Method for braking a vehicle for carrying passengers, control unit, and vehicle for carrying passengers

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for braking a vehicle (1) with passengers (2) in an inner region (12), wherein the vehicle (1) is braked in accordance with a defined braking profile when a trigger criterion is present, wherein the brake profile has a braking phase in which the vehicle (1) is braked with an actual ego deceleration that varies with respect to time, wherein the brake profile is defined in the following steps: - detecting road users (V) located in an environment (U) outside the vehicle (1), and detecting passengers (2) located in the inner region (12) of the vehicle (1), - determining road user information items associated with the respectively detected road users (V), and determining passenger information items associated with the respectively detected passengers (2); - reading in a passenger injury profile for the detected passengers (2) in accordance with the respectively determined passenger information, and reading in a road user injury profile for the detected road users (V) in accordance with the respectively determined road user information; - defining and / or reading out the brake profile in accordance with the passenger injury profiles which have been read in, and / or the road user injury profiles which have been read in, in such a way that, for the available brake profiles, a minimal degree of injury arises for the detected road users (V) and / or for the detected passengers (2); and - outputting the brake profile and activating the brake system (4) in accordance with the brake profile.

Description

[0001] Method for braking a vehicle for transporting passengers, a control unit and a vehicle for transporting passengers

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for braking a vehicle for transporting passengers, a control unit for carrying out the method and a vehicle for transporting passengers.

[0003] The invention relates to a method for braking a vehicle for transporting passengers, in particular a road-bound vehicle for transporting standing and / or unbelted passengers, for example a bus, as well as a control device and a vehicle for transporting passengers, in particular a bus.

[0004] It is known from the prior art to brake vehicles in a cascade consisting of a visual and acoustic warning, a haptic warning in the form of a partial braking process that is noticeable to the belted driver, and a subsequent emergency braking phase. In DE102008045481 A1, a certain actual deceleration is set for the vehicle during the partial braking process in the haptic warning phase, whereby the actual deceleration increases continuously over time with a certain actual jerk, so that a continuously increasing actual deceleration for the vehicle also results. In the emergency braking phase, the vehicle is then braked to a standstill with a constant emergency braking deceleration, whereby the actual deceleration increases abruptly between the haptic warning phase and the emergency braking phase. In emergency braking situations, the vehicle can thus decelerate efficiently with several warnings to the belted driver and at the same time avoid or prevent a collision.Collision consequences are reduced.

[0005] EP2407358B1 further describes that, if a warning condition is present as the trigger criterion for braking the vehicle during an emergency braking maneuver, the vehicle is initially subjected to a brief, jerky deceleration. Due to the jerky deceleration, the vehicle is briefly decelerated with a jolt that is noticeable to the belted driver. In this case, this serves as a haptic warning to the belted driver before the actual braking phase. Subsequently, the braking phase is initiated, in which the vehicle is decelerated by a braking system using a time-varying target deceleration in the form of two stages in two partial braking ranges, preferably to a standstill, in order to avoid a collision.

[0006] Further braking methods for collision avoidance are described in EP2388757B1 and EP3326874A1.

[0007] For a vehicle that normally carries standing and / or unbelted passengers, such as a bus, this conventional cascade is not always effective in terms of passenger safety. Therefore, this cascade must be adapted to this situation, particularly in braking situations to avoid collisions.

[0008] For this purpose, DE102014008431 A1 discloses that the driver of a bus is initially warned visually and / or acoustically when a collision is likely. The bus is then automatically decelerated by setting a speed-dependent actual deceleration during a braking phase, thereby again alerting the driver to the collision-avoiding measure. At the beginning of the braking phase, the system abruptly switches to a speed-dependent actual deceleration that is perceptible to the driver. Subsequently, based on this, the actual deceleration can be continuously increased up to a maximum deceleration corresponding to approximately half of an emergency braking deceleration. A subsequent emergency braking phase is not performed to avoid endangering passengers.

[0009] A disadvantage of existing methods is that passengers can fall if the actual deceleration increases abruptly or suddenly, as this abrupt increase is coordinated with a haptic warning from the belted driver, and passengers often do not hold on to the designated handholds and / or are distracted. Therefore, if a sudden increase in the actual deceleration is requested during the braking phase to warn the belted driver or to bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as possible, dangerous situations can arise for the passengers.

[0010] Therefore, WO2021 / 160287A1 proposes to first initiate a conditioning braking impulse by briefly decelerating the vehicle in such a way that the vehicle's passengers feel a brief, time-limited deceleration of the vehicle. Immediately after the conditioning braking impulse, a braking phase is initiated in several partial braking ranges, each with a different, decreasing, and merging actual jerk. The conditioning braking impulse can be used to condition the passengers in a first step, whereby they then tense their muscles and possibly even take a lunge to increase their stability for the subsequent braking phase, and if necessary, also hold on tighter. In the partial braking ranges of the braking phase, a sudden change in the actual deceleration and thus excessive swaying of the passengers is prevented.

[0011] A disadvantage of the current technology is that the individual phases of braking to a standstill are predetermined, so that the vehicle is always braked in the same way and with the same braking profile, regardless of the actual braking situation and regardless of the persons or living beings involved.

