Method, vehicle-external device and apparatus for interactive system control of an automated vehicle, and computer program product

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling an automated vehicle, comprising detecting a surroundings region of the vehicle by means of a vehicle-side and / or infrastructural sensor unit; automatically controlling the vehicle along a planned path to a target position by means of a control unit; and stopping, by the system, the vehicle in the event of the evaluation of a collision risk determined by the system along the planned path.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Method, vehicle-external device and apparatus for interactive system control of an automated vehicle and computer program product

[0003] The invention relates to a method for controlling an automated vehicle, comprising detecting an area surrounding the vehicle with a vehicle-mounted and / or infrastructural sensor unit, automatically controlling the vehicle along a planned path to a target position with a control unit, and stopping the vehicle by the system upon evaluation of a collision risk determined by the system along the planned path. Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program product, a vehicle-external device for controlling an automated vehicle, and a device for interactive system control of an automated vehicle.

[0004] Systems that can calculate the paths to be driven are used for the automated control of vehicles. Vehicles with an automatic parking system, e.g. a valet parking function, are known, by means of which the vehicle automatically parks in and out of a parking space such as a parking garage. In automated valet parking, the driver parks the vehicle, for example, at the entrance to the parking space, whereupon the vehicle parks fully automatically and, at the driver's request, is parked at a handover zone. Automated driving is therefore understood in particular to mean the independent driving, steering, and parking of a vehicle with or without the driver as the control entity. The vehicle is therefore guided by the vehicle itself. Automated vehicles are, in particular, vehicles with an SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) automation level of Level 3, 4 or higher.

[0005] Such vehicles have an on-board sensor unit with one or more sensors to detect the vehicle's surroundings. These sensors include radar sensors, lidar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, or even camera sensors. Furthermore, infrastructure sensors such as cameras are known to provide information about the vehicle's surroundings on the infrastructure side. Based on the sensor data collected by the sensors, conclusions can be drawn about the vehicle's surroundings, which can then be used to plan and control the driving process.

[0006] To perform an automated driving process, a path is typically calculated based on the current vehicle state and information about the vehicle's surroundings, along which the vehicle then moves automatically. Examples of such driving processes include reducing speed when approaching a slower vehicle ahead, overtaking maneuvers, turning maneuvers, obstacle detection, and many more. Planning the most optimal path possible is a central subtask for implementing automated driving.

[0007] Automated vehicles may encounter scenarios where automated driving is clearly not possible, such as when reaching a system boundary or leaving a permissible operating range. Since automated vehicles are generally designed conservatively, the automated driving process is terminated or paused in the event of an unexpected scenario. This can result in blocking other road users and the need for a physically present driver.

[0008] Based on this, it is the object of the invention to provide a method and a device which improve the availability of automated driving functions.

[0009] The object is achieved by a method having the features of independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. A computer program product is the subject of independent claim 5, an external vehicle device is the subject of independent claim 6, a device is the subject of independent claim 8, and a vehicle is the subject of independent claim 10.

[0010] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for controlling an automated vehicle, in particular an automated parking vehicle. The vehicle can be, for example, a passenger car, a trailer, or a combination consisting of a vehicle and a trailer. An automated vehicle is, for example, a vehicle with an automatic parking system in which the vehicle takes over control independently, i.e., without supervision or the physical presence of the driver. Examples of automated parking systems include valet parking, trained parking, remote parking, or garage parking, in which the vehicle is capable of parking and reversing without a driver. The method comprises the following steps:

[0011] First, an area surrounding the vehicle is detected using an on-board and / or infrastructural sensor unit. The on-board sensor unit may, for example, be at least one camera sensor, radar sensor, lidar sensor, and / or an ultrasonic sensor. An infrastructural sensor unit is, in particular, a sensor that is stationary in an infrastructural area, such as a parking garage or intersection, to monitor this area. Preferably, communication takes place between the infrastructural sensor unit and an ECU of the vehicle in order to provide the vehicle with current information on the infrastructural area. Based on the environmental data detected by the sensor unit, a path to a target position can be planned if no path already exists.The planned path is, in particular, navigation to a target position or an automated parking or reversing maneuver. The environmental data includes, for example, information from a road model, object information in the vehicle's surroundings, and a vehicle dynamics model. The vehicle is automatically guided along a planned path to the target position.

[0012] If the system has identified a collision risk along the planned path, the vehicle is stopped. The identified collision risk is particularly likely due to a situation that is unclear to the system, specifically a condition that is likely to result in a collision. An example of this would be an obstacle that can be overridden but is not recognized as such by the system. It is possible that the target position and / or path were recalculated prior to the stopping process in order to avoid the identified collision risk. The system will therefore specifically stop the vehicle if an alternative path determined cannot avoid the identified collision risk.

