Following a recorded training drive
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VALEO SCHALTER & SENSOREN GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for autonomous vehicle maneuvering and parking do not effectively manage the folding of exterior mirrors to avoid collisions with unforeseen obstacles in limited spaces, such as residential complexes or parking infrastructure.
A method for retracing a recorded training trip that includes autonomous tracking of vehicle positions and obstacle detection using environmental sensors, checking for a fold-out condition based on distance thresholds, and folding out the exterior mirror only when safe to avoid collisions, with optional consideration of driving surfaces and alternative paths to prevent interruptions.
Enhances the reliability of autonomous driving by preventing mirror collisions with unforeseen obstacles and ensuring safe navigation in limited spaces, improving user comfort and operational efficiency, especially in parking scenarios.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024068527_16012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] FOLLOWING A RECORDED TRAINING RIDE
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for retracing a recorded training ride, a computer program product, a control device and a vehicle.
[0003] EP 3 042 829 B1 discloses a method for automatically maneuvering a vehicle, wherein, during a training phase, a first maneuvering process from a starting position to a target position and a determination of first information about the vehicle's surroundings take place, and during an application phase, a second piece of information about the vehicle's surroundings is determined and, depending on the information, a second maneuvering process of the vehicle to the target position takes place, wherein the first piece of information and the second piece of information comprise positions of bottlenecks, and an exterior mirror is folded in during the second maneuvering process before passing through the bottleneck. Furthermore, an automatic folding out of the exterior mirror is provided after passing through the bottleneck during the second maneuvering process.
[0004] DE 10 2014 018 189 A1 discloses a method for operating a vehicle in a parking situation, wherein when a vehicle is in a predetermined parking situation, a parking process-specific function assigned to this parking situation by learning and storing is automatically activated, wherein the parking situation can be characterized by a vehicle position, vehicle surroundings information and / or a parking trajectory, and wherein the parking process-specific function can be assigned an activation of a predetermined mirror setting of a rearview mirror of the vehicle adapted to an identity of a respective vehicle user.
[0005] Against this background, one object of the present invention is to provide means for the improved autonomous unfolding of an exterior mirror of a vehicle. According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for following a transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip by a vehicle is proposed. The proposed method includes: providing a data set containing the transmitted trajectory and / or a recording of a training trip and a unfolding position, wherein the unfolding position indicates a position intended for unfolding an exterior mirror during the follow-up trip.The proposed method includes: autonomously tracking the positions of the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip, including: repeatedly or continuously detecting a distance of the vehicle from potentially present obstacles in the vehicle's surroundings using at least one environmental sensor device of the vehicle; repeatedly or continuously detecting an actual position of the vehicle; and checking, upon reaching the unfolding position of the tracking trip, the existence of an unfolding condition. Checking the existence of the unfolding condition includes: determining that the unfolding condition is not present if a detected distance to an obstacle is less than a predetermined distance threshold. The proposed method includes: unfolding the vehicle's exterior mirror if the check reveals that the unfolding condition is present.
[0006] The proposed method prevents a collision between the exterior mirror and an obstacle that was not previously intended to be present at that location or was not present at that location during the training drive. The method is therefore ideally suited for following a transmitted trajectory and / or parking or reversing a parking space, particularly on private property such as a residential complex or parking infrastructure, since such journeys may involve confined spaces and unforeseen obstacles, such as parked vehicles, infrastructure maintenance equipment, displaced plant pots, or relocated garbage bins.
[0007] The transmitted trajectory can, for example, be transmitted to the vehicle in its entirety or in sections, including the unfolding position, by a server of an AVP infrastructure. Optionally, the unfolding condition is not met if it is determined that a collision occurs between an object and at least one mirror during unfolding.
[0008] Optionally, it can be provided that checking the existence of the unfolding condition includes: determining a wide driving surface which is swept over by the vehicle with the exterior mirror unfolded while following the remaining positions of the transmitted trajectory and / or the recorded training trip; determining a narrow driving surface which is swept over by the vehicle with the exterior mirror folded in while following the remaining positions of the transmitted trajectory and / or the recorded training trip; and determining that the unfolding condition is not present if a calculated distance between the wide driving surface and an obstacle is less than a predetermined distance threshold and a calculated distance between the narrow driving surface and the same obstacle is not less than the predetermined distance threshold.
