System and method for protecting a driving assistance system

Abstract

To provide a system for protecting a driving assist system that enables simplified verification of the driving assist system. A system for protecting a driving assistance system, comprising: - detecting an operation of an operating element of the vehicle 10 by a user and generating corresponding first detection data ED1; and - detecting an acoustic signal representative of an operation of an operating element by a user or outputted on the basis of an operation of an operating element, and generating corresponding second detection data ED2. Configured - a sensor device 110, 120, - determining a first time point corresponding to an operation of the operating element by a user based on the first detection data ED1; and - determining a second point in time corresponding to an output of an acoustic signal based on the second detection data ED2. Configured at least one evaluation module 130; Includes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system for protecting a driving assistance system, a method for protecting a driving assistance system, and a storage medium for carrying out the method. The present disclosure particularly relates to authentication of a parking assist. [Background technology]

[0002] The development of driving assistance functions is becoming more and more important. In order to enable the most accurate possible surroundings detection for the driver assistance system, sensor measurements from various sensor types, such as cameras, LiDAR and radar, can be used. In order for the driving assistance system to function reliably, it is necessary to guarantee accurate surroundings detection.

[0003] A major challenge in the development of a driving assistance function is that it must undergo rigorous verification and validation in order to comply with safety regulations and gain user trust. For example, parking assistance requires that the time between the user's activation of the parking assistance and the output of an acoustic signal by the parking assistance must not exceed a set threshold. The vehicle electronics bus signal can be used to determine the time between the activation of the parking assistance and the output of an acoustic signal. However, this is quite time-consuming. In addition, allowing a third party to access the vehicle electronics can be problematic. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a system for protecting a driving assist system, a method for protecting a driving assist system, and a storage medium for executing the method, which enable simplified verification of a driving assist system, in particular a parking assist system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to an independent aspect of the present disclosure, a system for protecting a driving assistance system is provided. The system includes a sensor device and at least one evaluation module. The sensor device is configured to detect an operation of an operating element of a vehicle by a user and generate corresponding first detection data, and to detect an acoustic signal representing the operation of the operating element by the user or output based on the operation of the operating element and generate corresponding second detection data. The at least one evaluation module is configured to determine a first time point corresponding to the operation of the operating element by the user based on the first detection data, and to determine a second time point corresponding to the output of the acoustic signal based on the second detection data.

[0007] According to the invention, a sensor device that can be installed in a vehicle detects two events: the operation of an operating element (e.g. a tactile and / or acoustic trigger on a gear shift selector or an actuation element for a driving assistance system) and the acoustic signal that is thereby activated (e.g. a sound output of a speaker), and a time stamp is determined for each event. For example, it is possible to determine by means of the corresponding time stamp whether a legally set maximum time between the operation of the operating element and the acoustic signal is respected. This makes it possible to make inferences about the performance of a driving assistance system, such as a parking assistant, for example for the authentication of the driving assistance system. In addition, for the authentication, it is not necessary to take out discrete (discontinuous) wiring or bus signals and / or to use protected information such as circuit diagrams and / or vehicle electrical system topologies.

[0008] Preferably, the at least one evaluation module is configured to determine a difference between the second time point and the first time point, said difference representing the time between the operation of the operating element and the output of the acoustic signal activated thereby. For example, it may be legally set that the time between the operation of the operating element and the output of the acoustic signal activated thereby must be below a threshold value. With the system according to the invention, appropriate checks can be performed in a tamper-proof (auditable) manner.

[0009] Preferably, the threshold is 1 second or less, 800 milliseconds or less, or 600 milliseconds or less, hi some embodiments, the threshold may be 600 milliseconds.

[0010] Preferably, the at least one evaluation module is configured to determine a difference between the second time point and the first time point and to compare it with a threshold value, the comparison result being for example outputted on a display of the system and / or capable of being communicated to an external unit such as a server or a backend.

[0011] Preferably, the evaluation of the detection data is performed only if an acoustic signal is detected, in particular if the acoustic signal is detected with a certain certainty (e.g. because the second detection data or the corresponding (voltage) signal exceeds a minimum amplitude), in other words the acoustic signal can be used as a trigger to activate the evaluation of the first and second detection data.

[0012] Preferably, the at least one evaluation module includes or is at least one processor module. A processor or processor module is a programmable computing unit, i.e. a machine or electronic circuit that controls other elements according to commands transmitted to it and thereby executes an algorithm (process).

[0013] Preferably, the at least one evaluation module includes or is an oscilloscope.

