Radome device for a vehicle radar sensor comprising a heating element for temperature control of a preferred deposition area, method for operating a heating element of a radome device

Abstract

Vehicle (1), comprising: - a radome device (2) for a radar sensor (3) of the vehicle (1), comprising: ▪ a radome (14) with a central area (13) which is transparent to electromagnetic radiation from the radar sensor (3), and ▪ a heating element (16) for temperature control of the central area (13) of the radome (14), wherein a heating power can be introduced into the central area (13) of the radome (14) by means of electrical energy, wherein: ▪ the central area (13) has a preferred deposition area (12) within which precipitation (10) from an environment (4) of the vehicle (1) preferentially accumulates when the radome device (2) is arranged as intended on the vehicle (1), ▪ a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition area (12), and ▪ the heating element (16) has at least a first heating circuit (17) and a second heating circuit (18) haswherein the central area (13) with / without the preferred deposit area (12) can be temperature-controlled by means of the first heating circuit (17) and exclusively the preferred deposit area (12) can be temperature-controlled by means of the second heating circuit (18),- a computing device (5) which is configured to: ▪ receive environmental data describing the environment (4) of the vehicle (1) and / or at least the central area (13) of the radome (14), ▪ detect precipitation (10) and / or a deposit (9) of precipitation (10) within the central area (13) of the radome (14) based on the environmental data, and ▪ output a first heating signal to the heating element (16) for temperature-controlling the radome (14) by means of the first heating circuit (17) depending on the detected precipitation (10) and / or the detected deposit (9) of precipitation (10).

Description

The present invention relates to a radome device for a radar sensor of a vehicle, comprising a heating element for controlling the temperature of a preferred deposition region. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a heating element of a radome device for a radar sensor, which heating element has at least a first heating circuit and a second heating circuit.Vehicles with modern driver assistance systems often comprise radar sensors, which serve, for example, to detect objects in the surroundings of the vehicle. In particular, such radar sensors are used together with longitudinal control systems. These radar sensors are covered by a radome and protected from environmental influences. Particularly in cold weather conditions associated with precipitation, a deposit may form on the radome. The deposition of the precipitate may adversely affect the functionality of the radar sensor and, consequently, the driver assistance system.In order to overcome this problem, heating devices and heating elements for radomes of radar sensors are known from the prior art. The radome can be heated or tempered with these heating elements. In this case, the heating devices according to the prior art are controlled, for example, as a function of the ambient temperature. For example, it can be provided that the heating element is activated in a temperature range from -5° C. to +5 ° C. For this purpose, a heating conductor typically runs within the radome, which is used to correspondingly temperature control or heat the radome of the radar sensor. According to the prior art, the conductor tracks of the heating conductor or the wires are distributed uniformly within the radome or are distributed symmetrically in the radome in the case of a heating wire.The laid-open specification DE 10 2017 221 589 A1 discloses a heating system for a radome of a radar for a motor vehicle, wherein the heating system comprises a heating element for heating the radome, and a control unit connected to the heating element for activating the heating element. The control unit is configured to accept or determine a variable characteristic of an external temperature, to accept or determine a variable associated with a melting point of precipitation deposits on an external radome surface, to determine at least one temperature threshold value as a function of the variable associated with the melting point, and to activate the heating element as a function of a threshold value comparison of the external temperature with the temperature threshold value.The publication DE 10 2011 054 645 A1 describes a heatable pane, in particular a vehicle pane, having an upper and a lower pane edge and lateral pane edges, a transparent field of view having a central main field of view, a group of heating wires arranged at least partially in the field of view and running between collecting contact strips of different polarity, and a lower heating field region having at least a partial number of the heating wires and arranged along the lower pane edge below the main field of view. The heatable pane is characterized here by an upper heating field region having at least a partial number of the heating wires and arranged at least partially in the transparent field of view and along the upper pane edge above the main field of view, wherein in the upper heating field region the heating wires are unscrossed to one another and in their main direction of extension run at least over the predominant path essentially parallel to the upper pane edge. In particular, a ring heater constructed with heating wires can be provided here, which surrounds the main field of view.The publication DE 10 2004 049 148 A1 describes a heating film on the polymeric inner surface of a front module / bumper, wherein the heating film is operatively connected to a radar transmitting and receiving unit and the function of the radar signal can be used in adverse, in particular winter weather conditions. Furthermore, the invention describes a heating element arrangement in operative connection to a radar transmitting and receiving unit.The document DE 