Method and device for operating safety functions in a vehicle

Abstract

A device for operating a set of safety functions of a vehicle is described. The device is configured to determine a user profile during a vehicle journey, wherein the user profile specifies a user state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set. The device is further configured to activate the set of safety functions according to a start profile when the vehicle is started, wherein the start profile specifies a start state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set.Furthermore, the device is designed to determine that for at least one safety function of the set of safety functions the start state differs from the user state, and in response to this, to cause a notification to be issued to the user of the vehicle indicating that the at least one safety function was started according to the start profile, deviating from the user profile.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a corresponding device which are designed to operate one or more safety functions in a vehicle.

[0002] A vehicle may have one or more safety features designed to increase driving safety. Examples of safety features include emergency braking, lane keeping assist, lane change assist, etc. The operation of individual safety features may be perceived as inconvenient by a vehicle user.

[0003] This document deals with the technical task of ensuring particularly comfortable and safe operation of one or more safety functions in a (motor) vehicle.

[0004] The problem is solved by each of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described, among other things, in the dependent claims. It should be noted that additional features of a patent claim dependent on an independent patent claim can form a separate invention, independent of the combination of all features of the independent patent claim, without the features of the independent patent claim or only in combination with a subset of the features of the independent patent claim, which invention can be made the subject of an independent claim, a divisional application, or a subsequent application. This applies equally to technical teachings described in the description, which can form an invention independent of the features of the independent patent claims.

[0005] According to one aspect, a device for operating a set of safety functions of a (motor) vehicle is described. The set of safety functions may include one or more safety functions. Exemplary safety functions are: • an emergency braking function designed to effect automated emergency braking of the vehicle; and / or • a lane keeping function that is designed to automatically keep the vehicle within a currently used lane; and / or • a lane change warning function that is designed to issue a warning when the vehicle leaves a lane it is currently traveling in.

[0006] The one or more safety functions can each be configured to analyze sensor data from one or more of the vehicle's surrounding sensors, e.g., to detect an obstacle and / or a lane marking in the vehicle's surroundings. Depending on the analysis of the sensor data, in particular depending on a detected obstacle and / or a detected lane marking, a measure can then be initiated. The measure can include issuing a warning and / or automatically intervening in the vehicle's longitudinal and / or lateral guidance.

[0007] The device can be configured to activate the set of safety functions according to a base profile when the vehicle is started during initial commissioning or after a factory reset. The base profile specifies a base state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set of safety functions. The base state for a safety function can, for example, provide that the safety function is activated with the maximum possible range of functions.

[0008] The device is configured to determine a user profile while the vehicle is traveling, the user profile specifying a user state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set of safety functions. The user state of one or more safety functions may deviate from the respective base state. The user profile may be determined on the basis of one or more user inputs made by the user during operation of the vehicle (e.g., inputs made at a user interface of the vehicle). The one or more user inputs may be directed at changing the state of at least one safety function (compared to the base state). For example, a safety function may be deactivated or the functionality of a safety function may be reduced.

[0009] The device is further configured to activate the set of safety functions according to a start profile when the vehicle is started, wherein the start profile specifies a start state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set of safety functions. The start state of a safety function can correspond to the base state. If necessary, the start state of a safety function can be below the base state (e.g., with a reduced range of functions of the safety function or, if necessary, with a deactivated safety function).

[0010] The state, in particular the start state and / or the user state and / or the base state, of the individual safety functions can indicate • whether the security function is enabled or disabled; and / or • the range of functions with which the safety function is operated.

[0011] An activated state with the maximum possible range of functions can correspond to the highest possible state, while a deactivated state can correspond to the lowest possible state. Furthermore, the "level" of the state can vary depending on the range of functions.

[0012] The device is configured to determine that the starting state for at least one safety function of the set of safety functions deviates from the user state. This may be the case, in particular, if a standard, e.g., a legal standard and / or a standard of the vehicle manufacturer, requires that the individual safety functions each have a specific minimum state (e.g., a specific minimum range of functions) when the vehicle is started. A user input may have caused the user state of a safety function to fall below the minimum state of the safety function.

[0013] The device is further configured to cause, in response to the determination, an indication to be output (via the user interface of the vehicle) to the user of the vehicle that the at least one safety function was started according to the start profile in a manner deviating from the user profile.

[0014] By starting the set of safety functions according to a start profile, which may deviate from the user profile and which may correspond to a specified (safety) standard, and by issuing a note regarding the deviation from the user profile, a particularly safe and convenient operation of the set of safety functions can be achieved.

[0015] The device may be configured to cause the set of security functions to operate according to the user profile in response to a user input following the issuance of the indication.

