Method for controlling a lighting system of an ego vehicle and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting system of an ego vehicle, wherein A current environment of the ego vehicle is detected in real time using a plurality of sensors, and objects are processed and recognized by at least one computer based on the detected sensor data. The method is characterized in particular by the fact that at least one of the sensors is a quantum sensor and at least one of the computers is a quantum computer, and The sensor data from the sensors is processed in the quantum computer using a quantum internet protocol. Here, a method is proposed with which an often already existing sensor architecture can be used for optimal illumination of the current surroundings of a motor vehicle, whereby the illumination can be adapted to the current situation in real time.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting system of an ego vehicle, and to a motor vehicle having such a method with an efficiently controllable lighting system.The lighting systems in motor vehicles are not only decisive for safety on the road, but also play an essential role in the energy consumption of the motor vehicle. The provision of an optimal illumination that provides the driver with a clear field of view to the environment (e.g., road conditions) without unduly consuming resources depends on a variety of different factors, such as weather conditions, driver preferences, vehicle speed, road conditions, other road users, and many more. Due to the large number of influences, a complex decision basis results. At the same time, the decision must be made in real time, i.e. almost without delay, and a corresponding illumination must be initiated. This task is therefore to be processed in a sub-tenth of a second range from the input of sensor data until an adequate control of a light source.JP 2018 154 313 A relates to a driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle and driving assistance methods thereof. The driving assistance device includes a radiation device that radiates light toward a forward direction of the own vehicle and an imaging device that images a periphery of an own vehicle. The driving assistance device includes: an object detection unit that detects an object present in the periphery of the own vehicle based on an image captured by the imaging device; an avoidance control unit that performs collision avoidance control to avoid a collision between the object detected by the object detection unit and the vehicle when a collision between the object and the vehicle is likely; and a light distribution control unit that switches radiated light of the radiation device between high beam and low beam based on a predetermined switching condition. The light distribution control unit performs switching suppression control to suppress switching of the radiated light from high beam to low beam while the avoidance control unit performs collision avoidance control when the radiated light is set to high beam.Proceeding from this, the object of the present invention is to overcome at least partially the disadvantages known from the prior art. The features according to the invention are evident from the independent claims, for which advantageous embodiments are shown in the dependent claims. The features of the claims can be combined in any technically expedient manner, wherein the explanations from the following description and features from the figures, which comprise supplementary configurations of the invention, can also be used for this purpose.The invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting system of an ego vehicle, wherein a current environment of the ego vehicle is detected in real time by means of a plurality of sensors and objects are detected processed by at least one computer on the basis of the detected sensor data.The method is above all characterized in that at least one of the sensors is a quantum sensor and at least one of the computers is a quantum computer, and wherein the sensor data of the sensors are processed in the quantum computer by means of a quantum internet protocol.Ordinal numbers used in the preceding and following description, unless expressly stated to the contrary, serve only for the clear distinguishability and do not represent an order or ranking of the designated components. An ordinal number greater than one does not require that a further such component must necessarily be present.The method here uses the capabilities of at least one quantum sensor and the processing of the sensor data in a quantum internet protocol. A quantum sensor enables highly precise detection of objects at the same time at the highest speed. The quantum internet protocol enables the raw data to be processed and thus allows a further time gain. A quantum internet protocol is a communication protocol that uses quantum technology to transfer information between computers. In contrast to conventional Internet protocols based on classic bits, the quantum internet protocol uses quantum bits or qubits, which allow more efficient and secure data transmission thanks to quantum entanglement and superposition. This protocol benefits from the unique properties of quantum mechanics to make it more difficult to