[0014] Preferably, the sensor device includes at least one first sensor module configured to detect the operation of the operating element by the user and to generate first detection data. The at least one first sensor module may include one or more electronic contact sensors that output a corresponding signal upon contact by the user. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the at least one first sensor module may include one or more microphones configured to detect the operation of the operating element by the user (e.g., by a characteristic noise when operating a gear shift selector).

[0015] In some embodiments, the sensor device, in particular the at least one first sensor module, can be configured to detect an operation of the operating element by a user and to generate first detection data when the contact exceeds a threshold, such as a force threshold and / or a pressure (pressing) threshold, thereby making it possible to prevent, for example, a light contact by the user from erroneously detecting an operation of the operating element without activating the corresponding driving assistance system.

[0016] Preferably, the sensor device includes at least one second sensor module configured to detect an acoustic signal representative of the operation of the operating element by the user and to generate second detection data. The at least one second sensor module may include one or more microphones capable of detecting a characteristic acoustic signal output during and / or after the operation of the driving assistance system.

[0017] Preferably, the at least one first sensor module and the at least one second sensor module are of different functional types, for example, the at least one first sensor module can include one or more electronic contact sensors and the at least one second sensor module can include one or more microphones, in particular directional microphones.

[0018] Preferably, the at least one first sensor module is fixable, in particular removably fixable, to an operating element of the vehicle. For example, the at least one first sensor module can be removably fixed to the operating element by means of one or more first mounting elements. The one or more first mounting elements can be selected from or consist of a group comprising an adhesive element (e.g. an adhesive layer or adhesive tape), a screw, a clamping element and combinations thereof.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the at least one second sensor module can be fixed, in particular removably fixed, to a structure of the vehicle. For example, the at least one second sensor module can be removably fixed to the structure of the vehicle by means of one or more second mounting elements. The one or more second mounting elements can be selected from or consist of a group comprising an adhesive element (e.g. an adhesive layer or adhesive tape), a screw, a clamping element and combinations thereof.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first and second sensor modules may be fixable, in particular removably fixable, to a structure of the vehicle, so that at least one second sensor module is positioned at or near a speaker of the vehicle that outputs an acoustic signal to be detected.

[0021] Preferably, the sensor device includes a sensor module configured to detect both the operation of the operating element by the user and the acoustic signal and to generate the first detection data and the second detection data. For example, one sensor module can be provided to detect both events. In some embodiments, the sensor module can include or be a microphone.

[0022] Preferably, the system includes a sound-generating device fixable to an operating element of the vehicle, the sound-generating device being configured to generate sound waves detectable by the sensor module to generate the first detection data upon operation of the operating element by the user. For example, the sound-generating device can be removably fixed to the operating element of the vehicle using one or more attachment elements. The one or more attachment elements can be selected from or consist of a group including an adhesive element (e.g. an adhesive layer or adhesive tape), a screw, a clamping element, and combinations thereof.

[0023] Preferably, the sound emitting device is a mechanical sound emitting device, for example a mechanical clicking sound emitting device.

[0024] Preferably, the vehicle operating element is a switch element (eg a mechanical button) for activating a driving assistance system such as a gear shift selector or a parking assist or a corresponding driving assistance function.

[0025] Preferably, the system can be installed in the vehicle non-permanently, in other words, the system is not permanently integrated in the vehicle, but can be installed in the vehicle merely temporarily or for a limited time period for the purpose of protection or authentication of the driving assistance system.

[0026] Preferably, the driving assistance system is a Park Distance Control (PDC). The Park Assist can be activated, for example, by shifting into reverse gear or by operating a switch. When the Park Assist is activated, an acoustic signal can be output to indicate to the driver the active activation of the Park Assist. Alternatively, the acoustic signal can be a warning sound indicating the distance to an obstacle, such as another vehicle.

[0027] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, including at least a portion of a system for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] In some embodiments, the system can be fully implemented in the vehicle. In particular, all essential elements of the system, i.e. the sensor device and at least one evaluation module, can be provided in or on the vehicle, so that a determination of the performance of the driving assistance system can already be made on the vehicle.

[0029] Alternatively, only the sensor device can be provided in the vehicle or in the vehicle, and the at least one evaluation module can be provided outside the vehicle. For example, the at least one evaluation module can be implemented in a server or backend. This allows the determination of the performance of the driving assistance system to be performed outside the vehicle.

[0030] The term vehicle includes cars, lorries, buses, campers, motorbikes, etc., used for the transport of people, goods, etc. In particular, the term includes motor vehicles for transporting people.

[0031] Preferably, the vehicle is a dedicated test vehicle, for example, the system can be installed in the vehicle non-permanently, in other words, the system is not permanently integrated in the vehicle, but can be installed in the vehicle only temporarily or for a limited time period for the purpose of protection or certification of the driving assistance system.

