Method and control device for servicing or calibrating a control element of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Method for the maintenance or calibration of an operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) installed in an interior area (10) of a motor vehicle, wherein the operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) is subjected to maintenance or calibration in a time-controlled and / or event-controlled manner while the motor vehicle is being driven, wherein a probability for an actuation of the operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is determined depending on an actual or expected actuation of another operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), and wherein the maintenance or calibration of the operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) is only permitted and / or carried out if the probability of its activation is less than a threshold value.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for maintaining or calibrating an operating element of a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a control unit for maintaining or calibrating an operating element of a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is known from practice that a multitude of control elements are installed in the interior of a motor vehicle. These control elements can be, for example, control elements that can be operated with the hand of a driver or passenger, as well as control elements that can be operated with the foot of a driver. Such control elements can have actuators and sensors that require time-controlled and / or event-controlled maintenance or calibration, i.e., after a defined period of time and / or upon the occurrence of a defined event. This includes, in particular, control elements with electromagnetic actuators or control elements with capacitive sensors.During maintenance or calibration of a control element that is to be maintained or calibrated, the same should not be operated, as otherwise either the maintenance or calibration cannot be completed properly or the respective control element will not be available for operation or will only be available with limited functionality.

[0003] DE 10 2015 113 911 A1 discloses a method for calibrating a sensor of a vehicle. The calibration is performed depending on the position of the vehicle.

[0004] DE 10 2018 117 290 A1 discloses a method for calibrating and / or adjusting at least one sensor unit of a vehicle depending on a section of road ahead of the vehicle.

[0005] DE 10 2019 211 777 A1 discloses the calibration of a sensor depending on a start-stop time of the motor vehicle.

[0006] DE 10 2014 019 128 A1 discloses a method for calibrating a control element to different users.

[0007] DE 10 2019 220 390 A1 discloses a method for calibrating sensors on the floor of a motor vehicle in the basic state of the sensors.

[0008] DE 10 2021 110 157 A1 and WO 2023 / 235 047 A1 disclose further prior art.

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a novel method and control device for the maintenance or calibration of an operating element of a motor vehicle.

[0010] This object is achieved by a method for maintaining or calibrating an operating element of a motor vehicle according to patent claim 1 and by a control device according to patent claim 10.

[0011] According to the invention, a probability of an actuation of the operating element to be maintained or calibrated is determined depending on an actual or expected actuation of another operating element, wherein the maintenance or calibration of the operating element to be maintained or calibrated is only permitted and / or carried out if the probability of its actuation is less than a limit value.

[0012] The present invention proposes, for the first time, that the maintenance or calibration of a control element of a motor vehicle that is to be maintained or calibrated be dependent on the probability of the control element being maintained or calibrated being actuated. This probability is determined based on the actual or expected actuation of another control element. Maintenance or calibration of the control element being maintained or calibrated is permitted and / or performed only if the probability of the control element being maintained or calibrated being actuated is less than a threshold value.

[0013] The present invention makes it possible to avoid either the maintenance or calibration objective not being achieved or the control element not being available for operation or only being available with limited functionality.

[0014] Preferably, depending on the actual or expected actuation of the other operating element, the probability of actuating the operating element to be maintained or calibrated within a defined time period after detecting the actual or expected actuation of the other operating element is determined, wherein the maintenance or calibration of the operating element to be maintained or calibrated is only permitted and / or performed if the probability is less than a limit value and if the time required for maintenance or calibration corresponds at most to the defined time period associated with the probability. This embodiment of the invention is particularly preferred.According to this, not only the probability of the control element to be maintained or calibrated being actuated is determined and taken into account, but also the time period linked to the determined probability within which the control element to be calibrated or maintained is actuated with a defined probability after the actual or expected actuation of the other control element has been detected.

[0015] The time period linked to the determined probability within which the control element to be calibrated or maintained is actuated with a defined probability after the detection of the actual or expected actuation of the other control element is compared with the time required for maintenance or calibration.

[0016] Maintenance or calibration of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is only carried out if the time required for calibration or maintenance corresponds at most to the time period linked to the probability within which the control element to be calibrated or maintained will be actuated with a defined probability after the actual or expected actuation of the other control element has been detected, and if the probability is less than the limit value.

[0017] Preferably, if the control element of the motor vehicle to be serviced or calibrated is installed within the operating range of a hand or foot of a driver or front passenger, and if another control element installed within the operating range of the same hand or foot is operated or likely to be operated, it is concluded that the probability of the control element to be serviced or calibrated being operated is less than the limit value. This development is based on the finding that, for example, if a control element installed on the driver's left side is operated, it is unlikely that a control element to be serviced or calibrated installed on the same side will be operated within a defined period of time after this operation. In this way, maintenance or calibration can be permitted or prevented in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0018] Preferably, the control element of the motor vehicle to be maintained or calibrated is a control element with an electromagnetic actuator that is demagnetized during maintenance or calibration to remove its remanence. Alternatively, the control element to be calibrated is a control element with a capacitive sensor whose baseline is calibrated. The invention is preferably used for the maintenance or calibration of control elements with an electromagnetic actuator or a capacitive sensor.