intercept communication in an undetectable manner and thus to ensure greater security. In addition to improved security, it also makes it possible to handle computation-intensive tasks more quickly in comparison with conventional (classical binary) data processing, by utilizing quantum parallelism for data processing and data transmission.A quantum computer is a type of computing system in which the principles of quantum mechanics are used to perform data processing tasks (so-called quantum computing). In contrast to classic computers in which information is stored and processed in bits, a quantum computer uses quantum bits (called QuBits for short) which can simultaneously assume a plurality of states, whereby the capability for parallel processing of data flows and thus a potentially exponentially faster solution to problems is possible. In the present application, the advantage lies above all in the processing that is faster over time and the parallel processing of a plurality of problem positions. However, an important aspect here is also that an optimum does not have to be approximated after an iterative procedure, but a local or global optimum can be found reliably and without time delay because of the ability of the QuBits to hold a plurality of states simultaneously.The document DE 10 2022 112 269 A1 describes a vehicle which is equipped with a deployable quantum computer. This quantum computer is part of the navigation system of the vehicle therein and interacts with various sensors, including a sensor of a GPS (global positioning system] and a quantum sensor. The quantum computer captures and classifies environmental data provided by the sensors and identifies objects in the environment of the vehicle. A suitable method with (noisy) data is known, for example, from the article "A variational toolbox for quantum multi-parameter estimation" by Meyer, Johannes Jakob et al., published on 3rd June 2021 in the journal Nature.In one embodiment, a lighting system of a motor vehicle comprises simple halogen lamps providing uniform illumination of a road. In another embodiment, xenon lamps or HID lamps [high-intensity discharge] are used. In one embodiment, so-called LED arrays [light emitting diodes] are used, which combine a high energy efficiency with at the same time the capability of dynamically adapting the light scattering and light intensity, in order to optimally adapt the illumination of the road conditions and to minimize the energy consumption. Such headlights are comparable to a screen and can be controlled pixel-by-pixel, and in one embodiment also their coloring.In the present case, the motor vehicle in which the method is carried out is referred to as an ego vehicle, merely in order to distinguish it unambiguously from other road users.The ego vehicle is equipped with a set of spatially distributed sensors and at least one, preferably a plurality, particularly preferably exclusively, quantum sensor(s). The computer is embodied as a quantum computer or comprises a quantum processor. On this, a quantum internet protocol is used to perform the measurement process using the plurality of sensors and the collection and processing of the sensor data. The sensor data data represent a very accurately acquired real-time analysis of the environment. This can be used to make decisions in parallel about optimum illumination.The sensor data acquired by the sensors, and above all quantum sensors, are used to actuate the illumination system of the ego vehicle, with the result that optimum visibility of objects in the environment of the ego vehicle is achieved at the same time with high energy efficiency. For example, the sensor data are used to detect an obstacle or hazards in the vicinity of the vehicle at an early stage and to illuminate it accordingly that they are easy to detect for the driver, on the one hand, but also their attention is directed to this, on the other hand, because the illuminated field of view has changed. In the case of a quiet traffic situation, on the other hand, a strong illumination (above all away from the road being traveled on) is not very expedient and energy can be saved. By evaluating the environment in real time, it is continuously revaluated. As a result, a high reaction speed is reserved for necessary changes, and an unnecessary or unnecessarily long dwell time in a specific state is avoided.In the context of semi-autonomous or fully autonomous driving, dedicated illumination of the environment is expedient in order to prepare the vehicle occupants for an imminent vehicle reaction of the ego vehicle, for example a braking maneuver, such that the acceptance of the vehicle occupants is increased because they currently understand that this braking maneuver is now necessary (for example on account of an obstacle on the roadway).Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment of the method, it is proposed that the so-called high-precision multi-parameter optimization is used as quantum internet protocol.Within the scope of the quantum internet protocol, high precision multi-parameter optimization enables highly accurate and efficient fine tuning of the transmission parameters and processing parameters using quantum technology. This optimization method is capable of simultaneously adapting a plurality of parameters, which is particularly important in the transmission of quantum information over networks in order to ensure maximum integrity and minimization of errors. The combination with quantum sensors and quantum computing enables significant acceleration and precision enhancement in identifying optimal states for transmissions in the potential quantum internet. High-precision multi-parameter optimization allows complex quantum entanglement phenomena and superposition phenomena to be effectively utilized for data communication.It is furthermore proposed in an advantageous embodiment of the method that at least one of the following measures is taken in the lighting system as a result of the detected objects:illuminating a detected object when it has been classified by the computer as relevant information and / or danger;masking the illumination system if the current setting has been classified as risk for a detected object;adapting an intensity and / or color of an illumination adapted to a minimum energy consumption and a sufficiently bright illumination of the current environment, preferably taking into account the current speed of the ego vehicle;limiting the range of a current illumination of the environment adapted to a field of view currently classified as relevant, preferably taking into account specifications by a current driver of the ego vehicle, taking into account objects classified as irrelevant in the current environment; andselecting a currently suitable light source for illumination adapted to current meteorological events and / or obstacles in a plurality of usable light sources.In one embodiment, the lighting system of the ego vehicle is controlled in such a way that it highlights the presence of a pedestrian who is standing on the edge of the road by means of targeted lighting in order to make the presence of the driver clear. In one embodiment, the system is configured to intensify the emission of light of the lighting system such that a vehicle travelling or parked on the road is clearly illuminated in a dark environment, which increases its visibility. In one embodiment, the system is configured to illuminate a (wild) animal, which could potentially cross the roadway, such as a reh, separately, so that the animal is recognizable to the driver and thus a risk is minimized. In one embodiment, site signs are illuminated separately if they represent an important signal. In one embodiment, an improvement in the visibility at intersections is achieved by clearly emphasizing signs and / or traffic lights by stronger illumination.The lighting system of the ego vehicle is controlled in an embodiment to reduce light intensity in oncoming vehicles so that drivers thereof are not blinded and driving safety is increased. In one embodiment, the lighting system is controlled in such a way that the headlight power is reduced if an object is detected as a person on the road edge, in order not to irritate the latter and at the same time to promote a safe traffic interaction. If a wild animal is detected on the road edge, wherein a risk is estimated to be sufficiently low that it will intersect the trajectory of the ego vehicle, the light cone is dimmed in order to avoid a glare that the wild animal could put into panic. In one embodiment, the high beam is attenuated in dense traffic so that all road users experience a safe and comfortable driving environment. In a residential area, adequate illumination is set late in the night in order to disturb residents as little as possible.In one specific embodiment, the method controls the illumination system of the ego vehicle in such a way that an intensity and / or color of the illumination is adapted to a minimum energy consumption and, at the same time, a sufficiently bright illumination of the environment. This includes setting a dimmed light color, for example with a light color shifted to yellow, when the ego vehicle is driving through traffic-calmed zones at a reduced speed, in order to save energy and at the same time to ensure a comfortable view for the driver. In one embodiment, the method controls the lighting system such that a more intensive, white lighting is changed over when the ego vehicle (for example on a freeway) moves at a higher speed in order to increase the visibility range and to meet the increased speed of the ego vehicle. In one embodiment, the light output of the lighting system red light is used in the case of traffic jams or stop-and-go traffic in order to increase the attention of the driver and thereby optimize the energy consumption. In a preferred embodiment, the illumination system is controlled in such a way that a region-by-region adaptation of the color temperature and / or intensity takes place, such as, for example, a greater illumination of the region directly in front of the ego vehicle at high speed and a smoother light for the side region for orientation. In one embodiment, the lighting system is controlled such that a cool blue light is output at night to increase the driver's vigour without causing unnecessary power consumption.In one embodiment of the method, the light cone is concentrated on the roadway directly in front of the ego vehicle in order to avoid unnecessary illumination of