10 2018 221 229 B3 describes a radome for an associated radar sensor in a motor vehicle, having a heating device for defrosting frozen water and / or evaporating a liquid layer on the radome, wherein the radome has a first, energizable heating structure covering a first transmission region for a first operating mode and / or first antenna size of the associated radar sensor and a second, energizable heating structure covering at least one additional region to the first transmission region, wherein the additional region together with the first transmission region form a second, larger transmission region for a second operating mode and / or second antenna size of the associated radar sensor and both heating structures have separate connection means.It is the object of the present invention to show a solution how the temperature control of a radome can be further improved compared to the prior art.This object is achieved according to the invention by a radome device for a radar sensor of a vehicle and by a method for operating a heating element of a radome device having the features according to the independent claims. Advantageous further developments of the present invention are specified in the dependent claims.A radome device according to the present invention for a radar sensor of a vehicle includes a radome having a central region which is transmissive to electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor. In addition, a radome device according to the invention comprises a heating element for tempering the central region of the radome, wherein a heating power can be introduced into the central region of the radome by means of an electrical energy. In this case, the central region has a preferred deposition region, within which precipitation from a surrounding area of the vehicle is preferably deposited when the radome device is arranged on the vehicle as intended. In addition, a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced in the preferred deposition region.The radome device according to the invention is intended to prevent precipitation from the surroundings of the vehicle from being deposited on the radome of the radome device. The radome serves to cover the radar sensor and thus to protect the radar sensor from environmental influences. The radome can be formed by a region of a bumper of the vehicle, an emblem and / or a cladding element of the vehicle. The radome may have a central region which is transmissive to electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor. In other words, the radar sensor can therefore emit and / or receive the electromagnetic radiation through the central region of the radome.In particular, the radome device according to the invention is intended to allow improved removal and / or removal of the deposit of the precipitate in the case of an off-center arrangement of the radome device on the vehicle as the intended arrangement of the radome device on the vehicle.Due to the geometric configuration of the radome or radome device and / or an outer skin of the vehicle surrounding the radome device, a storage point may form in a region of the central region. Due to such a stagnation point, which may result from design requirements for the vehicle, precipitation from the environment may deposit in the stagnation point. This may be the case in particular when the radar sensor or radome device is installed eccentrically. In other words, the precipitation from the environment of the vehicle can preferentially deposit within a preferred deposition area within the central area of the radome.The preferred deposition area can be determined, for example, by means of aerodynamic flow simulations. The preferred deposition range can preferably be determined already during an early development phase of the vehicle in this way, such that the preferred deposition range can also be taken into account in an early development phase of the radar sensor. In addition, it is conceivable to determine the preferred deposition range within the scope of wind tunnel tests. Finally, the preferred deposition range can also be determined in the context of test trips, in particular in the context of winter tests.The heating element of the radome device serves for the temperature control of the central region. By means of the radome device according to the invention, a total heating power different from the heating power can now be introduced in the preferred deposition region. In other words, the heating power is therefore not distributed equally in the central region of the radome. In particular, the total heating power in the preferred deposition region can thus be higher than the heating power outside the preferred deposition region. This makes it possible to ensure that the radome device or radome is reliably freed from the deposit of the deposit, but without unnecessarily introducing an increased heating power outside the preferred deposit region.Precipitation from the environment of the vehicle can deposit on the radome, in particular at ambient temperatures below the freezing point. For example, ice, snow, snowmats, hagel, grey scale or the like can thus be deposited. In addition, it is conceivable that mist or water also deposits on the radome or radome device. The deposition of the precipitate may have the result that the emission and / or the reception of the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor are negatively influenced through the radome or through the central region. In order to be able to remove this deposit of the precipitate from the radome, the heating element is activated. In this case, a heating power can be introduced in the central region of the radome by means of an electrical energy. As a result, the central portion of the radome can be tempered. In order to activate the heating element, an electrical voltage can be applied to the heating element and / or an electrical current can flow through the heating element.According to the present radome device according to the present invention, it