[0012] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method, a control unit and a vehicle with which a safe, person-friendly braking operation can be achieved in a simple manner.

[0013] This object is achieved according to the invention by a method, a control unit and a vehicle according to the independent claims, wherein the subclaims describe preferred developments and embodiments.

[0014] According to the invention, a method is provided for braking a vehicle with passengers in an interior area of ​​the vehicle, in particular standing and / or unbelted passengers. The vehicle is braked via a braking system depending on a defined braking profile when a trigger criterion is met, e.g., when a determined collision probability of the vehicle with an object exceeds a predetermined limit. The braking profile comprises at least one braking phase with a number of chronologically successive partial braking zones, wherein an actual deceleration is defined within the respective partial braking zones such that the vehicle is braked during the braking phase with a temporally varying actual deceleration. The braking profile is defined in the following steps:

[0015] Detection of road users located in an environment outside the vehicle and detection of passengers located inside the vehicle. Accordingly, people or living beings inside and outside the vehicle are observed, preferably based on environmental signals from an environmental sensor system or based on passenger signals from a passenger detection system.

[0016] Determining road user information associated with each recorded road user and determining passenger information associated with each recorded passenger.

[0017] Reading in a passenger injury profile for the recorded passengers based on the respective passenger information obtained, and reading in a road user injury profile for the recorded road users based on the respective road user information obtained. The respective injury profiles indicate (simulated) injury levels for the respective passenger or road user, for example, based on a simplified injury scale (Abbreviated Injury Scale, AIS) in order to classify the severity of a potential injury.

[0018] Determining and / or reading the braking profile based on the imported passenger injury profiles and / or the imported road user injury profiles in such a way that the available braking profiles (BP) result in a minimal degree of injury for the detected road users and / or passengers. The braking profile is thus tailored to the persons present or affected, i.e., road users and / or passengers.

[0019] Outputting the braking profile and controlling the braking system depending on the braking profile. According to the invention, a control unit for implementing the method and a vehicle, preferably a road vehicle, for example a bus but also a car, with such a control unit are also provided.

[0020] Advantageously, a conventionally fixed-parameter emergency braking cascade is modified to take into account the severity of potential injuries for all persons or living beings affected by such an emergency braking maneuver. The vehicle is therefore not necessarily braked to stop as far as possible before a determined collision time, but rather to ensure that all persons involved (inside and outside the vehicle) suffer the least possible degree of injury during the entire emergency braking maneuver. The braking process is thus more person-friendly overall.

[0021] Preferably, it is further provided that the actual deceleration of the vehicle and / or an actual jerk of the vehicle in the successive partial braking zones of the braking phase and / or a partial braking interval of the respective partial braking zone is determined depending on the read passenger injury profile and / or the read road user injury profile in such a way that a minimal degree of injury results for the detected road users and / or for the detected passengers. Thus, a passenger-friendly and / or road user-friendly selection of the actual deceleration and / or the actual jerk in the individual partial braking zones takes place in order to minimize the degree of injury for the respective persons.

[0022] In order to achieve this, it can preferably be provided that the respective passenger injury profile contains an assignment between a specific actual deceleration of the vehicle and a simulated degree of injury for the respective passenger, and / or the respective road user injury profile contains an assignment between a specific actual deceleration of the vehicle and a simulated degree of injury for the respective road user.

[0023] Advantageously, once the road users or passengers have been recorded, the severity of the injury can be determined from the respectively assigned injury profile, which is likely to be the case if the vehicle is braked with a certain actual deceleration during the braking phase. In this case, it is preferably provided that the assignment between a certain actual deceleration of the vehicle and a simulated degree of injury for the respective passenger in the respective passenger injury profile is determined in advance through simulations and saved, and / or the assignment between a certain actual deceleration of the vehicle and a simulated degree of injury for the respective road user in the respective road user injury profile is determined in advance through simulations and saved. Computer simulations are therefore carried out beforehand, in which the respective traffic situation is recreated accordingly.From this, the severity of the injury can then be derived, particularly according to the simplified injury scale, and this can be used to determine the braking profile.

[0024] Preferably, it is additionally provided that the actual deceleration of the vehicle in the successive partial braking sections of the braking phase is determined in such a way that the passenger injury profile over the entire braking phase results in a minimized simulated injury severity for the detected passengers and / or the road user injury profile over the entire braking phase results in a minimized simulated injury severity for the detected road users. The braking phase is thus adjusted in the individual partial braking sections in such a way that the simulation results in a minimized injury severity for both the passengers and the road users.

[0025] Preferably, it is further provided that the assignment of a specific actual deceleration of the vehicle to a simulated degree of injury for the respective passenger is included in the passenger injury profile for different passenger characteristics, and / or the assignment of a specific actual deceleration of the vehicle to a simulated degree of injury for the respective road user is included in the road user injury profile for different road user characteristics. Accordingly, not only is a distinction made between a passenger and a road user, each of whom is affected in different ways by vehicle braking, but a distinction is also made between different characteristics of the passengers or road users.