[0009] If the unfolding condition is not met, the mirrors will not unfold. A further check is carried out to determine whether the vehicle can continue to follow the trajectory without risking a collision. If, despite the mirrors being folded in, a collision still exists during the trajectory, the vehicle will stop and / or plan an evasive path that deviates from the transmitted trajectory and / or the recorded training drive and, in particular, aligns with it. Optionally, a determination is made as to whether the unfolding condition is met on the evasive path. If this is the case, the mirrors will be unfolded preferentially. If the unfolding condition is not met, the vehicle will continue to travel with the mirrors folded in. If no evasive path can be determined, the trajectory can be aborted and / or stopped.
[0010] This option offers an improvement because it prevents the tracking process from being aborted due to a lack of space caused by an exterior mirror not being folded in. The reliability of the tracking process is therefore improved. Optionally, the proposed method may include: transmitting a request for providing the transmitted trajectory and / or a recorded training trip from a plurality of recorded training trips to a server of a parking facility having a plurality of parking spaces and at least one lane connecting the parking spaces, wherein the request contains an indication of a width of the vehicle with the exterior mirror folded in and preferably an indication of the width of the vehicle with the exterior mirror unfolded. The specified widths are preferably classified.
[0011] This means that, for example, in a publicly accessible parking facility, autonomous following can be used the first time an individual vehicle enters, despite limited space.
[0012] Optionally, the retracing device retraces the recorded training trip in one direction of the training trip, with the unfolding position being stored in the data set as a position for unfolding the exterior mirror. Preferably, the method is set up to retrace a training trip in the reverse direction. If, for example, a recorded parking trip is retraced in the recorded direction for parking and in the opposite direction for exiting, storage space or mobile data volume can be saved. According to another option, the retracing device retraces the recorded training trip in the opposite direction of the training trip, with the unfolding position being stored in the data set as a position for folding in the exterior mirror. The method can therefore be used for actual retracing, also known in technical terms as replay, and for reverse retracing, also known in technical terms as backdrive.
[0013] Preferably, the vehicle has two exterior mirrors, which can be folded in and out synchronously.
[0014] Preferably, the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training ride is a
[0015] A parking maneuver is used to park the vehicle in a parking space, or a parking maneuver is used to exit the vehicle from a parking space. The proposed method is particularly useful in the confined spaces of a parking space and provides the user with a particularly noticeable increase in comfort.
[0016] Preferably, the method is only executed below a threshold speed, wherein the threshold speed can preferably be at most 50 km / h and more preferably at most 30 km / h. Thus, computing time and energy can be saved when executing the method using a control device.
[0017] According to a further aspect of the invention, a computer program product is proposed, comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute the proposed method for retracing a recorded training run by a vehicle. The embodiments and features described for the proposed method apply accordingly to the proposed computer program product.
[0018] A computer program product, such as a computer program means, can be provided or delivered, for example, as a storage medium, such as a memory card, USB stick, CD-ROM, DVD, or in the form of a downloadable file from a server in a network. This can be done, for example, in a wireless communications network by transmitting a corresponding file with the computer program product or the computer program means.
[0019] According to a further aspect of the invention, a control device for a vehicle is proposed. The proposed control device contains: an interface configured to receive at least one sensor signal from at least one environmental sensor device; a storage means configured to provide a transmitted trajectory and / or a recording of a training trip; and an execution means configured to execute the proposed method for following a transmitted trajectory and / or a recorded training trip and / or the proposed computer program product. The embodiments and features described for the proposed method apply accordingly to the proposed control device. The control device can, for example, contain a single control unit, a circuit comprising multiple control units, and / or additionally a control unit connected via a network.
[0020] According to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle is proposed. The proposed vehicle includes: at least one environmental sensor device arranged and configured to detect a distance to an obstacle in the vehicle's surroundings; and a proposed control device that is communicatively connected to the at least one environmental sensor device. The embodiments and features described for the proposed method apply accordingly to the proposed vehicle.
[0021] The vehicle is, for example, a passenger car or a truck. Examples of such environmental sensor devices of the vehicle include image recording devices such as a camera, a radar (radio detection and ranging) or a lidar (light detection and ranging), ultrasonic sensors, positioning sensors, wheel angle sensors, and / or wheel speed sensors. The environmental sensor devices are each configured to output a sensor signal, for example, to the parking assistance system, which performs semi-autonomous or fully autonomous driving depending on the detected sensor signals.
