Method for providing map data in a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing map data in a vehicle (1) with an assistance system for automated driving, wherein, during manual or automated driving of the vehicle (1), map segments (K) relating to a planned route (F1) ahead of the vehicle (1) are downloaded from a central computer unit in advance, and the planned route (F1) is automatically adjusted when a route is changed. According to the invention, it is provided that - when the vehicle (1) is parked, its current position (P) determined by a satellite-based positioning unit is stored in a location of the vehicle (1), - map segments (K) are downloaded within a radius (r) starting from the determined current position (P) of the vehicle (1), - the downloaded map segments (K) within the radius (r) are marked and saved as relevant for a start after the vehicle (1) has been parked, and the map segments (K) relating to the planned route (F1) are also marked and saved as relevant for the start, and - when the vehicle is started, the position (P) saved before the vehicle (1) was parked is used, the map segments (K) lying within the radius (r) and the map segments (K) related to the planned route (F1) are automatically downloaded from the central computer unit.

Description

The invention relates to a method for providing map data in a vehicle having an assistance system for automated driving operation, wherein, during manual or automated driving operation of the vehicle, map segments relating to a planned route ahead of the vehicle are downloaded in a predictive manner from a central computer unit, and the planned route is automatically adjusted when a route is changed.DE 10 2022 001 838 discloses a method for providing traffic information along a travel route of a vehicle. The method provides that the travel route is calculated from a starting point to a destination point, wherein a traffic information perimeter is defined within which the traffic information corresponding to the travel route is ascertained. When a part of the travel route runs outside the traffic information perimeter, a corridor having a predefined width is defined, in which relevant traffic information for this part of the travel route running outside the traffic information perimeter is transmitted to the vehicle.DE 10 2016 008 469 A1 describes a method for providing map data in a vehicle. In this case, a route section ahead of the vehicle is used to determine which map data are required in a following time period as a function of a number of vehicle parameters, this map data being automatically loaded when there is a connection to a central computer unit.The object of the invention is to specify a novel method for providing map data in a vehicle.The object is achieved according to the invention by a method which has the features specified in claim 1.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.A method for providing map data in a vehicle having an assistance system for automated driving operation provides that, during manual or automated driving operation of the vehicle, map segments are downloaded in a predictive manner from a central computer unit with respect to a planned route ahead of the vehicle, and the planned route is automatically adjusted when a route is changed. According to the invention, when the vehicle is stopped in a localization of the vehicle, its current position determined on the basis of a satellite-based position determination unit is stored. Map segments are downloaded at a radius based on the determined current position of the vehicle. The downloaded map segments within the radius are marked and stored as a starting relevant for a starting of the vehicle following the parking of the vehicle. The map segments with respect to the planned route are marked and stored as additionally relevant to the start. When the vehicle starts, the position stored before the vehicle is parked is used and without new localization of the vehicle, the map segments lying within the radius and the map segments relating to the planned route are automatically downloaded from the central computer unit.By using the method, map segments, i.e., map data, are available comparatively quickly for the automated driving operation, in particular for a highly automated driving operation, in particular for an autonomous driving operation of the vehicle.The problem of a limited temporal availability of map data can be substantially solved by means of the method by locating the vehicle and checking for an update of the map data or downloading updated map data.In one embodiment, during download of the intra-radius map segments with respect to the stored position of the vehicle, a current position of the vehicle is simultaneously satellite-determined. Since these two processes are performed simultaneously, a time until the automated driving operation by the vehicle can be started can be reduced if desired.In one embodiment, after satellite-assisted ascertainment of the current position of the vehicle has taken place, the map segments marked as being relevant to the start are downloaded again in a radius based on the ascertained current position of the vehicle. It can thus be realized that map data updated on the vehicle side are present with respect to a predefined radius of the vehicle.In a further embodiment, a comparison is carried out between the map segments within the radius marked as relevant to the start when the vehicle is stopped and the map segments within the radius downloaded during the vehicle start, in relation to the current position of the vehicle determined with satellite assistance. In particular, it is determined in this case, since the vehicle was indeed only parked, that the map segments marked as being relevant to the start correspond to the map segments downloaded at the start of the vehicle. In particular, the download takes place after successful localization of the vehicle, it being established that the map segments stored in a control unit of the assistance system for the automated driving operation of the vehicle when the vehicle is shut down are current, as a result of which a route section for the automated driving operation of the vehicle can be released or blocked.In one possible embodiment, a current position of the vehicle is determined on the basis of the map segments lying within the radius, and the map segments for the planned route are subsequently downloaded from the central computer unit. In particular, the map segments are downloaded for the route planned before parking the vehicle, so that current map segments are present on the vehicle side with respect to the route and, if necessary, the automated driving operation can be carried out based on the map segments.In one embodiment, a comparison is then carried out between the map segments with respect to the planned route marked as additionally relevant to starting when the vehicle is shut down and the map segments downloaded during vehicle starting with respect to the planned route. In this case, it is established in particular that the map segments stored in the control unit of the assistance system are up-to-date, since these map segments were downloaded when they were deposited. In particular, the map segments are up-to-date if a planned travel route of the vehicle corresponds to the planned travel route at a shutdown time.In a further possible embodiment of the method, if no deviation is determined between the respectively stored map segments and the newly downloaded map segments during the respectively performed comparison, an automated driving operation of the vehicle is classified as available. A prerequisite for this is that an automated, in particular autonomous, driving operation is enabled for a route section of the planned route.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 schematically shows a mapping with a planned route for a vehicle and a further mapping with a number of map segments of a changed route, and FIG. 2 schematically shows a map section with map segments lying within a radius and a current position of the vehicle.Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.FIG. 1 shows two images A 1, A 2, wherein an image A 1 shows a planned route F 1 of a vehicle 1, that is to say a navigation route and / or a predicted route for an automated driving operation, and a further image A 2 shows a map section having a number of map segments K of a route F 2 changed by the vehicle 1.FIG. 2 shows a map section with map segments K, not shown in detail, lying within a radius r and a current position P of the vehicle 1.To carry out a highly automated, in particular autonomous, driving operation of a vehicle 1, redundancy with respect to sensor data and map data is required. For safeguarding acquired sensor data, one concept represents the presence of a highly accurate map. This map data is requested during the driving operation of the vehicle 1, for example every 10 min, and, if appropriate, downloaded from a central computer unit, not shown in detail, to which the vehicle 1 is coupled in terms of data technology, in order to ensure up-to-dateness of the map data to the greatest possible extent.In order to achieve a more time-based availability of an automated driving operation based on map data, in particular an autonomous driving operation, a method described below is provided. In particular, the method sets an optimization for downloading map segments K for a situation in which the vehicle 1 parks and resumes its driving operation later or on a next day.According to the first image A 1, the vehicle 1 travels on the travel path F 1 in manual or automated driving operation. By means of the vehicle 1, in particular by means of a control unit of an assistance system for the automated driving operation of the vehicle 1, map segments K representing a map section are downloaded from the central computer unit in a predictive manner. In particular, the map segments K are downloaded such that it is possible, if enabled, to move the vehicle 1 in the automated driving mode.The vehicle 1 travels, for example in manual driving operation, from the travel route F 1, in particular a freeway, in order to be followed, for example, in a hotel, so that the vehicle 1 is parked in a parking lot 2. By driving off the freeway, the route F 1 changes to the route F 2.The method provides that map segments K within radius r are additionally downloaded in a predictive manner with respect to a current position P of vehicle 1 last acquired with satellite assistance before parking, i.e. before parking, of vehicle 1.These map segments K lying within the radius r are marked as being relevant to the start and are stored in the control unit of the assistance system. In addition, the map segments K representing the planned travel route F 1 are marked as additionally relevant to start and are stored in the control unit.Upon a vehicle start, for example the next day, the map segments K lying within the radius r to the last detected current position of the vehicle 1 are downloaded from the central computer unit. At the same time, a current position P of the vehicle 1 is determined on the basis of detected signals of the satellite-based position determination unit. This localization of the vehicle 1 can take about 30 s. After successful localization of the vehicle 1, the map segments K are downloaded, it being determined that the map segments K stored in the control unit are current, since they have already been downloaded.In a next step, the map segments K relevant to the planned route F 1 are downloaded, wherein the current position P of the vehicle 1 in the map segments K is determined on the basis of the map data lying within the radius r.The map data, in particular the map segments K, for the planned route F 1, that is to say the map segments K corresponding to the map segments K which are also relevant to starting, are then downloaded. With respect to the downloaded map segments K, it is determined that the map segments K stored in the control unit are up-to-date since they have just been downloaded. In particular, the map segments K are up-to-date if the planned route F 1 is identical to the planned route F 1 before the vehicle 1 is parked. The assistance system is then available for carrying out the automated driving operation of the vehicle 1.List of reference characters1 Vehicle 2 Parking lot A 1, A 2 Map F 1 Planned route F 2 Modified route K Map segment P Current position r RadiusReferences included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2022 001 838

