Method and apparatus for processing data associated with a vehicle

Abstract

Method, for example a computer-implemented method, for processing data associated with a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, comprising: determining first information that characterizes at least one position of an element in the area of ​​the vehicle, wherein the first information characterizes at least a part of a skeletal model of the element, storing, for example non-volatile storage, the first information.

Description

Prior ArtThe disclosure relates to a method for processing data associated with a vehicle.The disclosure further relates to an apparatus for processing data associated with a vehicle.Disclosure of the InventionSome examples relate to a method, for example a computer-implemented method, for processing data associated with a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, comprising: ascertaining first information which characterizes at least one position of an element in the region of the vehicle, wherein the first information characterizes at least part of a skeleton model of the element, storing, for example non-volatile storing, the first information. In some examples, this enables comprehensive detection, for example collection, of information potentially important for operation of the vehicle and / or interaction of the vehicle with at least one other road user and / or object, for example for evaluating a possible accident origin or possible accident causes. For example, skeleton models of one or more persons may be stored in the area of the vehicle. For example, a skeleton model or information for a skeleton model can be determined by means of pose estimation.For example, a computer-implemented method for a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, is provided for processing data associated with the vehicle, comprising: ascertaining first information which characterizes at least one position of an element in the region of the vehicle, storing, for example non-volatile storing, the first information.For example, the element is at least a) a person, or b) an animal, or c) an object, e.g. an object or a thing. This allows particularly comprehensive information, e.g. about the environment of the vehicle, to be collected and e.g. efficiently stored. In the case of an element embodied as an object, which therefore does not represent a person or an animal, i.e. e.g. no living being, the "at least one part of a skeleton model of the element", which is characterized by means of the first information, can be understood to mean a structural and / or function-related description, which characterizes e.g. a basic structure of the element, for example comparable to a skeleton model for a living being such as e.g. a vertebrate.In some examples, the element is arranged at least partially in an interior space or an exterior space of the vehicle, i.e. for example in a surrounding area of the vehicle. This allows information regarding the interior and / or the environment to be collected.For example, the storage of at least one of the following elements comprises: a) storage, for example non-volatile storage, by means of and / or in a vehicle data memory, for example accident data recorders, for example event data recorders, or b) transmission of the first information, for example to a device arranged remotely with respect to the vehicle, for example a cloud device. In this way, the first information can be collected efficiently, e.g. locally and / or remotely. The transmission may also allow securing of the information in a sphere outside the vehicle, which may avoid loss of the information, for example, in the event of destruction of the vehicle or of parts thereof.In some examples, the transmission of the first information can also comprise, for example, a transmission of the first information to another device, for example a mobile device, such as a tablet computer or a mobile telephone, wherein, for example, the device, for example a mobile device, for example a mobile telephone, can be located in the vehicle or in a surrounding area of the vehicle. In some examples, an accident data recorder can be implemented by means of a mobile telephone, for example, which can receive the first information I- 1 and, for example, at least temporarily store, for example save it. This enables a particularly efficient and cost-effective implementation of a data collection or an accident data recorder.For example, the first information, for example in addition to the position and / or to the at least one part of the skeleton model, characterizes at least one of the following aspects: a) a position of the element in space, for example with respect to at least one component of the vehicle, or b) an orientation of the element, or c) a pose of the element, for example in the case of a configuration of the element as a person or animal (for example in the form of a complete skeleton model), or d) position and / or position and / or angle of at least one body part, for example with respect to at least one other body part, for example a person or an animal, or e) head position, or f) viewing direction, or g) eye position. As a result, the first information provides information in particular in detail about the conditions in the area of the vehicle.In some examples, the determination of the first information comprises: using image information, for example for the determination of the first information, wherein, for example, the image information is associated with at least one or the interior and / or one or the exterior. Information with a comparatively high information density can thereby be collected.For example, the method comprises: ascertaining image information which is associated at least with one or the interior and / or one or the exterior, ascertaining at least part of the first information on the basis of the image information, wherein, for example, the ascertaining of the image information comprises: ascertaining the image information by means of at least one camera device. For example, an existing camera device may be used for aspects according to the disclosure, thereby saving a separate camera device.In some examples, the method includes: performing a pose estimation, for example pose estimation, and, optionally, determining at least a portion of the first information based on the pose estimation. This makes it possible to provide a pose estimate, for example for downstream evaluations.For example, the method comprises: ascertaining further information which could be important, for example, with respect to a driving situation and / or an accident in connection with the vehicle, wherein, for example, the further information comprises at least one of the following elements: a) the course of the seat belt, or b) the position of a headrest, or c) the position of a seat back, or d) the position of a seat cushion and / or of a child seat, and, optionally, storing, for example, non-volatile storing, the further information. This enables a particularly comprehensive survey of information potentially useful for a reconstruction of an accident outcome.In some examples, the method comprises at least one of the following elements: a) determining, for example repeatedly determining, for example periodically determining, for example continuously determining a position of at least one occupant of the vehicle, or b) determining, for example repeatedly determining, for example periodically determining, for example continuously determining a position of at least one element located outside the vehicle, for example a person or an animal or an object, or c) informing at least one occupant of the vehicle, for example with respect to a possibly risk-afflicted position, for example seat position, and / or a possibly risk-afflicted orientation and / or pose, for example of the at least one occupant and / or at least one further occupant of the vehicle, or d) reconstructing at least one situation, for example with respect to