Device and method for automatic distance control of a vehicle

Abstract

Method and device (103) for automatic distance control of a vehicle (100), wherein the device (103) is configured to acquire information about the environment of a position of the vehicle (100), to perform the automatic distance control depending on the information, to check whether a false detection at the position is stored in a memory of the vehicle (100), and to adapt the automatic distance control based on the false detection and / or to store the false detection in a memory of the vehicle (100).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for automatic distance control of a vehicle.

[0002] DE 102017219127 A1 discloses a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, wherein malfunctions of the driver assistance system are displayed on a map.

[0003] In an automatic distance control system, false detections can lead to undesirable behavior of the automatic distance control system.

[0004] The method and device according to the independent claims avoid undesirable behavior of the automatic distance control.

[0005] The automatic distance control system for a vehicle involves acquiring information about the vehicle's surroundings and position. The system then adjusts the distance based on this information, checking for false positives stored in the vehicle's memory. If a false positive occurs, the system adjusts the distance control accordingly and / or stores the false positive in the vehicle's memory. This prevents undesirable behavior in the event of repeated false positives.

[0006] The false detection is preferably stored in a card at the location or read from a card at the location.

[0007] Preferably, the automatic distance control is adjusted if it is determined that a false detection occurred several times at the position.

[0008] Preferably, the false detection is recognized when the automatic distance control detects an object and driver behavior is detected that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0009] Preferably, the false detection is recognized when the automatic distance control does not detect an object and driver behavior is detected that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0010] The device for automatic distance control of a vehicle is designed to acquire information about the environment of a vehicle's position, to perform automatic distance control based on this information, to check whether a false detection at the position is stored in a memory of the vehicle, and to adjust the automatic distance control based on the false detection and / or to store the false detection in a memory of the vehicle.

[0011] The device may be designed to store the false detection in a card at the location or to read it from a card at the location.

[0012] The device may be designed to adjust the automatic distance control if it is found that multiple false detections have occurred at the position.

[0013] It may be provided that the device is designed to detect driver behavior that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control, and wherein the device is designed to detect the false detection when the automatic distance control detects an object and detects driver behavior that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0014] It may be provided that the device is designed to detect driver behavior that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control, and wherein the device is designed to detect the false detection when the automatic distance control does not detect an object and detects driver behavior that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0015] It may be intended that the driver's behavior includes changing a target value to influence the vehicle's speed or acceleration. The target value is specified, for example, by an accelerator pedal or a brake.

[0016] Further advantageous embodiments can be found in the following description and the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a vehicle in an automatic distance control scenario, Fig. 2. A flowchart of a procedure for automatic distance control.

[0017] In Fig. Figure 1 schematically depicts a vehicle 100 in a scenario involving automatic distance control. In this scenario, vehicle 100 is moving on the right-hand lane of a road 101 towards a vehicle 102 parked on the right-hand lane.

[0018] In this example, vehicle 100 recognizes the parked vehicle 102 as a target object for the automatic distance control and not as a parked vehicle to be ignored.

[0019] This is an example of a false detection. Another example of a false detection is ignoring a vehicle traveling 100 km / h in front of the vehicle as a target object.

[0020] In this example, vehicle 100 includes a device 103 for automatic distance control of vehicle 100.

[0021] The device 103 or the vehicle 100 comprises a sensor 104 for acquiring information about an environment 105 and the position of the vehicle 101. In this example, the sensor 104 is a radar sensor. In this example, the environment 105 is located in front of the vehicle 100 in the direction of travel.

[0022] The device 102 is designed to perform the procedure described below.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a flowchart illustrating the steps of the procedure.

[0024] The procedure includes step 201.

[0025] In step 201, information about the surroundings of the position of vehicle 100 is recorded.

[0026] Step 202 is then executed.

[0027] Step 202 checks whether a false detection at position 100 is stored in the vehicle's memory. A stored false detection is read, for example, from a map at that position.

[0028] The false detection is recognized, for example, when the automatic distance control detects an object and a behavior of a driver of vehicle 100 is detected that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0029] The false detection is recognized, for example, when the automatic distance control does not detect an object and a behavior of a driver of vehicle 100 is detected that cancels or overrides the automatic distance control.

[0030] The driver's behavior includes, for example, changing a target value to influence the speed or acceleration of the vehicle 100.

[0031] If a false detection is logged, step 203 is executed. Otherwise, step 205 is executed.