[0002] DE 10 2016 008 469 A1

[0003]

Claims

Method for providing map data in a vehicle (1) with an assistance system for automated driving operation, wherein, in the manual or automated driving operation of the vehicle (1), predictive map segments (K) are downloaded from a central computer unit with respect to a planned route (F1) lying ahead of the vehicle (1) and the planned route (F1) is automatically adjusted when a route is changed, characterized in that - when the vehicle (1) is shut down in a localization of the vehicle (1), its current position (P) determined by means of a satellite-based position determination unit is stored, - map segments (K) are downloaded at a radius (r) starting from the determined current position (P) of the vehicle (1), the downloaded map segments (K) within the radius (r) are marked and stored as being relevant to the start of the vehicle (1) following the parking of the vehicle (1), and the map segments (K) are marked and stored with respect to the planned route (F1) as being additionally relevant to the start, and the position (P) stored before the parking of the vehicle (1) is used upon vehicle start, and the map segments (K) within the radius (r) and the map segments (K) related to the planned route (F1) are automatically downloaded from the central computer unit without new localization of the vehicle (1).Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that during the downloading of the map segments (K) lying within the radius (r), a current position (P) of the vehicle (1) is determined simultaneously with satellite assistance with respect to the stored position (P) of the vehicle (1).Method according to Claim 2da characterized in that, after satellite-assisted ascertainment of the current position (P) of the vehicle (1) has been carried out, the map segments (K) marked as being relevant to the start are downloaded again in a radius (r) based on the ascertained current position (P) of the vehicle (1).Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that a comparison is carried out between the map segments (K) within the radius (r), which map segments are marked as relevant to the start when the vehicle (1) is shut down, and between the map segments (K) within the radius (r), which map segments are downloaded during the start of the vehicle, in relation to the current position (P) of the vehicle (1) which has been determined in a satellite-assisted manner.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a current position (P) of the vehicle (1) is determined on the basis of the map segments (K) lying within the radius (r) and the map segments (K) for the planned route (F1) are subsequently downloaded from the central computer unit.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that a comparison is carried out between the map segments (K) with respect to the planned route (F1), which map segments are marked as additionally relevant to the start, when the vehicle (1) is shut down, and the map segments (K) with respect to the planned route (F1), which map segments are downloaded when the vehicle is started.Method according to one of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that if, during the respective comparison carried out, no deviation is determined between the respectively stored map segments (K) and the map segments (K) downloaded again, an automated driving mode of the vehicle (1) is classified as available.

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