System for capturing the surrounding field of a vehicle

Abstract

Title: Vehicle Surrounding Field Sensing System. System comprising an environmental sensor (10), a monitoring sensor (20), and an operating unit (30). The environmental sensor (10) transmits or receives measurement signals for environmental sensing via a transmissive element (40) installed within the field of view (12) of the environmental sensor (10). The monitoring sensor (20) is focused on the transmissive element (40) to detect potential soiling of the transmissive element (40). The operating unit (30) receives the signal from the monitoring sensor (20) and determines the soiling of the transmissive element (40). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: System for capturing the surrounding field of a vehicle. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for capturing the surrounding field of a vehicle. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] According to the prior art, vehicles are known which are equipped with one or more sensors to capture the surrounding field of the vehicle.

[0003] With such sensors, driving assistance systems and / or partially autonomous driving systems for vehicles are implemented, for example to improve driving safety and / or comfort.

[0004] Since such sensors oriented towards the environment are exposed to dirt which can degrade the reception of the sensors, the prior art exploits measurement signals from the surrounding field sensors to deduce the potential fouling of these sensors based on the quality of the measurement signals.

[0005] Document WO / 02 / 081272 A1 describes a sensor and a method for detecting moisture droplets on the outer side of a vehicle plate. The sensor has several optical transmitting elements and at least one optical receiving element. The transmitting elements are grouped into two transmitting branches connected to a receiving element of a control circuit.

[0006] DESCRIPTION AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention relates to a system for capturing the surrounding field of a vehicle comprising:

[0008] - an environmental sensor,

[0009] - a monitoring sensor, and

[0010] - an operating unit

[0011] system in which

[0012] - the environmental sensor emits or receives measurement signals for input of the vehicle's environment via a transmissive element installed within the field of vision of the environmental sensor,

[0013] - the monitoring sensor is oriented towards the transmitting element and focused on this element to understand the potential fouling of the transmission element,

[0014] - the environmental sensor has a different focus from the focus of the monitoring sensor suitable for capturing the surrounding field and,

[0015] - the operating unit:

[0016] * receives the output signal from the monitoring sensor and,

[0017] * determines the fouling of the transmissive element with the output signal.

[0018] The surrounding field input system applies to all kinds of vehicles such as road vehicles (motorcycles, passenger vehicles, transporters, trucks), rail vehicles or aircraft and / or boats.

[0019] The surrounding field capture system has a surrounding field sensor, a monitoring sensor and an operating unit; the operating unit is for example an ASIC controller, FPGA, a processor, a digital signal processor, a microcontroller or other and is for example part of a control device already fitted to the vehicle and / or a separate component fitted to the vehicle.

[0020] The surrounding field sensor installed on the vehicle to orient its field of vision at least in part on the surrounding field of the vehicle, is designed to emit and receive measurement signals for the capture of the surrounding field of the vehicle by a transmissive element installed in the field of vision of the surrounding field sensor.

[0021] The transmissive element, which is for example an environmental interface of the surrounding field sensor or of the vehicle, in particular intended to protect the surrounding field sensor against moisture or dirt in the surrounding field sensor, is at least partly transparent to the measurement signals of the surrounding field sensor.

[0022] The monitoring sensor is oriented towards the transmitting element on which it is focused in order to capture any potential dirt on the transmitting element with the highest possible clarity. For this purpose, the orientation is preferably such that the monitoring sensor captures at least a portion of the transmitting element located within the field of view of the surrounding field sensor.

[0023] This results in the advantage that the monitoring sensor directly captures the effective area within the field of view of the surrounding field sensor. It is also possible to orient the monitoring sensor to capture exclusively those parts of the transmitting element that are outside the field of view of the surrounding field sensor. It should be noted that the focus is preferably on a surface of the transmitting element that is directly affected by potential dirt, i.e., for example, a surface not facing the vehicle or the surrounding field sensor and that is exposed to the vehicle's environment.

[0024] The focus of this surface may differ to a certain extent as long as potential fouling can be detected with sufficient clarity to recognize the fouling. Since the transmitting element is generally at a distance of a few millimeters or a few centimeters from the surface itself referred to as the surrounding field sensor, we usually speak of focusing the surrounding field sensor. This does not explicitly exclude focusing on a surface further from the sensor surface, i.e., for example up to 0.2 m, up to 0.5 m, up to 1 m or more, as long as the condition stated above of a sufficiently clear capture of the potential fouling of the transmissive element is met.

