Method for operating a vehicle and suitable vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle (1) whose body (2) is equipped with several ultrasonic sensors (3) for short-range detection and / or distance measurement. Based on vehicle and / or environmental parameters, a distinction is made between a normal operating mode without environmental communication and a special operating mode with wireless environmental communication. In the special operating mode, current and / or upcoming driving maneuvers are encoded as ultrasonic pulses (8) and emitted into the environment (20) via the ultrasonic sensors (3). External ultrasonic pulses (8) in the environment (20) are received and subsequently decoded. The communication function is intended for V2V / V2I / V2P applications in scenarios of low speed, high vehicle density, or limited radio coverage. The solution utilizes existing sensor technology cost-effectively and enables local, directed short-range communication without impairing short-range detection.For this purpose, measurement pulses (7) and communication pulses (8) can be operated separately in time, robust coding (e.g., PPM / frequency hopping) can be used, and repetitions and acknowledgments can be provided. Optionally, frequency adjustments, increased transmission power, directional measures (focusing lenses / horn attachments), and beamforming with multiple sensors are provided to increase range and robustness.

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