[0026] This allows additional differences to be taken into account if passenger characteristics such as age, gender, and / or height contained in the passenger information are used, and / or if road user characteristics such as age, gender, and / or height are used. These characteristics can impact the severity of injury, so they can be used to define the braking profile in a more differentiated manner to make braking even more passenger- and road user-friendly.

[0027] Preferably, it is further provided that for those detected passengers of the vehicle for whom the respective passenger information determined indicates that they are seated, no passenger injury profile is read in and / or the braking profile is not determined depending on the passenger injury profile for this seated passenger. This makes it possible to minimize the computational effort because, for seated passengers, consideration of the degree of injury is generally not necessary since they are less at risk during braking and, accordingly, lower degrees of injury can be assumed for them. In a similar way, road users far away in the vicinity of the vehicle who generally have no influence on the traffic situation during braking or who are not affected by it can be disregarded in order to minimize the computational effort.

[0028] Preferably, it can further be provided that, as passenger information, it is further determined whether a passenger restraint option is available for the respective passenger, whereby the simulated degree of injury assigned to a passenger for whom a passenger restraint option is available is reduced. Accordingly, it can also be taken into account that the degree of injury of a standing passenger at a certain actual deceleration depends on whether the passenger is also holding on or can hold on. Accordingly, a lower degree of injury can be assumed.

[0029] Preferably, the braking profile further includes a conditioning phase with a conditioning braking pulse for haptically warning the vehicle's passengers. The conditioning phase occurs before the braking phase. The conditioning phase and / or the conditioning braking pulse are also determined depending on the read passenger injury profile and / or the read road user injury profile in such a way that a minimal degree of injury results for the detected road users and / or the detected passengers. Depending on the estimated time of collision, a haptic warning for the passengers can also be provided, with which the passengers can be additionally warned so that they can prepare for the impending braking.This can further reduce the severity of the injury, provided there is sufficient time, as passengers can put themselves in an appropriate preparatory position, which may then lead to less severe injuries during the braking phase.

[0030] It is preferably further provided that for the braking profile, which is defined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile and / or the read-in road user injury profile, a collision time is determined at which time a collision between the vehicle and a detected object in the surroundings is predicted when the braking profile is applied, wherein the output of the braking profile, which is defined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile and / or the read-in road user injury profile, only occurs if the collision time determined for this purpose lies after a collision time which results for a braking profile which is defined without taking into account the read-in passenger injury profile and / or the read-in road user injury profile.The passengers are therefore only used if it can be used to determine a braking profile that offers better protection than a conventional system with a fixed, unchangeable emergency braking cascade.

[0031] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

[0032] Fig. 1 is a schematic overview of a vehicle configured to carry out the method according to the invention;

[0033] Fig.2 is a flow chart of the method according to the invention;

[0034] Fig. 3, 4A, 4B, 4C exemplary braking profiles; and

[0035] Fig. 5A, 5B, 5C exemplary injury levels.

[0036] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle 1 used to transport or convey passengers 2, where the passengers 2 are standing passengers 2a and / or unbelted passengers 2b. The vehicle 1 can be a road vehicle 1a, for example, a bus 1b. The vehicle 1 can be a self-driving, autonomously operated vehicle 1 (SAE Level 4 or 5) or a manually controlled vehicle 1 (SAE Level 3 or lower).

[0037] The vehicle 1 contains a passenger detection system 10, for example, with one or more cameras 11 and / or other sensors, with which an interior area 12 of the vehicle 1 can be monitored using sensors. The interior area 12 contains the passengers 2 and, depending on the level of autonomy, also a driver 7. The passenger detection system 10 specifically records the passengers 2 and outputs corresponding passenger signals SF for further processing.

[0038] The vehicle 1 further comprises a control unit 3 as a component of an emergency braking system 20 (AEBS, Advanced Emergency Braking System), which is designed to control a braking system 4 and / or a transmission 5 of the vehicle 1 during an emergency braking operation. Any system in the vehicle 1 capable of braking or decelerating the vehicle 1 in a controlled manner can be used as the braking system 4. For this purpose, the braking system 1 can comprise, for example, friction brakes 4b, in particular as a component of an (electro-)pneumatic braking system 4a, an engine brake, a regenerative brake (regenerative brake), a retarder, etc.

[0039] Furthermore, an environmental sensor system 6 is provided, with which an environment U around the vehicle 1 can be monitored. Objects 0, for example, external road users V, other means of transport M, buildings G, etc., can be located in the environment U. The environmental sensor system 6 records all of these objects 0 and outputs corresponding environmental signals SU for further processing.

[0040] All of the aforementioned objects 0 represent possible collision objects with which the vehicle 1 can collide. In order to evaluate a collision, the control unit 3 of the emergency braking system 20 can determine a collision probability W based on the vehicle's own driving dynamics D1, e.g. an actual vehicle speed vlst or an actual vehicle deceleration zlst, etc., and an object dynamics DO resulting from the environmental signals SU, e.g. an object speed vO or an object acceleration aO, etc., and can then generate and output a warning signal SW. At the same time, the control unit 3 of the emergency braking system 20 can also predict and output a collision time TTC (time-to-collision), e.g. a time for a supposed collision with a considered object 0 if the vehicle's own driving dynamics D1 are maintained.

