Method for controlling acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle

Abstract

A method is described for controlling acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle with a rider using at least one vehicle sensor arranged on the vehicle, wherein position data of the rider on the vehicle are determined and wherein a combination of position data of the rider in the longitudinal and vertical direction of the vehicle and / or a change in the position data of the rider relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is determined.

Description

The invention relates to a method for regulating acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle, to a control unit or a computer program product for carrying it out, and to a vehicle having the same.Prior ArtIt is known that the driving behavior of single-lane vehicles, in particular during acceleration and deceleration processes, depends inter alia on the seat position of the corresponding occupant or driver. During high deceleration braking operations, the occupant is pushed forward and during acceleration operations, the center of gravity of the occupant moves rearward relative to the vehicle. In the case of excessively strong acceleration or deceleration processes, there is the risk of a control loss by the occupant caused by the large acceleration forces which act on the occupant.In this regard, for example, various sensor-based safety systems for motorbikes are known. For example, WO 2020 / 202262 A1 discloses an assistance system for single-lane vehicles, which comprises a sensor for detecting the body position of an occupant and means for correcting the driving behavior of the corresponding vehicle.Furthermore, DE2017 / 212697 A1 discloses a single-lane vehicle which comprises a system for autonomous braking of a vehicle. To carry out autonomous braking, a cognitive presence of the driver is monitored.Furthermore, WO 2020 / 169227 discloses a method for determining the position of an occupant on a vehicle, in which personal sensor signals and driving-related sensor signals are used.A control device for a motorcycle is also known from DE 10 2018 202 019 A1, having a driver assistance system which is designed for the regulating intervention in a drive system and / or a steering system of the motorcycle.Disclosure of the InventionThe present invention relates to a method for regulating acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle, to a control device and to a computer program product for carrying it out, and to a vehicle having a corresponding control device having the characterizing features of the independent patent claims.According to the invention, a method is provided which serves for the regulation of acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle, wherein the position data of an occupant on the vehicle are determined. In this case, a combination of position data of the occupant in the longitudinal direction and in the height direction of the vehicle is monitored or determined and / or a change in the position data of the occupant relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is monitored or determined.Advantages of the aforementioned method consist, for example, in that it is made possible, on the basis of vehicle sensors for determining the position of an occupant on the vehicle, to monitor the posture thereof or possibly occurring movements relative to the vehicle and to include it in the regulation of acceleration or deceleration processes of the vehicle. This serves in particular to prevent a possible loss of control of a vehicle occupant.Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.It is thus advantageous if a relative speed of the occupant with respect to the vehicle is determined on the basis of the change in position data of the occupant relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This procedure makes it possible to detect a loss of control of the driver relatively early by virtue of the fact that a relative movement of the driver in or against the direction of travel of the vehicle, which movement is unusual for a seated driver, occurs and is detected.It is furthermore advantageous if the position data of a vehicle occupant mentioned are ascertained by means of a radar sensor. The advantage is that radar sensors can ascertain position data of objects in the surroundings of a vehicle and thus also of an occupant of a vehicle in a reliable and weather-independent manner. Furthermore, the position data can be determined by means of an optical sensor, in particular by means of a PMD or TOF sensor. A PMD sensor is understood to mean an optical sensor in the form of a photonic mixing device, the functional principle of which is based on a time of flight (TOF) method. The particular advantage of such a sensor is based on its small size and its ability to detect rapid movements in real time as well.It is furthermore advantageous if it is determined whether position data of the occupant in the height direction and / or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle exceeds or falls below a predefined threshold value. Thus, for example, when a predefined threshold value is exceeded in the height direction, a stationary driver is assumed. In the case of a stationary driver, a higher risk of a loss of control during unexpectedly deployed acceleration or braking processes may be suspected.If a predefined threshold value for possible position data of the occupant in the height or longitudinal direction of the vehicle is undershot, a seated driver is presumed. In the first case, in particular the highest position data in the height direction of the vehicle, which can be assigned to an occupant of the vehicle, are used.In addition, it is advantageous if, if a threshold value of the relative speed of a passenger with respect to the vehicle is exceeded during an acceleration or deceleration process of the vehicle, a loss of control of the passenger with respect to the operation of the vehicle is assumed in particular.According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, an acceleration and / or deceleration power present on the vehicle is adapted, in particular reduced, when a control loss of a passenger of a vehicle is detected. This prevents a possible further loss of control of the driver with respect to the vehicle.According to the invention, a control unit for a vehicle is also provided, which is configured to carry out the method according to the invention described above. The invention likewise relates to a vehicle having the aforementioned control device. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a computer program product having a program code which is designed to carry out steps of a method of the type described above when the computer program product runs in a control device of the aforementioned type.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGAdvantageous embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawing and described in more detail in the following description of the figures.It shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a single-lane vehicle with occupants in a side view, and FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention according to one possible embodiment.DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURESIn FIG. 1, a single-lane vehicle with a passenger according to a possible embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown. In this case, the vehicle 10, which is for example an in particular motorized single-lane vehicle such as a motorcycle, a pedelec or an e-bike or is a non-motorized single-lane vehicle for example in the form of a bicycle, comprises a sensor unit 12 which comprises for example a radar or a TOF or PMD sensor. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 comprises, for example, an instrument unit 14 to which the sensor unit 12 is attached, and, for example, a driver assistance system 16 which is embodied, for example, as a control unit or contains it. