CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A control device is provided for controlling or regulating the operation of a motor vehicle. The control device is designed to determine the course of a first boundary based on an environmental model of the motor vehicle, and to determine the course of a second boundary based on the same environmental model. The first boundary defines the maximum area that the motor vehicle may traverse, and the second boundary defines a further area that the motor vehicle may traverse, which lies entirely within the area defined by the first boundary and which the motor vehicle may leave for a predetermined period. The control device is designed to adjust the determined course of the second boundary in a section at the level of the motor vehicle such that the further area defined by the second boundary widens in this section and narrows with increasing distance from the motor vehicle.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device or control unit for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle having the control device, and / or a (control) method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, a computer program is provided which comprises instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially execute the method. Additionally or alternatively, a computer-readable medium is provided which comprises instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially execute the method.

[0002] Driver assistance systems are increasingly being installed in modern motor vehicles, especially automobiles. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are electronic, particularly mechatronic, devices in motor vehicles designed to support the driver in certain driving situations. The primary focus is often on safety aspects, but also on increasing driving comfort. Driver assistance systems can perform motion planning and, optionally based on this, lateral and / or longitudinal guidance of motor vehicles.

[0003] A trajectory or path plan can have comfort and safety limitation parameters. In the planning result, comfort limitation parameters may be violated for a short time. Safety limitation parameters may not be violated. Comfort limitation parameters are usually set much more strictly than safety limitation parameters. Safety limitation parameters can either correspond to the safe operating area or be a limited subset thereof. The limitation parameters for a plan can be acquired directly from environmental models. The environmental model can be estimated based on sensor data acquired by on- and / or offboard sensors. The environmental model can then be used to predict future changes in the vehicle's environment. Based on this, not only measured limitations (in particular lane estimation and thus, for example,This not only results in a predicted movement pattern for other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle (e.g., a drivable road area) at time t = 0, but also for t > 0 (i.e., in the future), from which, in turn, limiting parameters for planning can be derived. For example, limitations over time for the longitudinal movement of the vehicle can result from the predicted movement profile of a vehicle in front.

[0004] Noise, as well as sporadically occurring larger jumps in the odometry (especially the measured actual position) and the currently estimated course of a center line from the environment model can cause a violation of the comfort limitation parameters in the first part of the trajectories / path planning, which can lead to unstable steering behavior in laterally guided driver assistance functions.

[0005] This problem can also occur during longitudinal planning and cause undesired braking jerks, for example if the measured actual acceleration violates comfort limit parameters for an acceleration to be planned in a longitudinal planning or jumps occur in the object perception of the front object and this violates the comfort distance of the ego vehicle to a vehicle in front.

[0006] Against the background of this prior art, the object of the present disclosure is to provide a device and / or a method which are each suitable for enriching the prior art.

[0007] The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. The subordinate claims and the dependent claims each contain optional developments of the disclosure.

[0008] Accordingly, the object is achieved by a control device for controlling or regulating the operation of a motor vehicle, wherein the control device is designed to determine a course of a first boundary based on an environment model of the motor vehicle and to determine a course of a second boundary based on the environment model.

[0009] The first boundary delimits a maximum area that can be driven through by the motor vehicle, and the second boundary delimits a further area that can be driven through by the motor vehicle, which is located entirely within the area delimited by the first boundary and which the motor vehicle may leave for a predetermined period of time.

[0010] The control device is designed to adapt the course of the determined second boundary in a section at the level of the motor vehicle such that the further area delimited by the second boundary is widened in this section and decreases with increasing distance from the motor vehicle.

[0011] The control device or control unit can be part of a driver assistance system of the motor vehicle or represent it. The control device can be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU). The electronic control unit can be an intelligent processor-controlled unit that can communicate with other modules, for example, via a central gateway (CGW) and, if necessary, can form the vehicle's on-board network via fieldbuses such as the CAN bus, LIN bus, MOST bus, FlexRay, and / or via the automotive Ethernet, e.g., together with telematics control units and / or environmental sensors.

