Operation method of vehicle interior monitoring device, vehicle interior monitoring device, and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle interior monitoring device, the vehicle interior monitoring device being configured to detect movement within the vehicle interior of a vehicle (1) and activate a vehicle alarm in response to the detected movement, the vehicle (1) measuring acceleration of the vehicle structure by at least one acceleration sensor (2) and taking the measured acceleration value into consideration to operate the vehicle interior monitoring device, the vehicle (1) determining a parked state and activating the vehicle interior monitoring device if the parked state is determined. The vehicle interior monitoring device according to the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle (1) suppresses the vehicle alarm that is output in response to the detection of movement within the vehicle interior if it detects acceleration vibration of the vehicle structure simultaneously with the detection of movement within the vehicle interior.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle interior monitoring device of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1, to a vehicle interior monitoring device of the type defined in the preamble of claim 7, and to a vehicle equipped with such a vehicle interior monitoring device. [Background technology]

[0002] To improve comfort and safety, vehicle interior monitoring devices are well known. Sensor systems can be used to detect the presence and movement of objects within the vehicle interior. This can be used to trigger an alarm if, for example, a child or a pet is left inside the vehicle. Anti-theft devices can also be created that trigger an alarm when movement of an object within the vehicle interior is detected. An acoustic alarm can be triggered, for example, by the vehicle's horn. A visual alarm can be triggered by activating the vehicle's headlights, taillights, and / or turn signal lights.

[0003] In this case, false alarms may occur. For example, the corresponding vehicle may be moved from the outside, causing a loose object inside the vehicle, such as a water bottle placed in the back seat, to move. The movement of the loose object will then be detected and an alarm will be activated accordingly. Therefore, there is a need to provide methods and means by which the occurrence of such false alarms can be reduced or completely avoided.

[0004] A vehicle compartment safety system and its operating method are known, for example, from DE 10 2021 102 963 A1. The vehicle described therein is equipped with an acceleration sensor, by means of which the vehicle's state of motion is determined. If it is detected that the vehicle is moving, the corresponding vehicle compartment monitoring device remains deactivated. In contrast, if it is detected that the vehicle is parked, the vehicle compartment monitoring can be automatically activated. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing an improved method of operation of a vehicle interior monitoring device, by means of which the occurrence of false alarms can be reduced or completely avoided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for operating a vehicle interior monitoring device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and developments, as well as corresponding vehicle interior monitoring devices and vehicles equipped with such vehicle interior monitoring devices, emerge from the claims dependent on claim 1.

[0007] In a standard operating method of a vehicle interior monitoring device, the vehicle interior monitoring device is configured to detect movement within the vehicle interior and activate a vehicle alarm in response to the detected movement, the vehicle measures acceleration of the vehicle structure using at least one acceleration sensor and takes the measured acceleration values ​​into account to activate the vehicle interior monitoring device, and the vehicle determines a parked state and activates the vehicle interior monitoring device if the parked state is determined. According to the present invention, this standard operating method of a vehicle interior monitoring device is improved by suppressing the vehicle alarm that is output in response to the detection of movement within the vehicle interior if the vehicle detects acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure simultaneously with the detection of movement within the vehicle interior.

[0008] The method according to the invention makes it possible to avoid false alarms in a particularly simple and reliable way. For this purpose, the vehicle checks whether it is being moved from the outside. If the vehicle is moved from the outside, loose objects in the vehicle interior may start to move. If movement is detected in the vehicle interior and this movement is due to acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure, the vehicle does not issue a vehicle alarm.

[0009] A vehicle alarm may be triggered by activating the vehicle's horn or emitting a signal sound from the external vehicle speakers, as well as by activating vehicle lighting devices such as headlights, taillights or turn signal lights, or may also be triggered by wirelessly broadcasting an alarm message. The alarm message may be transmitted indirectly, for example via mobile radio, over the Internet to a central processing unit such as a cloud server. The vehicle owner may have a mobile terminal such as a smartphone that is connected to the central processing unit by means of a suitable application. This allows the alarm message emitted by the vehicle to be forwarded from the central processing unit to the vehicle owner's mobile terminal.

[0010] The acceleration sensor can be an acceleration sensor that is already installed in the vehicle, such as an acceleration sensor used by ESP or an airbag, which allows a particularly simple and inexpensive implementation of the method according to the invention in the vehicle.