[0019] Preferred developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail, without being limited thereto, with reference to the drawings. Herein: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an interior area of ​​a motor vehicle with control elements installed in the interior area.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a section of an interior area 10 of a motor vehicle in the area of ​​a dashboard 11, a driver's door 12 as well as a driver's seat 13, a passenger seat 14 and a center console 15 arranged between the driver's seat 13 and the passenger seat 14.

[0021] A steering wheel 16 is installed in the area of ​​the dashboard 11, with control elements 17, 18 provided on the steering wheel 16. Thus, when a driver sits in the driver's seat 13, the control element 17 is within the operating range of a first hand of the driver, and the control element 18 is within the operating range of a second hand of the driver.

[0022] In the area of ​​the driver's door 12, a control element 19 is installed, which, like the control element 17 of the steering wheel 16, is arranged in the operating area of ​​the driver's first hand.

[0023] A control element 20 is installed in the area of ​​the center console 15 and a control element 21 is installed in the area of ​​the dashboard 11, both of which, like the control element 18 of the steering wheel 16, are within the operating range of the driver's second hand.

[0024] Furthermore, Fig. 1 control element 22, 23, both of which are arranged in a driver-side footwell of the interior area 10 and which can both be operated by the same foot of the driver.

[0025] The control elements 17, 18 of the steering wheel 16 can, for example, be control elements for initiating a manual upshift or manual downshift. The control element 19 can, for example, be a window lifter. The control element 20 can, for example, be an air conditioning control element. The control element 21 can be a touchscreen. The control element 22 can be a brake pedal, and the control element 23 can be the vehicle's accelerator or gas pedal.

[0026] It is known that such control elements 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 are subjected to maintenance or calibration during driving of the motor vehicle in a time-controlled manner, i.e., after a defined period of time has elapsed, and / or event-controlled manner, i.e., upon the occurrence of a defined event. The present invention relates to a method and control device for the maintenance or calibration of a control element installed in an interior area 10 of a motor vehicle.

[0027] According to the invention, a probability of actuation of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is determined depending on an actual or expected actuation of another control element, i.e., not the control element to be maintained or calibrated. If the determined probability of actuation of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is less than a limit value, the maintenance or calibration of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is permitted and carried out. However, if this probability of actuation of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is greater than the limit value, the maintenance or calibration of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is not permitted and carried out.

[0028] The present invention prevents maintenance or calibration from not being completed properly or an operating element subjected to calibration or maintenance from not being available for operation or only being available with limited functionality.

[0029] Particularly preferred is an embodiment of the invention in which, depending on the actual or expected actuation of the other operating element, the probability of actuation of the operating element to be maintained or calibrated is determined within a defined period of time after the detection of the actual or expected actuation of the other operating element.

[0030] In this case, the maintenance or calibration of the control element to be maintained or calibrated is only permitted and carried out if, on the one hand, the probability is less than the limit value and, on the other hand, the time required for maintenance or calibration corresponds at most to the time period linked to the probability within which the control element to be calibrated or maintained is actuated with a defined probability after the detection of the actual or expected actuation of the other control element.

[0031] If, for example, the control element to be serviced or calibrated is the control element 17 installed on the steering wheel 16 within the operating range of the driver's first hand, and it is detected that the operation of the control element 19 installed within the operating range of the same hand has occurred or is likely, it is concluded that the probability of the operation of the control element 17 to be serviced or calibrated is less than a threshold value. A control-element-specific time period can be assigned to the control element 19, within which the operation of the control element to be serviced or calibrated is to be expected with the defined probability.If the probability of actuating the control element 17 is then less than the limit value and the time required for maintenance is less than the time period associated with the actuation of the control element 19 and the corresponding probability, the maintenance or calibration of the control element 17 can be permitted and carried out.

[0032] If the control element to be maintained or calibrated is, for example, the control element 20 installed in the operating range of the driver's second hand, an actual or expected actuation of a control element located in the operating range of the same hand, such as the control element 18 and / or the control element 21, can be determined.

[0033] Depending on the actual or expected actuation of the operating elements 18 and / or 21, a probability of actuation of the operating element 20 to be maintained or calibrated is then determined, which in turn is preferably linked to a defined time period. If the probability is less than the limit value and the time required for maintenance or calibration is less than the time period linked to the probability, the calibration or maintenance can be permitted and performed.

[0034] The control element to be serviced or calibrated and the other control element depending on which the probability of the control element to be serviced or calibrated is determined can therefore be a control element of the steering wheel 16, a control element of a side door 12, a control element of the center console 15 and a control element of the dashboard 11.