a or the interior and / or exterior space. This enables, for example, at least one of the following aspects: a) evaluation of a seat position, or b) evaluation of a constellation between vehicle and an element located outside the vehicle, or c) provision of instructions regarding an unsafe seat position, or d) determination of an accident outcome.Some examples relate to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the disclosure. The apparatus enables efficient implementation of aspects according to the disclosure, for example in the vehicle.Some examples relate to a control device, for example for a vehicle, having at least one device according to the disclosure.Some examples relate to a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to the disclosure.Some examples relate to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute the method according to the disclosure.Some examples relate to a data carrier signal that transmits and / or characterizes the computer program according to the disclosure.Some examples relate to a use of the method according to the disclosure and / or of the device according to the disclosure and / or of the control unit according to the disclosure and / or of the computer-readable storage medium according to the disclosure and / or of the computer program according to the disclosure and / or of the data carrier signal according to the disclosure for at least one of the following elements: a) documenting at least one position and / or position and / or orientation of at least one person and / or of at least one animal and / or of at least one object, for example in a or the interior and / or in an or the exterior of the vehicle, or b) detection and / or securing and / or reconstruction of a last occupant position, for example in the case of activation of at least one restraint system, or c) detection and / or securing of a in the case of an accident, For example, the last position, e.g. of an unprotected road user, such as a pedestrian, cyclist or motorized two-wheeled driver, and / or generally of a participant in a collision, or d) reconstruction of a collision position and / or of a collision partner, for example collision encounter, or e) determination of methods for informing and / or warning one or more occupants and / or initiating risk-reducing or accident-sequence-reducing measures, or f) simulation of aspects of a situation with respect to the vehicle, for example before a collision and / or at a time of the collision, or g) improvement of restraint systems and / or other protection systems.Further features, possible applications and advantages result from the following description of examples which are illustrated in the figures of the drawing. All features described or shown form the subject matter of the invention, either alone or in any combination, independently of their summary in the claims or their reference, and independently of their formulation or representation in the description or in the drawing.The drawing shows: FIG. 1 is a schematic simplified flow diagram, FIG. 2 is a schematic simplified block diagram, FIG. 3 is a schematic simplified block diagram, FIG. 4 is a schematic simplified flow diagram, FIG. 5 schematically shows a simplified flow diagram, FIG. 6 is a schematic simplified flow diagram, FIG. 7 is a schematic simplified block diagram, FIG. 8 is a schematic simplified flow diagram, FIG. 9 is a schematic simplified block diagram, FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a scene according to some examples, FIG. 11 schematically illustrates scenes according to some examples, FIG. 12 schematically illustrates a scene, according to some examples, FIG. 13 schematically illustrates scenes according to some examples, FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a scene, according to some examples, FIG. 15 is a schematic simplified block diagram, FIG. 16 schematically illustrates aspects of uses.Some examples, FIG. 1, relate to a method, for example a computer-implemented method, for processing data associated with a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, 10 (FIG. 2 ), comprising: ascertaining 100 (FIG. 1 ) first information I- 1 which characterizes at least one position E-POS (FIG. 3 ) of an element E, E' in the region of the vehicle 10, storing 102, for example non-volatile storing 102 a, of the first information I- 1 or at least one part of the first information I- 1. For example, the first information characterizes at least a part of a skeleton model of the element E, E'.For example, Fig. 2, the element E, E' is at least a) a person, or b) an animal, or c) an object, e.g. an object.In some examples, FIG. 2, the element E, E' is arranged at least partially in an interior space IR or an exterior space AR of the vehicle 10, i.e. for example in an environment of the vehicle 10.For example, the element E is, for example, an occupant, for example a driver, of the vehicle 10, or another occupant, for example a passenger or a person located on a rear seat, or a person located on or in a child seat, for example a child.In some examples, the element E' is, for example, a road user, for example, a further road user, located in the environment of the vehicle 10, or a traffic sign or an object or a matter.For example, FIG. 1, the storage 102 comprises at least one of the following elements: a) storage, for example nonvolatile storage, 102 bby means of and / or in a vehicle data memory 12 (FIG. 2 ), for example event data recorder or event data recorder or accident data recorder, or b) transmission 102 cof the first information I- 1, for example to a device 30 arranged remotely from the vehicle 10, for example a cloud device, for example via a wireless communication system (not shown).In some examples, FIG. 3, the first information I- 1, for example in addition to the position E-POS, characterizes at least one of the following aspects: a) a position E-POSITION of the element E, E' in space, for example with respect to at least one component of the vehicle 10 (for example with respect to a coordinate system of the vehicle), or b) an orientation E-OR of the element E, E', or c) a pose of the element E, E', for example in the case of a configuration of the element E, E' as a person or animal, or d) position L-K and / or position S-K and / or angle W-K of at least one body part, For example, with respect to at least one other body part, for example a person or an animal, or e) head position KS, or f) viewing direction BR, or g) eye position AS.For example, FIG. 1, the determination 100 of the first information I- 1 comprises: using 100 aof image information I-B, for example for the determination 100 of the first information I- 1, wherein for example the image information I-B is associated at least with the interior space IR and / or the exterior space AR.For example, FIG. 4, the method comprises: ascertaining 110 image information I-B associated at least with the interior space IR (FIG. 2 ) and / or the exterior space AR, ascertaining 112 at least one part I- 1' of the first information I- 1 based on the image information I-B, wherein ascertaining 110 the image information I-B comprises ascertaining 110 aof the image information I-B by means of at least one camera device KE (FIG. 2 ).In some examples, FIG. 5, the method comprises: executing 120 a pose estimate PE, for example pose estimation, and, optionally, ascertaining 122 at least a part I- 1' of the first information I- 1 based on the pose estimate PE.For example, FIG. 6, the method comprises: ascertaining 130 further information I-W, which could be of significance, for example, with respect to a driving situation and / or an accident in connection with the vehicle 10, wherein, for example, the further information I-W comprises at least one of the following elements: a) profile V-SG of a seat belt of the vehicle 10, or b) position POS-KS of a headrest of the vehicle 10, or c) position POS-SL of a seat back of the vehicle 10, or d) position POS-SK of a seat cushion and / or