[0025] The surrounding field sensor has a different focus than the monitoring sensor and is used to capture the surrounding field. Depending on the focus of the monitoring sensor, this corresponds to a focus over a distance, for example at least 1.5 m, preferably at least 10 m and even more preferably at least 30 m, and different focal lengths can be used for greater or lesser distances.

[0026] The operating unit is designed to receive the output signal from the monitoring sensor and determine the fouling of the transmitting element from this output signal.

[0027] The surrounding field sensing system, according to the invention, has the advantage of being able to detect fouling of the surrounding field sensor in a particularly reliable and precise manner; this makes it possible to increase, for example, the reliability or safety of driving assistance systems or autonomous (partially autonomous) driving mode systems and, where applicable, other vehicle systems that use the output signals of the surrounding field sensor.

[0028] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the surrounding field sensor or the monitoring sensor has a camera, for example, a mono or stereo camera or an RGB camera or a black / white camera or an infrared camera or an ultrasonic sensor or a radar sensor or a capacitive sensor or a lidar sensor or some other sensor different from these.

[0029] It is explicitly stated that the surrounding field sensor and the monitoring sensor can be identical sensors or sensors of a different type.

[0030] According to another advantageous development of the invention, the transmissive element is the protective glass of the surrounding field sensor (for example, a protective glass integrated into the surrounding field housing or the lens glass of the surrounding field sensor or other) or a component of the vehicle.

[0031] Such a component of the vehicle is for example a window of the vehicle, for example, the windshield, the rear window, behind which is the surrounding field sensor, for example in the passenger compartment of the vehicle while the field of vision of the surrounding field sensor passes through the window to reach the surrounding field of the vehicle.

[0032] Alternatively or in addition, the monitoring sensor and the surrounding field sensor are different sensors or the same sensor. The embodiment in the form of a the same sensor means in particular that the receiving unit of the sensor and in the case of an active sensor, the transmitting unit of the sensor is suitable both for capturing the surrounding field and for capturing potential dirt from the transmitting element to be used together.

[0033] This does not explicitly preclude the monitoring sensor and the ambient field sensor from being integrated into a common housing (and, if so, from using common components within that housing), thereby avoiding the need for a single sensor. Alternatively, or in addition to the above description, the monitoring sensor and the ambient field sensor may be installed on the same side of the transmitting element or on opposite sides of that element.

[0034] If the monitoring sensor and the surrounding field sensor are the same sensor, with, as described above, a common receiving unit, this sensor advantageously uses an adjustable focus allowing selective switching between focusing on the transmitting element and focusing on the surrounding field.

[0035] Such switching is performed, for example, according to predefined boundary conditions and / or within predefined fixed time intervals. Repeated focusing to detect fouling within predefined time intervals is particularly advantageous depending on the degree of fouling of the transmitting element, so that the transmitting element will be captured, for example, more frequently with a corresponding focus as the current degree of fouling is high.

[0036] The relationship between the time interval used and the degree of fouling can be fixed, for example, linear and / or decreasing or progressive or variable. In a particularly advantageous way, focusing on the transmissive element also allows for the detection of fouling in phases where focusing the ambient field sensor on the ambient field is not temporarily or absolutely necessary.

[0037] Such phases include, for example, the vehicle stopping at red lights, the vehicle stopping in a traffic jam, etc. Furthermore, such phases may result from specific driving maneuvers (e.g., autonomous driving) in which the ambient field sensor is not essential. The respective duration of the focus on the transmitting element should generally be as short as possible (e.g., a maximum of 500 ms, a maximum of 1 s, etc.) so as not to impair the primary function of the ambient field sensor, namely, capturing the vehicle's ambient field.

