Method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle in an area of ​​an infrastructure facility

Abstract

Method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle (1) in an area (9) of an infrastructure facility (7), wherein the method comprises the following steps: - Receiving (S1) an infrastructure message (17) from the infrastructure facility (7), wherein the infrastructure message (17) includes at least lane number information (21) that describes a number of lanes (4) in the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7); - Providing (S2) environmental information (24) that describes the environment of the motor vehicle (1) in the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7) and was acquired using an environmental sensing device (12); - Determining (S3) adjacent lane information (25) that describes a number and relative arrangement of adjacent lanes (6) to a dedicated lane (5) on which the motor vehicle (1) is located, by evaluating the provided environmental information (24); - Determining (S4) a lane localization information (26) that describes how the own lane (5) is located relative to the adjacent lanes (6) by evaluating the received infrastructure message (17) and the determined adjacent lane information (25); and - Providing (S5) the determined lane location information (26).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle in an area of ​​an infrastructure facility. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle for carrying out such a method.

[0002] A motor vehicle may have at least one driver assistance system designed to control the longitudinal and / or lateral movement of the vehicle. This driver assistance system may, for example, be designed to perform a lane change. The motor vehicle may also have a navigation system that can determine and display a route to a destination. The route to the destination may be lane-dependent, particularly if it involves driving on a multi-lane road, where, for example, only some lanes are available for turning and / or driving straight ahead.For successful route guidance along the route to the destination and / or for full functionality of the driver assistance system, which can, for example, perform lane changes, it may therefore be necessary to have lane-accurate localization of the vehicle, i.e., to know which lane the vehicle is currently in.

[0003] German patent DE 10 2015 206 342 A1 discloses a method for correcting the position of a vehicle using a global satellite navigation system to determine its own position. This involves fitting a position acquired by the global satellite navigation system onto a digital map. This is done taking into account at least one object in the vicinity of the vehicle, which is identified and whose position can be referenced on the digital map.

[0004] German patent application DE 10 2015 211 279 A1 discloses a method for verifying the plausibility of position signals acquired by a global satellite navigation system. This involves detecting objects in the vicinity of the vehicle and verifying the plausibility of the position signals by comparing the position of the objects with the vehicle's own position.

[0005] US patent 2018 / 0257615 A1 describes an automatic braking system for a vehicle. In this context, it describes how a traffic light can be located by comparing the traffic light's position information with the vehicle's position data obtained from a global navigation satellite system.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2013 221 497 A1 discloses a device and a method for detecting a roadway or lane, comprising a processor configured to detect driving environment information obtained from a multitude of driving environment information collection devices installed within a vehicle. Additionally, the processor is configured to determine the lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling by combining at least two of the detected driving environment information.

[0007] The object of the invention is to provide a solution by means of which a lane localization for a motor vehicle can be reliably provided.

[0008] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent and the dependent patent claim.

[0009] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle within the area of ​​an infrastructure facility. The infrastructure facility is, for example, a traffic light system, which may comprise a single traffic light unit, i.e., a single traffic light, or multiple traffic lights. Alternatively or additionally, the infrastructure facility may be a construction site. Lane localization is understood as information that describes in which of several possible lanes of a road the motor vehicle is positioned. Thus, localization is performed on a dedicated lane in which the motor vehicle is positioned, in comparison to other lanes of the road, such as adjacent lanes to the dedicated lane. The lane can alternatively be referred to as a traffic lane.

[0010] The invention is based on the understanding that maps, such as those provided to a vehicle's navigation system, often lack detailed information about a road, such as the number of lanes. Such detailed information may only be available for roads of a specific type, such as highways. By using environmental information captured by the vehicle, which describes its surroundings, lane localization can be performed, taking the map into account, provided the number of lanes is stored in the map.

[0011] Furthermore, the invention is based on the understanding that positioning a motor vehicle based on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), for example, based on a global positioning system (GPS), can have an inaccuracy of several meters and therefore does not allow for lane-accurate localization of the motor vehicle. It has therefore been common practice to perform lane localization for the motor vehicle based on GNSS positioning, the map in the navigation system, and / or the acquired environmental information. However, taking the map into account can be complex and data-intensive, especially if the map is only temporarily loaded into the motor vehicle, for example, from an external computer.It is therefore useful to use data provided by an infrastructure facility, which describes, for example, the number of lanes, in order to be able to carry out lane localization in the motor vehicle in a simple and computationally efficient way.

