Method and device for assisting a driver of a vehicle during a cornering manoeuvre

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (101) for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle (100) when driving on a roadway. The device is designed to detect a curve in the roadway situated ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (100) and to prompt an audio output system (104) to produce a 3D audio object representing the detected curve.

Description

[0001] Method and device for assisting the driver of a vehicle when cornering

[0002] The invention relates to a method and a corresponding device designed to assist the driver of a (motor) vehicle when driving through a curve ahead.

[0003] A vehicle may have one or more driver assistance systems that support the driver in longitudinal and / or lateral guidance of the vehicle. For example, a driver assistance system may be configured to detect the lane markings of the currently occupant lane and assist the driver in driving within the lane markings of the currently occupant lane.

[0004] This document deals with the technical task of further increasing the comfort and safety of manual lateral guidance of a motor vehicle.

[0005] The problem is solved by each of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described, among other things, in the dependent claims. It should be noted that additional features of a patent claim dependent on an independent patent claim can form a separate invention, independent of the combination of all features of the independent patent claim, without the features of the independent patent claim or only in combination with a subset of the features of the independent patent claim, which invention can be made the subject of an independent claim, a divisional application, or a subsequent application. This applies equally to technical teachings described in the description, which can form an invention independent of the features of the independent patent claims.

[0006] According to one aspect, a device for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle when traveling on a roadway is described. The device is configured to detect a curve in the roadway ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle. The curve can be detected based on the sensor data from one or more environmental sensors (e.g., a camera, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, etc.) of the motor vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the curve can be detected based on the current position of the vehicle within a digital map for the road network traveled by the motor vehicle. The current position can be determined using a GNSS, in particular GPS, receiver.

[0007] The device may further be configured (based on the sensor data and / or the digital map) to determine one or more properties of the detected curve. Examples of properties of the detected curve include:

[0008] • the distance of the curve from the motor vehicle;

[0009] • the direction of the curve (e.g. left turn or right turn); and / or

[0010] • the strength, especially the curvature, of the curve.

[0011] The device is further configured to cause an audio playback system (of the motor vehicle) to play back a spatial audio object representing the detected curve. In this context, the device can be configured to determine one or more properties of the audio object based on the one or more properties of the detected curve. Exemplary properties of the audio object are

[0012] • the distance (perceived by the driver) of the audio object from the driving position of the motor vehicle (where the driver is located);

[0013] • the spatial position (perceived by the driver), in particular the azimuth angle, of the audio object relative to the driver's position of the motor vehicle (e.g. left or right of the driver's position);

[0014] • the volume of the audio object; and / or

[0015] • the frequency and / or pitch of the audio object.

[0016] The device can be configured, in particular, to cause the audio playback system (of the motor vehicle) to play back a spatial audio object that is perceived by the driver located at the driver's position of the motor vehicle as if the audio object, in particular as if a sound source corresponding to the audio object, were located at a specific distance in front of the driver's position of the motor vehicle and / or in a specific spatial position, in particular at a specific azimuth angle, relative to the driver's position of the motor vehicle. The distance and / or the spatial position of the audio object can represent one or more properties of the detected curve.

[0017] A device for a motor vehicle is thus described which is configured to provide the driver with information about an upcoming bend based on the reproduction of a spatial audio object. The reproduction of a spatial audio object can also provide information about the criticality of the bend in relation to the current speed of the motor vehicle. This allows comfortable and safe manual longitudinal and / or lateral guidance of the motor vehicle. The device can be configured to repeatedly determine one or more current properties (e.g. the current distance) of the detected bend as the motor vehicle approaches the detected bend, and to update the one or more properties of the audio object based on the one or more current properties of the detected bend.This further increases the comfort and safety of manual longitudinal and / or lateral guidance.

[0018] The device can in particular be configured to determine the distance of the detected curve from the motor vehicle and to set the distance of the audio object from the driver position of the motor vehicle as a function of the determined distance of the detected curve.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, the device can be configured to determine the direction of curvature (left or right) of the detected curve and to determine the spatial position, in particular the azimuth angle, of the audio object relative to the driver position of the motor vehicle (e.g. left or right of the driver position) depending on the determined direction of curvature of the detected curve.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, the device can be configured to determine the strength, in particular the curvature, of the detected curve and to set the volume, frequency and / or pitch of the audio object depending on the determined strength of the detected curve.

[0021] The device can in particular be configured to determine and / or evaluate a relationship, in particular a ratio, between the driving speed of the motor vehicle and the severity, in particular the curvature, of the detected curve. In this case, it can in particular be determined whether or not the driving speed of the motor vehicle is too high for the severity, in particular the curvature, of the detected curve. For example, a reference driving speed can be determined based on the severity, in particular on the basis of the curvature, of the detected curve (whereby the reference driving speed should not be exceeded, for example, to safely negotiate the curve). A relationship between the actual driving speed of the motor vehicle and the reference driving speed can then be determined.For example, the relation can be used to determine by what percentage the actual driving speed of the motor vehicle is above or below the reference driving speed.

[0022] One or more (of the above-mentioned) properties of the audio object can then be determined depending on the determined relation (and changed when approaching the curve and / or when the driving speed of the vehicle changes).