an adjacent forest or sidewalk. In one embodiment, the illumination area is directed by means of the illumination system at a high speed onto the immediate environment in front of the ego vehicle without illuminating the adjacent lane or the opposite lane. In a preferred embodiment of the method, a setting is made on the basis of those specifications made by the driver via a user interface with respect to the desired illumination intensity and illumination alignment, for example a specific coloring for a greater contrasting and / or lesser glare. In an advantageous embodiment, the illuminated region is adapted by means of the illumination system on the basis of the detection of a current driving style of the driver, such as, for example, a tensed or relaxed driving style, wherein this is either supported (konztentrationssteigernd) or reduced (mitigation of aggression). In a further embodiment, the illumination is limited upward in order not to illuminate such a road sign which is not permanently valid (for example depending on the time of day and / or the time of year) and thus not to irritate the driver.In one embodiment of the method, the lighting system of the ego vehicle is controlled in such a way that, in the case of a plurality of usable light sources (or regions in an array), such as high beam and low beam, a currently suitable light source is adapted for illumination, which is adapted to current meteorological events such as rain or fog and / or to obstacles such as uneven road surfaces, descending or ascending roads and / or traffic islands or ground thresholds to be traveled around. For example, the low beam is activated by means of the lighting system in order to achieve optimal road illumination in poor visibility conditions due to rain or fog without thereby dazzling other (detected) road users. In the case of clear weathering and / or little traffic, the method is used to switch the lighting system to high beam in order to achieve the maximum visibility range. Furthermore, the method for controlling the illumination system is designed such that an LED array realizes improved illumination in the case of an uneven road surface, in order to make unevennesses more easily recognizable, if appropriate. Furthermore, the illumination system enables an adaptation of the light distribution with a falling or rising road in order to illuminate the course of the road in an optimum manner and / or a selective illumination of specific regions such as traffic islands or ground sleepers in order to emphasize these obstacles and / or to increase the safety.It should be noted that not necessarily or at least not only the front lighting, but also rear lighting, side lighting and / or underbody lighting can be adapted.It is furthermore proposed in an advantageous embodiment of the method that at least one of the computers is arranged in the ego vehicle in a mobile form, and / or at least one of the computers is arranged in a stationary control center, wherein preferably at least a portion of the sensor data is transmitted to the stationary control center via a transmitting device, wherein the control center comprises the at least one computer for executing at least a portion of the method.In one embodiment, the method is executed fully locally and mobile in the ego vehicle. In one embodiment, quantum computing is performed entirely in a stationary center. In one embodiment, a part is executed locally and mobile and a part centrally stationary. In one embodiment, a swarm of mobile and / or stationary computers is used, wherein a plurality of stationary computers is also understood here as a stationary central station.In one embodiment, the sensor data are transmitted from the quantum sensors to the control center in an unprocessed state. In another embodiment, the sensor data is already preprocessed and preliminary results are transmitted. Preferably, completely processed results are transmitted back to the ego vehicle, wherein a local circuit or a local computer preferably converts the processed result in the form of a decision result into an adequate control of the lighting system, for example on the basis of a look-up table [LuT], a characteristic map and / or a trained artificial intelligence [KI]. It should be noted that in one embodiment, a plurality of decisions relate to different regions of a possible illumination and are combined with one another by a local activation, wherein the requirements can optionally overlap in regions, such as, for example, a clear local illumination of a road sign and a decent illumination of a roadway edge, wherein the activation is provided with the prioritization or is itself locally known or determinable.According to a further aspect, a motor vehicle having an efficiently controllable illumination system is proposed, having at least the following components:a plurality of sensors, at least one of which is a quantum sensor,at least one mobile computer and / or at least one transmitting device for transmitting sensor data to a central station,wherein at least one of the mobile computers comprises a quantum computer and / or the central office comprises a computer which is embodied as a quantum computer, wherein the at least one quantum computer is configured together with the sensors