[0032] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for protecting a driving assistance system, the method including: detecting an operation of an operating element of a vehicle by a user and generating corresponding first detection data; detecting an acoustic signal detected by a sensor device fixable to the vehicle and representing the operation of the operating element by the user or output based on the operation of the operating element; generating corresponding second detection data; detecting by the sensor device and determining a first time point corresponding to the operation of the operating element by the user based on the first detection data; and determining a second time point corresponding to the output of the acoustic signal based on the second detection data.

[0033] The determination of the first time point and the determination of the second time point can be performed in this order. Alternatively, the evaluation of the detection data can first determine the second time point and then determine the first time point. For example, an acoustic signal can be used as a trigger to initiate the evaluation of the detection data.

[0034] The method may implement aspects of the system for protecting a driving assistance system described herein.

[0035] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a software (SW) program that can be configured to run on one or more processors and thereby perform the method for protecting a driving assistance system described herein.

[0036] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, a storage medium is provided, which may include a software (SW) program configured to be executed on one or more processors and thereby perform the method for protecting a driving assistance system described herein.

[0037] According to another independent aspect of the present disclosure, the software may be executed by program code for performing a method for protecting a driving assistance system when the software operates on one or more software-controlled devices.

[0038] The disclosed embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and are described in detail below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0039] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic of a system for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for protecting a driving assistance system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for protecting a driving assistance system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0040] In the following, unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals are used for the same and similarly acting elements.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a system 100 for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] The system 100 includes sensor devices 110, 120 and at least one evaluation module 130. The sensor devices 110, 120 are configured to detect an operation of an operating element of the vehicle by a user and to generate corresponding first detection data ED1. Furthermore, the sensor devices 110, 120 are configured to detect an acoustic (auditory) signal (e.g., as a warning sound representing a distance to an obstacle) representing the operation of the operating element by the user (e.g., to inform the driver about the operation of the driving assistance system) and generated based on the operation of the operating element, and to generate corresponding second detection data ED2.

[0043] In some embodiments, the sensor device includes at least one first sensor module 110 configured to detect an operation of an operating element by a user and to generate first detection data ED1, and the sensor device further includes at least one second sensor module 120 configured to detect an acoustic signal and to generate second detection data ED2.

[0044] The at least one first sensor module 110 may, for example, include one or more electronic contact sensors that output a corresponding signal upon contact by a user. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one second sensor module 120 may include one or more microphones capable of detecting a characteristic acoustic signal output during and / or after activation of the driving assistance system.

[0045] The at least one evaluation module 130 is configured to determine a first time point corresponding to an operation of the operating element by a user based on the first detection data ED1, and to determine a second time point corresponding to an output of an acoustic signal based on the second detection data ED2.

[0046] Thus, the system 100 according to the invention detects, on the one hand, the actuation of an operating element and, on the other hand, the acoustic signal which is triggered thereby. Since a timestamp or instant is determined for each of these events, it is possible to determine in a tamper-proof (auditable) manner whether, for example, a legally set maximum time between actuation of an operating element and an acoustic signal is respected. In addition, there is no need to single out discrete (discontinuous) wires or bus signals and / or to use protected information such as circuit diagrams and / or vehicle electrical system topologies.

[0047] In some embodiments, the system 100 can be fully implemented in the vehicle 10. In particular, all essential elements of the system 110, i.e. the sensor devices 110, 120 and the at least one evaluation module 130, can be provided in or at the vehicle 10. This allows a determination of the performance of the driving assistance system to be made already at the vehicle 10.

[0048] Alternatively, only the sensor devices 110, 120 can be provided within the vehicle 10 or in the vehicle 10, and the at least one evaluation module 130 can be provided outside the vehicle 10. For example, the at least one evaluation module 130 can be implemented in a server or backend. This allows a determination of the performance of the driving assistance system to be made outside the vehicle 10.

[0049] Typically, the vehicle 10 is a dedicated test vehicle. For example, the system 100 can be installed in the vehicle 10 on a non-permanent basis. In other words, the system 100 is not permanently integrated into the vehicle 10, but can be installed in the vehicle 10 only temporarily or for a limited time period for purposes of protecting or authenticating the driving assistance system.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a system 200 for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0051] The system 200 includes at least one first sensor module 210 generating first detection data ED1 and at least one second sensor module 220 generating second detection data ED2. The at least one first sensor module 210 and the at least one second sensor module 220 may be of different functional types. For example, the at least one first sensor module 210 may include one or more touch-sensitive sensor elements, such as one or more electronic contact sensors and / or pressure sensors. The at least one second sensor module 220 may include one or more microphones.