[0012] The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: An infrastructure message is received from the infrastructure facility. The infrastructure message contains at least lane count information, which describes the number of lanes in the area of ​​the infrastructure facility. If the infrastructure facility is, for example, the traffic light system for an intersection where two roads, each with multiple lanes, intersect, the infrastructure message can include the number of lanes of each road, so that the received infrastructure message, which is received by the motor vehicle, describes, for example, that each of the two intersecting roads has a total of four lanes. In this example, the area of ​​the infrastructure facility is the area of ​​the intersection where the traffic light system is located.In the case of a construction site as an infrastructure facility, the area of ​​the infrastructure facility can, for example, encompass the entire construction site area or a part thereof. The area of ​​the infrastructure facility is locally limited and, in the case of an intersection, is restricted, for example, to sections of the two intersecting roads that are located, for instance, a maximum of 10 to 20 meters before the traffic light system, in particular the individual traffic lights of the system.

[0013] The infrastructure message can be transmitted via a wireless communication link between the infrastructure device, in particular a communication interface of the infrastructure device, and a communication interface of the vehicle. The communication link can be provided, for example, via a wireless local area network (WLAN), a Bluetooth connection, and / or a mobile data network, for example, based on the mobile communication standard Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), Fifth Generation (5G), or Sixth Generation (6G).

[0014] A further process step involves providing environmental information. This environmental information describes the vehicle's surroundings within the infrastructure area and was acquired using an environmental sensing device. The environmental sensing device can be a vehicle-integrated device, such as a camera like a front camera, rear camera, side camera, and / or a 360-degree camera. Preferably, the environmental information is in the form of static or moving image data acquired and provided by the vehicle itself. The vehicle's surroundings can, for example, be spatially limited by the detection range of the environmental sensing device.

[0015] In a further process step, adjacent lane information is determined by evaluating the provided environmental information. This adjacent lane information describes the number and relative arrangement of adjacent lanes to the vehicle's own lane. According to this information, it is known how many lanes are adjacent to the vehicle's own lane and how these are arranged relative to it; that is, for example, how many adjacent lanes are located to the left and right of the vehicle in each direction of travel. The adjacent lane information is determined solely from the environmental information, for example, based on the camera data from the vehicle's camera. This information can be determined using image processing methods.For example, object recognition can be performed based on environmental information, in which, for example, lane markings arranged on a road surface are recognized and evaluated if they are described by the environmental information.

[0016] Lane location information is then determined by evaluating the received infrastructure message, i.e., at least the lane count information, and the determined adjacent lane information. The lane location information describes how the vehicle's lane is located relative to its neighboring lanes. For example, it can be determined in which lane of the road, within the area of ​​the infrastructure, the vehicle is positioned. It is not necessary to consider, for example, a map stored in the vehicle's navigation system and / or position information captured by the vehicle's positioning device, which describes the vehicle's position in the form of coordinates, to determine the lane location information.It is therefore preferentially intended that the determination of lane location information is carried out solely by evaluating the received infrastructure message and the determined adjacent lane information. In other words, the determination of lane location information can only be carried out by evaluating the received infrastructure message and the environmental information, i.e., for example, the data captured by the vehicle's camera.

[0017] In a further process step, the determined lane location information is provided. By providing this information, the lane location for the vehicle within the infrastructure area is thus made available. The individual process steps, in particular the determination of the adjacent lane information and the lane location information, can be carried out by a control device of the vehicle. This control device can be a computing device, i.e., a computer. Furthermore, the received infrastructure message and the surrounding environment information can be provided to the control device. Finally, the control device can provide the determined lane location, for example, to another component of the vehicle, such as a control unit of a driver assistance system or the vehicle's navigation system.Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that the determined lane location is made available to other road users, such as another vehicle in the vicinity of the motor vehicle, and / or an external computing device, for example by means of wireless vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

[0018] Overall, this system ensures reliable lane localization for motor vehicles. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for data storage and transmission-intensive analysis, as lane localization is possible without a map. Additionally, it avoids the often inaccurate positioning based on GNSS. Therefore, this provides a particularly useful method for locating a motor vehicle within a lane, especially in the area of ​​the infrastructure facility.