[0041] If a triggering criterion AK is met, the control unit 3 is then able to control the braking system 4 and / or the drive system 5 in a process shown in Fig. 2 to implement an emergency braking. After an initialization step STO, a first step ST1 checks whether the triggering criterion AK is met.

[0042] The triggering criterion AK can be met, for example, when a warning signal SW is present, which is automatically generated by the control unit 3 when a limit value WG for the collision probability W is exceeded, and indicates a possible collision in the future at the predicted collision time TTC. In principle, the triggering criterion AK can also be met if the driver of the vehicle 1 manually requests a high target deceleration, for example, due to manually initiated braking to avoid a collision, and preferably no warning signal SW is present at the same time. However, this is merely an optional embodiment, since the driver 7 should normally be given full control over the braking process.

[0043] In a subsequent second step ST2, a braking profile BP is selected or defined by the control unit 3. The braking profile BP is generally composed, as shown by way of example in Fig. 3, of a conditioning phase K and a subsequent braking phase B. In the conditioning phase K, the vehicle 1 is to be briefly braked by a conditioning braking pulse BI. This is intended to condition the passengers 2 of the vehicle 1 or to prepare them for the subsequent braking of the vehicle 1 in the braking phase B. The conditioning braking pulse BI thus primarily serves to condition the passengers 2, who then tense their muscles and possibly also take a lunge to increase their stability.

[0044] Depending on the predicted collision time TTC, the braking profile BP can also be set such that the conditioning phase K is omitted, in order to bring vehicle 1 to a standstill in a timely and safe manner in the subsequent braking phase B. Accordingly, based on criteria explained in more detail below, it can be determined that the conditioning of passengers 2 in the respective emergency braking situation is of secondary importance compared to a rapid braking of vehicle 1 to a standstill.

[0045] The conditioning braking impulse BI, if provided, must be coordinated in terms of timing and intensity such that passengers 2 can perceive it, but at the same time it is harmless to passengers 2, ie, that they do not fall as a result under normal conditions. This can be achieved by the actual deceleration zlst of vehicle 1 exceeding a specified limit actual deceleration zIstG of at least 1.7 m / s within a conditioning period dK. 2 at least briefly reached or exceeded (see Fig. 3). This is normally sufficient to achieve a certain level of awareness among passengers 2 and thus adjust them to the braking situation.

[0046] Since each vehicle 1 triggers a different effect on passengers 2 depending on its equipment, the actual limit deceleration zIstG must be selected vehicle-specifically. However, to prevent passengers 2 from falling, the actual limit deceleration zIstG during the conditioning phase K should not be selected too high, for example, between 1 m / s 2 and approx. 3m / s 2 .

[0047] In braking phase B, vehicle 1 is then braked to a standstill, preferably before the collision time TTC, which is calculated in advance taking the braking into account, is reached, and insofar as braking phase B is not prematurely aborted in a controlled manner if a termination criterion is met. Braking phase B is made up of different partial braking zones TBi, with i = 1, 2, 3, ... N, whereby the number N of partial braking zones TBi is specifiable and is at least two. In Fig. 3, the number N is, for example, three. The respective partial braking zones TBi are extended over a certain partial braking interval dti, within which the actual inherent deceleration zlst changes with a certain continuous actual jerk j Ist (gradient of the actual inherent deceleration zlst in the respective partial braking zone TBi).

[0048] Both the temporal progression of the conditioning phase K with the conditioning braking impulse BI and the temporal progression of the braking phase B with the partial braking ranges TBi are determined after an evaluation of the ambient signals SU output by the ambient sensor system 6 and the passenger signals SF output by the passenger detection system 10. According to the invention, a braking profile PB is determined for the braking of the vehicle 1, for which both the passengers 2 inside the vehicle 1 and the road users V outside the vehicle 1 are protected. Such a targeted determination of the braking profile BP is intended to minimize the severity of injuries to all persons involved, both outside and inside the vehicle 1.In order to protect both road users V and passengers 2, in a first intermediate step ST2.1, corresponding road user information IV, which concerns or characterizes road users 2 outside the vehicle 1, or passenger information IF, which concerns or characterizes passengers 2 inside the vehicle 1, must be determined from the ambient signals SU and the passenger signals SF. This can be achieved, for example, by evaluating the respective signals SU, SF using conventional image processing or pattern recognition methods.

[0049] In addition, passenger information IF can be determined using appropriate image processing or pattern recognition, for example a passenger count IFN and / or a passenger position IFP (standing or not standing) and / or a passenger handhold option IFF (handrail transverse or lengthwise, etc.) and / or a passenger age IFA and / or a passenger gender IFG and / or a passenger height IFS, etc. In a similar way, a road user count IVN and / or a road user position IVP (standing, driving, or sitting) and / or a road user age IVA and / or a road user gender IVG and / or a road user height IVS, etc., can be determined using appropriate image processing or pattern recognition methods as road user information IV.