of a child seat of the vehicle 10, and, optionally, storing 132, for example nonvolatile storing 132 a, of the further information I-W.In some examples, at least a portion of the further information I-W can be determined based on the image information I-B, e.g. the profile V-SG of the seat belt. In some examples, at least one, for example another, part of the further information I-W can be determined differently from based on the image information I-B, e.g. by means of information of a control unit for seat adjustment of the vehicle 10, etc.For example, FIG. 8, the method comprises at least one of the following elements: a) ascertaining 140, for example, repeatedly ascertaining 140 a, for example, periodically ascertaining 140 b, for example, continuously ascertaining 140 c, a position IN-POSof at least one occupant (for example, driver or passenger or other person in the interior IR) of the vehicle 10, or b) ascertaining 142, for example, repeatedly ascertaining 142 a, for example, periodically ascertaining 142 b, for example, continuously ascertaining 142 c, a position VT-POSof at least one element E' located outside the vehicle 10, for example, in the exterior AR (FIG. 2 ), for example, of a person or an animal or an object, or c) informing 144 (FIG. 8, For example, via a human-machine interface (not shown)) of at least one occupant (e.g. of the driver) of the vehicle 10, for example with respect to a possibly risk-afflicted position, for example seating position, and / or a possibly risk-afflicted orientation and / or pose, for example of the at least one occupant and / or of at least one further occupant of the vehicle 10, or d), at least one situation SIT is reconstructed 146, for example with respect to an interior space IR and / or exterior space AR.In some examples, between reconstructing 146 the at least one situation SIT and at least one other aspect according to the disclosure, for example determining 100 (FIG. 1 ) and / or storing 102, a comparatively long period of time may be, for example, several minutes or hours or longer.For example, the reconstruction 146 of the at least one situation SIT may be carried out, for example, after an accident or another critical, for example dangerous, situation with respect to the vehicle 10 and / or the at least one element E, E', for example, after a recovery of the vehicle 10, etc. Thus, in some examples, a period of time of, for example, several days or longer may lie between the reconstruction 146 of the at least one situation SIT and at least one other aspect according to the disclosure, for example the ascertainment 100 (FIG. 1 ) and / or the storage 102.Some examples, FIG. 9, relate to an apparatus 200 for carrying out the method according to the disclosure. In some examples, FIG. 2, the device 200 can be provided, for example, in the vehicle 10, for example integrated into a control unit 20, e.g., a control unit for a restraint system and / or an airbag control unit, or integrated into the vehicle data memory 12, for example event data recorder.For example, it is provided that the apparatus 200 (FIG. 9 ) has: a computing device ("computer") 202 having at least one computing core 202 a, a storage device 204 assigned to the computing device 202 for at least temporarily storing at least one of the following elements: a) data DAT (e.g. data associated with the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W), b) computer program PRG, for example for executing the method according to the disclosure.In further examples, the memory device 204 comprises a volatile memory (e.g. random access memory (RAM)) 204 aand / or a nonvolatile (NVM) memory (e.g. flash EEPROM) 204 b, or a combination thereof or with other memory types not explicitly mentioned.Further examples relate to a computer readable storage medium SM comprising instructions PRG which, when executed by a computer 202, cause the computer to execute the method according to the embodiments.Further examples relate to a computer program PRG comprising instructions which, when the program PRG is executed by a computer 202, cause the computer to execute the method according to the embodiments.Further examples relate to a data carrier signal DCS characterizing and / or transmitting the computer program PRG according to the embodiments. The data carrier signal DCS can be received, for example, via an optional data interface 206 of the device 200.Some examples, FIG. 2, relate to a controller 20, for example for a vehicle 10, comprising at least one device 20 according to the disclosure.Further aspects and examples are described below, which can each be combined individually by themselves or in combination with one another with at least one of the examples described above.For example, FIG. 2, for example at the time of an accident or a collision of the vehicle 10, in which damage may occur, various items of information or data which are detectable or are detected by sensors in the vehicle 10 are secured, for example with the aid of the device, for example integrated, provided in the vehicle 10, for example control device, for example "Event Data Recorder" (EDR) 12. Alternatively or additionally, in some examples, this information or data can be sent, for example transmitted, to the at least one further device 30. In some examples, the data is e.g. time limited and e.g. contains information immediately around an accident time and, optionally, shortly thereafter. In some examples, the data stored in the EDR 12 or sent to the further device 30 can be used to detect a situation SIT prevailing at the accident time and / or a state of the systems installed in the vehicle 10, such as the restraint system.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure may be used together with other driver assistance systems, e.g. for maintaining a speed limit, wherein, for example, in addition to the first information, at least some information of such other driver assistance systems may be stored.For example, as already mentioned above, the device 200 is integrated in an airbag control unit 20 (FIG. 2 ), since there, for example, additional important information is often available and there, for example, the restraint systems of the vehicle 10 are also activated. In some examples, one or more of the following characteristic variables are stored, for example in a nonvolatile manner, for example together with the first information I- 1: a) driving dynamics data before a crash: e.g. speed and / or engine throttle valve / accelerator pedal position and / or status of a brake and / or ignition cycle in the event of a crash and / or engine speed and / or activity of an antilock braking system (ABS) and / or an electronic stability control (ESC) and / or a steering angle, or b) driving dynamics data after the crash: e.g. speed changes ("deltaV"), e.g. in the longitudinal and / or transverse direction and / or information about restraint systems, For example, the occupant's seat belt status and / or airbag warning light and / or the airbag's trigger times, e.g. for drivers and / or passengers (e.g. front and / or side and / or head airbag), and / or information about accelerations in one or more, for example all three, spatial directions and / or information about rotation rates in one or more, for example all three, spatial directions.For example, at least some of the above-described information or data are stored locally, e.g. exclusively, and in some examples can be read out, e.g. via a tool, e.g. software tool.In some examples, e.g. when the data belong exclusively to the driver or holder, e.g. due to data protection, no person-related data or person-related data are stored, which allow conclusions about the driver / holder, nor the vehicle identification number.For example, it can be provided that a collision is detected and that in the case of the collision an automatic emergency call (e.g. without human interaction) is issued, e.g. in order to inform a rescue control center immediately after an accident and to initiate a rescue chain, e.g. by means of eCall.In some examples, information characterizing a position and / or points in time and a location can be sent, for example together with the emergency call. In some examples, a number of occupants and / or their restraint system status may also be sent, for example, to provide detailed information to a control center. In some examples, based on the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W, for example, a severity of injury can be determined, for example estimated, by occupants of the vehicle 10, for example, and information characterizing the severity of injury can also be transmitted to the control center.For example, it can thus be provided that the device 200 determines, for example calculates, information about possible severity of injury to the occupants and / or from other elements E' in the exterior AR, and transmits it to a rescue center via an emergency call, for example a dBlue and / or eBlue.