[0019] One embodiment provides that the determined lane location information is made available to a navigation system for the vehicle. The navigation system can be a component of the vehicle itself and / or be provided by a mobile device positioned in the vehicle. The mobile device can be a mobile phone, such as a smartphone, and / or a tablet. Alternatively or additionally, the determined lane location information can be made available to a driver assistance system of the vehicle, for example, a lane keeping or lane change assistant, i.e., a driver assistance system for at least assisted lane keeping or changing.Based on lane location information, a current route for the vehicle, provided by the navigation system, can be specified, particularly when multiple lanes are available with different directions of travel and / or traffic rules. Different traffic rules may apply, for example, if a lane is designated for turning (i.e., as a turning lane) and / or for going straight, especially if it is designated only for turning or only for going straight. Providing the determined lane location information ensures, for example, that a lane change instruction can be issued to the vehicle in an early manner, enabling the vehicle to move into a suitable lane for its route to its destination within the area of ​​the infrastructure facility.Furthermore, the driver assistance system can be enabled to perform lane changes or maintain the current lane, for example, assisting, semi-automatically, or even fully automatically, depending on what makes sense based on the lane location information. Thus, lane location information is used in the vehicle in a particularly useful and convenient way for the driver.

[0020] An additional embodiment provides that the determined lane location information is only made available for the current journey of the vehicle. It can therefore be intended that the lane location information is not used, for example, to supplement a map in the navigation system, but only for the current journey. The lane location information is thus used in the vehicle only briefly and for a limited time. This prevents the potentially space-intensive storage of the lane location information in the vehicle. Furthermore, it prevents lane location information that is only temporarily available, for example, due to temporary roadworks, from influencing future journeys in which such lane location information is no longer relevant due to, for example, changes to the roadworks.This ensures that the procedure is always carried out in an up-to-date manner and prevents potentially incorrectly assumed information about a lane arrangement and number from being stored in the vehicle.

[0021] Furthermore, an embodiment may provide that the received infrastructure message contains at least one of the following information: an assignment information, an operating status information, a speed specification information, a direction specification information, a position information, a lane marking type information, a lane topology information and / or a traffic situation information.

[0022] The allocation information describes the assignment of each traffic lane to an infrastructure unit of the infrastructure facility. This assignment is made, for example, for each individual traffic light in a traffic light system consisting of several individual traffic lights for the respective lanes. In this case, it can be known which subunit of the infrastructure facility, i.e., which infrastructure unit, is directly assigned to the respective lane, meaning, for example, which unit can provide a traffic signal for the respective lane.

[0023] The operational status information describes the operating state of the infrastructure unit and / or infrastructure facility. In the case of a traffic light system, the operational status can, for example, describe the red, yellow, or green phase of individual traffic lights and / or the entire traffic light system. In the context of a construction site, the operational status can, for example, distinguish whether the construction site is currently passable or not, or whether an individual lane is currently passable or not.

[0024] The speed limit information describes a speed limit for a specific lane. This speed limit is, for example, the maximum permissible speed for that lane. The direction of travel information describes a direction of travel for that lane. The direction of travel corresponds to the direction in which vehicles can travel in that lane. For dedicated lanes, the direction of travel typically corresponds to the direction of travel of the vehicle. This allows, for example, differentiation between lanes intended for traffic traveling in the same direction as the vehicle and those intended for traffic traveling in the opposite direction.This also allows for the evaluation of the direction from which the vehicle must approach the infrastructure facility for a plausible localization on a specific lane. For example, in cases of uncertainty, it can be determined which lane the vehicle is actually in if the direction of travel information is also evaluated as a possible component of the received infrastructure message.

[0025] The position information describes the location of a specific lane, infrastructure unit, and / or infrastructure facility. This position information is provided, for example, in the form of coordinates. Thus, it may include position data defining the boundaries of a particular lane. Furthermore, the location of an individual infrastructure unit, such as a single traffic light, and / or the entire infrastructure facility may be known, with the position of the infrastructure facility, for example, describing its entire area.

[0026] The lane marking type information describes the lane marking type and / or lane marking color of the respective lane. The lane marking type can, for example, distinguish between a solid line and a dashed line of a lane marking applied to the road surface. The lane marking color can, for example, be white. It may be intended that if the lane marking color is orange or yellow, this is interpreted, for example, as an indication of a lane marking within a construction zone, considered an infrastructure feature.Traffic rules for changing lanes can be taken into account, considering the lane marking color, for example, if it is locally stipulated that a lane change is only permitted with white lane markings and not with orange or yellow lane markings.