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can have a front sensor 18 for detecting the near-field environment. The sensor unit 12, in which a radar or TOF sensor is preferably integrated, serves for capturing the position data of an occupant of the vehicle 10.The particular advantage of using a radar sensor for detecting a position of a passenger of the vehicle 10 is that the position determination by means of a radar sensor can be carried out largely independently of environmental conditions of the vehicle 10, such as rain or possible soiling of the vehicle. The influence of possible vibrations, as occur, for example, in the case of internal combustion engine bicycles and usually lead to an impairment of the measurement function of optical sensors, can likewise be eliminated by using a radar sensor with suitable signal processing filters. Furthermore, a position determination of the driver is possible by means of a radar sensor even in the case of inadequate lighting conditions.In addition, the position data can be determined by means of an optical sensor, in particular by means of a PMD or TOF sensor. The particular advantage of such a sensor is based on its small size and its ability to detect rapid movements in real time as well. Here too, vibrations of the vehicle can be eliminated as part of the signal acquisition and evaluation.The position of the occupant or driver relative to the vehicle 10 is determined by means of the sensor unit 12, wherein a radar or TOF sensor of the sensor unit 12 is directed at the driver or occupant. Furthermore, on the basis of the data of the sensor unit 12, positions of the occupant or driver are classified by comparison with predefined positions which are characteristic of, in particular, specific acceleration or deceleration processes of the vehicle 10. This can relate, for example, to an adapted operation of emergency braking systems.The classification is carried out in such a way that it is detected, for example, whether a passenger or driver of the vehicle 10 is positioned in a standing or seated position, and the classification as to whether a passenger or motorcycl driver is moving with an unacceptably high relative speed with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction. This may be the case, for example, during acceleration or deceleration processes.With the aid of such a classification, the strength of controlled or automated braking or acceleration interventions can be adjusted as required in real time by the driver assistance system 16, so that controllability individual to the driver is ensured even in such a driving situation of the vehicle 10. This reduces the risk of accidents due, at least in part, to the intervention of automated braking systems, improves the driving experience for a passenger of the vehicle 10, and thus increases acceptance for driver assistance systems generally on a single-lane vehicle, such as a motorcycle.In addition, such a driver assistance system 16 also allows estimation of the driving state of the vehicle 10 by detecting the driver position with respect to a vehicle transverse direction, for example, and thus also enables the development of future assistance systems which rely on such estimation.FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the method according to the invention, which is implemented, for example, in a control device of the vehicle assistance system 16 according to FIG. 1. In the context of method 20 according to the invention, raw signal data of a radar or TOF sensor of sensor unit 12 are initially acquired, for example, in the context of multiple successive time steps 22 a- 22 e, for example, at a frequency of 15 Hz, and are combined to form a collection of raw signal points in a second method step 24.In this case, for example, measurement field fluctuations or else temporarily missing reflections of radar signals or optical signals are compensated for in individual time segments. In a third method step 26, the raw signal points are checked on the basis of their position information and on the basis of predefined threshold values with respect to minimum or maximum distances of the detected raw signal points with respect to the sensor unit 12, for example in all three spatial directions, and raw signal points that exceed at least one of the aforementioned threshold values are discriminated and sorted out. It is thus ensured that only raw signal points are used for the further evaluation, the distance or position of which relative to the sensor unit 12 is plausible for the detection of an occupant or driver on the vehicle 10.In a fourth method step 28, the remaining signal points are classified into data clusters and also into possible noise points by means of a clustering algorithm, such as DBSCAN, for example. As noise points, signal points are considered which cannot be assigned to any of the predefined clusters. A point cloud of signal points with a predefined similarity with respect to their location coordinates is considered as a cluster. The cluster, which after classification has the majority of signal points, is then used further in the context of the fifth method step 30.The selected cluster with, for example, most signal points is then subjected in the fifth method step 30 to the calculation of a center point, in particular using all signal points of the cluster or of the spatial coordinates thereof in all three spatial directions. This calculated center point of the selected cluster is interpreted, for example, as the position of an occupant or driver of the vehicle 10.It is indeed not ensured at first that the same region of the driver's body is detected by the radar or TOF sensor of the sensor unit 12 at each measurement time. For example, at a first time, the region of the driver's head, for example with a helmet, and at another measurement time, the upper bodies of the driver can be detected by classifying the signal points. If, for example, the detected signal points are assigned to specific body parts or a corresponding fitting with respect to a body representation, this enables a better interpretability of the position of the occupant or driver. This can be effected, for example, in the context of a sixth method step 32. Alternatively, it is also possible to carry out the fifth and sixth method steps 30, 32 in the reverse sequence.For a further classification of the driver position with regard to the question of whether a driver is in a stationary or seated position on the vehicle 10, for example, the highest signal point of the signal points determined in the second method step 26 is used and its location coordinate in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10 is used. Preferably, it is further checked whether the location coordinates of the relevant point in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10 fall below a predetermined threshold value. If both are the case, a stationary driver is assumed. However, this can alternatively also be assumed when the highest detected signal point with respect to its location coordinate in the height direction of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined threshold value.With respect to the location coordinate in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, alternatively, the location coordinate of the center point of the selected cluster can be used.For the alternative or additional determination of the relative speed of the driver of a vehicle 10, the signal points determined according to a preselection according to second method step 26 are subjected to a temporal comparison and radar signals or optical signals of sensor unit 12 at different times are used for this purpose. In an eighth method step 36, a change in location coordinates of an occupant or driver of the vehicle 10 as a function of time is detected, and thus an average relative speed of the driver with respect to the vehicle 10, for example, is detected.If this relative speed exceeds a predefined threshold value, then in a ninth method step 38 a deceleration present at the given point in time or an acceleration present at the given point in time of the vehicle 10 is reduced by means of the driver assistance system 16. This prevents a loss of control of the occupant or driver of the vehicle 10. In this case, it is possible in principle to distinguish cases in which a driver shows an unacceptably high relative speed with respect to the vehicle 10 in the direction of travel, which is usually associated with an excessively strong deceleration process of the vehicle 10, or a relative speed counter to the direction of travel of the vehicle 10, which can be associated with an unacceptably strong acceleration process of the vehicle.Alternatively to predefined threshold values, hysteresis bands can also be used in the method described above, in order to avoid, for example, in limit cases during the classification of a position of the driver, too frequent switching of the actuators of a vehicle on the basis of a classification result located in the vicinity of a predefined threshold value.References 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 citedWO 2020 / 202262 A1