[0022] Further possible implementations of the invention also include combinations of features or embodiments described above or below with respect to the exemplary embodiments not explicitly mentioned. In this case, the person skilled in the art will also add individual aspects as improvements or additions to the respective basic form of the invention. Further advantageous refinements and aspects of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. The invention is explained in more detail below using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures.
[0023] Fig. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention,
[0024] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method for following a transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip by the vehicle according to the embodiment of the invention,
[0025] Fig. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a transmitted trajectory and / or a training run, and
[0026] Fig. 4 shows a schematic top view of a retracing of the training run.
[0027] In the figures, identical or functionally equivalent elements have been given the same reference numerals unless otherwise stated.
[0028] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 from a bird's eye view. The vehicle 100 is, for example, a car arranged in an environment 108. The car 100 has a parking assistance system 102, which is designed, for example, as a control device. In addition, a plurality of environmental sensor devices 104, 106 are arranged on the car 100, which are, for example, optical sensors 104 and ultrasonic sensors 106. The optical sensors 104 include, for example, visual cameras, a radar, and / or a lidar. The optical sensors 104 can each capture an image of a respective area from the environment 108 of the car 100 and output it as an optical sensor signal. The ultrasonic sensors 106 are configured to detect a distance to objects arranged in the environment 108 and to output a corresponding sensor signal.Using the sensor signals detected by sensors 104, 106, parking assistance system 102 is capable of driving vehicle 100 semi-autonomously or fully autonomously. In addition to the optical sensors 104 and ultrasonic sensors 106 shown in Fig. 1, vehicle 100 may be provided with various additional sensor devices 104, 106. Examples include a microphone, an acceleration sensor, an antenna with a coupled receiver for receiving electromagnetically transmittable data signals, and the like.
[0029] The parking assistance system 102 is configured, in particular, for partially or fully autonomous driving of the vehicle. Semi-autonomous driving is understood, for example, to mean that the parking assistance system 102 controls a steering device and / or an automatic gearshift. Fully autonomous driving is understood, for example, to mean that the parking assistance system 102 also controls a drive device and a braking device.
[0030] The degree of vehicle automation, for example, has an automation level according to the SAE classification system. The SAE classification system was published in 2014 by SAE International, an automotive standards organization, as J3016, "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to On-Road Motor Vehicle Automated Driving Systems." It is based on six different levels of automation and takes into account the degree of required system intervention and driver attention. The SAE automation levels range from Level 0, which corresponds to a fully manual system, through driver assistance systems at Levels 1 and 2, to semi-autonomous (Levels 3 and 4) and fully autonomous (Level 5) systems, where a driver is no longer required.An autonomous vehicle (also known as a driverless car, self-driving car, and robotic car) is a vehicle capable of sensing its surroundings and navigating without human input, and corresponds to SAE Automation Level 5. Figure 3 shows a transmitted trajectory and / or a training drive 110. During this drive, a driver steers the vehicle 100 along a route 112. The route 112 is described by the control device 102 and / or another system via individual positions 114 of the vehicle 100. The positions 114 are recorded and structured, for example, into a data set. Furthermore, at a folding position 116, which is preferably a specific one of the positions 114, one or both exterior mirrors 118 of the vehicle 100 are folded out. The folding position 116 is also recorded, preferably in the data set.
[0031] A method M for following the transmitted trajectory and / or the recorded training run 110 by the vehicle 100 is described below using the flowchart of Fig. 2 and the situation illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows a follow-up run 120.
[0032] In a step S100, the data set is provided, which contains the detected positions 114 of the recording vehicle 100 during the training drive 110 in an ordered and / or structured manner, wherein one of the positions 114 in the data set is identified as the unfolding position 116. The unfolding position 116 is indicative of the fact that at this position 114, 116, the driver initiated the unfolding of the exterior mirror 118 or the exterior mirrors 118 during the training drive 110.
[0033] The recording vehicle 100 does not have to be identical or of the same type as the following vehicle 100. However, the method M can optionally provide that the following vehicle 100 is the same vehicle 100 as the vehicle 100 recording during the recording trip 110.
[0034] The provision in step S100 may optionally include: formulating a request such that it contains an indication of the width of the vehicle 100 with the exterior mirror 118 folded in and preferably an indication of the width of the vehicle 100 with the exterior mirror 118 unfolded. Transmitting a request to provide a recorded training trip 110 of several recorded training trips to a server of a parking facility having several parking spaces and at least one lane connecting the parking spaces. And receiving a recording or a data set in response to the request.