[0012] It is conceivable that the control device controls functions relevant to the vehicle's driving behavior, such as the steering, engine control, power transmission, and / or the braking system. Furthermore, driver assistance systems such as a parking assistant, adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane keeping assistant, lane change assistant, traffic sign recognition, traffic light recognition, start-off assistant, night vision assistant, and / or intersection assistant can be controlled by the control device.

[0013] Insofar as the terms "control" or "controlling" or "control" are used here, they are to be understood as "controlling or regulating" or "controlling or regulating," even if the latter is not explicitly stated. This also applies analogously to modified forms of the aforementioned terms.

[0014] An environment model can be understood as a model that includes information regarding static and / or dynamic objects in the environment of the motor vehicle and / or about the course of a roadway.

[0015] The environment model can be generated by the control device. The motor vehicle can have a sensor system that acquires sensor data, which in turn contains or includes the information on the basis of which the environment model is determined or created by the control device. Sensor data fusion can be used to create the environment model.

[0016] The first limit may be information that includes or consists of the safety limitation parameters described above.

[0017] The second limit may be information that includes or consists of the comfort limitation parameters described above.

[0018] The maximum accessible area can therefore be understood as an area that the motor vehicle is not allowed to leave.

[0019] The further area delimited by the second boundary and accessible to the motor vehicle can therefore be understood as an area in which the motor vehicle should preferably stay, but which can be left for the predetermined period of time.

[0020] The term "area" refers to a spatial area or region around the motor vehicle. If the specific areas are to be used for automated lateral guidance of the motor vehicle, the two areas can be delimited laterally by their respective boundaries, i.e., to the left and / or right, as seen from the motor vehicle.

[0021] If the specific areas are to be used for automated longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle, the two areas can be limited by their respective boundaries as seen from the motor vehicle in the direction of travel, i.e. to the front and / or to the rear.

[0022] In both cases, the boundaries can specify not only a spatial area but also a temporal area. In other words, the boundaries can specify not only where the motor vehicle must be, but also when it must be where.

[0023] It is also conceivable that the areas are used for automated transverse and longitudinal guidance, in which case the above description applies analogously.

[0024] The course can refer to an imaginary line in the environment model that extends along an (outer) boundary of the areas described above. In the case of a spatial boundary, the course of the boundary therefore indicates the position of an outer contour of the respective (driving) area. The course can be defined, for example, by a function, e.g., a polynomial or a polynomial line or spline.

[0025] The device described above offers a number of advantages. Among other things, it ensures that violations of comfort constraints can be prevented by selecting them in close proximity to the vehicle, even in the case of jumps or sudden changes in the actual position, actual direction of travel, actual speed, and / or actual acceleration of the vehicle (e.g., because these have been fully or partially measured) that define an initial state for path or trajectory planning. Unwanted steering corrections and braking judder can therefore be minimized. However, it is still ensured that the safety constraints are not violated.

[0026] Possible further developments of the device described above are explained in detail below.

[0027] The control device can be designed to adapt the course of the second boundary such that the further area delimited by the second boundary is maximal (large) at the beginning of a predefined planning horizon (in width and / or length, and / or time).

[0028] The planning horizon can be understood as a spatial and / or temporal area for which the boundaries and thus the areas are to be determined. In one example, this area can begin at the level of the motor vehicle and extend a predefined number of meters in front of the motor vehicle. In another example, this area can begin at the level of the motor vehicle and extend a predefined number of meters in front of the motor vehicle, which are covered within a predetermined period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) based on a current and / or planned speed and / or acceleration of the motor vehicle. The area defining the planning horizon can also be spatially limited laterally. It is also conceivable that the planning horizon is defined by the environment model or its boundaries. The above statements regarding the areas whose boundaries are determined apply analogously to the planning horizon.

