Person-related risks in the context of driverless vehicles

Abstract

Procedure for determining a person-related risk in the context of a driverless vehicle with the following steps: - detecting (S1) a person intending to board a means of transport by means of an optical sensor; - Determining (S2) a risk for a predetermined behavior emanating from the person; - Determine (S3) a response to the identified risk.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for determining a person-related risk in the context of a driverless vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Accordingly, it is provided: - a method for determining a person-related risk in the context of a driverless vehicle, comprising the following steps: detecting a person intending to board a vehicle by means of an optical sensor; determining a risk for a predetermined behavior emanating from the person; determining a reaction to the determined risk.

[0003] In this patent application, the phrase “determine based on” means that something is determined taking into account a specific aspect, although this phrase does not necessarily mean that something is determined taking into account a specific aspect exclusively.

[0004] Stationary infrastructure is, for example, a train platform or a stop for public transport.

[0005] A vehicle fleet refers to a group of vehicles operated by a company, organization, or institution for various purposes. A vehicle fleet can consist of cars, trucks, buses, vans, motorcycles, or other types of vehicles. These vehicles can either be owned by the company or leased or rented.

[0006] Vehicle fleets are often used by transport companies, logistics firms, government agencies, or companies with extensive operational transport requirements. They serve to efficiently meet transport needs, facilitate the transport of goods and people, or offer specific services.

[0007] A driverless vehicle, also known as an autonomous vehicle or self-driving vehicle, is a vehicle capable of operating without human control or intervention. It uses sensors, cameras, artificial intelligence, and algorithms to sense, interpret, and respond to its environment.

[0008] Driverless vehicles can be used in various areas, such as autonomous cars, autonomous buses, autonomous delivery vehicles, or autonomous trains. They have the potential to make traffic safer and more efficient by reducing human error, optimizing traffic flow, and better utilizing road capacity.

[0009] A sensor is an electronic or mechanical device that detects physical quantities or properties such as temperature, pressure, light, motion, humidity, or other environmental conditions and converts them into an electrical signal. The electrical signal can then be further processed, measured, displayed, or used for various applications.

[0010] An optical sensor is a device that uses light or electromagnetic radiation to capture information about its environment. It converts optical signals into electrical signals that can then be processed.

[0011] Image sensors are optical sensors. Image sensors capture light and convert it into electrical signals to create images or videos. They are used in digital cameras, smartphones, surveillance cameras, and many other devices.

[0012] Computer program products typically comprise a sequence of instructions that, when the program is loaded, cause the hardware to perform a specific procedure leading to a specific result.

[0013] The basic idea of ​​the invention is to detect persons intending to board a means of transport using an optical sensor. Accordingly, detection can take place at a bus stop, a train platform, any other stop, or in a public place in the immediate vicinity of a driverless means of transport, such as a taxi or the like.

[0014] Based on an evaluation of the sensor data from the optical sensor, a risk of a predetermined behavior emanating from the person is determined. It is understood that virtually any behavior pattern can be a predetermined behavior. Undesirable predetermined behaviors can include, for example, theft, property damage, physical injury, harassment, exhibitionism, carrying a weapon, a dangerous substance, or an aggressive animal, and the like.

[0015] Based on the identified risk for one or more predetermined behaviors, an appropriate response to the risk of the behavior is determined.

[0016] This invention is suitable for regulating access to driverless vehicles. It goes without saying that the invention is also suitable for conventional vehicles, especially when the driver is not entrusted with regulating access for people. For example, train drivers are generally not entrusted with regulating access for people.

[0017] Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the further subclaims and from the description with reference to the figures of the drawing.

[0018] For example, it is conceivable that the response includes preventing the person from boarding the means of transport by keeping access points closed.

[0019] According to a preferred development of the invention, the reaction comprises presenting sensor data of the optical sensor to a human being by transmitting sensor data to a display device of a human-machine interface and a human being transmitting commands to the means of transport, the commands being a reaction to the sensor data.

[0020] Accordingly, it is conceivable that a person confirms that a person should not board a means of transport, and access points remain closed or the means of transport is not stopped.

[0021] According to a preferred development of the invention, the reaction is determined based on a history of the means of transport or a fleet containing the means of transport.

[0022] Accordingly, it is conceivable that sensor data from a multitude of optical sensors could be stored and their environmental and personal information could be evaluated to determine general patterns regarding the behavior of people in general or the behavior of specific people, their appearance, and presence depending on certain parameters. Such knowledge about probable or expected situations can be used to detect and respond to situations that deviate from these. This makes it possible to detect both dangerous situations and unknown and potentially suspicious situations that, while not causally related to a threat, may be correlated with a threat.

[0023] For example, it is conceivable that a means of transport patrols a route for an extended period of time and that a large proportion of passengers are known. Accordingly, unknown persons could be identified using the method described above. Accordingly, it is conceivable that a previously unknown adult who wishes to use a means of transport that primarily transports elementary school children in the morning could initially be perceived as a deviation from normality. An exemplary response to such an event could be monitoring the person in the means of transport and evaluating the relevant sensor data for child protection purposes.

[0024] Other personal characteristics that may be conspicuous based on a history include, for example, people who are drunk in the morning, people who wear a thick jacket in summer, masked people, or people who wear a hood and / or a scarf if this cannot be explained by the weather.