is provided in an advantageous embodiment that the heating element is designed as a heating conductor, wherein the heating conductor is arranged substantially orthogonally to a polarization of the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor in the central region of the radome. This heating conductor can be designed, for example, as a heating wire, heating foil and / or heating circuit board. If the heating conductor is arranged orthogonally to a polarization of the radar sensor or to a polarization of the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor, the heating element can be better penetrated by the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor. In other words, the emission and / or the reception of the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor can thus be improved. If an electrical voltage is applied to the heating conductor and / or an electrical current flows through the heating conductor, the electrical energy can be converted into the heating power, which can be introduced into the central region of the radome.According to the present invention, it is also provided that the heating element has at least a first heating circuit and a second heating circuit, wherein the central region can be temperature controlled with / without the preferred deposition region by means of the first heating circuit and exclusively the preferred deposition region can be temperature controlled by means of the second heating circuit. With the first heating circuit, the heating power can thus be introduced in the central region of the radome. By means of the second heating circuit, the total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced in the preferred deposition region. The use of a first heating circuit and a second heating circuit allows the energy-efficient temperature control of the radome device. In particular, a total heating power, which can be higher than the heating power, can thus be introduced into the preferred deposition area, so that the deposition of the precipitation from the environment of the vehicle can be removed in the stagnation point or in the preferred deposition area.It is conceivable that the first heating circuit and the second heating circuit temperature control different areas of the central area of the radome. However, it is also conceivable for the first heating circuit to temperature-control the entire central region of the radome, so that the total heating power consequently comprises the heating power introduced by the first heating circuit and the heating power introduced by the second heating circuit.In a further, alternative embodiment of the radome device according to the invention, the total heating power that differs from the heating power can be introduced by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor density distribution of the heating conductor in the preferred deposition region. If the heating conductor is designed, for example, in the form of a heating wire, an increased number of heating wires or a reduced distance between the heating wires in the preferred deposition region can ensure that a total heating power different from the heating power of the central region can be introduced in the preferred deposition region in the preferred deposition region. A reduced spacing between the heater wires in the preferred deposition area may result in an increased heater conductor density distribution in the preferred deposition area. In other words, the heating conductor density distribution of the heating conductor is inhomogeneous in the central region of the radome, as a result of which a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced within the preferred deposition region.Additionally or alternatively, in a further embodiment, the total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor cross-sectional distribution of the heating conductor in the preferred deposition region. A heating conductor cross section of the heating conductor is indirectly proportional to an electrical resistance of the heating conductor. By varying the heating conductor cross section of the heating conductor, heat generation can thus be influenced. For example, less heat can develop at locations of the heating conductor with a larger heating conductor cross section than at locations of the heating conductor with a lower heating conductor cross section. By means of a reduced heating conductor cross section of the heating conductor in the preferred deposition region, an increased heating power or a total heating power different from the heating power can thus be introduced in the preferred deposition region. This makes it possible to ensure that the deposit of the precipitate from the environment of the vehicle, which deposit preferably within the preferred deposit region, can be removed in an energy-efficient manner by an increased heat development compared to the remaining central region of the radome.A method according to the invention for operating a heating element of a radome device for a radar sensor, which heating element has at least a first heating circuit and a second heating circuit, comprises receiving environment data which describe an environment of the vehicle and / or at least a central region of a radome of the radome device of the vehicle, wherein the central region is transmissive for electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor. In addition, the method comprises detecting a precipitate and / or a deposit of the precipitate within the central region of the radome on the basis of the environmental data. Finally, the method according to the invention also comprises outputting a first heating signal to the heating element for tempering the radome by means of the first heating circuit depending on the detected deposition of the precipitate. In this case, when detecting the precipitation and / or the deposition of the precipitation, a partial region deposition probability for a partial region deposition of the precipitation within a preferred deposition