[0029] Because the second boundary can be chosen to be as wide as possible at the beginning of the planning horizon, where jumps in the actual state (see above) of the vehicle have a particularly strong impact on the path or trajectory planning, violations of the second boundary or the comfort restrictions can be prevented with high reliability.

[0030] The control device may be configured to determine a starting point through which the second boundary passes at the beginning of the planning horizon based on the course of the first boundary.

[0031] The control device may be configured to determine the starting point by subtracting a predetermined offset from a point through which the first boundary passes at the beginning of the predefined planning horizon according to its determined course.

[0032] Theoretically, it's also conceivable that the offset could be set to zero. This means that the comfort constraint at the beginning of the planning horizon could also be equal to the safety constraint.

[0033] The first and / or the second boundary can laterally delimit the maximum or further passable area as seen from the motor vehicle.

[0034] As already explained above, this is advantageous when planning automated lateral guidance. The lateral boundary can be based on the roadway layout and objects (e.g., other road users) in the environment model.

[0035] The control device can be designed to determine a length of the section in which the further area delimited by the second boundary is widened at the level of the motor vehicle, based on a speed of the motor vehicle.

[0036] The length may correspond to an extension of the section along a direction of travel of the motor vehicle and / or along a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.

[0037] It is conceivable that the length of the section increases with increasing speed of the motor vehicle.

[0038] This offers the advantage that violations of the comfort restrictions can be prevented even at high speeds, where the jumps described above tend to be more severe.

[0039] The control device can be designed to determine a path to be traveled by the motor vehicle such that the motor vehicle moving along the path is at all times completely within the maximum drivable area delimited by the first boundary and leaves the area delimited by the second boundary for a maximum of the predetermined period of time.

[0040] In addition, the control device can be designed to control or regulate a transverse and / or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle such that the motor vehicle moves automatically along the specific path.

[0041] A path can be understood as spatial information, i.e., where the vehicle is supposed to be. The path can also contain temporal information, i.e., when the vehicle is supposed to be where. In the latter case, the path is referred to as a trajectory.

[0042] The above description can be summarized in other words and in a possible more concrete embodiment of the disclosure as described below, whereby the following description should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure.

[0043] The comfort restrictions can be widened in the first part of the planning horizon. An initial maximum value for the comfort restrictions can be set at time 0 of the planning period. This maximum value is less than or equal to the safety restrictions. The restrictions can then be interpolated forward along the centerline until they reach the desired, tighter target comfort restrictions. The length of the area with widened barriers can be speed-dependent. It is conceivable that this area is longer at higher speeds and shorter at lower speeds.

[0044] This means that even if the initial planning state changes (e.g. because it has been completely or partially measured), the comfort constraints are not violated and the vehicle's movement can be planned comfortably.

[0045] In some situations, it may be advantageous to expand safety constraints in a similar manner. The expanded range may exceed the initially estimated hard safety limits.

[0046] Furthermore, a motor vehicle with the control unit or control device described above is provided.

[0047] The motor vehicle may be a passenger car, in particular an automobile, and / or a commercial vehicle, such as a truck.

[0048] The motor vehicle may be automated. The motor vehicle may be configured to at least partially and / or at least temporarily assume longitudinal and / or lateral guidance during automated driving of the motor vehicle by means of the control device.

[0049] Automated driving can be implemented in such a way that the motor vehicle's movement is (largely) autonomous. Automated driving can be controlled at least partially and / or temporarily by the control device.

[0050] It is conceivable that a driver assistance system could actively intervene in the lateral guidance of the vehicle, e.g., by adjusting the current steering wheel position, and optionally passively, e.g., by displaying a turn-by-turn instruction. The same applies to the longitudinal guidance of the vehicle.

[0051] The motor vehicle may be a motor vehicle with autonomy level 0, i.e. the driver assumes the dynamic driving task, even if supporting systems (e.g. ABS or ESP) are present.