[0038] According to another advantageous feature, the operating unit is designed to determine, using the signal from the monitoring sensor, the nature or degree of fouling, or, depending on the existing fouling of the transmissive element, to initiate the cleaning of the transmissive element or to emit a signal indicating fouling of the Surrounding field sensor. By precisely determining the degree or nature of soiling, the influence of soiling on the surrounding field sensor's detection characteristics is determined with particular accuracy. For example, this allows the sensor to determine the required amount of washer fluid or the washer fluid pressure, or to control the wiper blades to clean the sensing element. This enables particularly thorough, rapid, or resource-efficient cleaning of the sensing element. Alternatively, cleaning options can be achieved, for example, through the use of compressed air or by generating signals with different indications to inform the vehicle user of the degree of soiling.

[0039] Based on the signal, it is also possible to maintain the driving functions for as long as possible by cutting off certain functions below a predefined fouling threshold.

[0040] According to another advantageous development of the invention, the operating unit, relying on the fouling of the transmissive element obtained with the output signal of the monitoring sensor, verifies the plausibility with the output signal of the environmental sensor. Even if the output signal of the ambient field sensor with a focus unfavorable for detecting fouling of the ambient field is generally less reliable than the signal of the monitoring sensor, it can nevertheless be a useful aid in verifying the plausibility of the output signal of the monitoring sensor, thereby increasing the reliability of this ambient field sensing system.

[0041] Alternatively or in addition, the surrounding field sensing system has a measurement array (for example, according to a predefined pattern) or a reflective element (for example, a mirror). This surrounding field sensing system is designed to move the measurement array or reflective element to the side of the transmissive element, facing the monitoring sensor, using actuators within the monitoring sensor's field of view, and to remove it from the field of view. The operating unit, with its actuator control, moves the measurement array or reflective element to determine the fouling of the transmissive element within the monitoring sensor's field of view. This allows, among other things, ensuring that the predictable functionality of the monitoring sensor is guaranteed, in that, for example, the predicted reference signals for the measurement array are compared to the signals actually generated by the monitoring sensor.

[0042] The fouling or calibration of the monitoring sensor or other components is observed accordingly. Based on the measurement table or the reflective element, the fouling can also be determined according to the degree of reflection in the optical path of the monitoring sensor.

[0043] According to another advantageous development of the invention, the surrounding field monitoring system has another light source (for example, a UV light source) directed at the transmissive element to emit light that the monitoring sensor captures to determine the degree of fouling of the transmissive element or to assist in this determination. The light source is necessary, for example, in the case of an active monitoring sensor, the assistive effect of the light source resulting, for example, from better illumination of the existing fouling.

[0044] In a particularly advantageous manner, the monitoring sensor is located in an area partially protected from environmental influence (e.g., in a niche) in the vicinity of the surrounding field sensor. Alternatively, the surrounding field sensing system is designed so that, based on the shape of the monitoring sensor or on a flow guide element installed, for example, in the area of ​​the monitoring sensor (e.g., one or more air guide plates), an airflow is generated by the movement of the vehicle for the targeted cleaning of a surrounding field interface (e.g., a protective glass, a lens, or other) of the monitoring sensor.

[0045] In addition, alternatively, the surrounding field capture system has at least one cleaning device (for example, a liquid nozzle or an air nozzle) with respective feed pumps or a wiping element with a corresponding drive and which are oriented to clean the transmissive element or the environmental interface. Brief description of the drawings

[0046] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments of a system for capturing the surrounding field of a vehicle shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] [Fig.1] Schematic view of a first embodiment of a surrounding field capture system according to the invention for a vehicle;

[0048] [Fig.2] Schematic view of a second embodiment of a data capture system surrounding field according to the invention for a vehicle; and

[0049] [Fig.3] Schematic view of a third embodiment of a data capture system surrounding field for a vehicle.

[0050] DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT METHODS OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a surrounding field capture system according to the invention for a vehicle, in connection with this vehicle presented as a passenger vehicle.

[0052] The surrounding field sensing system has a surrounding field sensor 10 in the form of a lidar sensor installed in the front area of ​​the vehicle and designed to emit measurement signals (i.e., laser light) to capture the surrounding field 50 of the vehicle by means of a transmissive element 40 installed in the field of view 12 of the surrounding field sensor 10, or to receive signals. The transmissive element 40 is here the protective glass of the surrounding field sensor 10.