[0011] To perform the described method steps, the vehicle utilizes a number of computing units, such as a central computing unit, control units of vehicle subsystems, telematic units, etc. The computing units receive sensor data from sensors and exchange information with each other via a data bus.

[0012] That is, the vehicle can determine (calculate, identify) the parking state. For this purpose, the vehicle or a corresponding computing unit can monitor the ignition state of the vehicle's drive engine, check the lock state of the steering wheel, check the lock state of the doors, and / or check the vehicle speed or vehicle acceleration values. In this way, the computing unit of the vehicle can determine the parking state, for example, when the vehicle is stationary, the on-board electronics are switched to standby, and the vehicle doors are locked.

[0013] In this case, if the acceleration excitation is accompanied by the detection of movement in the vehicle interior, the vehicle alarm is suppressed. Here, "simultaneously" means that the acceleration excitation and the detected movement in the vehicle interior occur simultaneously, or that the acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure occurs with a certain time lag before the movement in the vehicle interior is detected. This time lag may be relatively small, for example, in the range of a few seconds or a few milliseconds. The acceptable time lag may be set by the vehicle manufacturer.

[0014] In an advantageous development of the method, the vehicle measures translational acceleration in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis, and / or the vertical axis, and / or rotational acceleration around the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis, and / or the vertical axis. This allows the vehicle's dynamics to be accurately determined in all spatial directions. This allows for a particularly comprehensive evaluation of acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure. In this case, individual acceleration sensors may be provided for the various spatial and rotational directions.

[0015] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle compares the measured acceleration value with a set acceleration limit value and suppresses the vehicle alarm only if the measured acceleration value is greater than the acceleration limit value. In other words, it is possible to output a vehicle alarm if movement is detected in the vehicle cabin even when the vehicle is only accelerating relatively slowly. This avoids false suppression of the vehicle alarm. This is illustrated by the following example: A vehicle is parked on the side of a road with heavy traffic. There is a child in the rear seat of the vehicle. Now, when a truck passes by the vehicle at high speed, the vehicle attempts to roll about its longitudinal axis. When the child is startled by the passing truck and jumps, movement is detected in the vehicle cabin. Even in this case, it may be advantageous to output a vehicle alarm.

[0016] Here, it is possible to define different acceleration limit values ​​for translational acceleration in the direction of the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis and the height axis, or for rotational acceleration around the longitudinal axis, the lateral axis and the height axis.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the vehicle records an acceleration pattern by evaluating the acceleration direction curve (change) of the acceleration applied to the vehicle structure over a predetermined time period, records a movement pattern by evaluating the movement direction curve (change) of an object moving within the vehicle cabin over a predetermined time period, compares the acceleration pattern with the movement pattern, and suppresses the vehicle alarm only if the movement pattern correlates with the acceleration pattern. This allows the method according to the present invention to be performed with even greater reliability. The vehicle, i.e., the computing unit, also checks whether the movement detected within the vehicle cabin corresponds to an acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure. For example, if a truck passing alongside a parked vehicle causes the vehicle to roll around the vehicle's longitudinal axis, objects within the vehicle cabin typically move in a translational direction along the vehicle's lateral axis. In this case, the excitation of the vehicle by the passing truck is an excitation pulse. Therefore, objects within the vehicle cabin are initially moved strongly, and this movement gradually subsides like a damped vibration when the excitation is removed. On the other hand, if a different movement pattern, for example, movement in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is detected in the vehicle interior and this movement does not subside in a normal attenuation pattern, a vehicle alarm can be output.

[0018] As a further example, consider a vehicle being transported on a ferry. Waves in the water cause the ferry to rock. These waves are applied as accelerations to the vehicle structure and are transmitted to loose objects in the vehicle cabin, causing them to move. The vehicle can then detect the acceleration pattern caused by the waves and compare this acceleration pattern to the changes in the motion of the loose objects in the vehicle cabin. For example, a loose beverage bottle resting on the back seat of the vehicle will continue to roll back and forth on the back seat along the vehicle's lateral axis at a specific frequency. The vehicle then takes into account, among other things, the phase shift between the acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure and the motion of the loose objects.