[0016] If necessary, the start state for several safety functions from the set of safety functions may differ from the user state. The device can be configured to allow the user, through a single user input following the output of the notification, to operate the multiple safety functions according to the user state.

[0017] This allows the vehicle user to conveniently switch from the startup profile back to the user profile after starting the vehicle (possibly through a single user input on the vehicle's user interface). This further increases the convenience of operating the vehicle's range of safety functions.

[0018] The device can be configured to determine the start profile based on the user profile and the (safety) standard. The standard can specify a required minimum state for each of the one or more safety functions in the set of safety functions when starting the vehicle. The required minimum state of a safety function can specify • whether the safety function must be activated when the vehicle is started; and / or • the required minimum range of functions with which the safety function must be operated when the vehicle is started. For each individual safety function from the set of safety functions, it can be checked whether the user state of the safety function from the user profile exceeds the required minimum state from the standard or not. The user state can be used as the start state of the safety function for the start profile if the user state exceeds the required minimum state. On the other hand, the required minimum state from the standard can be used as the start state of the safety function for the start profile if the user state does not exceed the required minimum state. This can ensure particularly safe and convenient operation of the safety functions.

[0019] According to a further aspect, a (road) motor vehicle (in particular a passenger car or a truck or a bus or a motorcycle) is described which comprises the device described in this document.

[0020] According to a further aspect, a method for operating a set of safety functions of a (motor) vehicle is described. The method comprises determining, during at least one journey of the vehicle, a user profile, wherein the user profile indicates a user state for each of the one or more safety functions of the set of safety functions. The method further comprises activating, upon starting the vehicle, the set of safety functions according to a start profile, wherein the start profile indicates a start state for each of the one or more safety functions of the set of safety functions.

[0021] Furthermore, the method comprises determining that for at least one safety function of the set of safety functions, the start state deviates from the user state, and in response to the determination, causing an indication to be output to the user of the vehicle that the at least one safety function was started deviating from the user profile according to the start profile.

[0022] According to another aspect, a software (SW) program is described. The SW program can be configured to be executed on a processor (e.g., on a vehicle control unit) and thereby to carry out the method described in this document.

[0023] According to a further aspect, a storage medium is described. The storage medium can comprise a software program configured to be executed on a processor and thereby to carry out the method described in this document.

[0024] It should be noted that the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be used both alone and in combination with other methods, devices, and systems described in this document. Furthermore, any aspects of the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be combined in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the claims can be combined in a variety of ways. Furthermore, features listed in parentheses are to be understood as optional features.

[0025] The invention will be described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. Fig. 1 exemplary components of a vehicle; Fig. 2a an exemplary basic profile of one or more security functions; Fig. 2b an exemplary user profile of one or more security functions; Fig. 2c an exemplary start profile of one or more security functions; and Fig. 3 a flowchart of an exemplary method for operating one or more safety functions of a vehicle.

[0026] As stated at the beginning, this document deals with the safe and comfortable operation of one or more safety functions of a vehicle. In this context, Fig. 1 shows an exemplary vehicle 100 with one or more environmental sensors 102, each configured to collect sensor data (also referred to as environmental data) relating to the surroundings of the vehicle 100. Exemplary environmental sensors 102 include a camera, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0027] A (control) device 101 of the vehicle 100 can be configured to evaluate the environmental data, e.g., to detect one or more objects (e.g., other vehicles) in the environment of the vehicle 100. The device 101 can further be configured to effect automated longitudinal and / or lateral guidance of the vehicle 100 based on the environmental data, in particular based on the one or more detected objects. For this purpose, one or more longitudinal and / or lateral guidance actuators 103 (e.g., a drive motor, a braking device, and / or a steering device) of the vehicle 100 can be controlled.

[0028] One or more safety functions of the vehicle 100 can be provided and / or operated by the (control) device 101. An exemplary safety function is an emergency braking assistant, which is designed to effect automated emergency braking of the vehicle 100 in response to a detected obstacle. Another exemplary safety function is a lane keeping assistant, which is designed to automatically steer the vehicle 100 back into its own lane when it is detected that the vehicle 100 is leaving its own lane. Another exemplary safety function is the output of a lane change warning when it is detected that the vehicle 100 is leaving its own lane and / or when an obstacle, such as another vehicle, is detected in the adjacent lane.

[0029] The vehicle 100 can be designed such that when the vehicle 100 is first put into operation, a set of safety functions is activated by default in order to enable the safest possible operation of the vehicle 100. Fig. Figure 2a shows a base profile 200 that indicates the activation state of various safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204. The check mark indicates that the respective safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 is activated. Initial commissioning of the vehicle 100 can occur according to the base profile 200, so that all safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 from the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 are activated. The state of the individual safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 according to the base profile 200 can be referred to as the base state.