[0053] The surrounding field capture system further has a monitoring sensor 20 which is here an RGB camera installed on the side of the transmissive element 40 facing the surrounding field sensor 10 and oriented towards the transmissive element 40.

[0054] It should be noted that the arrangement of the monitoring sensor 20 here serves only to facilitate presentation; in reality, in the surrounding field capture system, according to the invention, there is a deep integration of the monitoring sensor 20 into the outer surface of the vehicle.

[0055] A particularly preferential installation of the monitoring sensor 20 is in an area at least partially protected against environmental influences, in the surrounding field of the surrounding field sensor 10; the monitoring sensor 20 is further preferably based on the shaping or the basis of a flow guide element, installed in the area of ​​the monitoring sensor 20 (this is not shown) to generate an air stream by the movement of the vehicle; this air stream must allow the surrounding field interface of the monitoring sensor 20 to be cleaned in a targeted manner.

[0056] The focus of the monitoring sensor 20 is made on the first plane of sharpness 60 which corresponds to the external monitoring of the transmissive element 40 turned towards the surrounding field 50, an element which can suffer potential fouling of the transmissive element 40.

[0057] The focus of the surrounding field sensor 10 is made on a second plane of sharpness 70 different from the first plane of sharpness 60 and which is suitable for capturing objects in the surrounding field 50 of the vehicle.

[0058] The surrounding field capture system further comprises an operating unit 30, here consisting of a microcontroller to receive the output signal from the monitoring sensor 20 and determine with this signal the fouling of the transmitting element 40.

[0059] In the event of a specific fouling, the operating unit 30 sends a message to the driver via a user interface (not shown), for example a screen, which informs the driver of the reduction in the input capacity of the surrounding field sensor 10.

[0060] The operating unit 30 further compensates the output signal of the surrounding field sensor 10 with the output signal of the monitoring sensor 20 to verify the plausibility of fouling of the transmissive element 40, detected by the monitoring sensor 20.

[0061] Where applicable, the surrounding field sensing system has a measurement array (not shown); the surrounding field sensing system is designed to move the measurement array to the side of the transmissive element 40 opposite the monitoring sensor 20 with actuators (not shown) into a field of view 22 of the monitoring sensor 20 and to remove it from the field of view 22. The operating unit 30, by controlling the actuators, moves the measurement array to determine the fouling of the transmissive element 40 into the field of view 22 of the monitoring sensor 20.

[0062] Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a surrounding field capture system according to the invention for a vehicle, in connection with that vehicle.

[0063] In the second embodiment of the ambient field sensing system, there is an ambient field sensor 10 and a monitoring sensor 20 according to the invention, respectively behind the vehicle's windshield and respectively oriented towards the vehicle's ambient field. The transmissive element 40 according to the invention, by which the potential soiling present on the monitoring sensor 20 is monitored, corresponds here to the vehicle's windshield.

[0064] As the surrounding field sensor 10 and the monitoring sensor 20 are in the immediate vicinity of each other with a practically identical orientation, the monitoring sensor 20 makes it possible to monitor practically totally an area of ​​the transmissive element 40, which relates to the field of vision 12 (see [Fig.1]) of the surrounding field sensor 10.

[0065] Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of a surrounding field capture system according to the invention intended for a vehicle.

[0066] The surrounding field capture system here has a surrounding field sensor 10 in the form of a radar sensor and a monitoring sensor 20 in the form of a camera, encapsulated in a common housing 100.

[0067] A transmissive element 40 made of plastic is integrated into the housing 100 and serves as a surrounding field interface for the surrounding field sensor 10. The monitoring sensor 20 has a focus which essentially corresponds to the distance of the transmissive element 40 from the monitoring sensor 20. The monitoring sensor 20, on the other hand, has a focus on the surrounding field of the surrounding field sensing system.

[0068] The two sensors 10, 20 are connected via a computer link to an ASIC-type operating unit 30 designed to determine objects in the surrounding field of the surrounding field sensor 10 from the output signals of the sensor surrounding field 10 and transmit the information obtained to an automated driving system (not shown) of a vehicle (not shown).

[0069] Based on the exploitation of the output signals of the monitoring sensor 20, the operating unit 30 determines the nature and degree of fouling on the transmitting element 40; depending on this degree of the nature of the fouling, it commands a pump 90 to supply a nozzle 80 of the surrounding field system with windshield washer fluid 110 to clean the transmitting element 40.