[0050] In the control unit 6 of the emergency braking system 20, this information IF, IV is bundled and a braking profile PB is created from it, for example via a corresponding selection algorithm AA on the control unit 6. The selection algorithm AA can create the braking profile PB, for example, under the following aspects:

[0051] Fig. 4A shows an example of a temporal progression of the actual deceleration zlst of vehicle 1, in which the actual deceleration zlst increases with a maximum jerk jMax (maximum permissible) up to a maximum deceleration zMax (maximum permissible), and vehicle 1 is thereby braked with the maximum possible braking effect. The maximum deceleration zMax is then maintained (jerk = 0) until vehicle 1 comes to a standstill at a time tS, which lies before the calculated collision time TTC. This temporal progression of the actual deceleration zlst represents an upper limit determined by the maximum permissible braking dynamics of vehicle 1. Braking of vehicle 1 with this temporal progression would be perceived by passengers 2 as very abrupt and strong, and under certain circumstances, unintended consequential damage could occur.

[0052] In order to increase comfort and safety for passengers 2 based on this time profile, the braking profile BP is set based on the road user information IV and the passenger information IF so that it lies below this time profile. The braking profile BP does not necessarily have to be set so that the standstill time tS occurs before the predicted collision time TTC, as this minimizes the severity of the injury summed up across all persons involved (passenger 2A / road user V). The braking profile BP is set, for example, as follows:

[0053] For each passenger 2 detected inside the vehicle 12 and characterized via passenger information IF, and for each road user V detected outside the vehicle 1 and characterized via road user information IV, a passenger injury profile IPF or a road user injury profile IPV is read in a second intermediate step ST2.2. In the respective injury profile IPF, IPV, a simulated injury level IL is assigned to an actual deceleration zlst. The injury level IL is based, for example, on a so-called simplified injury scale (Abbreviated Injury Scale, AIS). The injury level IL or the severity of an injury can be classified according to this simplified injury scale with values ​​from "0" (no injury) or "1" (minor injury) to "6" (fatal injury).

[0054] Such an assignment can be contained in the respective injury profile IPF, IPV for different passenger characteristics CF and for different road user characteristics CV. The passenger characteristics CF are, for example, the passenger age IFA and / or the passenger gender IFG and / or the passenger height IFS contained in the passenger information IF. Accordingly, the road user characteristics CV include, for example, the road user age IVA and / or the road user gender IVG and / or the road user height IVS contained in the road user information IV.

[0055] The simulated injury severity IL is shown as an example depending on the actual self-deceleration zlst for the passenger age IFA in Fig. 5A, for the passenger gender IFG in Fig. 5B, and for the passenger height IFS in Fig. 5C. The assignment of the simulated injury severity IL to an actual self-deceleration zlst for a specific passenger characteristic CF or also for a specific road user characteristic CV is determined in advance in simulations. In such a simulation, the reaction of a "virtual passenger" for whom the respective passenger characteristic CF applies, or of a "virtual road user" for whom the respective road user characteristic CV applies, is simulated when vehicle 1 brakes with the respective actual self-deceleration zlst, and the resulting potential injury severity IL is estimated.

[0056] The reaction of the "virtual passenger" inside vehicle 1 can, for example, be estimated directly from the strength of the braking of vehicle 2 and the assumed responsiveness of the respective "virtual passenger." This then results in a corresponding degree of injury IL for the present simulated actual deceleration zlst in the event of a fall of the "virtual passenger." The reaction of road users V outside vehicle 1 can be simulated based on the inherent dynamics D1 of vehicle 1 and the object dynamics DO of the respective road user V. Thus, before the collision time TTC, a relative movement between the two is considered, and the effects of this relative movement on the respective road user V are simulated. This then results in a corresponding degree of injury IL for a specific actual deceleration zlst of vehicle 1.

[0057] This injury level IL resulting from the simulation is then assigned to the respective actual deceleration zlst and the respective passenger characteristic CF or the respective road user characteristic CV, resulting in the curves in Figures 5A, 5B, 5C for passenger 2 and corresponding curves for a road user V. The curves simulated for different passenger characteristics CF and for different road user characteristics CV are stored in a memory unit 8, which is located in the control unit 3 or is connected to it by means of a signal conductor, for example in the form of an assignment table (look-up table). The selection algorithm AA has continuous access to this and can read it in as injury profiles IPF, IPV for the respectively detected passengers 2 or road user V in the second intermediate step ST2.2.

[0058] Subsequently, in a third intermediate step ST2.3, the selection algorithm AA uses the read-in injury profiles IPF and IPV to select a reference passenger 2R from passengers 2 and a reference road user VR from road users V. Of all the passengers 2 and road users V involved, the reference passenger 2R or the reference road user VR is the one with the highest simulated injury severity IL, which is determined by a corresponding comparison of the read-in injury profiles IPF and IPV.

[0059] Thus, in the curves in Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C, for a given actual deceleration zlst, the highest injury level IL is always to be expected for a passenger age IFA of 70 years, for a passenger gender IFG of "female," and for a passenger height IFS of "1 m." Thus, if, for example, the passenger characteristics CF "70 years" and "female" were determined from the passenger information IF for a passenger 2, and the other identified passengers 2 are assigned passenger characteristics CF that lead to lower injury levels IL, this passenger 2 (70 years, female) is selected as the reference passenger 2R. The same applies to the reference road user VR, who is consequently also the most vulnerable road user V.

