Method for outputting information to a vehicle user, computer program product and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for outputting information to a vehicle user depending on a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor (1). The method according to the invention is characterized by the following process steps performed by a vehicle-integrated processing unit (2): - Monitoring a signal channel assigned to a vehicle-integrated control device (3); - when actuation of the control device (3) is registered via the signal channel: - Detecting the actual tire pressure (ACTUAL) supplied by the tire pressure sensor (1) and comparing the actual tire pressure (ACTUAL) with a predetermined target tire pressure (TARGET); and - Controlling a vehicle-external lighting device (4) and / or a vehicle-external loudspeaker (5) to output a first light pattern (LM-1) and / or sound pattern as long as the actual tire pressure (ACTUAL) deviates from the target tire pressure (TARGET) by a defined tolerance value (6);and- Controlling the vehicle's external lighting device (4) and / or the vehicle's external loudspeaker (5) to output a second light pattern (LM-2) and / or sound pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure (ACTUAL) below the specified tolerance value (6) matches the target tire pressure (TARGET).

Description

The invention relates to a method for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor, to a computer program product and to a vehicle.Vehicles such as passenger cars typically have pneumatic tires. To ensure reliable operation, the tire pressure should be within a permissible value range. If the tire pressure is too high, air should be taken from the tire and correspondingly air should be replenished if the tire pressure is too low. In particular, the tire pressure is to be adapted to the load of the vehicle. The tire pressure may be monitored using tire pressure sensors integrated into the wheels of the vehicle.Deviations often occur between the measurement quality of the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors and the corresponding manometers of compressors that can be used for filling the pneumatic tires. Such compressors may be available for use in the form of mobile or stationary units at a workshop or a gas station. The vehicle user can adjust the tire pressure using such compressors. The process for filling or emptying the pneumatic tires can be automatically ended under the control of the compressor when the manometer contained in the compressor reaches a target value preset by the user. The user can also monitor the manometer manually and end the tire pressure setting process manually. Due to the deviation of the measurement quality for determining the pressure between the compressor used and the tire pressure sensors, it may occur that even shortly after the start of the trip the host vehicle indicates an excessively high or excessively low tire pressure despite the correction of the tire pressure.The compressors provided in public space are often insufficiently calibrated or maintained, so that in such a case priority should be given to the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors. This has the consequence that the vehicle user has to drive back to the service station or gas station in order to carry out the process for filling or emptying the pneumatic tires again. This has a disadvantageous effect on the user experience. If the vehicle user fails to subsequently correct the tire pressure, there is the risk that a trip will take place with tires inflated too much or too weakly. This can jeopardize the safety in road traffic.There is thus a need to avoid such situations.From DE 10 2017 119 240 A1 a vehicle state notification device and a vehicle with such a device is known. The publication describes monitoring the tire pressure of a vehicle and controlling a lighting device of the vehicle as a function of the measured tire pressure. Thus, at least two different light patterns can be emitted via the lighting devices of the vehicle, wherein a first light pattern indicates a correct function and the second light pattern indicates a fault. This allows the vehicle user to be visually informed if the tire pressure is too low. The headlights, a daytime running light or also the direction indicator can be used as the lighting device. Lamps installed at the front of the vehicle as well as lamps installed at the rear may be used. The monitoring of the tire pressure and the activation of the lighting device are initiated by detecting the exit of the vehicle-guiding person from the vehicle.The present invention is based on the object of specifying an improved method for outputting information to a vehicle user, with the aid of which method a vehicle user can be assisted in correctly setting his tire pressure.According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for outputting information to a vehicle user having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and refinements, and a computer program product and a vehicle for providing or executing the method, are evident from the claims dependent thereon.A method of the generic type for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor is developed according to the invention by the following method steps carried out by a vehicle-internal computing unit:monitoring a signal channel assigned to an on-board control device;when an actuation of the operating means is registered via the signal channel:detecting the actual tire pressure supplied by the tire pressure sensor and comparing the actual tire pressure with a predetermined setpoint tire pressure; andactivating an external-vehicle lighting device and / or an external-vehicle loudspeaker to output a first light pattern and / or noise