region of the central region can additionally be determined. Thereupon, a second heating signal for tempering the radome can additionally be output by means of the second heating circuit depending on the partial region deposition probability.With the aid of the method, a radome device for the radar sensor is intended to be tempered by means of the heating element. In the case of an intended arrangement of the radome device on the vehicle, a preferred deposition region can form. In the preferred deposition region, precipitation from the environment of the vehicle may preferably deposit. Within the preferred deposition range, a heating power which is increased compared to the remaining region of the radome of the radar device or compared to the remaining central region of the radome of the radar device may be necessary for removing the deposit. In this case, it can be energy-efficient if less heating power is introduced in the remaining region of the central region, that is to say in the central region without the preferred deposition region, than in the preferred deposition region. In other words, it can be energy-efficient if the second heating circuit is only activated if an increased deposition of the precipitate in the form of the partial region deposition is to be expected and / or is detected in the preferred deposition region. The sub-region deposit can also be a deposit identical to the detected deposit and / or the detected deposit of the deposit within the central region. It is therefore conceivable for the sub-region deposition probability to be determined indirectly and independently of an actual sub-region deposition.The sub-region deposition probability may indicate a probability for the deposition of the precipitate within the preferred deposition region. However, the sub-region deposition probability may also indicate a confidence for the detected precipitation and / or the detected deposition of the precipitation.The method may be performed with a computing device of the vehicle. This computing device can be formed by at least one electronic control device which comprises one or more programmable processors. With this computing device, the environment data can be received. This environment data can describe the environment of the vehicle or an area of the environment of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the environmental data can describe the radome itself or the central region of the radome or a part thereof. On the basis of the environmental data, the computing device can determine whether the precipitation is deposited on the radome or in the central region of the radome. In order to remove this deposit of the precipitate from the central region of the radome, the computing device can output a first heating signal to the heating element. The first heating circuit can be activated by means of the first heating signal. In addition, the computing device can output a second heating signal.According to the method according to the invention, it is provided that at least temperature data and / or air humidity data are received as the environmental data, which describes a temperature and / or air humidity in the environment of the vehicle. The precipitate can be characterized on the basis of the temperature data and / or air humidity data. For example, the precipitate may thus be characterized as ice, snow, snowmat, hagel, grey scale, mist, water or the like. The first heating signal and / or the second heating signal can thus be additionally output depending on the characterized precipitation.The temperature data can be received, for example, by a temperature sensor which describes the temperature in the environment of the vehicle and / or the radome. The air humidity data can be received, for example, from an air humidity sensor, which describes the air humidity in the surroundings of the vehicle and / or the radome. However, it is also possible for the temperature data and / or air humidity data to be received or called up by a weather service. Based on this temperature data and / or humidity data, it can be deduced how likely the precipitation in the environment of the vehicle is deposited at the central area of the radome. For example, in the case of a low temperature and a low air humidity, powdered snow may be optionally concluded. In such a case, the precipitate may be less likely to deposit on the radome device. In contrast, in the case of high humidity and temperature just above the freezing point of water, an increased likelihood of precipitation from the environment of the vehicle may be inferred. This also allows the partial region deposition probability to be influenced.A further embodiment of the method according to the invention also provides that at least image data is received from a camera of the vehicle as the environmental data and the precipitation in the environment and / or the deposition of the precipitation within the central region of the radome are recognized on the basis of the image data. The image data may comprise a digital image or a sequence. In particular, the image data can describe the visible wavelength range. The image data may be provided by a camera of the vehicle. The image data can describe the precipitation present in the environment. For example, it may be determined whether ice or snow is present in the environment based on the image data. Alternatively or additionally, the image data can describe the central region of the radome or the radome itself or a region thereof. In order to be able to provide such image data, a camera of the vehicle can be used, in the detection region of which the radome is located at least in regions.It is thus provided that the image data is used by the camera, which is usually present in any case on modern vehicles. Thus, it may not be necessary for an additional sensor to be installed. The image data can thus be used for regulating the heating element. Overall, the heating element of the radome can thus be operated in a simple manner in an energy-efficient