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure may be used with at least one occupant monitoring system, for example, Occupant Monitoring System (OMS), and / or with at least one driver monitoring system, for example, Driver Monitoring System (DMS), for example, to capture the occupants in the vehicle 10 and / or to ascertain the image information I-B.For example, systems such as OMS or DMS may implement different tasks and functions. In some examples, systems such as OMS or DMS may assist the driver in his driving task, for example by way of fatigue detection, or in the case of physical inability such as a myocardial infarction by at least temporarily assuming the driving task. In some examples, systems such as OMS or DMS may determine, for example, a distraction and / or a belt seat belt status, and / or a viewing direction BR (FIG. 3 ) and / or an identification of various activities of the occupants, such as drinking or objects located in the interior IR. Therefore, in some examples, it is provided that the device 200 can ascertain at least a part of the first information I- 1 and / or of the further information I-W and / or of the image information I-B, for example by means of or using OMS and / or DMS. In some examples, joint positions of human occupants and / or head and / or upper body positions may be determined on this basis, for example. FIG. 10 shows, as an example, a scene from the interior IR of a vehicle on which two persons (driver and passenger) can be seen. Also shown in FIG. 10 are respective skeleton models or graphical information associated with the skeleton models of the two persons.For example, the principle according to the disclosure can be used, for example, to carry out triggering of restraint systems such as, for example, an airbag or a belt tensioner, for example in the event of a collision, for example based on the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W and / or the image information I-B and / or based on information which can be derived therefrom, such as, for example, a skeleton model. In some examples, this makes it possible, for example, to activate restraining means in a situation-specific and / or person-specific manner, for example to ignite (for example, air bag). In some examples, a method can therefore be provided as follows: Ascertaining at least the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W and / or the image information I-B and / or information which can be derived therefrom, such as e.g. a skeleton model, activating at least one restraining means or restraining system on the basis of at least some of the information.In some examples, video information (e.g. video from the interior IR, e.g. from the driver, and / or from the exterior AR) determined by means of the camera device KE (FIG. 2 ) can be stored at least temporarily. In some examples, such video information may be used, for example, as evidence, for example, to ensure that the driver was correspondingly involved (and has not been able to be distracted, for example) in a driving task.For example, the principle according to the disclosure makes it possible to store information, e.g. to be saved immediately before a collision, about a position of the occupants and / or about objects located in the vehicle (and / or about elements E' of the exterior space AR), e.g. at least immediately before a collision, e.g. to save it in an event data recorder 12 (FIG. 2 ).In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure enables an anonymous storage of information about a position of the occupants and / or about objects located in the vehicle (and / or about elements E' of the outer space AR), for example in the form of the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W. In some examples, this enables a reduction in a storage outlay, since comparatively small amounts of data are obtained for the description or representation of, for example, the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W instead of one or more video data streams.For example, the principle according to the disclosure enables estimation of an occupant injury severity and / or an injury severity of elements E', for example persons and / or animals, in the exterior space AR.In some examples, a severity of injury to an occupant is characterized, for example, by the occupant and / or its relevant characteristics such as height of the body and / or mass and / or age and / or sex, and / or by its, for example last, position, for example immediately before triggering of the restraint systems, and / or by a belt guidance of a seat belt, for example in the chest and / or pelvic region, and / or by a setting of a headrest and / or by a setting of a seat backrest inclination and / or by a setting of the seat or its position.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure makes it possible to ascertain the position of, for example, a human (e.g. occupant E or pedestrian E', e.g. when using a surroundings sensor system such as, for example, a video camera) or an object located in the vehicle 10, for example to capture it from at least one image (FIG. 10 ) of a camera device KE (FIG. 2 ), to carry out, on the basis of the at least one image, a method of pose estimation (e.g. "pose estimation"), for example, and to carry out information, e.g. with respect to a skeleton, obtained by the method of pose estimation, For example, characterizing a skeleton model of the person in question (see, for example, the not-labeled visualizations of the skeleton models depicted in FIG. 10 ), for example, in the form of the first information I- 1, for example, in the evidence data recorder 12.For example, a position of an object or element E, E' can be considered to be synonymous with a position of the object or element E, E', e.g. relative to a reference point in an image. In some examples, the position is e.g. characterized by at least one angle and / or at least one distance, so that in some examples e.g. an image reconstruction is possible.In some examples, for an occupant, for example, the position and / or position and / or angle of at least some body parts with respect to one another and / or a head position and / or viewing direction and / or eye position can be determined and / or stored, for example in the form of the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W. In some examples, comparable information can also be stored for a plurality of persons, for example all persons detected in the vehicle 10. Moreover, in some examples, detection of one or more other elements located in the interior IR, such as animals (e.g., pet animals, e.g., dog, in the rear seat) and / or objects, e.g., items (e.g., pocket or the like), may also be performed. In some examples, it is also possible for the other elements located in the interior IR, such as animals and / or objects, to have their respective position and / or position, e.g. with respect to the reference point, determined and / or stored, since these other elements can possibly cause injuries, e.g. of the occupants, e.g. in the