[0052] The touch-sensitive sensor element may include a touch sensor and / or a piezoelectric element that responds to contact and pressure, or alternatively, the touch-sensitive sensor element may include or be a touch-sensitive electrical contact surface.

[0053] In some embodiments, the at least one first sensor module 210 can generate and output the first detection data ED1 to the at least one evaluation unit 130 only when the contact exceeds a threshold, such as a force threshold and / or a pressure threshold (pressing threshold). This makes it possible to prevent, for example, a light touch by the user from erroneously detecting an operation of the operating element 12 without the corresponding driving assistance system being activated.

[0054] The at least one first sensor module 210 may be fixable, in particular removably fixable, to the operating element 12 of the vehicle 10. For example, the at least one first sensor module 210 may be removably fixed to the operating element 12 by means of one or more first mounting elements 212. The one or more first mounting elements 212 may be, for example, an adhesive film or a mechanical clip.

[0055] In the example of Fig. 2, the operating element 12 of the vehicle 10 is a gear shift selector. Upon shifting into reverse gear at time t1, the parking assistant is activated and a corresponding acoustic signal can be output via the speaker 14 of the vehicle 10 at time t2. The parking assistant can be implemented by a suitable control device 16. In addition, an amplifier 18 can be optionally provided, which is arranged between the control device 16 and the speaker 14, in order to output an audible acoustic signal.

[0056] The time instants t1 and t2 can be evaluated, and in particular the time difference between the shift into reverse gear and the output of the acoustic signal can be determined. For example, it may be legally set that the time between the actuation of the operating element 12 at time t1 and the output of the acoustic signal at time t2 which is triggered thereby must be less than or equal to a threshold value. The threshold value may be, for example, less than or equal to 1 second, less than or equal to 800 milliseconds, or less than or equal to 600 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the threshold value may be 600 milliseconds.

[0057] In some embodiments, the at least one first sensor module 210 and the at least one second sensor module 220 can each be connected to a channel of a calibrated storage oscilloscope forming an evaluation unit. For example, a directional microphone directed towards the speaker 14 by a flexible clamp bracket in the vehicle interior can be connected to a microphone amplifier. Optionally, a dummy head microphone for acoustic measurements can also be used. Upon operation of the gear shift selector 12, a touch-sensitive sensor element can be activated and output an electrical signal to the oscilloscope. Similarly, an acoustic signal can be received by the directional microphone, amplified by an amplifier and transmitted to the oscilloscope. As a result, precise time measurements between actions and responses can be determined and recorded by means of appropriate time stamps.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a system 300 for protecting a driving assistance system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] The system 300 includes a sensor module 320 configured to detect both an operation of the operating element 12 by a user at time t1 and an acoustic signal at time t2, and to generate first detection data ED1 and second detection data ED2. For example, one sensor module 320 can be provided to detect both events. In some embodiments, the sensor module 320 can include or be a microphone.

[0060] 3, the system 300 may include a sound generating device (sound wave generating device, sound generator) 310 in the operating element 12 instead of at least one first sensor module. The sound generating device 310 is configured to generate sound waves detectable by the sensor module 320 and generate first detection data ED1 when the operating element 12 is operated by a user. In some embodiments, the sound generating device 310 may be a mechanical sound generating device, such as a mechanical clicking sound generating device.

[0061] The sound-generating device 310 may be fixable, in particular removably fixable, to the operating element 12 of the vehicle 10. For example, the sound-generating device 310 may be removably fixed to the operating element 12 by means of one or more attachment elements. The one or more attachment elements may be, for example, an adhesive film or a mechanical clip.

[0062] By using the sound generating device 310, it is possible to eliminate wiring and voltage sources, yet the detected signal can be used to determine and record precise time measurements between actions and responses.

[0063] A flowchart of a method 400 for protecting a driving assistance system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in Figure 4. The method 400 may be implemented by corresponding software executable by one or more processors (e.g., CPUs).

[0064] The method 400 includes, in block 410, detecting an operation of a vehicle operating element by a user and generating corresponding first detection data, the detection being performed by a sensor device fixable to the vehicle, in block 420, detecting an acoustic signal representative of the operation of the operating element by the user or output based on the operation of the operating element, and generating corresponding second detection data, the detection being performed by the sensor device, in block 430, determining, based on the first detection data, a first time point corresponding to the operation of the operating element by the user, and in block 440, determining, based on the second detection data, a second time point corresponding to the output of the acoustic signal.