[0060] In this case, the individual passengers 2 in vehicle 1 can either all be checked or compared individually in the second intermediate step ST2.2 or in the third intermediate step ST2.3, i.e. a passenger injury profile IPF is assigned and compared with the other passenger injury profiles IPF, or preferably only passengers 2 with a standing passenger position IFP are taken into account and seated passengers 2 are disregarded or their simulated injury level IL is reduced accordingly. Furthermore, the simulated injury level IL assigned to a passenger 2 for whom a passenger restraint option IFF arises can also be reduced accordingly. This takes into account that seated passengers 2 or passengers 2 who can hold on react differently at a certain actual deceleration zlst and are potentially less seriously injured.In order to save computing time, seated passengers 2, in particular, can be disregarded. This also applies to road users V outside the vehicle 1, for example, road users V located far away, who can be disregarded to save computing time and effort.

[0061] In a fourth intermediate step ST2.4, the braking profile BP is then determined in such a way that the selected reference passenger 2R and the selected reference road user VR result in the least possible injury severity. This is illustrated below using Fig. 4B:

[0062] In addition to Fig. 4A, a first braking profile BP1 is shown which primarily takes into account passengers 2 in vehicle 1. To determine this first braking profile BP1, for example, the reference passenger 2R with the greatest degree of injury IL, which was determined in the third intermediate step ST2.3 from the passenger injury profiles IPF, can be used. Depending on the passenger injury profile IPF for this reference passenger 2R, the actual deceleration zISt and the actual jerk jlst in the conditioning phase K and in the individual partial braking areas TBi of the braking phase B can be set such that the overall degree of injury IL is minimal over the entire braking process. The actual deceleration zISt and the actual jerk jlst in the individual phases K, B can be selected based on the degree of injury IL that is assigned to a specific actual deceleration zISt in the passenger injury profile IPF.

[0063] This takes into account injuries during braking phase B and injuries resulting from a potential collision. It is therefore possible that vehicle 1, with the selected braking profile BP, does not come to a stop before the time of collision TTC, provided the severity of the injuries to passengers 2 is minimized overall. It is also taken into account that passengers 2 may be more seriously injured by a sharper deceleration than by a collision at a low residual speed.

[0064] A second braking profile BP2 in Fig. 4B primarily takes into account road users V, i.e., vehicle 1 is braked relatively quickly. To determine this second braking profile BP2, for example, the reference road user VR with the greatest injury level IL, which was determined in the third intermediate step ST2.3 from the road user injury profiles IPV, can be used. Depending on the road user injury profile IPV for this reference road user VR, the actual self-deceleration zlst and the actual jerk jlst in the conditioning phase K and in the individual partial braking areas TBi of the braking phase B can be determined such that the overall injury level IL is minimal over the entire braking process.The actual deceleration zlst and the actual jerk jlst in the individual phases K, B can be selected based on the injury degree IL, which is assigned to a specific actual deceleration zISt in the road user injury profile IPV.

[0065] In a third braking profile BP3, both previous braking profiles BP1 and BP2 are combined. This means that when determining the actual deceleration zlst and the actual jerk jlst in the individual phases K and B, both the reference passenger 2R and the reference road user VR, with their corresponding injury profiles IPF and IPV, are taken into account. Consequently, the third braking profile BP3 lies between the other two braking profiles BP1 and BP2.

[0066] The selection algorithm AA then outputs such a defined braking profile BP in a fifth intermediate step ST2.5 so that it can be subsequently implemented.

[0067] In any braking profile BP1, BP2, BP3 shown in Fig. 4B, a conditioning phase K and a braking phase B with, for example, four partial braking ranges TBi are provided, wherein the injury levels IL determined by the selection algorithm AA clearly permit or require a conditioning phase K to prepare passengers 2 for braking. Therefore, considering the collision time TTC and the system configuration (passengers 2, road user V, vehicle 1), conditioning passengers 2 is possible in the examples shown and also makes sense in order to minimize the overall severity of the injury.If the configuration of the system (passengers 2, road user V, vehicle 1) were to change in such a way that the conditioning phase K would result in the subsequent braking phase B being too short, thus requiring an excessively high actual deceleration zlst, which in turn would lead to higher injury levels IL, the selection algorithm AA could also decide to create and output a braking profile BP without a conditioning phase K and only with a braking phase B (with, for example, four partial braking ranges TBi), as shown by way of example in Fig. 4C. The advantage of conditioning passengers 2 is thus sacrificed in order to reduce the overall severity of the injuries.

[0068] The output braking profile BP is then applied in a third step ST3 in an emergency braking situation, wherein the control unit 3 controls the braking system 4 and / or the transmission 5 accordingly in order to implement the braking profile BP and bring the vehicle 1 to a standstill.

[0069] The determination of the braking profile BP in the described steps can be carried out continuously for different potential collision times TTC or at certain time intervals, for example, whenever a change in the configuration or characteristics of the passengers 2 in the interior 12 is detected. This allows a rapid response to a detected emergency braking situation, since the braking profile BP can be defined in advance and then only needs to be read out. Under certain circumstances, the braking profile BP can also be adjusted during the emergency braking if changes occur with regard to the passengers 2 and / or the road users V.