[0032] In step 203, the automatic distance control is adjusted depending on the false detection. It may be configured that the automatic distance control is only adjusted if it is determined that multiple false detections occurred at a given position.

[0033] In step 204, the false detection at the specified location is stored in the vehicle's memory. The false detection is stored, for example, on a map at that location. It may be possible to record how often a false detection occurs at that location, or whether it occurred multiple times. It may also be possible to configure the system to only store the false detection if it occurred multiple times at that location.

[0034] It may be provided that steps 203 and 204 are executed at least temporarily overlapping or in a different order in the event of a detected false detection.

[0035] In step 205, automatic distance control is performed. This automatic distance control is performed based on the available information. If a false detection is detected, the automatic distance control is adjusted accordingly.

[0036] This represents a targeted adaptation of the adaptive cruise control to the recurring problem of false detection, with the aim of preventing it in the future. First, the false detection is identified. In the case of a parked vehicle 102, which is incorrectly identified as the target vehicle, this is easily recognizable by observing the driver's behavior. If the parked vehicle 102 is identified as the target vehicle, the driver will override the adaptive cruise control directly, for example, by pressing the accelerator pedal of vehicle 100. The adaptive cruise control will then very quickly lose the parked vehicle 102 as the target object. In this case, the false detection is annotated at the location on the map where vehicle 100 was positioned at the time of the activation. A false detection can also occur when a stationary vehicle is not detected.In this case, the automatic distance control would detect a target object with insufficient confidence. Nevertheless, the driver would brake quite abruptly.

[0037] After repeated occurrences of these specific scenarios at specific locations, the false detection or a reference to it can be recorded on the map. The false detection includes, for example, a description of the scenario or the respective problem. Upon passing through this specific location again, vehicle 100 can retrieve the false detection stored on the map and prevent further false detection or non-detection.

[0038] This adaptation is stored, for example, for each driver of the same vehicle (100 individually) in a local map, or for all drivers of the same vehicle (100 individually) in a shared map, or for multiple vehicles in a single map of the entire fleet. For example, a false detection is stored in the map of the entire fleet that relates to the same false detection at the same location and occurs frequently enough in the false detections collected by the vehicles of the entire fleet at that location. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 102017219127 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Method for automatic distance control of a vehicle (100), characterized by that information about an environment of a position of the vehicle (100) is detected (201), wherein the automatic distance control is carried out depending on the information (205), wherein it is checked (202) whether a false detection at the position is stored in a memory of the vehicle, and the automatic distance control is adapted depending on the false detection (203) if the false detection is stored and / or wherein the false detection at the position is stored in a memory of the vehicle (204). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the false detection is stored in a card at the position (204) or read from a card at the position (202). [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the automatic distance control is adjusted (203) if it is determined that a false detection occurred several times at the position. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the false detection is detected (202) when the automatic distance control detects an object and a behavior of a driver of the vehicle (100) is detected which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the false detection is detected (202) when the automatic distance control does not detect an object and a behavior of a driver of the vehicle (100) is detected which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control. [6] Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the driver's behavior includes changing a target value to influence the speed or acceleration of the vehicle. [7] Device (103) for automatically controlling the distance of a vehicle (100), characterized by in that the device (103) is designed to detect information about an environment of a position of the vehicle (100), to carry out the automatic distance control depending on the information, to check whether a false detection at the position is stored in a memory of the vehicle (100), and to adapt the automatic distance control based on the false detection and / or to store the false detection in a memory of the vehicle (100). [8] Device (103) according to claim 7, characterized by that the device (103) is designed to store the misdetection in a map at the position or to read it from a map at the position. [9] Device (103) according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized bythat the device (103) is designed to adapt the automatic distance control if it is determined that a false detection has occurred several times at the position. [10] Device (103) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by in that the device (103) is designed to detect a behavior of a driver of the vehicle which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control, and wherein the device (103) is designed to detect the false detection when the automatic distance control detects an object and the behavior of the driver of the vehicle (103) is detected which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control. [11] Device (103) according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized byin that the device is designed to detect a behavior of a driver of the vehicle (100) which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control, and wherein the device (103) is designed to detect the false detection when the automatic distance control does not detect an object and the behavior of the driver of the vehicle (100) is detected which aborts or overrides the automatic distance control. [12] Device (103) according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized by that the driver's behavior includes changing a target variable to influence a speed or acceleration of the vehicle (100).

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