[0052] The motor vehicle may be a Level 1 autonomy motor vehicle, i.e. it may have certain driver assistance systems that support the driver in operating the vehicle, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC).

[0053] The motor vehicle may be a motor vehicle of autonomy level 2, i.e. be so partially automated that functions such as automatic parking, lane keeping or lateral guidance, general longitudinal guidance, acceleration and / or braking are taken over by driver assistance systems.

[0054] The motor vehicle can be a Level 3 autonomy vehicle, meaning it is so conditionally automated that the driver does not need to continuously monitor the vehicle system. The vehicle performs functions such as activating the turn signal, changing lanes, and / or keeping in lane independently. The driver can attend to other activities but will be prompted by the system to take over driving if necessary within a pre-warning period.

[0055] The motor vehicle can be a Level 4 autonomy vehicle, meaning it can be so highly automated that the vehicle's control system permanently assumes control of the vehicle. If the system can no longer handle the driving tasks, the driver can be requested to take over.

[0056] The motor vehicle can be a Level 5 autonomy vehicle, meaning it is so fully automated that the driver is not required to perform the driving task. No human intervention is required other than setting the destination and starting the system. The motor vehicle can operate without a steering wheel or pedals.

[0057] What has been described above with reference to the control device also applies analogously to the motor vehicle and vice versa.

[0058] Furthermore, a method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle is provided, the method comprising determining a course of a first boundary based on an environmental model of the motor vehicle and determining a course of a second boundary based on the environmental model. The first boundary delimits a maximum area that can be driven through by the motor vehicle. The second boundary delimits a further area that can be driven through by the motor vehicle, which area is located entirely within the area delimited by the first boundary and which the motor vehicle may leave for a predetermined period of time. The method comprises adapting the determined course of the second boundary in a section at the level of the motor vehicle, such that the further area delimited by the second boundary is widened in this section and decreases with increasing distance from the motor vehicle.

[0059] The (control) method may be a computer-implemented method, i.e. one, several or all steps of the method may be carried out at least partially by a computer or a data processing device, optionally the control device.

[0060] What has been described above with reference to the control device and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the method and vice versa.

[0061] Furthermore, a computer program is provided, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially carry out or carry out the method described above.

[0062] A program code of the computer program may be in any code, in particular in a code suitable for motor vehicle controls.

[0063] What has been described above with reference to the control device, the motor vehicle and the method also applies analogously to the computer program and vice versa.

[0064] Furthermore, a computer-readable medium, in particular a computer-readable storage medium, is provided. The computer-readable medium comprises instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to at least partially execute or carry out the method described above.

[0065] This means that a computer-readable medium can be provided that contains a computer program as defined above. The computer-readable medium can be any digital data storage device, such as a USB flash drive, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an SD card, or an SSD card (or SSD drive / SSD hard disk).

[0066] The computer program does not necessarily have to be stored on such a computer-readable storage medium in order to be made available to the motor vehicle, but can also be obtained via the Internet or otherwise externally.

[0067] What has been described above with reference to the method, the control device, the computer program and the motor vehicle also applies analogously to the computer-readable medium and vice versa.

[0068] Below is an optional embodiment with reference to Fig. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 shows schematically a motor vehicle with a control device according to the disclosure, Fig. 2 shows the motor vehicle in a possible driving situation in which a method according to the disclosure can be applied, and Fig. 3 schematically shows a flow diagram of the disclosed method for controlling operation of the motor vehicle.

[0069] The Fig. 1, the motor vehicle 1 shown only schematically has an apparently inappropriate control device 2 and a sensor system 3 connected thereto.

[0070] In Fig. 2, the motor vehicle 1 is shown in a bird's eye view (BEV) according to an environment model 10. The motor vehicle 1 is located on a roadway 5 with a center line 6, wherein in the direction of travel (from left to right in Fig. 2) another motor vehicle 4 merges into lane 5 in front of motor vehicle 1. This driving situation is used as an example for the following description of the method 100 according to the disclosure.