[0070] It should be noted that the surrounding field sensor 10 and the monitoring sensor 20, alternatively, can be the same sensor 10; the sensor 10 is then designed to focus selectively between the plane of the transmissive element 40 and a more distant plane located in the surrounding field of the sensor.

[0071] NOMENCLATURE OF MAIN ELEMENTS

[0072] 10 Surrounding field sensor

[0073] 20 Monitoring sensor

[0074] 22 Field of vision of the monitoring sensor

[0075] 30 Operating Unit

[0076] 12 Field of vision of the surrounding field sensor

[0077] 40 Transmissive element

[0078] 50 Surrounding field

[0079] 60 First plane of sharpness

[0080] 70 Second plane of sharpness

[0081] 100 Housing for the surrounding field sensor and the monitoring sensor

Claims

Demands

1. A vehicle environment sensing system comprising: - an environmental sensor (10), - a monitoring sensor (20), and - an operating unit (30), wherein: - the environmental sensor (10) is designed to emit or receive measurement signals for sensing the vehicle environment by means of a transmissive element (40) installed within the field of view (12) of the environmental sensor (10), - the monitoring sensor (20) is oriented towards the transmissive element (40) and focused on it to sense the potential fouling of the transmissive element (40), - the environmental sensor (10) has a different focus from the focus of the monitoring sensor (20) suitable for sensing the surrounding field (50), and - the operating unit (30) receives the output signal from the monitoring sensor (20) and determines the fouling of the transmissive element (40) with this output signal,characterized in that - the transmissive element (40) is disposed between the environmental sensor (10) and the monitoring sensor (20).

2. Surrounding field capture system of claim 1, wherein the surrounding field sensor (10) or the monitoring sensor (20) are respectively - a camera or - an ultrasonic sensor, or - a radar sensor, or - a capacitive sensor, or - a lidar sensor.

3. An environmental sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmissive element (40) is the protective glass of the surrounding field sensor (10) or -a component of the vehicle.

4. An environmental sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring sensor (20) and the surrounding field sensor (10) are - separate sensors or the same sensor or - located on the same side of the transmissive element (40) or on opposite sides of the transmissive element (40).

5. Surrounding field capture system of claim 4, wherein, if the monitoring sensor (40) and the surrounding field sensor (10) are the same sensor, this sensor (10, 20) has a focus to switch selectively between focusing on the transmissive element (40) and on the surrounding field (50) to be captured.

6. An environmental capture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating unit (30) is designed to - determine the nature or degree of fouling with this output signal from the monitoring sensor (20), or - depending on the current fouling of the transmissive element (40), * initiate the cleaning of the transmissive element (40) or * emit a signal giving an indication of the fouling of the surrounding field sensor (10).

7. Surrounding field capture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating unit (30) verifies by the output signal of the surrounding field sensor (10) the plausibility of the fouling of the transmissive element (40) obtained with this output signal of the monitoring sensor (20).

8. A surrounding field sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a measuring array or a reflective element, - the surrounding field sensing system moves the measuring array or the reflective element to a side opposite the monitoring sensor (20) of the transmissive element (40) with actuators in a field of view (22) of the monitoring sensor (20) and removing it from the field of view (22) and, - the operating unit (30) moves the measuring array or the reflective element to determine the fouling of the transmissive element (40) in the field of view (12) of the monitoring sensor (20) for the control of the actuators.

9. Surrounding field sensing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surrounding field sensing system further comprises a light source directed towards the transmissive element (40) and which emits light which the monitoring sensor (20) can capture to determine the fouling of the transmissive element (40).

10. A surrounding field capture system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the monitoring sensor (20) is in an area at least partially protected against environmental influences, in the surrounding field of the surrounding field sensor (10) or - the surrounding field capture system: * is installed with a shaping of the monitoring sensor (20) or a flow element in the area of ​​the monitoring sensor (20), to generate an airflow by the movement of the vehicle for targeted cleaning of the surrounding field interface of the monitoring sensor (20) or * further comprises a cleaning device for cleaning the transmissive element (40) or the surrounding field interface.

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