[0027] Lane topology information describes the lane topology of the respective lane. Lane topology includes, for example, the lane's width, surface characteristics, and / or geometric alignment, such as whether it is curved or straight. Traffic situation information describes the current traffic situation within the infrastructure area and is captured by a traffic monitoring device. Traffic situation information is presented, for example, as image data captured by a camera, which is typically located near a traffic light. The traffic situation information might include an image showing the vehicle itself in its designated lane.

[0028] In general, the aforementioned information, if included in the infrastructure message, can be evaluated when determining lane location information; that is, it can be used to locate the lane relative to adjacent lanes. Overall, numerous additional pieces of information can be received via the infrastructure message, which can further improve the accuracy of lane location information determination.

[0029] Another embodiment, for cases where the received infrastructure message contains lane marking information and / or lane topology information, involves evaluating this information for a plausibility check of the environmental sensing device. Ultimately, the environmental information describing the vehicle's surroundings and captured by the environmental sensing device is compared with information about the lanes located in the vehicle's vicinity, taking into account the lane marking type (i.e., lane marking color and / or type) and / or lane topology.If the plausibility check is successful—that is, if, for example, the appearance of the lane marking described by the environmental information corresponds to the specifications for appearance that can be derived from the lane marking type information and / or the lane topology information—the plausibility check is considered successful. If the plausibility check is successful, the environmental detection device is considered functional. If the plausibility check is unsuccessful—that is, if there are discrepancies between the lane marking as detected by the environmental detection device and the lane marking type and / or lane topology information contained in the infrastructure message—the environmental detection device may be considered non-functional and therefore inoperable.A plausibility check can therefore provide a control mechanism to identify a malfunctioning or unreliable environmental sensing device. This increases the reliability of the environmental information collected by the vehicle's environmental sensing device.

[0030] Another embodiment involves format adaptation for determining lane location information. This format adaptation adjusts the infrastructure message format to match the format of a map for a motor vehicle. This allows the lane in which the vehicle is located to be located using previously known methods or algorithms, even if the lane is not shown on the map, because the infrastructure message format has been adapted.

[0031] Furthermore, one embodiment provides for a check to see if a map is available in the vehicle before determining the lane location information. The map shows the number of lanes, at least for the area of ​​the infrastructure facility. If the map is available, it is taken into account when determining the lane location information. Therefore, the method can be based not only on evaluating the received infrastructure message and the determined adjacent lane information, but can also, for example, include a check of the determined lane location information against the map. This makes the method particularly robust with regard to potential errors and miscalculations.

[0032] Alternatively, in one embodiment, if the described map is provided, the lane location information is determined solely by evaluating the provided map and the provided adjacent lane information. This assumes that, before determining the lane location information, it is checked whether the map is provided in the vehicle, showing the number of lanes at least for the area of ​​the infrastructure facility. In this case, it is unnecessary to perform potentially complex evaluations of the received infrastructure message to determine the lane location information. Instead, the lane location information can be determined directly from the map, taking into account the determined adjacent lane information derived from the surrounding area.Therefore, it may not be necessary to access the infrastructure message. The method according to the invention is also suitable for this case.

[0033] A preferred embodiment provides that the infrastructure message is a map data message. The map data message is typically referred to as a MAP message, which can alternatively be called a Map Message. MAP stands for the English word for map. Alternatively or additionally, the infrastructure message can be a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) message. Thus, two common types of messages or information from infrastructure facilities can be used, which are typically provided by infrastructure facilities and are therefore standardized, making it particularly easy and efficient to use the received infrastructure message for further evaluation and investigation steps.

[0034] Each piece of information within the meaning of the invention can be represented in the form of data. The number of lanes information can therefore alternatively be referred to as lane number data, the environment information as environment data, the adjacent lane information as adjacent lane data, the lane location information as lane location data, the assignment information as assignment data, the operating state information as operating state data, the speed limit information as speed limit data, the direction of travel information as direction of travel data, the position information as position data, the lane marking type information as lane marking type data, the lane topology information as lane topology data, and / or the traffic situation information as traffic situation data.

[0035] Another aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is designed to carry out the method according to the invention. The motor vehicle is, for example, a passenger car, a truck, a bus, and / or a motorcycle. The motor vehicle is further designed to perform one of the exemplary embodiments or a combination of the exemplary embodiments.