[0025] According to a preferred development of the invention, further sensor data of the person who intends to board a means of transport are recorded by means of further sensors and the reaction is determined based on the further sensor data.

[0026] Accordingly, the additional sensor data can be embodied as sensor data from ticket readers that capture a ticket authorizing use of the means of transport. Other conceivable sensor data include sensor data from video cameras, sensors for capturing ID cards, sensors for capturing fingerprints, sensors for detecting metallic objects, even concealed objects, sensors for detecting hazardous substances such as explosives, sensors for detecting mind-altering substances carried on board, such as alcohol or drugs, sensors for detecting persons whose behavior is subject to mind-altering substances, for example, so-called alcohol scanners, and other optical and / or acoustic sensors for detecting the environment of a means of transport and / or stationary infrastructure.

[0027] Accordingly, it is also conceivable that the response to the identified risk could be designed to prompt a person to collect further sensor data. For example, it is conceivable to selectively scan suspicious individuals using sensors to detect metallic objects, or to selectively request suspicious individuals to undergo a test for consumed substances.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, personal characteristics of persons in the means of transport are detected, and the response is determined based on the personal characteristics. For example, it is conceivable that the response prevents one or more suspicious persons from entering a means of transport used by vulnerable persons, whereas the same person's entry into an empty means of transport would not be prevented.

[0029] According to a preferred development of the invention, it is also conceivable for the response to include assigning one or more persons intending to board a means of transport to a specific means of transport in a fleet. For example, it is conceivable for a stop to be served by several means of transport patrolling the same route, and for persons to be assigned to a specific means of transport depending on the person-related risk determined.

[0030] If the means of transport is a multi-part means of transport, such as a rail vehicle with several carriages or a bus with several areas, such as a folding bus, the reaction can also be designed to assign people to a specific part of the means of transport according to their personal risk.

[0031] It is understood that a system which is set up to implement the method as described above with a plurality of optical sensors for detecting persons intending to board a means of transport, with at least one central processing unit and / or a plurality of local processing units, is advantageous.

[0032] It is conceivable that the system comprises one or more computing units that form an interface between the vehicle and a stationary sensor, whereby sensor data is collected from a stationary sensor and transmitted to the computing unit to determine a risk and a response. A response, in particular, comprises a control command for the vehicle. The control command can, for example, keep the doors of a vehicle closed or include certain driving commands.

[0033] It is understood that the stationary sensor can be designed independently of other stationary infrastructure or can be designed as a component of other stationary infrastructure, such as a stop for a means of transport.

[0034] According to the procedure as described above, it is conceivable to recognize whether a threat emanates from a person or from objects or animals carried, whether other people on a means of transport could feel harassed by a person boarding, whether a person boarding is themselves vulnerable, information for identifying the person, whereby the identification can take place immediately or at a different time, whether a person boarding has any known conspicuous behavior from the past, whether a person is authorized to be transported, whether a person is otherwise conspicuous, for example is masked outside of carnival time, or is carrying an excessive amount of luggage. TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic figures of the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

[0036] The accompanying drawings are intended to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, serve to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the noted advantages will be apparent upon review of the drawings. Elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale relative to one another.

[0037] In the figures of the drawings, identical, functionally identical and effective elements, features and components are provided with the same reference symbols, unless otherwise stated. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Fig.Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for determining a person-related risk in the context of a driverless vehicle, comprising steps S1 to S3. In step S1, a person intending to board a vehicle is detected using an optical sensor. In step S2, a risk for a predetermined behavior of the person is determined. In step S3, a reaction to the determined risk is determined. Reference symbol S 1-S3 process steps

Claims

[1] Method for determining a person-related risk of a means of transport, in particular a driverless means of transport, comprising the following steps: - detecting (S1) a person intending to board a means of transport by means of an optical sensor; - Determining (S2) a risk for a predetermined behavior posed by the person; - Determine (S3) a response to the identified risk. [2] A method for determining a person-based risk according to claim 1, wherein the response comprises preventing the person from accessing the means of transport by keeping access points closed. [3] Method for determining a person-related risk according to one of the preceding claims, wherein sensor data of the optical sensor are transmitted to a display unit of a human-machine interface and a human transmits commands to the means of transport and a human transmits commands, which are a reaction to the sensor data, to the means of transport by means of the human-machine interface. [4] A method for determining a personal risk according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the response is determined based on a history of the means of transport or a fleet containing the means of transport. [5] Method for determining a person-related risk according to one of the preceding claims, wherein further sensor data relating to the person intending to board a means of transport are detected by means of further sensors and the reaction is determined based on the sensor data of the further sensors. [6] A method for determining a personal risk according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein personal characteristics of persons in the means of transport are detected and the reaction is determined based on the personal characteristics. [7] A method for determining a person-based risk according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the response comprises an assignment of a person intending to board a means of transport to a specific means of transport in a fleet and / or to a specific part of a multi-part means of transport. [8] System which is arranged to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims, with a plurality of optical sensors for detecting persons who intend to board a means of transport, and with at least one computing unit, wherein the computing unit and the sensors are connected by means of interfaces in order to ensure the transmission of sensor data and in particular control commands. [9] The system of claim 8, wherein the computing unit forms an interface between the means of transport and a stationary sensor by acquiring sensor data from the sensor and transmitting it to the computing unit for determining a risk and a response, wherein a response comprises a control command for the means of transport. [10] Computer program product comprising program code means for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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