pattern, as long as the actual tire pressure deviates from the setpoint tire pressure by a specified tolerance value; andactivating the vehicle-external lighting device to output a second light pattern or deactivating the lighting device and / or activating the vehicle-external loudspeaker to output a second noise pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure below the defined tolerance value matches the setpoint tire pressure.With the aid of the method according to the invention, the vehicle user can be assisted in manually correcting the tire pressure of his vehicle. Thus, the tire pressure measured by the corresponding tire pressure sensor can be communicated to the vehicle user via the lighting device and / or the loudspeaker during the filling or emptying of the corresponding tires. If this is too low or too high, the first light pattern or noise pattern is output. This conveys to the vehicle user that even more air is to be filled into the tire or removed from it. Even if the compressor used by the vehicle user already indicates that the desired tire pressure has been reached, the filling or emptying process can be continued even further until the vehicle also indicates that the desired tire pressure has been reached. Due to the higher measurement quality described above on the part of the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors, the reliability is thereby increased, that the actual tire pressure actually corresponds to the desired tire pressure.This in turn reduces the risk that the vehicle user must briefly carry out a corresponding tire pressure correction process again on account of an incorrectly set tire pressure. In addition, the risk of driving at an insufficiently high or low tire pressure is reduced, which improves safety in road traffic.The start of the method according to the invention is initiated by the vehicle user manually actuating the operating means. Thus, the method according to the invention serves for outputting information in the course of a tire pressure correction process carried out manually accordingly. The filling or emptying of the tires of the vehicle is carried out comparatively rarely, with the result that the manual starting of the method makes it possible to actuate the lighting device and / or the loudspeaker accordingly precisely when this is also necessary. In contrast to, for example, an automatic detection of the need to carry out the method, this reduces the risk that uneasy persons present in the environment of the vehicle are distracted by light patterns or noise patterns emitted at incorrect moments.An advantageous further development of the method according to the invention provides that the first light pattern is implemented as a flashing light sign and the second light pattern is implemented as a continuous light sign; and / or the first noise pattern is implemented as a beep and the second noise pattern is implemented as a continuous tone. In general, different ways of configuring the two light patterns and the two noise patterns may be implemented. Light patterns can be realized by changing color, brightness, contrast, and the like, for example. However, by using flashing lights, differences between light patterns can also be reliably detected using simply designed lighting devices. Thus, first and second light patterns can be outputted without the need for dimmable or multicolor lamps. In addition, beeps of continuous tones can be distinguished from one another without great cognitive complexity. It would also be conceivable to change the frequency and / or volume of the noise pattern. Instead of outputting the second light pattern, the output of light may also be ended to indicate that the correct tire pressure is reached.The output frequency of an underlying light signal and / or sound signal in the first light pattern and / or first noise pattern preferably increases with decreasing distance of the actual tire pressure from the desired tire pressure. In other words, the lighting device flashes more and more quickly until the desired tire pressure is finally reached. Then, the flashing light changes to the continuous light. Accordingly, the loudspeaker beeps more and more quickly until the continuous tone is output. This allows the vehicle user to prepare for the tire pressure correction process to end shortly. The risk can thus be reduced that the vehicle user fills too much air into the tires when filling his tires or removes too much air from the respective tire when discharging air.A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention provides that at least one of the light patterns is output via a direction indicator light module. In general, all lighting devices of the vehicle that can be viewed from the environment of the vehicle can be used to output the two light patterns. However, since the headlights or tail lamps can be viewed from a smaller solid angle as direction indicators, also referred to as indicators, a corresponding direction indicator light module is preferably used. Thus, in particular, the headlights can be seen only from the front of the vehicle and the tail lamps can be seen when they are located at the rear of the vehicle. However, respective direction indicators can be perceived both from the front and from the rear and to the side of the vehicle.Preferably, it is provided that, viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, a direction indicator light module arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern in a tire pressure sensor arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere and a direction indicator light module arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern in a tire pressure sensor arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere.In particular, it