict the driving maneuver at least 10 seconds in advance (based on the current operating state). In this way, a danger zone is projected onto the relevant ground surface 108, and other road users are warned in good time.

[0039] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic vertical section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the commercial vehicle 100 on a vehicle side 104 equipped with the light source 102. In a first implementation, the light source 102 is arranged below a strip extending horizontally along the vehicle side 104. The strip may protrude from the outer skin above and below it. Alternatively or additionally, as shown in the Fig. In the implementation shown in Figure 3, the light source 102 is arranged in a recess 124 on the side of the vehicle 104 that is open or at least translucent in the downward direction towards the ground surface 108. For example, an outer panel 126 is arranged above the recess 124, which conceals the light source 102 from above. The outer panel 126 is convex above and at the level of the light source 102. Below the light source 102, the recess 124 encompasses a concave outer skin 128 of the commercial vehicle 100.

[0040] Fig. Figure 4 schematically shows a perspective bottom view of the implementation of the light source 102 in the recess 124. The light source 102 is arranged between an upper edge of the outer skin 128 located inside the recess 124 and an outer lower edge 134 of the outer cladding 126. At a front end (in the direction of travel) and at a (in the image section of the Fig.At the rear end 130 of the light source 102 (shown schematically), a lower edge 132 of the outer skin 128 transitions with a continuous curvature to the lower edge 134 of the outer cladding 126. Thus, a closed outer skin on the side 104 of the commercial vehicle 100 can be realized in front of and behind the light source 102.

[0041] In each embodiment of the commercial vehicle 100, one or more light sources 102 can be used according to the first implementation and / or the second implementation.

[0042] In each embodiment of the commercial vehicle 100, the light source 102 can include signal lights, for example, for generating laser light stripes. These light stripes are directed onto the ground surface 108 and are visible from the side as projected stripes 110 of the pattern 106. The ground surface 108, i.e., the area of ​​the ground illuminated by the projected pattern 106, is an area that the commercial vehicle 100 occupies for its driving maneuver, or rather, the area that should be kept clear by other road users to prevent traffic accidents. Particularly when changing lanes and turning, all other road users are thus informed in advance where the commercial vehicle will be moving and how much space the commercial vehicle 100 will require.

[0043] The pattern 106 projected onto the floor surface 108 is variably controlled by the control unit 114 depending on the operating state, for example an operational situation, of the commercial vehicle.

[0044] Although the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art that various modifications can be made and equivalents can be used as substitutes. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt the invention to a specific situation or material. Consequently, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but encompasses all embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Reference symbol list 100 commercial vehicles 102 light sources 104 Vehicle page 106 Projected Pattern 108 Floor area of ​​the projection 110 strips of the projected pattern 112 lanes of the commercial vehicle 114 Control unit 116 window front on the side of the vehicle 118 Vehicle door on the side of the vehicle, in particular passenger door 120 passenger compartment 122 Articulated drive unit 124 Recess on the side of the vehicle 126 Outer lining of the recess 128 Concave outer skin of the recess 130 Longitudinal end of the light source 132 Lower edge of the outer skin 134 Lower edge of the outer cladding

Claims

[1] Commercial vehicle (100), comprising: a light source (102) arranged on at least one side (104) of the commercial vehicle (100), which is configured to project a controllable pattern (106) onto a ground surface (108) adjacent to the respective side (104) of the commercial vehicle (100); and a control unit (114) connected to the light source (102) by means of a signal, which is designed to detect an operating state of the commercial vehicle (100) and to control the light source (102) to signal the detected operating state by means of the projected pattern (106), wherein the light source (102) is arranged in spatial relation to at least one vehicle door (118) on the side of the vehicle, preferably a passenger door (118), and the control unit (114) is configured to output the pattern (106) with a first color during a first time phase for boarding and to output it with a second color different from the first color during a second time phase for exiting. [2] Commercial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the light source (102) is arranged distributed over the side (104) of the commercial vehicle (100). [3] Commercial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the light source (102) is concealed upwards by an outer covering (126) in a recess (124) on the side of the vehicle (104) which is open for projection downwards and to the side. [4] Commercial vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the projected pattern (106) extends beyond the vehicle length of the commercial vehicle (100). [5] Commercial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the projected pattern (106) is controllable with respect to shape and color. [6] Commercial vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit (114) is further configured to detect a road user on the ground surface (108) of the projection and, when detecting a road user on the ground surface (108) of the projection, to control a change in the color of the projected pattern (106). [7] Commercial vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit (114) is configured to detect a driving maneuver, to predict a ground surface (108) to be driven on in the future during the detected driving maneuver, and to project the pattern (106) at least partially onto the predicted ground surface (108). [8] Commercial vehicle according to claim 7, wherein in the pre-calculation the ground surface (108) is considered to be driven on if it is driven on by at least one wheel or swept over by the commercial vehicle (100) as a result of the driving maneuver. [9] Commercial vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the projected pattern (106) comprises a restricted area with straight and mutually parallel stripes (110). [10] Commercial vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control unit (114) is further configured to detect a driving movement of the commercial vehicle (100) and to change the projected pattern (106) according to the detected driving movement, so that at least parts of the projected pattern (106) are at rest with respect to the ground surface (108). [11] Commercial vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the projected pattern (106) indicates an access area in front of the passenger door (118) for entering and exiting the vehicle. [12] Commercial vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the access area crosses a lane and the control unit (114) is further configured to detect road users on the lane and to project a warning pattern (106) when a detected road user approaches.

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