[0035] The invention can also be used for the maintenance or calibration of controls installed by the driver's foot. For example, if the vehicle Fig. 1 detects that the brake pedal 23 has been actuated or is likely to be actuated, a probability for the actuation of the accelerator pedal 22 can be determined based on this, with both pedals 22, 23 being installed within the actuation range of the same foot. Depending on the determined actuation probability of the control element to be maintained or calibrated, the maintenance or calibration of the same can be authorized and carried out.

[0036] The control element to be maintained or calibrated is preferably a control element with an electromagnetic actuator or a control element with a capacitive sensor. When servicing a control element with an electromagnetic actuator, demagnetization can be performed during maintenance or calibration to remove remanence. For a control element with a capacitive sensor, the baseline of the capacitive sensor can be calibrated.

[0037] According to the invention, when a control element of a motor vehicle is to be serviced or calibrated, it is monitored whether the actuation of another control element is actually occurring or is likely to occur, in order to determine, depending on this, a probability for the actuation of the control element to be serviced or calibrated. Depending on this probability, the maintenance or calibration of the control element to be serviced or calibrated is permitted and / or carried out or prevented.

[0038] The control element of the motor vehicle to be calibrated or maintained and the other control element of the motor vehicle, depending on whose actual or expected actuation the actuation probability for the control element to be maintained or calibrated is determined, are both installed in the interior area 10 of the motor vehicle in the actuation area of ​​the same hand or the same foot of the driver or alternatively also the passenger.

[0039] For controls that are within the operating range of both the driver and the passenger, if it is determined that both a driver and a passenger are present in the vehicle during current driving, both the actual or expected operation by the driver and the passenger can be recorded and used to determine the probability of operation of the control to be serviced or calibrated.

[0040] The expected actuation of a control element can be determined, for example, using a camera that captures the interior of the vehicle and a hand movement of a driver or passenger. Actual actuation can be detected depending on the actuation of the respective control element.

[0041] The invention further relates to a control device which is configured to carry out the method described above on the control side.

[0042] Depending on an actual or expected actuation of another control element, i.e. an actuation element different from the control element to be maintained or calibrated, the control unit determines the probability of actuation of the control element to be maintained or calibrated, whereby this actuation probability is preferably linked to a defined time period.

[0043] The control unit is configured to permit and / or carry out the maintenance or calibration of the control element to be maintained or calibrated on the control side if at least the probability of actuating the same is less than the limit value and if preferably also the time required for maintenance or calibration is less than the time period linked to the probability or at most corresponds to the same.

Claims

[1] Method for the maintenance or calibration of an operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) installed in an interior area (10) of a motor vehicle, wherein the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) is subjected to time-controlled and / or event-controlled maintenance or calibration during driving of the motor vehicle, characterized by , that depending on an actual or expected actuation of another control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), a probability of actuation of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is determined, the maintenance or calibration of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is only permitted and / or carried out if the probability of its actuation is less than a limit value. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that depending on the actual or expected actuation of the other control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), the probability of actuation of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is determined within a defined period of time after the detection of the actual or expected actuation of the other control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), the maintenance or calibration of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is only permitted and / or carried out if the probability is less than a limit value and the time required for maintenance or calibration corresponds at most to the defined time period linked to the probability. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat if the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21) to be serviced or calibrated is installed in the operating range of a hand of a driver or passenger, and if another control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21) installed in the operating range of the same hand is operated or is likely to be operated, it is concluded that the probability of the operation of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21) to be serviced or calibrated is smaller than the limit value. [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the control element (17, 18) to be maintained or calibrated is installed on a steering wheel (16) and the other control element (19, 20, 21) is installed in the area of ​​a door (12) or a center console (15) or a dashboard (11). [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat the control element (19, 20, 21) to be serviced or calibrated is installed in the area of ​​a door (12) or a center console (15) or a dashboard (11) and the other control element (17, 18, 20, 21) is installed on a steering wheel (16) or in the area of ​​the door (12) or the center console (15) or the dashboard (11). [6] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that if the control element (22) to be serviced or calibrated is installed in the operating range of a driver's foot, and if another control element (23) installed in the operating range of the same foot is operated or is likely to be operated, it is concluded that the probability of the control element (22) to be serviced or calibrated being operated is smaller than the limit value. [7] Method according to claim 6, characterized bythat the probability of actuating the operating element (22) to be maintained or calibrated is determined depending on an actuating force of the other operating element (23). [8] Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated is a control element with an electromagnetic actuator which is demagnetized during maintenance or calibration in order to remove a remanence thereof. [9] Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be calibrated is a control element with a capacitive sensor whose baseline is calibrated. [10] Control unit for the maintenance or calibration of an operating element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) installed in an interior area (11) of a motor vehicle, wherein the control unit carries out a time-controlled and / or event-controlled maintenance or calibration of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) on the control side during driving operation of the motor vehicle, characterized by , that the control unit determines a probability of actuation of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated depending on an actual or expected actuation of another control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23), the control unit only permits and / or carries out the maintenance or calibration of the control element (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) to be maintained or calibrated if the probability of its actuation is less than a limit value. [11] Control device according to claim 10, characterized by that the same is set up to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 9 on the control side.

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