is further provided according to the invention that, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a direction indicator light module arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern in a tire pressure sensor arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere and a direction indicator light module arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern in a tire pressure sensor arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere.Typically, the vehicle user knees next to the tire to be filled or emptied. The vehicle user is correspondingly difficult to perceive the respective lighting devices of the vehicle. Advantageously, exactly that direction indicator is controlled for outputting the first and second light pattern which is located in the greatest vicinity of the respective tire to be filled or emptied. This ensures that the vehicle user can reliably perceive the respective light pattern, but unintelligent third parties present in the environment are not disturbed by corresponding light patterns.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is further provided that a physical operating means, an operating means displayed on a graphical user interface or a voice command operating means is used as the vehicle-integrated operating means. This allows the vehicle user to use different operating modalities for initiating the method according to the invention. All conventional buttons, buttons, sliders, rotary sliders, rotary push actuators and the like are suitable as physical control means. These may be embedded in the dashboard, attached to a vehicle door, integrated into the headliner, integrated into an armrest, and the like. The vehicle user can also use a touch-sensitive display device for operating vehicle functions. A graphical user interface (GUI) can be displayed on such a display device. This makes it possible to introduce the method according to the invention particularly comfortably. Operation by voice command is also conceivable.A computer program product according to the invention is distinguished by machine-interpretable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing unit, cause the latter to execute a method described above.A vehicle according to the invention comprises a computing unit with at least read access to a computer-readable storage medium, containing such a computer program product. The computing unit is formed by a logical computing unit. A logical computing unit can be formed by a physical computing device or also a plurality of interacting physical computing devices. For example, a dedicated control device for processing sensor values output by the tire pressure sensor may be provided, and a dedicated control device for actuating the lighting device and / or the loudspeakers and the operating means may be provided.Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for outputting information and of the computer program product and vehicle according to the invention also result from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a tire pressure correction process; FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a visual representation of an insufficiently or correctly adjusted tire pressure; FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an adaptation of an output frequency of an acoustic and / or visual signal as a function of a difference between an actual tire pressure and a setpoint tire pressure; and FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the components implemented for carrying out a method according to the invention in a vehicle according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a vehicle 8 according to the invention. For this purpose, the vehicle user can use conventional stationary compressor devices 9.1 or mobile compressor devices 9.2. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle user corrects the tire pressure of the front left tire, which is symbolized by a connected pressure line.For example, due to a compressor device 9.1, 9.2 that is not correctly calibrated or maintained, the vehicle user could set a tire pressure that is too high or too low. The vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors 1 shown in FIG. 4 usually allow a more accurate determination of the tire pressure than the respective compressor devices 9.1, 9.2.With the aid of a method according to the invention, the tire pressure measured by means of the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors 1 can be output to the vehicle user on a visual and / or acoustic transmission path during the performance of the tire pressure correction process. In this case, an in-vehicle computing unit 2 processes sensor signals supplied by respective tire pressure sensors 1 and controls corresponding output means. Visual output means can be lighting devices 4 emitting light into the surroundings of the vehicle, such as headlights 10, tail lights 11 and / or respective turn signal lighting modules 7. In addition, the computing unit 2 can actuate acoustic output means in the form of loudspeakers 5 on the vehicle, which particularly preferably cast sound into the environment of the vehicle 8, for the output of noise signals.As long as the measured actual tire pressure IST shown in FIG. 2 deviates from a target tire pressure SOT to be achieved, a first light pattern LM- 1 or a first noise pattern is emitted via the lighting device 4 or the loudspeakers 5, whereas as soon as the actual tire pressure IST reaches the target tire pressure SOT, a second light pattern LM- 2 or a second noise pattern is emitted instead.In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, only the direction indicator light modules 7 arranged in the left hemisphere of the vehicle 8 are operated.FIG. 2 shows, in sub-figure a), a