event of a collision, e.g. by a spin-around action.For example, FIG. 10, further relevant information can also be extracted from the at least one image and saved, e.g. together with the position, e.g. in the event data recorder 12. Further relevant information is, in some examples, e.g. the profile V-SG (FIG. 7 ) of the seat belt, the position POS-KS of the headrest and / or generally e.g. the seat back (see element POS-SL according to FIG. 7 ) and / or the seat cushion (see element POS-SK according to FIG. 7 ).In some examples, e.g. analogous to the aspects described above with respect to the interior space IR, at least one of these aspects can also apply, e.g. be applied, for example, to the exterior space AR. In other words, in some examples, one or more images of at least a portion of the exterior space AR may be created or received, and based on, e.g., at least these images, one or more information about at least one element E' (FIG. 2 ) of the exterior space AR (e.g., position and / or location and / or orientation and / or pose, etc.) may be determined and / or stored, e.g., also in the event data writer 12.For example, a video image which is captured immediately before a collision with a party involved in an accident can make it possible to ascertain and / or store a position and / or position of the collision partner. FIG. 11 shows, as an example, a sequence of a collision of a vehicle with a pedestrian, in a time sequence of three time steps, corresponding to the three rows R 1, R 2, R 3 of images of FIG. 11.In some examples, based on the camera images imaged in a first column SP- 1 to the left in FIG. 11, e.g., obtained by a camera device capturing the exterior AR (FIG. 2 ), a pedestrian is determined, e.g., detected, in the exterior AR. In some examples, based on this image information of column SP- 1, for example, a pose, for example, a skeletal model, for the pedestrian may be determined. The skeleton model ascertained according to some examples or a corresponding visualization is shown in the three images of the middle, second, column SP- 2 according to FIG. 11, in the present case, for example, blended into the camera images according to column SP- 1. In some examples, the pose of the pedestrian detected in the images, e.g., unambiguously, which pose can be determined according to some examples, e.g., from the images according to column SP- 1, describes a position of the pedestrian, e.g., its body parts, in space, e.g., both before and during and after the collision (not shown).For example, based at least on the image information according to column SP- 1 and / or based on data derived therefrom, such as the skeleton model (see column SP- 2), the skeleton can be used as a basis for creating a shell, e.g. around elements of the skeleton. As an example, the envelope is overlaid in the images of column SP-3 on the right in FIG. 11.In some examples, FIG. 11, a position of the skeleton in space stored, for example, with respect to a reference position enables a reconstruction of an accident origin and thus, for example, of the actual collision profile. In some examples, this can be used to determine any or possible injuries to occupants E, and / or, as in the example according to FIG. 11, in the case of the pedestrian in the exterior space AR, in some examples, for example, a possible impact of the head of the pedestrian on the vehicle 10 can be determined, for example identified.In some examples, at least some of the information I- 1 and / or I-W and / or I-B may be used to enable and / or perform at least some of the aspects described above. In some examples, e.g. following an accident or collision, e.g. an image reconstruction can be carried out using at least the information I-1 and / or I-W.For example, using the principle according to the disclosure, one or more of the following aspects or advantages can be achieved at least temporarily: a) detection and / or backup (for example local storage in the EDR 12 (FIG. 2 ) and / or transmission to a remote device 30) of information characterizing at least one last occupant position, for example in the case of activation of the restraint systems, and thus, for example for the first time, a possibility of a reconstruction of this position, or b) detection and backup (for example storage, for example in EDR 12, and / or transmission to the device 30) of, in the case of an accident, for example last position of an, for example unprotected position, Road user such as a pedestrian and / or cyclist and / or motorized two-wheeled driver and / or generally of an object involved in the collision and / or generally of at least one object involved in a collision (e.g. mast or pile or building, e.g. house), and thus, e.g. for the first time, a possibility of a comparatively more detailed reconstruction of a collision position and / or of a collision sign.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure may be used, e.g. as a basis for executing methods, informing, e.g. warning, one or more occupants and / or, e.g. initiating other measures, e.g. reducing accident consequences and / or possibly even preventing an accident.For example, the principle according to the disclosure enables a reconstruction of a situation, e.g. immediately before a collision of the vehicle 10, and thus also a simulation, e.g. at a time of the collision, which in some examples can be used, for example, for improving future restraint systems and / or other protection systems.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure enables documentation, e.g. of injury-causing objects, e.g. in the interior IR (FIG. 2 ). In some examples, these include objects flying around (as, for example, unsecured) in the interior IR of the vehicle 10, for example, in the event of an accident or braking maneuver, but also possible contact points of restraint systems such as, for example, an airbag.For example, the principle according to the disclosure also makes it possible analogously for the outer space AR to determine, for example, assignment, impact points on the vehicle 10, for example to corresponding body parts, for example of an unprotected road user (for example pedestrian E' in the outer space AR), and thus, for the first time, for example, a comparatively detailed reconstruction and / or assignment of or to possible injuries.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure enables, for example, efficient processing of information I- 1, I-W, I-B or corresponding data, wherein, for example, in the case of at least the information I- 1 and / or I-W, a comparatively complicated, anonymousization required in some conventional approaches is not required, for example for reasons of data protection, since in some examples the image or the image information I-B, but, for example, extracted compressed information, is not stored, for example in the form of the first information I- 1 and / or the further information I-W. In some examples, this eliminates e.g. a comparatively complicated postprocessing of image data, as is carried out in some conventional approaches.For example, the principle according to the disclosure enables a saving in storage space, e.g. since the image information items I-B require more storage space than already preclassified objects and simple skeleton models, as can be characterized, for example, by the information items I-1 and / or I-W or can be derived from this information items I-1 and / or I-W in some examples.