for carrying out a method according to an embodiment as described above.With the motor vehicle described here, the previously described method for controlling its lighting system can be executed as the ego vehicle. In this respect, reference is made to the preceding description, also at least optionally to features of the ego vehicle described there. Conversely, properties of the motor vehicle mentioned here and in the following are valid at least optionally for an ego vehicle, i.e. in the use of the method according to the preceding description.In one embodiment, a quantum sensor system is provided, which comprises at least one so-called magnetometric quantum sensor, which uses quantum mechanical effects in order to carry out extremely accurate magnetic field measurements. Such magnetometric quantum sensors are particularly suitable for object detection. In one embodiment, the quantum sensor system comprises a so-called quantum radar based on entangled photons in order to detect and identify objects even under difficult vision conditions such as fog or smoke. In one embodiment, the quantum sensor system includes photodetectors capable of detecting individual photons, which enables precise light measurements for precise weather sensing and ambient light analysis. In one embodiment, so-called gyroscopic quantum sensors are included that use the quantum states of atoms to perform highly precise rotational and motion measurements, thus enabling motion detection and monitoring thereof. It should be noted that preferably a plurality of each type of quantum sensor is present for maintaining redundancy and / or for covering a wide-area measurement field and / or of each type of quantum sensor at least one is present in order to provide reliable sensor data and / or a variety of sensor data. In one embodiment, conventional (for example digital) sensors are also used in addition to quantum sensors.It is furthermore proposed in an advantageous embodiment of the motor vehicle that a receiving device is furthermore provided, via which current sensor data from the current environment and / or current information about the current environment can be received on the motor vehicle, preferably on the quantum computer.In this specific embodiment, in addition to sensors on board the motor vehicle (i.e., ego vehicle), sensor data from sensors of another road user (for example, another vehicle) are additionally or exclusively used or are also taken into account in the decision-making in the quantum internet protocol. In this case, such a road user is preferably located simultaneously in the vicinity of the ego vehicle or (preferably promptly) beforehand at the same point at which the ego vehicle is currently located. For example, already evaluated map data are also taken into account, which have been previously created or supplemented (for example, analyzed) by other road users. This accurate knowledge of the current environment from other data sources makes it better possible to recognize artifacts or, on the contrary, to classify a deviation as a potential hazard.The invention described above is explained in detail below in view of the relevant technical background with reference to the associated drawings, which show preferred embodiments. The invention is in no way limited by the purely schematic drawings, it being noted that the drawings are not dimensionally accurate and are not suitable for defining size ratios. It is shown in FIG. 1 shows an ego vehicle with lighting system in a current environment.FIG. 1 shows an ego vehicle 2 with lighting system 1 in a current environment 3 in a schematic illustration. The ego vehicle 2 comprises a plurality of sensors 4, for example all designed as quantum sensors 8, which are provided identically or differently and / or for different surrounding regions. The sensors 4 are connected to a quantum computer 9 by means of a quantum internet protocol, specifically here both to a mobile computer 7 on board the ego vehicle 2 and to a computer 7 of a stationary central station 14 via a wireless connection. Here, the wireless connection via a transmitting device 15 (preferably likewise configured for receiving) of the ego vehicle 2 to a receiving device 16 (preferably likewise configured for transmitting) is shown purely schematically with a switching node 17 shown as a satellite, wherein for example local (stationary) antennas comparable to nodes of a mobile radio network or other switches can be used for this purpose. It is indicated here that the sensor data 5 are transmitted to the stationary central station 14. Alternatively or additionally, already processed data are transmitted. Preference is given to transmitting specifications based on a decision for the lighting system 1 of the ego vehicle 2 from the stationary central station 14 to the ego vehicle 2. In one embodiment, the illumination system 1 comprises a plurality of light sources 13, here only a single light source 13 is illustrated as a headlight for the sake of simplicity. This light source 13 is preferably an LED array which can be controlled quickly, precisely and in an energy-saving manner for dedicated illumination.A scenario with a plurality of objects 6 in the current environment 3 of the ego vehicle 2 is shown here, namely