[0035] When retracing a recorded training ride, the unfolded position 116 of the training ride 110 is preferably used as a folded position of the follow-up ride 120, and a folded position of the training ride 110 is preferably used as a unfolded position of the follow-up ride 120.
[0036] In a next step S102, the presence of a start condition for method M is checked. This may include: checking whether a speed of the vehicle is lower than a speed threshold, which is preferably at most 30 km / h. This may include: checking whether the vehicle 100 is less than a start distance threshold from one of the positions 114, 116 in order to ensure a safe start of method M.
[0037] In a next step S104, the parking assistance system 102 autonomously retraces the positions of the recorded training run 110. This is preferably a fully autonomous retracing process. The retracing process includes, for example, substeps S106 to S120.
[0038] In a step S106, a distance of the following vehicle 100 to potentially present obstacles 122 in the surroundings 108 of the following vehicle 100 is repeatedly or continuously detected. This can, for example, include the substeps of detecting obstacles 122 in the surroundings 108 and measuring a distance between the following vehicle 100 and each individually detected obstacle 122. At least one of the environmental sensor devices 104, 106 is used to detect the distance, wherein an overall more accurate result can be achieved by combining the sensor signals of the individual environmental sensor devices 104, 106. In a step S108, an actual position of the following vehicle 100 is detected. For this purpose, a receiver for satellite navigation and / or for a location-indicating signal, such as WLAN, can be used, for example.For this purpose, additionally or alternatively, at least one sensor signal from at least one environmental sensor device 104, 106 can be used, which enables a position determination by comparison with a map and / or with environmental information stored in the recording of the training ride and / or the data set.
[0039] Steps S106 and S108 can, for example, be combined to evaluate at least one sensor signal from at least one environmental sensor device 104, 106.
[0040] In a step S110, it is checked whether one or the unfolding position 116 of the follow-up journey 120 has been reached. In other words, it is checked whether the vehicle 100 is located along the route 112 or along the positions 114 at the unfolding position 116 and / or has passed the unfolding position 116.
[0041] As soon as the unfolding position 116 of the follow-up 120 is reached, it is checked in step S110, preferably in sub-steps S112 to S118, whether an unfolding condition exists.
[0042] In a step S112, it is determined that the unfolding condition does not exist if a distance of the following vehicle 100 to an obstacle 122, detected in step S106, is smaller than a predetermined distance threshold. The distance threshold is preferably predefined. The distance threshold is preferably speed-dependent. In a step S114, a wide driving surface 124 is determined. The wide driving surface 124 is an area that is driven on by the following vehicle 100 if the exterior mirrors 118 are unfolded during a follow-up drive 120 of the remaining positions 114. In a step S116, a narrow driving surface 126 is determined. The narrow driving surface 126 is an area that is driven on by the following vehicle 100 if the exterior mirrors 118 are folded in during a follow-up drive 120 of the remaining positions 114. The driving surfaces 124, 126 are shown in Fig. to illustrate the difference.4 highlighted by arrows in a width direction.
[0043] In a step S118, it is determined that the unfolding condition is not met if the distance from an obstacle 122 of the obstacles 122 detected in step S106 to the wide driving surface 124 is less than a distance threshold and from the narrow driving surface 126 is greater than the distance threshold. The distance threshold is preferably the same as in step S112. It is therefore checked whether passing of the vehicle 100 with the exterior mirror 118 folded in is possible and whether passing with the exterior mirror 118 unfolded is impossible. Thus, stopping in front of an obstacle 122 solely because the exterior mirrors 118 are unfolded can be avoided.
[0044] In a step S120, the outside mirror 118 or the outside mirrors 118 are unfolded if the unfolding condition is met.
[0045] Steps S120 to S106 are preferably repeated periodically or continuously during tracking 120.
[0046] Although the present invention has been described using exemplary embodiments, it is capable of being modified in many ways.
[0047] 100 vehicles
[0048] 102 Parking assistance system
[0049] 104 optical sensor
[0050] 106 Ultrasonic sensor
[0051] 108 Surroundings
[0052] 110 transmitted t rajectory, training run
[0053] 112 route
[0054] 114 positions
[0055] 116 Fold-out position
[0056] 118 exterior mirrors
[0057] 120 night ride
[0058] 122 Obstacle
[0059] 124 wide driving surface
[0060] 126 narrow driving surface
[0061] M Method for following a transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip by a vehicle
[0062] S100 Providing a recording
[0063] S102 Checking whether a start condition is present
[0064] S104 autonomous tracking of positions of a transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip
[0065] S106 Detecting a distance between an own vehicle and an obstacle in an environment of the own vehicle
[0066] S108 Recording an actual position
[0067] S110 Check, upon reaching a fold-out position of a follow-up journey, whether a fold-out condition is fulfilled
[0068] S112 Determine that a deployment condition is not met if a distance between a vehicle and an obstacle is less than a threshold.