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure enables the findings obtained using the principle according to the disclosure to be used for improving a restraint strategy, for example if, for example for higher degrees of automation, other interior concepts or vehicle structures are to be taken into account, for example differently than in the case of an interior of conventional vehicles.In some examples, the principle according to the disclosure enables the findings obtained using the principle according to the disclosure to be used for improving restraint systems, for example for protecting unprotected road users.For example, the principle according to the disclosure makes it possible to use the findings obtained using the principle according to the disclosure, e.g. for corresponding accident simulations (e.g. using a multibody model, and / or FEM simulation), e.g. to build up, e.g. reconstruct (e.g. "reconstructed interior or exterior scene") at least one scene, e.g. with respect to the interior space IR and / or the exterior space AR, in the context of a reconstruction.For example, the principle according to the disclosure enables the information I- 1, I-W, I-B determinable using the principle according to the disclosure to be used for a calculation of a severity of injury. In some examples, at least some of the information I- 1, I-W, I-B may be provided to, e.g., an emergency call system, e.g., an eCall system.In some examples, event data recorder 12 or device 200 may be part of a control unit, for example, an airbag control unit. In some examples, it is also conceivable for the storage, e.g. securing, of at least some of the information items I- 1, I-W to take place in a, for example separate, accident data recorder, or else by at least one, e.g. different, control device. In some examples, it is likewise conceivable for the storage and / or securing of at least some of the information items I- 1, I-W to take place in another medium, for example in a semiconductor memory, for example "memory stick". In addition, it is conceivable that in some examples, the storage, e.g. backup, of at least some of the information I- 1, I-W takes place alternatively or additionally also outside the vehicle 10, e.g. in the remotely arranged device 30 (FIG. 2 ), e.g. based on a wireless data exchange, for example via a wireless communication system (not shown).Further aspects, advantages and examples are described below, which in some examples can be combined with one another in each case individually or in any combination with one another with at least one of the aspects and / or examples described above.For example, FIG. 10, it is provided that at least one image, e.g., of an interior monitoring system, e.g., OMS, is initially used to classify at least one occupant, e.g., to perform a pose estimation for the at least one occupant, wherein, e.g., a skeleton model is obtained per occupant. Since a camera which supplies the at least one image is fixedly installed in some examples (i.e. has a known, constant position and / or orientation, e.g. with respect to the interior space IR), reference information can thus be determined or available, for example, on the basis of which a position of the respective skeleton model in space can be reconstructed, for example.FIG. 12 schematically shows an image from the interior IR of a vehicle, on the basis of which aspects of examples according to the disclosure are described below. In some examples, FIG. 12, for example using the example of a driver, for example starting from a seat position, a position e 1 of the neck is first determined and / or stored as a local reference. Since the resolution of the camera is known in some examples, the position of the neck may be indicated in some examples as a specific distance measure, e.g. in meters, e.g. with respect to the reference point. In some examples, the neck or other point of interest, e.g., point-of-interest, may be used as, e.g., a local coordinate system or a local reference system. Based on this, in some examples, further positions e 2, e 3,... with respect to the driver may be determined and / or stored. In the example of FIG. 12, positions or a respective position of a plurality of parts of the driver's body are determined and / or stored, for example, first via the right arm (left in FIG. 12 ). Here, in some examples, first the right shoulder e 2, the right elbow e 3 and the right wrist e 4 or the respective position and / or position is determined and / or stored. If, in some examples, for example, no further identified body parts such as, for example, a hand are detected, in some examples, the system returns to the reference point ("neck") e 1 and the upper body is detected, see elements e 5, e 6. In some examples, the securing of the left arm is then carried out analogously, see points e 7, e 8, e 9. After the upper body has been processed, in some examples a head position is detected with respect to the reference point neck e2. In some examples, for example, a position e 10 of the nose is determined and / or stored first and then the right eye e 11 and the right ear e 12, and subsequently, starting from the nose e 10, the left eye e 13 and the left ear e 14 (visible only as a point in the image).As an example, a seat belt can also be seen in FIG. 12. In some examples, the seatbelt may also be determined or analyzed based on the image of FIG. 12. For example, in some examples, the seatbelt is identified and one or more seatbelt anchor points A, B, C, D, E, F are detected, e.g., characterizing an arrangement of the seatbelt. In some examples, the upper anchor point A is used as a reference, since this part of the seatbelt is fixedly installed in the vehicle, for example, and can be unambiguously identified, for example. In the present case, FIG. 12 shows the course of the seatbelt as an example over the respective points of the upper shoulder region (point B), the chest-abdominal region (point C) toward the deflection point / belt buckle (point D) and over the pelvic point (point E) toward the lower anchor point (point F). In some examples, e.g. a return calculation of the anchor points A, B, C, D, E, F is possible, e.g. relative to the driver (i.e. e.g. a production of a spatial reference between the anchor points A, B, C, D, E, F and one or more body parts of the driver or their positions e 1, e 2,... ), so that in some examples, e.g. in the case of a collision, the position of the seat belt, e.g. in relation to the body parts, can be reconstructed. In some examples, this forms, inter alia, a basis for ascertaining a potential of a restraint system.In some examples, FIG. 12, it is provided that a continuous determination and / or storage, for example securing, of one or more of the determined positions e 1, e 2,..., A, B, C,... takes place, for example in the form of at least part of the first information I- 1 and / or of the further information I-W.For example, at least some parts of the relevant information can be stored again, for example, only in each case when there is a comparatively large change to an already detected position, and therefore the respective position has changed comparatively greatly (for example more than a predefinable threshold value).In some examples, FIG. 2, it is provided that the storage, e.g. securing, takes place in an airbag control unit 20, wherein an event data recorder is realized in the airbag control unit 20, for example by means of the device 200.For example, according to an alternative embodiment, it is provided that airbag control device 20 triggers the storage, for example, a backup, for example, "triggers", for example, according to an algorithm that is used for backup of the information in a or the event data recorder.In some examples, it is provided that a position of the occupants and / or objects and / or seatbelts is detected at a plurality of times before and during a collision, but for example at at least three different times, so that in some examples, for example, in addition to a spatial reconstruction, a temporal reconstruction is also made possible, as a result of which, in some examples, a collision sequence can be reconstructed even more precisely.For example, the principle according to the disclosure, e.g. analogously to the application to aspects of the interior space IR (FIG. 2 ), can alternatively or additionally also be applied to an exterior space AR. For this purpose, FIG. 13 shows a plurality of images of an outer space AR (FIG. 2 ) of the vehicle, wherein the three rows each correspond to different time steps