manner.The precipitation is preferably additionally characterized on the basis of the image data, wherein the image data describe the precipitation on, next to and / or over a roadway of the environment. The first heating signal and / or the second heating signal can thus be additionally output depending on the characterized precipitation.A further embodiment of the method according to the invention finally provides that radar data of the radar sensor are additionally received and a following trip, in which a further road user drives in front of the vehicle, is detected on the basis of the radar data, and the first heating signal and / or the second heating signal is additionally output as a function of the detected following trip. Alternatively, a following driving can also be detected by means of a camera of the vehicle and / or further sensors. A following trip describes the traffic situation in which the further road user is located in front of the vehicle and drives in the same direction of travel. In particular, during this subsequent travel through the road user's wheels, the precipitation which has deposited on the roadway can be agitated and can precipitate on the radome or in the central region of the radome. In such a follow-up travel with fluidized precipitation, the probability of the precipitation depositing in the central region of the radome may increase. In particular, the partial region deposition probability can therefore also increase. In this case, too, the temperature, the air humidity and / or the like can be taken into account.A computing device according to the invention for a vehicle is configured to execute a method according to the invention and the advantageous embodiments thereof. The computing device can be designed, for example, as an electronic control unit which comprises one or more programmable processors.A computer-readable (storage) medium according to the invention comprises instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to execute a method according to the invention and the advantageous embodiments thereof.A further aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computing device, cause the latter to execute a method according to the invention and the advantageous embodiments thereof. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a radome device according to the invention for a radar sensor. The vehicle can be designed in particular as a passenger car.The embodiments presented and preferred with reference to the method according to the invention and the advantages thereof correspondingly apply to the computing device according to the invention, to the computer-readable (storage) medium according to the invention, to the computer program according to the invention and to the vehicle according to the invention.Further features of the invention are evident from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.The invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings. The following are shown: FIGS. 1 a, b show schematic representations of a vehicle comprising a radome device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle comprising a radome device according to the invention with a styletted preferred deposition region, FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a radome device according to the invention, FIGS. 4 a- c show schematic representations of various exemplary embodiments of a radome device according to the invention with corresponding embodiments of a heating conductor, and FIG. 5 shows the vehicle according to FIG. 1 during a following trip, in which a further road user is located in front of the vehicle.In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.FIG. 1 ashows a schematic illustration of a vehicle 1, which is designed as a passenger car, in a plan view. The vehicle 1 comprises a radome device 2. this radome device 2 serves to protect a radar sensor 3 from environmental influences from an environment 4 of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 also comprises a computing device 5 and a temperature sensor 6 and an air humidity sensor 7. Finally, the vehicle 1 comprises a camera 8, which is arranged at a front of the vehicle 1 in the example.FIG. 1 bshows a schematic illustration of the vehicle 1 in an enlarged side view. In particular, FIG. 1 bshows radome device 2, radar sensor 3, and a deposit 9 of a precipitation 10-illustrated here in the form of snowflakes-from surroundings 4 of vehicle 1. radar sensor 3 may be situated in a housing 11. To protect against environmental influences from the environment 4 of the vehicle 1, the radar sensor 3 can be protected by means of the radome device 2. At low temperatures in the environment 4, which can be detected by means of the temperature sensor 6, precipitation 10 can deposit on the radome device 2. This deposit 9 can adversely affect the emission and / or reception of electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor 3.A central region 13 of the radome device 2 can be tempered by means of a heating element 16, such that the deposit 9 of the precipitate 10 is removed from the environment 4 of the vehicle 1. By means of the camera 8, it can be detected whether precipitation 10 is present in the environment 4 of the vehicle 1 and / or whether deposition of the precipitation 10 occurs within the central region 13 of the radome 14 of the radome device 2. Whether a deposit 9 of the precipitate 10 occurs on the radome device 2 may depend on an air humidity in the environment 4 of the vehicle 1. The air humidity can be measured by means of the air humidity sensor 7.Depending on the detected precipitation 10 and / or the deposition 9 of the precipitation 10 and / or the temperature in the environment 4 provided by the temperature sensor 6 and / or the temperature of the radome device 2 and / or the air humidity of the environment 4 provided by the air humidity sensor 7, the computing device 5 can output a first heating signal and / or a second heating signal to the heating element 