[0069] S114 Determining a wide driving surface S116 Determining a narrow driving surface
[0070] S118 Determine that a deployment condition is not met if a distance between an obstacle and the wide driving surface is less than a threshold and between the obstacle and the narrow driving surface is greater than the threshold.
[0071] S120 Folding out at least one exterior mirror
Claims
PATENT CLAIMS 1. Method (M) for following (120) a transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training run (110) by a vehicle (100), comprising the steps: Providing (S100) a data set containing the transmitted trajectory and / or a recording of a training trip (110) and a fold-out position (116), wherein the fold-out position (116) indicates a position (114) provided for folding out an exterior mirror (118) during the follow-up trip (120); autonomously following (S104, 120) the positions (114, 116) of the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip (110), comprising: repeatedly or continuously detecting (S106) a respective distance of the vehicle (100) to potentially present obstacles (122) in an environment (108) of the vehicle (100) by means of at least one environment sensor device (104, 106) of the vehicle (100); repeated or continuous detection (S108) of an actual position of the vehicle (100); and Checking (S1 10), upon reaching the unfolding position (1 16) of the follow-up (120), the existence of a unfolding condition, comprising: Determining (S112) that the unfolding condition does not exist if a detected distance to an obstacle (122) is less than a predetermined distance threshold; and Folding out (S120) the exterior mirror (118) of the vehicle (100) if the check (S110) shows that the folding out condition is met.
2. Method (M) according to claim 1, characterized in that the checking (S1 10) of the existence of the unfolding condition includes: Determining (S1 14) a wide driving surface (124) which the vehicle (100) with the exterior mirror (118) unfolded sweeps over during a tracking (120) of remaining positions (114) of the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip (1 10), Determining (S1 16) a narrow driving surface (126) which the vehicle (100) with the exterior mirror (118) folded in sweeps over during a tracking (120) of remaining positions (114) of the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip (1 10), and Determining (S1 18) that the unfolding condition does not exist if a calculated distance between the wide driving surface (124) and an obstacle (122) is less than a predetermined distance threshold and a calculated distance between the narrow driving surface (126) and the same obstacle (122) is not less than the predetermined distance threshold.
3. Process (M) according to one of claims 1 to 2, comprising: Transmitting a request to provide the transmitted trajectory and / or a recorded training trip (110) of a plurality of recorded training trips to a server of a parking facility having a plurality of parking spaces and at least one roadway connecting the parking spaces, wherein the request contains an indication of a width of the vehicle (100) with the exterior mirror (118) folded in and preferably an indication of the width of the vehicle (100) with the exterior mirror (118) unfolded.
4. Method (M) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the unfolding position (116) is stored in the data set as a position of unfolding the exterior mirror, and wherein the tracking (S104, 120) tracks the recorded training trip (110) in a direction of the training trip (110).
5. Method (M) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the unfolding position (116) is stored in the data set as a position of folding in the outside mirror (118), and wherein the tracking (S104, 120) tracks the recorded training trip (110) opposite to a direction of the training trip (110).
6. Method (M) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transmitted trajectory and / or recorded training trip is a parking trip for parking the vehicle (100) into a parking space or a parking exit for exiting the vehicle (100) from a parking space.
7. Method (M) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the autonomous following (S104, 120) is carried out only below a threshold speed, wherein the threshold speed is preferably at most 50 km / h and more preferably at most 30 km / h.
8. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method (M) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. A control device (102) for a vehicle (100), comprising: an interface configured to receive at least one sensor signal from at least one environmental sensor device (104, 106); a provision means configured to provide a transmitted trajectory and / or a recording of a training trip (110); and an execution means configured to execute the method (M) for following (120) a transmitted trajectory and / or a recorded training trip (110) according to any one of claims 1-7 and / or the computer program product according to claim 8.
10. A vehicle (100) comprising: at least one environmental sensor device (104, 106) arranged and configured to detect a distance to an obstacle (122) in an environment (108) of the vehicle (100); and a control device (102) according to claim 9, which is communicatively connected to the at least one environmental sensor device (104, 106).