during an accident progress (collision of the vehicle with a pedestrian). Column SP- 1' shows, superimposed in the camera images, a visualization of information of a skeleton model according to some examples and associated numbered circles 1, 2, 3,..., 22, which correspond in each case to different positions of different body parts or components of the skeleton model. It should be noted that the circles 1,..., 22 according to FIG. 13 are to be distinguished from the reference numerals 10, 20, etc., which may have the same numbers or numbers, for example according to FIG. 2. In the present case, the circles 1,..., 22 according to FIG. 13 therefore relate only to the positions according to FIG. 13 and have no reference to the components 10, 20 according to FIG. 2. column SP- 2' according to FIG. 13 shows the respective camera images with a shell determined according to some examples around the skeleton.In some examples, both a spatial and a temporal sequence of an accident can be seen from FIG. 13. Analogously to the example of FIG. 12 with respect to the interior space IR, the pedestrian is identified in the exterior space in FIG. 13. Starting from the reference point neck, marked with circle "1", in some examples a storage, for example a securing, of the positions of the individual body regions or body parts takes place, for example starting with the right shoulder (circle "2"), elbow (circle "3") and hand (circle "4") and subsequently then the left half of the body with shoulder (circle "5"), elbow (circle "6") and hand (circle "7"), followed by the lower extremities starting from the center point of the identified hip (circle "8"), via the right hip joint (circle "9") and leg (circle "10", "11", "12", "13") and then in sequence the left hip joint (circle "14") and the leg (circle "15", "16", "17", "18", "19"). In some examples, the head position, if this can be resolved, then takes place in a connection, for example via nose (circle "20") and right eye (circle "21") and left eye (circle "22").At the moment of the collision, FIG. 13, the actual collision of the pedestrian with a vehicle structure can be clearly recognized from the image at the bottom left, i.e. at the bottom in column SP- 1', in some examples. Both the head position (circles "20", "21", "22") and the position of the body when hitting the engine hood make it possible, according to some examples, to ascertain possible injuries at the time of the impact, for example, from this reconstruction.FIG. 14 schematically illustrates a scene with an exterior space AR, according to some examples. Analogous to the example of FIG. 12 with respect to the interior space IR, in FIG. 14, in some examples two pedestrians are identified in the exterior space AR. In some examples, e.g. analogously to FIGS. 12, 13, a determination and / or storage, for example securing, of one or more positions, e.g. associated with at least one of the pedestrians, e.g. with respect to a reference point, can take place. In this way, in some examples, optionally also downstream, further accident reconstructions can be supported, for example, in order to possibly also not take into account participants in an accident directly. In some examples, e.g. a determination and / or storage, for example securing, of one or more objects, e.g. associated with at least one other vehicle and / or pile, e.g. with respect to a reference point, may take place (not marked in FIG. 14 ).FIG. 15 schematically illustrates a block diagram, in accordance with some examples. Element E 20 represents a camera device, e.g. a video camera, which captures an image E 21, for example an image of the interior IR (FIG. 2 ). In some examples, the image E 21 is processed, for example preprocessed, for example by means of object recognition E 22, for example in order to recognize, for example identify, persons E 22 aand / or objects E 22 b, possibly contained in the image E 21, and, for example in the case of an external image from the external space AR (FIG. 2 ), e.g. also other vehicles E 22 c. In some examples, the object detection E 22 can be carried out by means of, for example, conventional image processing methods and / or else by means of artificial intelligence methods, for example by means of deep neural networks, deep neural networks, DNN.Element E 23 according to FIG. 15 represents a position determination of the identified persons, see block E 23 a, and / or objects, see block E 23 b, and / or vehicles, see block E 23 c. In some examples, element E 23 a 1 represents a pose estimate, for example a two-dimensional pose estimate. In some examples, element E 23 a 2 represents a skeletal regression, for example for determining a skeletal model, see, for example, the visualization according to FIG. 10 In some examples, element E 23 a 3 represents a numbering, for example of at least one element with respect to the position determination and / or pose estimation and / or skeletal regression.In some examples, FIG. 15, the skeletal model may be transformed into a biofedel model, for example, by the regressiver E 23 e, wherein the identified compounds may be associated with the respective body regions, for example. In some examples, numbering E23a3 body regions may occur. For example, in some examples, at least one aspect of at least one of blocks E 23 a 1, E 23 a 2, E 23 a 3 may occur, e.g., execute, in a controller other than, e.g., airbag controller 20, but in some examples, it need not.Element E24 according to FIG. 15 represents an airbag control unit or the airbag control unit, in which in some examples, for example by means of a sensor system E24a and a triggering algorithm E24b, triggering E24c (for example in the case of an accident event) or triggering of at least one aspect according to the disclosure, for example at least some items of information I-1, I-W are stored, for example in a memory E24d, for example of an event data recorder, wherein in some examples the event data recorder is implemented at least partially in the airbag control unit E24. The information, for example detected, determinable by means of the sensor system E 24 ais stored in some examples, e.g. parallel to the information I- 1 and / or I-W, e.g. likewise in the memory E 24 d.Some examples, FIG. 16, relate to a use 300 of the method according to the disclosure and / or of the apparatus 200 according to the disclosure and / or of the control unit 20 according to the disclosure and / or of the computer-readable storage medium SM according to the disclosure and / or of the computer program PRG according to the disclosure and / or of the data carrier signal DCS according to the disclosure for at least one of the following elements: a) documenting 301 at least one position and / or position and / or orientation of at least one person and / or of at least one animal and / or of at least one object, for example in a or the interior and / or in a or the exterior of the vehicle, or b) detection 302 and / or securing 303 and / or reconstruction 304 of a last occupant position, e.g. in the case of activation of at least one restraint system, or c) detection 305 and / or securing 306 of a position, e.g. of an unprotected road user, e.g. of a pedestrian, cyclist or motorized two-wheeled driver, in the case of an accident, e.g. last position, e.g. of an unprotected road user, and / or generally of a collision participant (and / or of an object involved in a collision, e.g. a mast or pile or a structure, e.g. a building, e.g. house), or d) reconstruction 307 of a collision position and / or of a collision partner, e.g. collision participant, or e) determination 308 of methods, In an embodiment, the method can be used to inform and / or warn one or more occupants and / or to initiate risk-reducing or accident-sequence-reducing measures, or f) simulation 309 of aspects of a situation with respect to the vehicle, for example, before a collision and / or at a time of the collision, or g) improvement 310 of restraint systems and / or other protection systems.