16 of the radome device 2. This allows the deposit 9 to be removed from the radome device 2.FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the vehicle 1 in a front view. For the sake of clarity, only radome device 2 is shown. The radome device 2 is arranged eccentrically in the radiator grille of the vehicle 1. Due to such an off-center arrangement of the radome device 2, it may occur that the precipitation 10 from the environment 4 of the vehicle 1 is deposited on the radome device 2 asymmetrically. In FIG. 2, such an asymmetric deposit 9 is represented by a preferred deposit region 12 within the central region 13 of the radome 14 of the radome device 2. The deposit 9 of the deposit 10 can thus occur more strongly within the preferred deposit region 12. In other words, more precipitate 10 can deposit in the preferred deposition region 12 than in the remaining central region 13. By means of the radome device 2 according to the invention, a total heating power different from the heating power in the central region 13 can be introduced in the preferred deposition region 12. Technical exemplary embodiments of how a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region 12 can be found in the description relating to FIGS. 4 a- c.FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the radome device 2 according to the invention. This radome device 2 comprises the radome 14 with the central region 13. Radome device 2 serves to protect radar sensor 3 from environmental influences from surroundings 4 of vehicle 1. radar sensor 3 may be situated in a housing 15.The heating element 16 may include a first heating circuit 17 and a second heating circuit 18. By means of the first heating circuit 17, which is represented in FIG. 3 by a vertical hatching, the central region 13 can be tempered with the preferred deposition region 12. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the preferred deposition region 12 can be tempered exclusively by means of the second heating circuit 18. By means of the first heating circuit 17, the heating power can thus be introduced into the central region 13, including the preferred deposition region 12 of the radome 14. The total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region 12 by means of the additional second heating circuit 18. The total heating power can include the heating power of the central region 13 and the heating power introduced by the second heating circuit 18, as shown in FIG. 3. The heating power introduced by the second heating circuit 18 is illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 by the diagonal hatching. In general, however, it is also conceivable for the total heating power to be able to be introduced exclusively by means of the second heating circuit 18.FIGS. 4 a- c show various exemplary embodiments for an arrangement of a heating conductor 19 within the central region 13 of the radome 14. the preferred deposition region 12 can have, for example-as shown in FIG. 4 a-more conductor tracks of the heating conductor 19 than the rest of the central region 13. In other words, the total heating power different from the heating power can thus be introduced into the preferred deposition region 12 by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor density distribution of the heating conductor 19.In FIG. 4 b, the total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region 12 by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor cross-sectional distribution of the heating conductor 19. For example, outside the preferred deposition region 12, the heating conductor cross section 20 of the heating conductor 19 can be larger than the heating conductor cross section 20' of the heating conductor 19'.An increased heating conductor cross section 20 of the heating conductor 19 outside the preferred deposition region 12 can decrease an electrical resistance or a specific electrical resistance of the heating conductor 19. As a result, the region of the central region 13 without the preferred deposition region 12 can be tempered to a lesser extent than the preferred deposition region 12.FIG. 4 c finally shows a possible embodiment of the heating element 16 according to FIG. 3 Within the central region 13 a first heating circuit 17 can run. Within the preferred deposition area 12, a second heating circuit 18 may extend. By combining the first heating circuit 17 and the second heating circuit 18, a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region 12. This makes it possible for the radome device 2 or the radome 14 to be tempered most strongly where precipitation 10 is preferably deposited from the environment 4 of the vehicle 1. In other words, the central region 13 of the radome 14 is therefore heated exactly where a deposit 9 is preferably located.FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the vehicle from FIG. 1 during a following journey. During this following travel, a further road user 21 drives in front of the vehicle 1, wherein the vehicle 1 and the further road user 21 move in the same direction of travel. The further road user 21 is likewise a passenger car in the example. It is assumed that precipitation 10 is located on a roadway 22, on which vehicle 1 and further road user 21 are located. For example, snow can be located on the roadway 22 as the precipitation 10. This precipitation 10 on the roadway 22 and next to the roadway 22 can be recognized on the basis of the image data of the camera 8.In addition, the precipitation 10 on the roadway 22 can be thrown up or thrown up by the wheels of the further road user 21 rolling on the roadway 22. This fluidized precipitate 10 is illustrated in the present case by the lines 23. This fluidized precipitate 10 can also be detected on the basis of the image data of the camera 8. A probability of a deposit 9 of the precipitate 10 on the radome 14 can be determined on the basis of the image data. Additionally, the precipitate 10 may be characterized based on temperature, humidity, image data, and / or the like.