[0071] The control device 2 of the motor vehicle 1 is designed to carry out the following with reference to Fig. 3 (control) procedures 100 described in detail.

[0072] In a first step 101 of the method 100, the control device 2 determines the environment model 10 of the motor vehicle 1 (the top view of which in Fig. 2, see above) based on environmental information received by the sensor system 3 in the form of sensor data.

[0073] In a second step 102 of the method 100, the control device 2 determines a course of a first hard limit 9 based on the environment model 10 of the motor vehicle 1 determined in the first step S1. This is a so-called safety restriction which the motor vehicle 1 may not exceed or drive over in the further course of the journey.

[0074] In the present case, this first hard boundary 9 initially runs parallel to the lateral edges of the roadway 5, viewed in the direction of travel, and then bends inwards towards the center line 6 after the motor vehicle 1 has passed. The course of the first hard boundaries 9 is selected with a predetermined safety distance from the respective edge 5 so that the motor vehicle 1 can be prevented from leaving the roadway 5 with a sufficiently high probability and thus safely. The additional motor vehicle 4 contained in the environment model 10, or more precisely its outer boundary or contour, represents a second hard boundary 8, the course of which is also determined by the control device 2. The first and second hard boundaries 8, 9 thus define a maximum area 11 that can be driven through by the motor vehicle 1 or, in this case, delimit this area laterally as seen from the motor vehicle 1.Consequently, trajectory planning must be carried out which prevents the motor vehicle 1 from crossing these two hard boundaries 8, 9.

[0075] In a third step 103 of the method 100, the control device 2 of the motor vehicle 1 determines a course of a soft boundary 7 based on the environment model 10.

[0076] The soft boundary 7 is a so-called comfort restriction and in this case delimits a further area 12 that can be driven through by the motor vehicle 1. This further area 12 is located entirely within the area 11 delimited by the two hard boundaries 8, 9 and may be left by the motor vehicle 1 for a predetermined period of time.

[0077] The further area 12 delimited by the second boundary is at the beginning of a predefined planning horizon, here the rear or in the direction of travel Fig.3 left end of the environment model 10, maximum. A starting point through which the soft boundary 7 passes is determined at the beginning of the planning horizon based on the course of the first hard boundary 9. More specifically, the control device 2 determines the starting point by subtracting a predetermined offset from a point through which the first hard boundary 9 passes at the beginning of the predefined planning horizon according to its determined course.

[0078] Starting from this starting point, the soft boundary 7 runs in a first section 13 in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 parallel to the first hard boundary 9, coincides with the second hard boundary 8 formed by the further motor vehicle 4, and bends inwards in the direction of the center line 6 like the first hard boundary 9 (no error, but the second boundary has a lower number than the first) in the further course after passing the motor vehicle 1.

[0079] The course of the soft boundary 7 determined by the control device 2 is accordingly adapted or selected in the section 13 at the level of the motor vehicle 1 by the control device 2 such that the further area 12 delimited by the soft boundary 7 is widened in the section 13 and thus at the level of the motor vehicle 1 and decreases or tapers in plan view as the distance from the motor vehicle 1 increases in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1.

[0080] The length of the section 13, in particular the projection beyond the motor vehicle 1 in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1, in which the further area delimited by the second boundary is widened at the level of the motor vehicle, is determined by the control device 2 based on a speed of the motor vehicle 1.

[0081] In a fourth step 104 of the method 100, the control device 2 determines a path to be traveled by the motor vehicle 1 such that the motor vehicle 1 moving along the path is always located entirely within the maximum passable area 11 delimited by the hard boundary 8, 9 and leaves the area 12 delimited by the soft boundary 7 for a maximum of the predetermined (i.e., permissible) period of time. In the present case, the determined path can correspond to the center line 6.