[0030] The user of the vehicle 100 can be enabled to deactivate one or more safety functions 201, 204 during operation of the vehicle 100 and / or to change, in particular reduce, the functionality of one or more safety functions 202, 203. The change in the state of a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 can be effected via a user interface 104 of the vehicle 100. For example, the output of acoustic, optical, and / or haptic signals from a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 may be perceived as uncomfortable by the user, and the user can cause the safety function 201, 204 to be deactivated entirely or the functionality of the safety function 202, 203 to be reduced.

[0031] The state of the individual security functions 201, 202, 203, 204 caused by the user, which is also referred to as user state in this document, can be stored in a user profile 210 (see Fig. 2b). For each individual safety function 201, 202, 203, 204, it can be specified whether the respective safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 is activated or deactivated and / or whether and in what way the functional scope of the respective safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 has been reduced.

[0032] The operation of a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 typically leads to increased driving safety. Furthermore, it may be legally required that a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 be activated by default at the start of a journey of the vehicle 100. A start profile 220 (see Fig. 2c) are provided for starting the vehicle 100, wherein the start profile 220 specifies the state of the individual safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 that is effected when the vehicle 100 is started. This state can be referred to as the start state.

[0033] The start profile 220 can be determined based on the user profile 210. Furthermore, a standard, such as a law or a vehicle manufacturer's specification, can be used, which specifies for each individual safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 whether the respective safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 should be activated when the vehicle 100 is started and, if applicable, with which functionality the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 should be activated.

[0034] The (start) state of the individual safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 in the start profile 220 can be determined according to one or more of the following rules, • if the state of the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 has not been changed compared to the (basic) state of the basic profile 200, the state of the basic profile 200 remains; • if the state of the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 has been changed compared to the (basic) state of the basic profile 200, then the state of the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 depends on the (user) state brought about by the user from the user profile 210 and on the required minimum state specified in the standard; • if the state of the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 has been changed compared to the (basic) state of the basic profile 200, then the (user) state from the user profile 210 effected by the user is used if this exceeds the required minimum state from the standard; and / or • if the state of the safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 has been changed compared to the (basic) state of the basic profile 200, then the required minimum state from the standard is used if the (user) state from the user profile 210 brought about by the user is below the required minimum state from the standard.

[0035] It can be effected that the individual safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 are activated according to the start profile 220 upon one, in particular every, start of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the user can be informed via the user interface 104 of the vehicle 100 that a start profile 220 different from the user profile 210 was used to determine the state of the one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204. The user can then be enabled via the user interface 104 to select the user profile 210 instead of the start profile 220 and to effect a corresponding change in the state of the one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204.

[0036] Due to consumer protection requirements (such as Euro NCAP), it may be necessary to automatically reactivate a certain number of one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 (such as the emergency braking assistant, the lane keeping assistant, the lane change warning, etc.) each time the vehicle 100 starts a new journey, even if the user has previously deactivated one or more of these safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 during a journey. The deactivation of a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 may have been caused, for example, because the user perceived the safety function as uncomfortable, in particular as patronizing, and / or because the safety function was not functioning reliably due to the current environmental conditions (such as snowfall and / or a snow-covered roadway).

[0037] As explained above, the user of vehicle 100 may be informed when one or more safety features are reactivated upon vehicle start-up. Furthermore, the user may be provided with the option to directly restore the last setting (i.e., the user state) of the one or more safety features (according to user profile 210).

[0038] The driver's individual settings can be saved in a user profile 210 with each operation. As soon as at least one of the individual settings is automatically changed at the start of the next trip, the driver can be notified via a notification (e.g., on a display of the user interface 104). If the driver interacts with this notification, they have the option of restoring their individual configuration from the last trip (according to the user profile 210) with just a few operating steps (e.g., a single operating step).

[0039] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a (possibly computer-implemented) method 300 for operating a set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 of a (motor) vehicle 100. The set of safety functions may comprise one or more, two or more, three or more, or four or more safety functions.

[0040] The method 300 comprises determining 301, during a journey of the vehicle 100, a user profile 210, wherein the user profile 210 indicates a user state for each of the one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 of the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204. The user profile 210 can be determined based on one or more user inputs, which are detected, for example, via a user interface 104 of the vehicle 100. In doing so, the user can be enabled to change the state of one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204, for example, to deactivate a safety function 201, 204 or to reduce the functional scope of a safety function 202, 203. The individual safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 can each have a basic state during initial commissioning or after restoring the factory settings.One or more user inputs can result in a user state for one or more security functions that differs from the respective base state.