Claims

Vehicle (1) comprising: - a radome device (2) for a radar sensor (3) of the vehicle (1), having ▪ a radome (14) having a central region (13) which is transmissive for electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor (3), and ▪ a heating element (16) for tempering the central region (13) of the radome (14), wherein a heating power can be introduced into the central region (13) of the radome (14) by means of an electrical energy, wherein ▪ the central region (13) has a preferred deposition region (12), within which preferably precipitation (10) deposits from an environment (4) of the vehicle (1) when the radome device (2) is arranged on the vehicle (1) as intended, ▪ a total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region (12), and ▪ the heating element (16) has at least one first heating circuit (17) and one second heating circuit (18), wherein the central region (13) can be temperature-controlled with / without the preferred deposition region (12) by means of the first heating circuit (17) and exclusively the preferred deposition region (12) can be temperature-controlled by means of the second heating circuit (18), - a computing device (5) which is configured to receive ▪ environmental data which describe the environment (4) of the vehicle (1) and / or at least the central region (13) of the radome (14), ▪ to recognize the precipitate (10) and / or a deposit (9) of the precipitate (10) within the central region (13) of the radome (14) on the basis of the environmental data, and ▪ to output a first heating signal to the heating element (16) for tempering the radome (14) by means of the first heating circuit (17) as a function of the detected precipitation (10) and / or the detected deposition (9) of the precipitation (10).Vehicle (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the heating element (16) is designed as a heating conductor (19, 19'), wherein the heating conductor (19, 19') is arranged substantially orthogonally to a polarization of the electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor (3) in the central region (13) of the radome (14).Vehicle (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the total heating power different from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region (12) by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor density distribution of the heating conductor (19, 19').Vehicle (1) according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the total heating power which differs from the heating power can be introduced into the preferred deposition region (12) by means of an inhomogeneous heating conductor cross-sectional distribution of the heating conductor (19, 19').Method for operating a heating element (16) of a radome device (2) for a radar sensor (3) of a vehicle (1), wherein the heating element (16) has at least a first heating circuit (17) and a second heating circuit (18), comprising the steps of: - receiving environment data which describe an environment (4) of the vehicle (1) and / or at least a central region (13) of a radome (14) of the radome device (2) of the vehicle (1), wherein the central region (13) is transmissive for electromagnetic radiation of the radar sensor (3), - detecting a precipitation (10) and / or a deposit (9) of the precipitation (10) within the central region (13) of the radome (14) on the basis of the environment data, and - outputting a first heating signal to the heating element (16) for tempering the radome (14) by means of the first heating circuit (17) as a function of the detected precipitation (10) and / or the detected deposition (9) of the precipitation (10), characterized in that - when detecting the precipitation (10) and / or the deposition (9) of the precipitation (10), a partial region deposition probability for a partial region deposition of the precipitation (10) within a preferred deposition region (12) of the central region (13) is additionally determined, and - a second heating signal for tempering the radome (14) by means of the second heating circuit (18) as a function of the partial region deposition probability is additionally output.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that at least temperature data describing a temperature in the environment (4) of the vehicle (1) are received as the environmental data, wherein the precipitation (10) is characterized on the basis of the temperature data and the first heating signal and / or the second heating signal is additionally output as a function of the characterized precipitation (10).Method according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that at least atmospheric humidity data which describe an atmospheric humidity in the environment (4) of the vehicle (1) are received as the environmental data, wherein the precipitation (10) is characterized on the basis of the atmospheric humidity data and the first heating signal and / or the second heating signal is additionally output as a function of the characterized precipitation (10).Method according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that at least image data is received from a camera (8) of the vehicle (1) as the environmental data and the precipitation (10) in the environment (4) and / or the deposition (9) of the precipitation (10) within the central region (13) of the radome (14) is recognized on the basis of the image data.Method according to Claim 8 when appended to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the precipitation (10) is additionally characterized on the basis of the image data, wherein the image data describe the precipitation (10) on, next to and / or above a roadway (22) of the environment (4), and the first heating signal and / or the second heating signal is additionally output as a function of the characterized precipitation (10).Method according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that additional radar data of the radar sensor (10) are received and a following journey in which a further road user (21) is travelling in front of the vehicle (1) is detected on the basis of the radar data, and the first heating signal and / or the second heating signal is additionally output as a function of the detected following journey.

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