[0013] A control request is sent to an external device belonging to the vehicle owner or another authorized person, for example, a person performing technical supervision. The external device is preferably a mobile device, such as a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, or intelligent vehicle key. As an alternative, the device can also be a stationary device, such as an operator PC. The control request requests safety-critical approval to continue driving. In other words, confirmation to continue driving is requested. The control unit then receives a control command for the safety-critical approval, thus receiving a response to the requested technical supervision. The control unit executes the control command transmitted to it.The control request is transmitted and the control command is received, in particular, by means of wireless communication. The control command can, for example, contain confirmation of the planned onward journey, a command to abort the onward journey, confirmation of a risk of collision, and / or a request to calculate an alternative path. Furthermore, a lack of feedback from the vehicle owner or the authorized person is also conceivable, whereupon, after a defined time interval, an abort of the onward journey is preferably specified as the control command. The method according to the invention ensures that an automated vehicle behaves optimally in every scenario possible. This means that even in scenarios that were not explicitly considered during development, missing status information can be efficiently communicated to the vehicle owner or the authorized person via the control request.Once the potentially detected collision has been overcome with the help of feedback from the device user outside the vehicle, the automated driving process can continue. This ensures robust automated behavior even in ambiguous situations, preventing the driver from intervening.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the safety-critical release requires two actions from the vehicle owner. These two actions include, for example, a two-dimensional movement on a mobile device display, unlocking the mobile device, and pressing a button on the mobile device, or two-factor authentication. This ensures that an accidental release of the vehicle's continuation, which could lead to a collision, is prevented.

[0015] According to another preferred embodiment, a current image, a series of images, a live stream, and / or a bird's-eye view (so-called top-view) of the surroundings relative to the vehicle, created using vehicle camera images, is transmitted to the mobile device with the control request, indicating the determined collision risk. This allows the vehicle owner to immediately recognize the collision-prone condition.

[0016] Preferably, the control request includes at least one suggestion for continuing the journey. The at least one suggestion is, for example, a continuation of the planned path and / or an alternative path, which can be displayed on the transmitted image and optionally additionally selected by the device user external to the vehicle. Furthermore, it is preferred that the vehicle is transferred to a parked state or steered back to a path start position if the vehicle owner refuses to continue the journey or the control unit has not received a control command within a predefined time window. In this way, it is not only ensured that the potential collision due to a requested continuation is prevented, but also that the vehicle is transferred to a safe state, preferably with the engine switched off, and if possible without blocking a travel path.

[0017] A further subject matter of the invention relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which cause a control unit to carry out a method according to the preceding description.

[0018] Another subject of the invention relates to an external device, in particular a mobile device, for controlling an autonomously driving vehicle. The external device is designed to request a safety-critical authorization from the device user to continue driving if the autonomously driving vehicle stops due to a detected risk of collision. To confirm the continued driving, the safety-critical authorization requires two actions from the device user.

[0019] Another subject matter of the invention relates to a device for interactive system control of an automated vehicle with at least one vehicle-external, in particular mobile, device and with a control unit of the automated vehicle. The vehicle-external device is designed to request a safety-critical authorization for continued travel from the device user in the event of the automated vehicle stopping due to a determined risk of collision. In particular, the safety-critical authorization comprises two action requirements that the device user must fulfill to confirm continued travel. The control unit of the automated vehicle is preferably designed to execute a fully automated and driverless parking function according to SAE Level 4 or 5. Furthermore, the control unit is designed to generate the control request for the safety-critical authorization.Furthermore, the control unit is designed to plan the continuation of the journey, in particular the continuation or termination of the journey, based on the control command for the control request transmitted by the vehicle-external device.

[0020] The control unit may in particular comprise a microcontroller or processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processor (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and the like, as well as software for carrying out the corresponding method steps.

[0021] Further developments, advantages, and possible applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. All described and / or illustrated features, individually or in any combination, are fundamentally part of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their reference back to them. The content of the claims is also incorporated into the description.

[0022] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the figures. They show:

[0023] Figure 1 shows, by way of example, a schematic representation of a device for an interactive system control of an automated driving vehicle;

[0024] Figure 2 Examples of implementations for a safety-critical release of the

[0025] Continue driving the vehicle using a mobile device;

[0026] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the method steps for controlling an automated vehicle. Figure 1 shows a bird's-eye view of a device for interactive system control of an automated vehicle 1. The automated vehicle 1 comprises a sensor unit 3 for detecting an area surrounding the vehicle 1, which is illustrated by way of example as a front camera. Of course, other vehicle sensors such as radar, lidar, satellite cameras, and / or ultrasonic sensors are also possible. Furthermore, the vehicle 1 comprises a control unit 4, which is designed to control the vehicle 1 fully automatically and driverlessly.