[0082] In a fifth step 105 of the method 100, the control device 2 controls or regulates a transverse and / or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle 1 such that the motor vehicle 1 moves automatically along the specific path, here the center line 6.

[0083] The method 100 described above is continuously executed by the control device 2 in order to drive the motor vehicle 1 automatically. List of reference symbols 1 motor vehicle 2 Control device 3 Sensor system 4 additional motor vehicles 5 Roadway 6 Center line 7 Comfort limit parameters or soft limit 8, 9 Safety limit parameters or hard limits 10 Environmental model 11 maximum passable area 12 preferred driving area within the comfort limitation parameters 13 Section in which the preferential traffic area is widened 100 procedures 101-105 Procedural steps

Claims

[1] Control device (2) for controlling or regulating the operation of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the control device (2) is designed to: - to determine a course of a first boundary (8, 9) based on an environment model (10) of the motor vehicle (1), and - to determine a course of a second boundary (7) based on the environment model (10), - wherein the first boundary (8, 9) delimits a maximum area (11) that can be driven through by the motor vehicle (1), and - wherein the second boundary (7) delimits a further area (12) which can be driven through by the motor vehicle (1), which area is located entirely within the area (11) delimited by the first boundary (8, 9) and which the motor vehicle (1) may leave for a predetermined period of time, characterized by that the control device (2) is designed to: -to adapt the specific course of the second boundary (7) in a section (13) at the level of the motor vehicle (1) in such a way that the further area (12) delimited by the second boundary (7) is widened in this section (13) and decreases with increasing distance from the motor vehicle (1). [2] Control device (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the control device (2) is designed to adapt the course of the second boundary (7) such that the further area (12) delimited by the second boundary (7) is at a maximum at the beginning of a predefined planning horizon. [3] Control device (2) according to claim 2, characterized by in that the control device (2) is designed to determine a starting point through which the second boundary (7) runs, at the beginning of the planning horizon based on the course of the first boundary (8, 9). [4] Control device (2) according to claim 3, characterized byin that the control device (2) is designed to determine the starting point by subtracting a predetermined offset from a point through which the first boundary (8, 9) runs at the beginning of the predefined planning horizon according to its determined course. [5] Control device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by in that the control device (2) is designed to determine a length of the section (13) in which the further region (12) delimited by the second boundary (7) is widened at the level of the motor vehicle (1), based on a speed of the motor vehicle (1). [6] Control device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the control device (2) is designed to: - to determine a path to be travelled by the motor vehicle (1) such that the motor vehicle (1) moving along the path is at all times completely within the maximum drivable area (11) delimited by the first boundary (8, 9) and leaves the area (12) delimited by the second boundary (7) for a maximum of the predetermined period of time, and - a transverse and / or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle (1) is controlled or regulated in such a way that the motor vehicle (1) moves automatically along the determined path. [7] Motor vehicle (1), characterized by that the motor vehicle (1) comprises the control device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6. [8] Method (100) for controlling an operation of a motor vehicle (1), the method (100) comprising: - determining (102) a course of a first boundary (8, 9) based on an environment model (10) of the motor vehicle (1), and - determining (103) a course of a second boundary (7) based on the environment model (10), - wherein the first boundary (8, 9) delimits a maximum area (11) that can be driven through by the motor vehicle (1), and - wherein the second boundary (7) delimits a further area (12) which can be driven through by the motor vehicle (1), which area is located entirely within the area (11) delimited by the first boundary (8, 9) and which the motor vehicle (1) may leave for a predetermined period of time, characterized by that the method (100) comprises: - adapting the specific course of the second boundary (7) in a section (13) at the level of the motor vehicle (1) so that the further area (12) delimited by the second boundary (7) is widened in this section (13) and decreases with increasing distance from the motor vehicle (1). [9] Computer program, characterized bythat the computer program comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to claim 8. [10] Computer-readable medium, characterized by that the computer-readable medium comprises instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to claim 8.

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