[0070] If, during the determination of the braking profile BP, it is determined that no advantageous braking profiles BP can be created by taking into account the road user information IV and the passenger information IF or the respective injury profiles IPF, IPV, it is also possible to use a braking profile BP that does not take into account the road user information IV and the passenger information IF or the injury profiles IPF, IPV. In this case, this braking profile BP is defined by a standard, predefined emergency braking cascade, as used in a conventional vehicle 1 with a conventional emergency braking system 20.

[0071] Reference symbol (part of the description):

[0072] 1 vehicle

[0073] 1 a road vehicle

[0074] 1b Bus

[0075] 2 passengers

[0076] 2a standing passenger

[0077] 2b Unbuckled passenger

[0078] 2R Reference Passenger

[0079] 3 Control unit

[0080] 4 Braking system

[0081] 4a electro-pneumatic braking system

[0082] 4b Friction brake

[0083] 5 gearboxes

[0084] 6 Environmental sensors

[0085] 7 drivers

[0086] 8 storage unit

[0087] 10 Passenger registration system

[0088] 11 Camera

[0089] 12 Interior

[0090] 20 Emergency braking system

[0091] AA selection algorithm aO object acceleration

[0092] AK trigger criterion

[0093] B Braking phase

[0094] BI conditioning braking impulse

[0095] BP brake profile

[0096] BP1 first brake profile

[0097] BP2 second brake profile

[0098] BP3 third brake profile

[0099] CF passenger characteristics

[0100] CV road user characteristics

[0101] D1 Self-driving dynamics

[0102] DO object dynamics dti partial braking interval

[0103] G Building

[0104] IF Passenger Information

[0105] IFA passenger age

[0106] IFF passenger restraint facility

[0107] IFG passenger gender

[0108] IFN passenger number

[0109] IFP passenger position

[0110] IFS passenger size

[0111] IL degree of injury

[0112] IPF Passenger Injury Profile

[0113] IPV Road User Injury Profile

[0114] IV Road user information

[0115] IVA road user age

[0116] IVG road user gender

[0117] IVN number of road users

[0118] IVP Road User Position

[0119] IVS Road user size jlst Actual jerk jMax Maximum jerk

[0120] K Conditioning phase

[0121] M means of transport

[0122] N Number of partial braking areas TBi

[0123] 0 object

[0124] SF passenger signal

[0125] SU ambient signal

[0126] SW warning signal

[0127] TBi in partial braking range tS standstill time

[0128] TTC collision time

[0129] U environment

[0130] V Road user vlst Actual own speed vO Object speed VR Reference road user

[0131] W collision probability

[0132] WG Limit value for the collision probability W zlst Actual deceleration zIstG Limit actual deceleration zMax Maximum deceleration

[0133] ST1, ST2, ST3 steps of the procedure

[0134] ST2.1, ST2.2, ST2.3, ST2.4, ST2.5 intermediate steps

Claims

Patent claims:

1. A method for braking a vehicle (1) with passengers (2) in an interior area (12) of the vehicle (1), in particular standing and / or unbelted passengers (2a, 2b), wherein the vehicle (1) is braked via a braking system (4) when a triggering criterion (AK) is present, depending on a defined braking profile (BP), wherein the braking profile (BP) has at least one braking phase (B) with a number (N) of temporally successive partial braking areas (TBi), wherein within the respective partial braking areas (TBi), an actual self-deceleration (zlst) is defined such that the vehicle (1) is braked in the braking phase (B) with a temporally varying actual self-deceleration (zlst), wherein the braking profile (BP) is defined in the following steps: Detecting road users (V) who are in an environment (U) outside the vehicle (1) and detecting passengers (2) who are in the interior area (12) of the vehicle (1), Determining road user information (IV) assigned to the respectively recorded road users (V) and determining passenger information (IF) assigned to the respectively recorded passengers (2) (ST2.1); Reading in a passenger injury profile (IPF) for the recorded passengers (2) depending on the respective passenger information (IF) determined, and reading in a road user injury profile (IPV) for the recorded road users (V) depending on the respective road user information (IV) determined (ST2.2); Determining and / or reading the braking profile (BP) depending on the read passenger injury profiles (IPF) and / or the read road user injury profiles (IPV) in such a way that a minimum injury level (IL) results for the recorded road users (V) and / or for the recorded passengers (2) with the available braking profiles (BP) (ST2.3, ST2.4); and Output of the brake profile (BP) and control of the brake system (4) depending on the brake profile (BP) (ST2.5, ST3).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) and / or an actual jerk (jlst) of the vehicle (1) in the successive partial braking areas (TBi) of the braking phase (B) and / or a partial braking interval (dti) of the respective partial braking area (TBi) is determined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile (IPF) and / or the read-in road user injury profile (IPV) in such a way that a minimum degree of injury (IL) results for the detected road users (V) and / or for the detected passengers (2).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective passenger injury profile (IPF) contains an assignment between a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) and a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective passenger (2), and / or the respective road user injury profile (IPV) contains an assignment between a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) and a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective road user (V).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) in the successive partial braking ranges (TBi) of the braking phase (B) is determined in such a way that a minimized simulated degree of injury (IL) results from the passenger injury profile (IPF) over the entire braking phase (B) for the detected passengers (2) and / or a minimized simulated degree of injury (IL) results from the road user injury profile (IPV) over the entire braking phase (B) for the detected road users (V).