[0036] An additional aspect of the invention relates to the control device for the motor vehicle. The control device comprises a processor unit configured to carry out the method according to the invention or an embodiment thereof, individually or in combination, as applicable. For this purpose, the processor unit may comprise at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, the processor unit may comprise program code configured to carry out the method according to the invention or an embodiment thereof, individually or in combination with at least one other embodiment, when executed by the processor unit. The program code may be stored in a data memory of the processor unit.The control device carries out the process steps of the method according to the invention as provided for it.

[0037] Another aspect of the invention relates to a computer program product, which can, for example, be a computer program. The computer program product according to the invention comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, for example by the control unit of the motor vehicle, cause it to carry out the method described above as well as one or more embodiments of the method according to the invention.

[0038] The invention also includes further developments of the motor vehicle, the control device and / or the computer program product according to the invention, which have features as have already been described in connection with the further developments of the method according to the invention.

[0039] The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments.

[0040] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the invention. This is illustrated by: Fig. 1. A schematic representation of a motor vehicle in an area of ​​an infrastructure facility; and Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a signal flow graph for a method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle in an area of ​​an infrastructure facility.

[0041] The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In these embodiments, the described components each represent individual features of the invention that can be considered independently of one another. Each of these features further develops the invention independently and can therefore be considered part of the invention individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the invention already described.

[0042] In the figures, functionally identical elements are each provided with the same reference symbols.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 1 depicts a motor vehicle 1 traveling on a road 2 at an intersection 3. At the intersection 3, two roads 2 intersect, one of which is four lanes wide and the other two lanes wide. Each of the two roads 2 has different lanes 4. The motor vehicle 1 travels in a dedicated lane 5, which is one of the lanes 4 of road 2. In the x-direction, which here is perpendicular to the direction of travel (y-direction) of the motor vehicle 1, road 2 has three adjacent lanes 4, which are referred to as adjacent lanes 6. The adjacent lane 6 to the right of the motor vehicle 1 in the x-direction is designed for the same direction of travel as the motor vehicle 1. The other two adjacent lanes 6, which are to the left of the motor vehicle 1 in the x-direction, have a direction of travel opposite to this direction.

[0044] At intersection 3, an infrastructure facility 7 is located, which is exemplified here as a traffic light system. The infrastructure facility 7 has several infrastructure units 8, which in this example are individual traffic lights of the traffic light system. For example, a separate infrastructure unit 8, i.e., a separate traffic light, can be provided for each individual lane 4.

[0045] The infrastructure facility 7 in the area of ​​intersection 3 has an area 9, whereby this area 9 here comprises at least the four sketched supports with individual traffic lights as respective infrastructure units 8. Here, the area of ​​intersection 3 is area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7.

[0046] The motor vehicle 1 has a control device 10. The control device 10 is a computing unit that includes, for example, at least one microprocessor and / or microcontroller. The motor vehicle 1 has a communication interface 11. The motor vehicle 1 may also have an environment sensing device 12, which is exemplified here as a front camera of the motor vehicle 1. The environment sensing device 12 can detect the surroundings of the motor vehicle 1, the environment being defined by a detection range of the environment sensing device 12. The motor vehicle 1 may also have a navigation system 13 that includes a map 14. The navigation system 13 can, for example, be used to predetermine a route for the motor vehicle 1 to a destination.The map 14 can be stored in the motor vehicle 1 and / or received from an external computing device, for example via the communication interface 11 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0047] The infrastructure device 7 can include a control device 15 and a communication interface 11. The control device 15 can cause data, such as an infrastructure message 17, to be transmitted via a communication link 16 between the communication interface 11 of the infrastructure device 7 and the communication interface 11 of the motor vehicle 1. The motor vehicle 1 can receive the infrastructure message 17 from the infrastructure device 7.

[0048] The infrastructure facility 7 can have a traffic detection device 18, which is designed here as a camera for traffic observation and by means of which, for example, a current traffic situation in the area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7 can be recorded and made available.

[0049] In Fig. 1. Further road users are also sketched, namely further vehicles 19, which are located in the vicinity of the motor vehicle 1 and / or in the area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7. Lane markings 20 are also arranged between the individual lanes 4 of the road 2, which may be formed as a dashed or a solid line.