[0003] DE 2017 / 212697 A1

[0004] WO 2020 / 169227

[0005] DE 10 2018 202 019 A1

[0006]

Claims

Method for regulating acceleration or deceleration processes of a vehicle with a seat with the aid of at least one vehicle sensor arranged on the vehicle, wherein position data of the seat are determined on the vehicle, characterized in that a combination of position data of the seat in the longitudinal and height direction of the vehicle and / or a change in the position data of the seat relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is determined.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that a relative speed of the occupant with respect to the vehicle is determined on the basis of the change in the position data of the occupant relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the position data of the occupant on the vehicle are determined by means of at least one radar sensor or an optical sensor, in particular by means of a PMD or TOF sensor.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is determined whether position data of the occupant in the height direction and / or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle exceed a predefined threshold value.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is determined whether a relative speed of the occupant with respect to the vehicle in the height direction and / or in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle exceeds a predefined threshold value.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, if a threshold value of the position data of the occupant in the height direction of the vehicle is exceeded and a threshold value of the position data of the occupant in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is simultaneously undershot, an occupant located in a non-seated, in particular stationary, posture on the vehicle is ascertained.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, if a threshold value of the position data of the occupant in the height direction of the vehicle is not exceeded, an occupant located in a seated posture on the vehicle is determined.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in order to determine whether position data of the occupant in the height direction of the vehicle exceed a predefined threshold value, the highest position data of the occupant in the height direction of the vehicle assigned to the occupant are used.Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that, if a threshold value of the relative speed of the occupant with respect to the vehicle is exceeded, a loss of control of the occupant with respect to the operation of the vehicle is determined.Method according to one of Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, when a stationary occupant and / or a control loss of the occupant is detected, an acceleration and / or deceleration power currently present on the vehicle is changed, in particular reduced.Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the change in the acceleration and / or deceleration power currently present on the vehicle takes place in a predefined correlation with a measure of the determined exceedance of a threshold value of position data assigned to the occupant and / or with a measure of the determined exceedance of a threshold value of the determined relative speed of the occupant with respect to the vehicle.Control device for a vehicle, configured to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.Vehicle, in particular motorized vehicle (10), preferably motorized two-wheeler, having a control device according to Claim 12.A computer program product comprising program code adapted to perform steps of a method according to any of claims 1 to 11 when the computer program product is run in a control apparatus according to claim 12.

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