state in which the actual tire pressure IST has not yet reached the target tire pressure SOT. Particularly preferably, a flashing light is emitted as the first light pattern LM- 1. A switched-off light is indicated by a white circle. If, on the other hand, the respective light emits light, it is symbolized by a black circle. As long as the actual tire pressure IST deviates from the target tire pressure SOT by a specified tolerance value 6, the first light pattern LM- 1 or the first noise pattern is emitted.As FIG. 2 b ) shows, on the other hand, as soon as the actual tire pressure IST übereinstimmt below the defined tolerance value 6 with the desired tire pressure SOT, the second light pattern LM- 2, here in the form of continuous light, or the second noise pattern, is output. Also, the output of light can be completely stopped. In this case, the light emission could be symbolized by a white circle and a deactivated light could be symbolized by a black circle.As FIG. 3 shows, it is particularly preferred to increase the output frequency f of an underlying light signal and / or sound signal in the first light pattern LM- 1 or the first sound pattern with decreasing distance of the actual tire pressure IST from the target tire pressure SOT. If the desired tire pressure SOLL is reached, the continuous tone is output or the continuous light signal, which can be seen in FIG. 3 by the graph qualitatively representing the output frequency f jumping to infinity. The tire pressure is indicated by the variable "P" and the time by the variable "t".FIG. 4 illustrates the system structure in the vehicle 8 according to the invention. In sub-figure a) a central processing unit 2 is present, which receives or outputs signals transmitted via a respective data bus 12. The arithmetic unit 2 thus receives corresponding sensor signals from the tire pressure sensor 1. As soon as the vehicle user starts carrying out the method according to the invention via an operating means 3, the computing unit 2 actuates said lighting device 4 or loudspeaker 5 as a function of the corresponding tire pressure signal.As FIG. 4 b ) shows, a plurality of physical computing units 2 can also be present, which cooperate together as a logical computing unit 2.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 citedDE 10 2017 119 240 A1

[0006]

Claims

Method for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tyre pressure sensor (1), characterized bythe following method steps carried out by a vehicle-internal computing unit (2): - monitoring a signal channel assigned to a vehicle-integrated operating means (3); - if an actuation of the operating means (3) is registered via the signal channel: - detecting the actual tyre pressure (IST) supplied by the tyre pressure sensor (1) and comparing the actual tyre pressure (IST) with a predefined setpoint tyre pressure (IST); and - driving an external-vehicle lighting device (4) and / or an external-vehicle loudspeaker (5) for outputting a first light pattern (LM-1) and / or noise pattern as long as the actual tire pressure (IST) deviates from the target tire pressure (TARGET) by a defined tolerance value (6); and - driving the external-vehicle lighting device (4) for outputting a second light pattern (LM-2) or deactivating the lighting device (4) and / or driving the external-vehicle loudspeaker (5) for outputting a second noise pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure (IST) matches the target tire pressure (TARGET) below the defined tolerance value (6).Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first light pattern (LM-1) is implemented as flashing light signs and the second light pattern (LM-2) is implemented as continuous light signs; and / or the first noise pattern is implemented as beeping and the second noise pattern is implemented as continuous sound.Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the output frequency (f) of an underlying light signal and / or sound signal in the first light pattern (LM-1) and / or first noise pattern increases with decreasing distance of the actual tyre pressure (IST) from the desired tyre pressure (SOT).Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the light patterns (LM-1, LM-2) is output via a direction indicator lighting module (7).Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that, when viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, a direction indicator lighting module (7) arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2) when a tyre pressure sensor (1) is arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere, and a direction indicator lighting module (7) arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2) when a tyre pressure sensor (7) is arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere.Method according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a direction indicator lighting module (7) arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2) when a tyre pressure sensor (1) is arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere, and a direction indicator lighting module (7) arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2) when a tyre pressure sensor (1) is arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the vehicle-integrated operating means (3) used is a physical operating means, an operating means displayed on a graphical user interface or a voice command operating means.Computer program product, characterized bymachine-interpretable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing unit (2), cause the latter to execute a method according to one of Claims 1 to 7.Vehicle (8), characterized bya computing unit (2) with at least read access to a computer-readable storage medium, containing a computer program product according to claim 8.

Images