[0050] In Fig. Figure 2 outlines individual process steps of a procedure for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle 1 in area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7. In process step S1, the infrastructure message 17, provided by the infrastructure facility 7, is received. Here, the motor vehicle 1, specifically its communication interface 11, receives the infrastructure message 17. The infrastructure message 17 contains at least one lane count information 21. The lane count information 21 describes the number of lanes 4 in area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7, that is, in the Fig.In the example outlined, the number four represents the total of four lanes. In addition to the lane count information (21), the infrastructure message (17) can contain further information. As examples of such further information, lane marking type information (22) and lane topology information (23) are outlined here. Lane marking type information (22) describes a lane marking type, for example, dashed or solid, and / or a lane marking color for the respective lane (4), for example, white, orange, yellow, or another color. Lane topology information (23) describes a lane topology for the respective lane (4), for example, its width, alignment, and / or surface.

[0051] Alternatively or additionally, the infrastructure message 17 can contain assignment information describing the assignment of the respective lane 4 to the infrastructure unit 8 of the infrastructure facility 7; operating status information describing an operating status of the infrastructure unit 8 and / or the infrastructure facility 7; speed limit information describing a speed limit in the respective lane 4; direction of travel information describing a direction of travel for a respective lane 4; and position information describing a position for the respective lane 4 and / or the infrastructure unit 8 and / or the infrastructure facility 7.and / or traffic situation information that describes a current traffic situation in area 9 of infrastructure facility 7 and was recorded by means of the traffic recording device 18 of infrastructure facility 7.;

[0052] Infrastructure message 17 can, for example, be provided as a map message and / or as a signal phase and timing message.

[0053] A further process step S2 involves providing environmental information 24. Environmental information 24 describes the surroundings of the vehicle 1 in area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7 and was acquired by means of the environmental sensing device 12. The environmental sensing device 12 is a component of the vehicle 1. Alternatively or additionally, environmental information 24 can be provided by another vehicle 19, for example via vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0054] In process step S3, neighboring lane information 25 is determined, which describes the number and relative arrangement of the neighboring lanes 6 to the lane 5 in which the motor vehicle 1 is located. The neighboring lane information 25 is determined by evaluating the provided environmental information 24.

[0055] In process step S4, lane location information 26 is determined. Lane location information 26 describes how the dedicated lane 5 is located relative to the adjacent lanes 6. This information is obtained by evaluating the received infrastructure message 17 and the determined adjacent lane information 25. Once lane location information 26 has been determined, it can be provided in process step S5. For this purpose, it can be provided, for example, to the navigation system 13 for the vehicle 1 and / or a driver assistance system 28 of the vehicle 1.

[0056] The infrastructure message 17 is preferably received via the communication interface 11. The environmental information 24 is preferably provided via the environmental detection device 12, wherein the environmental information 24 is provided to the control device 10 of the motor vehicle 1. The determination of the adjacent lane information 25 and the lane localization information 26, as well as their provision, i.e., ultimately the process steps S3 to S5, are preferably carried out via the control device 10 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0057] It may be intended that the determined lane location information 26 is only made available for a current journey of the vehicle 1. That is, it is not stored long-term, but only temporarily.

[0058] It may be provided that the received infrastructure message 17, if it contains lane topology information 23 and / or lane marking type information 22, is evaluated for a plausibility check of the environmental detection device 12. The lane marking type information 22 and / or the lane topology information 23 are taken into account in this evaluation. If the plausibility check is successful, the environmental detection device 12 is considered to be functioning correctly.

[0059] In process step S4, it may be provided that a format adjustment 27 is carried out to determine the lane localization information 26, by which a format of the infrastructure message 17 is adapted to a format of the map 14 for the motor vehicle 1, in order, for example, to be able to use existing algorithms for determining the lane localization information 26.

[0060] It may be provided that, prior to process step S4, a check is performed in process step S6 to determine whether map 14 is provided in the vehicle 1, in which at least the number of lanes 4 is shown for area 9 of the infrastructure facility 7. That is, if map 14 is provided, it can be taken into account when determining the lane location information 26, i.e., in process step S4. Alternatively, it may be provided that, if map 14 is provided, the lane location information 26 is determined only by evaluating the provided map 14 and the provided adjacent lane information 25. This takes place in process step S7. Process step S5 can then be initiated.If the check in process step S6 is unsuccessful, it is possible, for example, to switch back to process step S3 and / or the subsequent process step S4.