[0065] The determination of the first time point in block 430 and the determination of the second time point in block 440 can be performed in that order. Alternatively, the evaluation of the detection data can first determine the second time point in accordance with block 440 and then determine the first time point in accordance with block 430. For example, an acoustic signal can be used as a trigger to initiate the evaluation of the detection data.

[0066] According to the invention, a sensor device that can be installed in a vehicle detects two events: one is the operation of an operating element (e.g. a tactile and / or acoustic trigger on a gear shift selector or an actuation element for a driving assistance system) and the other is the acoustic signal (e.g. a sound output of a speaker) that is thereby activated, and a time stamp is determined for each event. For example, it is possible to determine by means of the corresponding time stamp whether a legally set maximum time between the operation of the operating element and the acoustic signal is respected. This makes it possible to make inferences about the performance of a driving assistance system, such as a parking assistant, for example for the authentication of the driving assistance system. In addition, for the authentication, it is not necessary to take out discrete (discontinuous) wiring or bus signals and / or to use protected information such as circuit diagrams and / or vehicle electrical system topologies.

[0067] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail by preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the disclosed examples, and other modifications can be derived by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, it is clear that there are many possible modifications. Similarly, it is clear that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples, and the examples should not be understood as limiting the scope of protection, application or configuration of the present invention in any manner, for example. Rather, the above description and the description of the drawings (description by the drawings) enable those skilled in the art to specifically implement the exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art can make various modifications, for example, regarding the function or arrangement of individual elements listed in the exemplary embodiments, without departing from the scope of protection defined in the claims and their legal counterparts, such as further descriptions in the specification, after knowing the concept of the present invention disclosed.

Claims

1. A system (100, 200, 300) for protecting a driving assistance system, - detecting an operation of an operating element (12) of a vehicle (10) by a user and generating corresponding first detection data (ED1); - detecting an acoustic signal representative of an operation of said operating element (12) by a user or outputted on the basis of an operation of said operating element (12) and generating corresponding second detection data (ED2). Configured a sensor device (110, 120; 210, 220; 320), - determining, based on said first detection data (ED1), a first time point (t1) corresponding to an operation of said operating element (12) by a user; and - determining a second time point (t2) corresponding to the output of said acoustic signal based on said second detection data (ED2); Configured at least one evaluation module (130); A system (100, 200, 300) comprising:

2. 2. The system (100, 200, 300) of claim 1, wherein the at least one evaluation module (130) is configured to determine a difference between the second time point (t2) and the first time point (t1).

3. The sensor device (110, 120; 210, 220) at least one first sensor module (110, 210) configured to detect an operation of said operating element (12) by a user and to generate said first detection data (ED1); at least one second sensor module (120, 220) configured to detect said acoustic signals representative of the manipulation of said operating element (12) by a user and to generate said second detection data (ED2); The system (100, 200) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. the at least one first sensor module (110, 210) and the at least one second sensor module (120, 220) are of different functional types; and / or said at least one first sensor module (110, 210) includes one or more electronic contact sensors; and / or said at least one second sensor module (120, 220) includes one or more microphones The system (100, 200) of claim 3.

5. The system (100, 200) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the at least one first sensor module (110, 210) is fixable to the operating element (12) of the vehicle (10), in particular, the at least one first sensor module (110, 210) is removably fixable to the operating element (12) of the vehicle (10).

6. The sensor device comprises: a sensor module (320) configured to detect both the operation of said operating element (12) by a user and also said acoustic signal, and to generate said first detection data (ED1) and said second detection data (ED2); 3. The system (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a sensor module (320) which is a microphone.

7. The system (300) according to claim 6, further comprising a sound generating device (310) fixable to the operating element (12) of the vehicle (10), the sound generating device (310) being configured to generate sound waves detectable by the sensor module (320) and to generate the first detection data (ED1) upon operation of the operating element (12) by a user, in particular the sound generating device (310) being a mechanical sound generating device.

8. The system (100, 200, 300) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the operating element (12) of the vehicle (10) is a gear shift selector or a switch element for actuating the vehicle assistance system.

9. A method (400) for protecting a driving assistance system, comprising: - detecting (410) an operation of an operating element of a vehicle by a user and generating corresponding first detection data, said detection being performed by a sensor device fixable to said vehicle, - detecting (420) an acoustic signal representative of an operation of the operating element by a user or outputted on the basis of an operation of the operating element, and generating corresponding second detection data, said detection being performed by said sensor device, - determining (430) a first time point corresponding to an operation of the operating element by a user based on the first detection data, - determining (440) a second time point corresponding to an output of the acoustic signal based on the second detection data.

13. A method (400).

10. A storage medium containing a software program configured to be executed on one or more processors and thereby perform the method (400) of claim 9.

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