Claims

Computer-implemented method for a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, for processing data associated with the vehicle (10), comprising: ascertaining (100) first information (I-1) which characterizes at least one position (E-POS) of an element (E; E') in the region of the vehicle (10), wherein the first information (I-1) characterizes at least part of a skeleton model of the element (E; E'), storing (102), for example non-volatile storing (102a), the first information (I-1).The method of claim 1, wherein the element (E; E') is at least one of the following: a) a person, or b) an animal, or c) an object.Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the element (E; E') is arranged at least partially in an interior (IR) or an exterior (AR) of the vehicle (10).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the storing (102) comprises at least one of the following elements: a) storing (102b), for example non-volatile storing, by means of and / or in a vehicle data memory (12), for example event data recorder, or b) transmitting (102c) the first information (I-1), for example to a device (20) arranged remote from the vehicle (10), for example a cloud device.Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the first information (I-1), for example in addition to the position (E-POS), characterizes at least one of the following aspects: a) a position (E-POSITION) of the element (E; E') in space, for example with respect to at least one component of the vehicle (10), or b) an orientation (E-OR) of the element (E; E'), or c) a position of the element (E; E'), for example in the case of a formation of the element (E; e') as a person or animal, or d) position (L-K) and / or position (S-K) and / or angle (W-K) of at least one body part, for example with respect to at least one other body part, for example a person or an animal, or e) head position (KS), or f) viewing direction (BR), or g) eye position (AS).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the ascertaining (100) comprises: using (100a) image information (I-B), for example for ascertaining (100) the first information (I-1), wherein, for example, the image information (I-B) is associated with at least one or the interior space (IR) and / or one or the exterior space (AR).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising: determining (110) image information (I-B) which is associated at least with an interior space (IR) and / or an exterior space (AR), determining (112) at least a part (I-1') of the first information (I-1) on the basis of the image information (I-B), wherein, for example, the determining (110) of the image information (I-B) comprises: determining (110a) the image information (I-B) by means of at least one camera device (KE).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising: executing (120) a pose estimation (PE), for example pose estimation, and, optionally, determining (122) at least a part (I-1') of the first information (I-1) based on the pose estimation (PE).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising: determining (130) further information (I-W) which could be important, for example, with respect to a driving situation and / or an accident in connection with the vehicle (10), wherein, for example, the further information (I-W) comprises at least one of the following elements: a) profile (V-SG) of the seat belt, or b) position (POS-KS) of a headrest, or c) position (POS-SL) of a seat backrest, or d) position (POS-SK) of a seat cushion and / or of a child seat, and, optionally, storing (132), for example non-volatile storing (132a), of the further information (I-W).Method according to at least one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one of the following elements: a) determining (140), for example repeatedly determining (140a), for example periodically determining (140b), for example continuously determining (140c) a position (IN-POS) of at least one occupant of the vehicle (10), or b) determining (142), for example repeatedly determining (142a), for example periodically determining (142b), for example continuously determining (142c) a position (VT-POS) of at least one element (E') located outside the vehicle (10), for example a person or an animal or an object, or c) informing (144) at least one occupant of the vehicle (10), for example with respect to a possibly risk-afflicted position, for example seat position, and / or a possibly risk-afflicted orientation and / or pose, for example, of the at least one occupant and / or of at least one further occupant of the vehicle ( 10), or d) reconstruction ( 146) of at least one situation (SIT), for example with respect to an interior space (IR) and / or exterior space (AR).Apparatus (200) for carrying out the method according to at least one of the preceding claims.Control device (20), for example for a vehicle (10), having at least one device (200) according to Claim 11.A computer readable storage medium (SM) comprising instructions (PRG) which, when executed by a computer (202), cause the computer to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 10.A computer program (PRG) comprising instructions which, when the program (PRG) is executed by a computer (202), cause the computer to carry out the method according to at least one of claims 1 to 10.Data carrier signal (DCS) transmitting and / or characterizing the computer program (PRG) according to claim 14.Use (300) of the method according to at least one of Claims 1 to 10 and / or of the apparatus (200) according to Claim 11 and / or of the control unit (12) according to Claim 12 and / or of the computer-readable storage medium (SM) according to Claim 13 and / or of the computer program (PRG) according to Claim 14 and / or of the data carrier signal (DCS) according to Claim 15 for at least one of the following elements: a) documenting (301) at least one position and / or position and / or orientation of at least one person and / or of at least one animal and / or of at least one object, for example in one or the interior (IR) and / or in one or the exterior (AR) of the vehicle (10), or b) detection (302) and / or securing (303) and / or reconstruction (304) of a last occupant position, e.g. in the case of activation of at least one restraint system, or c) detection (305) and / or securing (306) of a position, e.g. of an unprotected road user such as a pedestrian, cyclist or motorized two-wheeled driver, in the case of an accident, or d) reconstruction (307) of a collision position and / or of a collision partner, for example collision partner, or e) determination (308) of methods for informing one or more occupants and / or warning and / or initiating risk-reducing or accident-sequence-reducing measures, or f) simulation (309) of aspects of a situation relating to the vehicle (10), for example prior to a collision and / or at a time of the collision, or g) improvement (310) of restraint systems and / or other protection systems.

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