[0019] In other words, specific motion patterns within the vehicle cabin can be detected. The recorded acceleration pattern can then be placed like a filter onto the detected motion pattern to remove the effects of vibration excitation on the motion.

[0020] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the vehicle deactivates the cabin monitoring device as long as the vehicle detects acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure for an excitation time exceeding a set buffer time. Vehicle excitation causes objects in the vehicle cabin to move, so occupant detection based on motion detection is no longer used. Advantageously, in such a situation, the corresponding sensor system can be deactivated to save energy. Once the vehicle excitation is no longer present, the cabin monitoring device can be automatically reactivated.

[0021] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the vehicle interior monitoring device detects breathing patterns of a living being in the vehicle interior and classifies them as movement. This allows for differentiation between objects and living beings, thereby enabling differentiation between vehicle alarms. For example, if object movement is detected, the vehicle alarm can be suppressed, but if the presence of a living being in the vehicle interior is detected, the vehicle alarm can be activated. To detect breathing patterns, the rise and fall of the living being's chest can be recorded and analyzed. This rise and fall also occurs with characteristic kinematic changes.

[0022] According to the invention, a vehicle interior monitoring device with at least one motion sensor is configured to carry out the above-mentioned method. This vehicle interior monitoring device can have a dedicated computing unit to which the corresponding motion sensor is connected. However, it is also possible to use equipment that is already present in the vehicle to form the vehicle interior monitoring device. For this purpose, a corresponding program code configured to carry out the above-mentioned method is installed in the existing computing unit.

[0023] Preferably, at least one motion sensor of the vehicle interior monitoring device is configured to generate depth information using the Doppler principle, in particular based on electromagnetic waves or ultrasound. Thus, the vehicle interior monitoring device can use, for example, radar sensors or radar sensor systems and / or ultrasonic sensors or ultrasonic sensor systems as motion sensors. These are relatively simple and inexpensive sensors, which further favors a simple and inexpensive implementation of the vehicle interior monitoring device.

[0024] However, in general, other sensor systems for detecting movement within the vehicle cabin can also be employed. In particular, the use of Wi-Fi antenna arrays can make the detection of living creatures particularly reliable. For example, if various Wi-Fi antennas are installed in different locations in the vehicle, it is possible to spatially evaluate the signal strength of the Wi-Fi signal within the cabin. Since Wi-Fi signals are affected by the movement of vehicle occupants, even a person's heartbeat can be detected and their location in space can be determined. However, such sensor systems are complex and therefore time-consuming and expensive.

[0025] According to the present invention, a vehicle is provided with the above-mentioned vehicle cabin monitoring device, which may be any vehicle such as a car, a truck, a transporter, a bus, etc.

[0026] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for operating a vehicle interior monitoring device are evident from the exemplary embodiments described in detail below with reference to the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

[0028] Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 according to the present invention being transported on a ferry 4 across a body of water 5. Waves in the body of water 5 cause the vehicle 1, together with the ferry 4, to roll about a longitudinal axis x of the vehicle as indicated by the arrow. Similarly, a lateral axis y and a vertical axis z of the vehicle 1 are also shown.

[0029] A vehicle 1 according to the present invention is equipped with a vehicle interior monitoring device, which includes a computing unit 6, a motion sensor 3 used to monitor the interior of the vehicle and configured to detect movement within the vehicle interior, and at least one acceleration sensor 2 of the vehicle 1, by means of which the computing unit 6 can measure accelerations applied to the vehicle 1.

[0030] The vehicle interior monitoring device is used to initiate a vehicle alarm when motion is detected within the vehicle interior of a parked vehicle 1. This may indicate, among other things, a misplaced animal or a burglary. However, as the vehicle 1 moves, a loose object, such as a beverage bottle 8 resting on the rear seat 7 of the vehicle 1, may also move, which may cause acceleration to be measured by the acceleration sensor 2.

[0031] According to the present invention, the vehicle 1 or the computing unit 6 according to the present invention suppresses the output of a vehicle alarm when an acceleration applied to the vehicle structure of the vehicle 1 is detected at the same time as detecting movement within the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1.