[0027] This exemplary embodiment involves a valet parking operation in which the driver has exited the vehicle and the vehicle 1 is automatically steered by the control unit 4 along a planned path to a target position. Along the planned path, the system, for example by the control unit 4, has identified an obstacle H which can be driven over but which was not recognized as such and was therefore classified as a collision risk. The obstacle can, purely by way of example, be accumulated gravel. The control unit 4 has stopped the vehicle 1 due to the identified collision risk. In a next step, the control unit 4 is configured to send a control request to a mobile device 5 of the vehicle owner external to the vehicle, which requests safety-critical approval for continued travel.Preferably, at least one image of the obstacle is also transmitted to the mobile device 5, allowing the driver to assess whether continued travel is safe. This allows the vehicle owner to check and approve the possibility of continuing travel without being physically present.

[0028] The mobile device 5 is configured to receive the control request from the control unit 4 and request it from the mobile device user. The safety-critical authorization preferably requires two actions from the mobile device user to prevent accidental authorization of continued travel. Figure 2 shows the mobile device 5 with conceivable two-dimensional movements on a display of the mobile device for the safety-critical authorization. The essential requirement here is always at least one change of direction, which ensures the intended confirmation of continued travel by the vehicle owner.

[0029] The mobile device 5 is configured to transmit a control command to the control unit 4 depending on the user input to continue driving, wherein the control unit 4 is configured to execute the transmitted control command. The control command can permit or prohibit continued driving, or request an alternative suggestion. The control unit 4 is configured to control the vehicle 1 according to the control command, i.e., to permanently park the vehicle 1 at the stopped location, return it to its starting position, or continue driving the vehicle 1 as planned. If no user input is received within a specified time interval, further driving is preferably prohibited.

[0030] Figure 3 shows a schematic flow chart illustrating the sequences of the method for controlling the autonomously parked vehicle 1.

[0031] In the method, the vehicle 1 comprises the sensor unit 3, by means of which the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle 1 is detected S100. The sensor unit 3 is coupled to the control unit 4, which controls the vehicle 1 along a planned path to a target position S200 and in particular evaluates the collision risks along the planned path. When a collision risk determined by the system along the planned path is evaluated, the vehicle 1 is stopped and a control request with a safety-critical release for continued travel is generated S300 to the vehicle owner's mobile device 5 external to the vehicle. The control unit 4 receives the control command for the safety-critical release, which was transmitted from the vehicle owner's mobile device 5 to the control unit 4, and executes it S400.

[0032] The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of protection defined by the patent claims.

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Method for controlling an automated vehicle (1 ), characterized by the steps: - detecting an area surrounding the vehicle (1) with a vehicle-side and / or infrastructural sensor unit (3) (S100), - automated control of the vehicle (1) along a planned path to a target position with a control unit (4) (S200), - upon evaluation of a collision risk determined by the system along the planned path, stopping the vehicle (1) and generating a control request to an external device (5) of the vehicle owner, which requests a safety-critical release for the onward journey (S300), - Receiving and executing a control command for the safety-critical release, which was transmitted from the vehicle-external device (5) of the vehicle owner of the automated driving vehicle (1) to the control unit (4) (S400).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the security-critical release requires two actions of the vehicle owner, wherein the two actions are a 2-dimensional movement on a display of the vehicle-external device (5), an unlocking of the vehicle-external device (5) and a keystroke on the vehicle-external device (5) or a 2-factor authentication.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that with the generated control request, a current image, a series of images, a live stream and / or a bird's eye view of the surroundings relative to the vehicle (1) created on the basis of vehicle camera images is transmitted to the vehicle-external device (5), which indicate the determined collision risk.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control request comprises at least one suggestion for the onward journey, wherein the at least one suggestion is a continuation of the planned path, an alternative path and / or an abort of the onward journey.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (1) is transferred to a parked state or is steered back to a path start position if the vehicle owner refuses to continue driving or the control unit (4) has not received a control command within a predefined time window.

6. Computer program product comprising instructions which cause a control unit (4) to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A vehicle-external device (5) for controlling an automated vehicle (1), wherein the mobile device (5) is designed to request a safety-critical authorization for continued travel from the vehicle-external device user in the event of a stop of the automated vehicle (1) due to a determined risk of collision, wherein the safety-critical authorization requires two actions from the vehicle-external device user to confirm continued travel.

8. Device for an interactive system control of an automated driving vehicle (1), with at least one mobile device (5), which is designed to request a safety-critical release for the continued journey from the device user external to the vehicle in the event of a stop of the automated driving vehicle (1) due to a determined risk of collision, and with a control unit (4) of the automated driving vehicle (1), which is designed to create a control request for the safety-critical release and the To plan further travel based on the control command for the control request transmitted by the vehicle-external device (5).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the control unit (4) is designed to be a fully automated and driverless Parking function according to SAE Level 4 or 5.

10. Vehicle (1) comprising a device according to one of the preceding claims 8 or 9.

Images