[0061] Overall, the examples demonstrate the use of infrastructure messages, i.e., map messages, for self-localization based on vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. The invention provides that the vehicle-to-infrastructure messages, i.e., the infrastructure message 17, are used as the map for lane matching with the camera, i.e., the data from the environmental sensing device 12, instead of the navigation map, i.e., the map 14. For this purpose, the matching algorithm is either adapted so that it can process an infrastructure message 17 as input instead of the navigation map, i.e., the map 14, or alternatively, the infrastructure message 17 is converted so that it has the same format as the map 14, using the format adaptation 27 for this purpose. Ultimately, this allows the infrastructure message 17 and the map 14 it contains to be used for self-localization.Lane information, that is, the number of lanes information 21 in the infrastructure message 17, is thus used to determine the dedicated lane, that is, the dedicated lane 5. Reference symbol list 1 motor vehicle 2nd Street 3 Intersection 4 lanes 5 dedicated lanes 6 adjacent lanes 7 Infrastructure facility 8 Infrastructure Unit 9 Area 10 Control device 11 Communication interface 12 Environmental detection device 13 Navigation system 14 Map 15 Control unit 16 Communication link 17 Infrastructure message 18 Traffic monitoring device 19 vehicles 20 lane markings 21 Lane Number Information 22 Lane marking type information 23 Lane topology information 24 Environmental information 25 Adjacent lane information 26 Lane location information 27 Format adjustment 28 Driver assistance systems S1 to S7 process steps

Claims

[1] A method for providing lane localization for a motor vehicle (1) in an area (9) of an infrastructure facility (7), the method comprising the following steps: - Receiving (S1) an infrastructure message (17) from the infrastructure facility (7), wherein the infrastructure message (17) includes at least lane number information (21) that describes a number of lanes (4) in the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7); - Providing (S2) environmental information (24) that describes the environment of the motor vehicle (1) in the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7) and was acquired using an environmental sensing device (12); - Determining (S3) adjacent lane information (25) that describes a number and relative arrangement of adjacent lanes (6) to a dedicated lane (5) on which the motor vehicle (1) is located, by evaluating the provided environmental information (24); - Determining (S4) a lane localization information (26) that describes how the own lane (5) is located relative to the adjacent lanes (6) by evaluating the received infrastructure message (17) and the determined adjacent lane information (25); and - Providing (S5) the determined lane location information (26). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the determined lane localization information (26) is provided to a navigation system (13) for the motor vehicle (1) and / or a driver assistance system (28) of the motor vehicle (1). [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the determined lane localization information (26) is provided only for a current journey of the motor vehicle (1). [4] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the received infrastructure message (17) contains at least one of the following pieces of information: - an allocation information that describes an allocation of the respective lane (4) to an infrastructure unit (8) of the infrastructure facility (7); - an operational status information that describes an operational status of the infrastructure unit (8) and / or the infrastructure facility (7); - a speed limit information that describes a speed limit for the respective lane (4); - a direction of travel information that describes a direction of travel for the respective lane (4); - a position information that describes a position for the respective lane (4) and / or the infrastructure unit (8) and / or the infrastructure facility (7); - lane marking type information (22) that describes a lane marking type and / or lane marking color of the respective lane (4); - lane topology information (23) that describes a lane topology of the respective lane (4); and / or - traffic situation information that describes a current traffic situation in the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7) and that was recorded by means of a traffic recording device (18) of the infrastructure facility (7). [5] Method according to claim 4, wherein the received infrastructure message (17) includes the lane marking type information (22) and / or the lane topology information (23) and these are evaluated for a plausibility check of the environment detection device (12), wherein if the plausibility check is successful the environment detection device (12) is considered to be functioning. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein for determining the lane localization information (26) a format adaptation (27) is carried out by adapting a format of the infrastructure message (17) to a format of a map (14) for a motor vehicle (1). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, prior to determining the lane localization information (26), it is checked (S6) whether a map (14) is provided in the motor vehicle (1) in which the number of lanes (4) is shown at least for the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7), wherein, if the map (14) is provided, the provided map (14) is taken into account when determining the lane localization information (26). [8] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, prior to determining the lane localization information (26), it is checked (S6) whether a map (14) is provided in the motor vehicle (1) in which the number of lanes (4) is shown at least for the area (9) of the infrastructure facility (7), wherein, if the map (14) is provided, the lane localization information (26) is determined only by evaluating the provided map (14) and the provided adjacent lane information (25) (S7). [9] Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the infrastructure message (17) is a map data message and / or a signal phase and time message. [10] Motor vehicle (1) designed to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.

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