[0032] The computing unit 6 can then compare the observed motion pattern with the observed acceleration pattern and suppress the issuance of a vehicle alarm only if both patterns are correlated. To this end, Figure 2 shows a plot of the roll angle of the vehicle 1 about its longitudinal axis x over time t, and a corresponding plot of the position of the beverage bottle 8. The top plot of Figure 2 shows the roll angle φ, and the bottom plot shows the position Y of the beverage bottle 8 on the rear seat 7 along the vehicle's lateral axis y. Similarly, it can be seen that the maximum deflection of the vehicle 1 due to rocking in both directions is +φ max and -φ max is displayed as:

[0033] Roll angle φ and location Y The curves (changes) of the acceleration and velocity can be calculated from the time integral of the measured acceleration or velocity values. Similarly, the curves (changes) of the acceleration and velocity can be calculated by differentiating the position values ​​measured continuously over time.

[0034] The roll angle plot reveals the roll of vehicle 1 due to the wave motion. φ is correlated to the sinusoidal oscillation.

[0035] The beverage bottle 8 follows this rolling vibration, and the roll angle φ As β increases, the roll velocity of the beverage bottle 8 also increases, causing the beverage bottle 8 to move faster in the direction of the vehicle's lateral axis y, and therefore to travel a longer distance in a shorter time, which corresponds to region B1 in the plot.

[0036] Then the direction of motion is reversed and the vehicle 1 swings in the opposite direction. Region B2 corresponds to the region before the zero crossing, i.e. the beverage bottle 8 continues to accelerate, but at a slower speed.

[0037] In region B3, the ferry 4, and therefore the vehicle 1, swings to the opposite side, causing the beverage bottle 8 to be braked and then accelerated in the opposite direction. Due to inertia, the beverage bottle 8 may roll further. In addition, the beverage bottle 8 may reach the end of the rear seat 7 and hit the vehicle door, causing it to come to an abrupt stop.

[0038] This characteristic motion behavior of the vehicle structure and the beverage bottle 8 shown in Figure 2 is detected by the computing unit 6, which detects a correlation between the acceleration of the vehicle 1 and the movement of objects back and forth within the vehicle compartment, and therefore no vehicle alarm is output. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0039] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102021102963

Claims

1. A method for operating a cabin monitoring device, the cabin monitoring device being configured to detect movement within a cabin of a vehicle (1) and activate a vehicle alarm in response to the detected movement, the vehicle (1) measuring acceleration of a vehicle structure by at least one acceleration sensor (2) and taking the measured acceleration values ​​into account to activate the cabin monitoring device, and the vehicle (1) determining a parked state and activating the cabin monitoring device if a parked state is determined, The vehicle (1) suppresses the vehicle alarm output in response to the detection of a movement in the vehicle cabin when the vehicle (1) detects the movement in the vehicle cabin and simultaneously detects an acceleration vibration of the vehicle structure; The vehicle (1) records an acceleration pattern by evaluating an acceleration direction curve of an acceleration applied to the vehicle structure over time (t), records a motion pattern by evaluating a motion direction curve of an object moving within the vehicle cabin over time (t), compares the acceleration pattern with the motion pattern, and suppresses the vehicle alarm only if the motion pattern correlates with the acceleration pattern. A method characterized by:

2. The vehicle (1) measures translational acceleration in the direction of a longitudinal axis (x), a lateral axis (y) and / or a height axis (z) and / or rotational acceleration about the longitudinal axis (x), the lateral axis (y) and / or the height axis (z).

2. The method of claim 1.

3. The vehicle (1) compares the measured acceleration value with a set acceleration limit value and suppresses the vehicle alarm only if the measured acceleration value is greater than the acceleration limit value.

2. The method of claim 1.

4. As long as the vehicle (1) detects acceleration excitation of the vehicle structure for an excitation time exceeding a set buffer time, the vehicle (1) deactivates the cabin monitoring device.

2. The method of claim 1.

5. The vehicle interior monitoring device detects breathing patterns of creatures within the vehicle interior and classifies them as movement.

2. The method of claim 1.

6. At least one motion sensor (3), Configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 A vehicle interior monitoring device comprising:

7. The at least one motion sensor (3) is configured to generate depth information using the Doppler principle, in particular based on electromagnetic or ultrasonic waves.

7. The vehicle interior monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein:

8. A vehicle interior monitoring device according to claim 6 is provided. A vehicle (1) characterized in that:

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