a road sign 10, a further road user 11 (here a vehicle) and a wild animal 12. The road sign 10 contains important information for the driver of the ego vehicle 2 and is therefore illuminated (or alternatively any road sign 10 always) in a dedicated manner, preferably in a manner with which sufficient attention can be achieved, but also glare or mirroring of the road sign 10 (often made highly reflective) is sufficiently safely excluded. Wild animal 12 is situated close to ego vehicle 2 and / or on a collision course with the current trajectory of ego vehicle 2 and is itself at risk or represents a current risk for ego vehicle 2. In order to make it immediately clear to the driver or the vehicle occupant of the ego vehicle 2 why a harsh deceleration is now carried out, the wild animal 12 is likewise illuminated in a dedicated manner. The other road user 11, on the other hand, who is located regularly on the opposite lane, for example, is illuminated in a non-dedicated manner or at least in a non-dedicated manner. Alternatively or additionally, although the other road user 11 is made well visible, it is provided with a color and / or intensity of the illumination which minimally interferes with the other road user 11.A method is proposed here, with which a sensor architecture, which is often already present, can be used for optimum illumination of the current environment of a motor vehicle, wherein the illumination can be adapted to the current situation in real time.List of reference characters1 Lighting system 2 Ego vehicle 3 Environment 4 Sensors 5 Sensor data 6 Objects 7 Computer 8 Quantum sensor 9 Quantum computer 10 Road sign 11 Road user 12 Wild animal 13 Light source 14 Stationary central station 15 Transmitting device 16 Receiving device 17 Switching node

Claims

Method for controlling a lighting system (1) of an ego vehicle (2), wherein a current environment (3) of the ego vehicle (2) is detected in real time by means of a plurality of sensors (4) and objects (6) are detected processed by at least one computer (7) on the basis of the detected sensor data (5), characterized in that at least one of the sensors (4) is a quantum sensor (8) and at least one of the computers (7) is a quantum computer (9), and wherein the sensor data (5) of the sensors (4) are processed in the quantum computer (9) by means of a quantum internet protocol.Method according to Claim 1, wherein the so-called high-precision multi-parameter optimization is used as quantum internet protocol.Method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein at least one of the following measures is taken in the lighting system (1) as a result of the detected objects (6): - illuminating a detected object (6) if this object has been classified by the computer (7) as relevant information and / or risk; - dimming the lighting system (1) if the current setting has been classified as risk for a detected object (6); - adapting an intensity and / or colour of an illumination adapted to a minimum energy consumption and a sufficiently bright illumination of the current environment (3); - delimiting the region of a current illumination of the environment (3) adapted to a field of view currently classified as relevant, taking into account objects (6) classified as irrelevant in the current environment (3); and - in the case of a plurality of usable light sources (13), selecting a currently suitable light source (13) for illumination adapted to current meteorological events and / or obstacles.Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the computers (7) is arranged in a mobile manner in the ego vehicle (2), and / or at least one of the computers (7) is arranged in a stationary central station (14).Method according to Claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the sensor data (5) is transmitted to the stationary central unit (14) via a transmission device (15), wherein the central unit (14) comprises the at least one computer (7) for executing at least a portion of the method.Motor vehicle (2) with an efficiently controllable illumination system (1), having at least the following components: - a multiplicity of sensors (4), at least one of which is a quantum sensor (8), - at least one mobile computer (7) and / or at least one transmitting device (15) for transmitting sensor data (5) to a control center (14), wherein at least one of the mobile computers (7) comprises a computer (7) which is designed as a quantum computer (9) and / or the control center (14) comprises a computer (7) which is designed as a quantum computer (9), wherein the at least one quantum computer (9) is designed together with the sensors (4) to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims.Motor vehicle (2) according to Claim 6, wherein a receiving device (16) is furthermore provided, via which current sensor data (5) from the current environment (3) and / or current information about the current environment (3) can be received on the motor vehicle (2).Motor vehicle (2) according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein current sensor data (5) from the current environment (3) and / or current information about the current environment (3) can be received at the quantum computer (9).

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