5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the assignment of a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) to a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective passenger (2) is contained in the passenger injury profile (IPF) for different passenger characteristics (CF), and / or the assignment of a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) to a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective road user (2) in the road user injury profile (IPV) for different Road user characteristics (CF) are included.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that a passenger age (IFA) and / or passenger gender (IFG) and / or passenger height (IFS) contained in the determined passenger information (IF) are used as passenger characteristics (CF), and / or a road user age (IVA) and / or road user gender (IVG) and / or road user height (IVS) contained in the determined road user information (IV) are used as road user characteristics (CV).

7. Method according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the assignment between a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) to a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective passenger (2) in the respective passenger injury profile (IPF) is determined in advance by simulations and stored, and / or the assignment between a specific actual deceleration (zlst) of the vehicle (1) to a simulated degree of injury (IL) for the respective road user (V) in the respective road user injury profile (IPV) is determined in advance by simulations and stored.

8. Method according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that as passenger information (IF) it is further determined whether a passenger restraint option (IFF) is available for the respective passenger (2), wherein the simulated degree of injury (IL) assigned to a passenger (2) for whom a passenger restraint option (IFF) results is reduced.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for those detected passengers (2) of the vehicle (1) for whom it follows from the respectively determined passenger information (IF) that they are seated, no passenger injury profile (IPF) is read in and / or the braking profile (BP) is not determined as a function of the passenger injury profile (IPF) for this seated passenger (2).

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the braking profile (BP) further contains a conditioning phase (K) with a conditioning braking pulse (BI) for haptically warning the passengers (2) of the vehicle (1), wherein the conditioning phase (K) is located before the braking phase (B), wherein the conditioning phase (K) and / or the conditioning braking pulse (BI) are also determined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile (IPF) and / or the read-in road user injury profile (IPV) in such a way that a minimum degree of injury (IL) results for the detected road users (V) and / or for the detected passengers (2). 11 . Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the braking profile (BP), which is determined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile (IPF) and / or the read-in road user injury profile (IPV), a collision time (TTC) is determined, at which time a collision between the vehicle (1) and a detected object (0) in the environment (U) is predicted when the braking profile (BP) is applied, wherein the braking profile (BP), which is determined as a function of the read-in passenger injury profile (IPF) and / or the read-in road user injury profile (IPV), is only output if the collision time (TTC) determined for this purpose lies after a collision time (TTC) which results for a braking profile (BP) which is determined without taking into account the read-in passenger injury profile (IPF) and / or the read-in Road User Injury Profile (IPV) is determined.

12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the triggering criterion (AK) is met if a determined collision probability (W) of the vehicle (1) with an object (0) is above a predetermined limit value (WG).

13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the road users (V) are detected on the basis of environmental signals (SU) of an environmental sensor system (6) and / or the passengers (2) are detected on the basis of passenger signals (SF) of a passenger detection system (10).

14. Control unit (3) for a vehicle (1) for transporting passengers (2), in particular standing and / or unbelted passengers (2a, 2b), in particular for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (3) is designed to control a braking system (4) of the vehicle (1) when a triggering criterion (AK) is present, depending on a defined braking profile (BP), such that the vehicle (1) can be braked, wherein the braking profile (BP) has at least one braking phase (B) with a number (N) of temporally successive partial braking ranges (TBi), wherein within the respective partial braking ranges (TBi), an actual deceleration (zlst) is defined such that the vehicle (1) can be braked in the braking phase (B) with a temporally varying actual deceleration (zlst), wherein the control unit (3) is designed: to read environmental signals (SU) of an environmental sensor system (6) and thereby to detect road users (V) who are in an environment (U) outside the vehicle (1), and Reading passenger signals (SF) of a passenger detection system (10) and thereby detecting passengers (2) who are located in an interior area (12) of the vehicle (1), to determine road user information (IV) that is assigned to the respectively recorded road users (V), and to determine passenger information (IF) that is assigned to the respectively recorded passengers (2); to read in a passenger injury profile (IPF) for each of the recorded passengers (2) depending on the determined passenger information (IF), and to read in a road user injury profile (IPV) for each of the recorded road users (V) depending on the determined road user information (IV); to determine and / or read out the braking profile (BP) depending on the read-in passenger injury profiles (IPF) and / or the read-in road user injury profiles (IPV) in such a way that a minimum degree of injury (IL) results for the recorded road users (V) and / or for the recorded passengers (2) with the available braking profiles (BP);and to output the braking profile (BP) and to control the braking system (4) depending on the output braking profile (BP); 15. Vehicle (1) for transporting passengers (2), in particular standing and / or unbelted passengers (2a, 2b), in an interior area (11) with a control unit (3) according to claim 14, wherein the vehicle (1) is a road vehicle (1a), for example a bus (1b).

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