[0041] The method 300 further comprises activating 302, upon starting the vehicle 100, the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 according to a start profile 220, wherein the start profile 220 specifies a start state for each of the one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 of the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204. The start state of a safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 can • correspond to the base state (if no changes have been made by the user); • meet a minimum required condition for starting the vehicle 100; or • correspond to the user state (if the user state exceeds the required minimum state and / or if the user state is between the base state and the minimum state).

[0042] Furthermore, the method 300 includes determining 300 that the start state for at least one safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 of the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 deviates from the user state. In response to the determination 303, a notification can be issued (step 304) to the user of the vehicle 100 indicating that the at least one safety function 201, 202, 203, 204 was started differently from the user profile 210 according to the start profile 220. Furthermore, the user can be enabled to initiate operation of the set of safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 according to the user profile 210 through a (possibly a single) user input.

[0043] The measures described in this document can achieve particularly safe and convenient operation of one or more safety functions 201, 202, 203, 204 in a vehicle 100.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. In particular, it should be noted that the description and figures are intended only to illustrate the principle of the proposed methods, devices, and systems by way of example.

Claims

[1] Device (101) for operating a set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of a vehicle (100); wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine a user profile (210) during a journey of the vehicle (100); wherein the user profile (210) indicates a user state for each of the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204); - to activate the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) according to a start profile (220) when the vehicle (100) is started; wherein the start profile (220) specifies a start state for each of the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204); - to determine that for at least one safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) the start state deviates from the user state; and - in response to the determination, to cause an indication to be issued to the user of the vehicle (100) to the effect that the at least one safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) was started according to the start profile (220) in a manner different from the user profile (210). [2] Device (101) according to claim 1, wherein the device (101) is arranged to cause the set of security functions (201, 202, 203, 204) to be operated according to the user profile (210) in response to a user input following the output of the indication. [3] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - for several safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) from the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204), the start state differs from the user state; and - the device (101) is configured to enable the user, by means of a single user input following the output of the indication, to operate the plurality of security functions (201, 202, 203, 204) in accordance with the user state. [4] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the user profile (210) is determined on the basis of one or more user inputs of the user during operation of the vehicle (100); and - the one or more user inputs are aimed at changing the state of at least one safety function (201, 202, 203, 204). [5] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the state, in particular the start state and / or the user state and / or a base state, indicates a safety function (201, 202, 203, 204), - whether the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) is activated or deactivated; and / or - a range of functions with which the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) is operated. [6] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the set of security functions (201, 202, 203, 204) comprises - an emergency braking function configured to effect automated emergency braking of the vehicle (100); and / or - a lane keeping function which is designed to automatically keep the vehicle (100) within a currently travelled lane; and / or - a lane change warning function which is designed to issue a warning when the vehicle (100) leaves a lane currently being travelled in. [7] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the device (101) is configured to determine the starting profile (220) on the basis of the user profile (210) and on the basis of a standard; - the standard for the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) specifies a required minimum state of the respective safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) when the vehicle (100) is started; and - indicates the required minimum state of a safety function (201, 202, 203, 204), - whether the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) must be activated when the vehicle (100) is started; and / or - a required minimum range of functions with which the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) must be operated when the vehicle (100) is started. [8] Device (101) according to claim 7, wherein the device (101) is configured for a safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) from the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) in each case, - to check whether the user state of the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) from the user profile (210) exceeds the required minimum state from the standard or not; and - to use the user state as the start state of the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) for the start profile (220) if the user state exceeds the required minimum state; and / or - to use the required minimum state as the start state of the safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) for the start profile (220) if the user state does not exceed the required minimum state. [9] Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the device (101) is configured to activate the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) according to a basic profile (200) when the vehicle (100) is started up for the first time or after a reset to factory settings; - wherein the base profile (200) specifies a base state for each of the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204); and - the base state of the individual safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) corresponds to or exceeds the respective start state. [10] Method (300) for operating a set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of a vehicle (100); the method (300) comprising - determining (301), during a journey of the vehicle (100), a user profile (210); wherein the user profile (210) indicates a user state for each of the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204); - activating (302), upon starting the vehicle (100), the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) according to a start profile (220); wherein the start profile (220) specifies a start state for each of the one or more safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204); - determining (303) that for at least one safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) of the set of safety functions (201, 202, 203, 204) the start state deviates from the user state; and - in response to the determining (303), causing (304) an indication to be issued to the user of the vehicle (100) to the effect that the at least one safety function (201, 202, 203, 204) was started according to the start profile (220) in a manner different from the user profile (210).

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