[0023] This significantly increases the comfort and safety of manual longitudinal and / or lateral guidance. In particular, it can inform the driver whether the vehicle's speed is appropriate or too high for negotiating the curve.

[0024] The device can be configured to select a sound stored for curves from a list of different sounds (which are stored, for example, in a memory unit of the playback system). The different sounds can each be associated with different events. The selected sound can be used for the spatial audio object. In particular, the selected sound can be reproduced by a virtual sound source, wherein the virtual sound source is arranged at the specific distance and / or in the specific position of the audio object. The volume and / or the frequency or pitch of the selected sound can, if necessary, be adapted to a property (e.g., the strength) of the determined curve. By using a dedicated sound for curves, the comfort and safety of manual longitudinal and / or lateral guidance can be further increased.

[0025] According to a further aspect, a (road) motor vehicle (in particular a passenger car or a truck or a bus or a motorcycle) is described which comprises the device described in this document.

[0026] According to one aspect, a method for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle while traveling on a roadway is described. The method comprises detecting a curve in the roadway ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the method comprises causing a spatial audio object representing the detected curve to be played back by an audio playback system.

[0027] It should be noted that the aspects described in connection with the device, in particular the claims described in connection with the device, are also to be applied to the method as corresponding method features.

[0028] According to another aspect, a software (SW) program is described. The SW program can be configured to be executed on a processor (e.g., on a vehicle control unit) and thereby to carry out the method described in this document.

[0029] According to a further aspect, a storage medium is described. The storage medium can comprise a software program configured to be executed on a processor and thereby to carry out the method described in this document.

[0030] It should be noted that the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be used both alone and in combination with other methods, devices, and systems described in this document. Furthermore, any aspects of the methods, devices, and systems described in this document can be combined in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the claims can be combined in a variety of ways. Furthermore, features listed in parentheses are to be understood as optional features.

[0031] The invention will be described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments.

[0032] Figure 1 shows exemplary components of a vehicle;

[0033] Figure 2 shows an exemplary driving situation with a curve ahead; and Figure 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary method for assisting the driver of a vehicle when cornering.

[0034] As stated at the outset, this document deals with increasing the comfort and / or safety of manual lateral guidance of a vehicle. In this context, Fig. 1 shows an exemplary vehicle 100 with one or more environmental sensors 102, each configured to collect sensor data (also referred to as environmental data) relating to the surroundings of the vehicle 100. Exemplary environmental sensors 102 include a camera, a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the vehicle 100 can comprise a position sensor 103 configured to acquire position data relating to the current position of the vehicle 100. The position sensor 103 can comprise a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), in particular a GPS, receiver. The position data can be evaluated in conjunction with a digital map for the road network traveled by the vehicle 100 in order to determine the position of the vehicle 100 within the road network. A (control) device 101 of the vehicle 100 can be configured to detect an upcoming curve based on the environmental data and / or the position data. The vehicle 100 can travel on a specific roadway, as shown by way of example in Fig. 2, and it can be detected that the roadway has an upcoming curve 210. The device 101 can further be configured to determine one or more properties of the curve 210.Exemplary properties of curve 210 are,.

[0036] • the remaining distance to reach curve 210 (ie the distance of the vehicle 100 from the curve 210 ahead);

[0037] • the direction of curvature of the curve 210 (e.g., curvature to the left or curvature to the right); and / or

[0038] • the strength, in particular the curvature and / or the radius of curvature 211, of the curve 210.

[0039] In one example, the one or more properties (particularly the strength) of the curve 210 may be considered in connection or in relation to one or more motion parameters (particularly the driving speed) of the motion of the vehicle 100.

[0040] The vehicle 100 may include an audio playback system 104 configured to spatially reproduce audio signals in the vehicle 100, in particular at the driver's position of the vehicle 100. The audio playback system 104 may, in particular, be configured to reproduce an audio signal for a specific audio object, wherein the audio object (i.e., the sound source of the audio signal) is arranged at a specific spatial position relative to the driver's position of the vehicle 100. The audio signal may be reproduced such that the driver arranged at the driver's position has the impression that the audio object (or a sound source corresponding to the audio object) is arranged at a specific spatial position relative to the driver's position.The spatial reproduction of audio signals can be enabled by a suitable arrangement of loudspeakers in the vehicle 100 (where the arrangement of loudspeakers enables spatial perception of audio signals).

[0041] The device 101 can be configured to determine an audio object 200 representing the detected curve 210. One or more acoustic properties 201, 202 of the audio object 200 can be determined based on one or more properties 211 of the curve 210 and / or based on the relationship between the one or more properties 211 of the curve 210 and the one or more motion parameters of the movement of the vehicle 100. In particular

[0042] • the distance 201 of the audio object 200 from the driver position can be determined as a function of (in particular corresponding to) the distance of the curve 210 ahead;

[0043] • the spatial position, in particular with respect to the azimuth angle, of the audio object 200 can be determined on the basis of (in particular corresponding to) the direction of curvature of the curve 210; for example, in the case of a left-hand curve, the audio object 200 can be arranged to the left in front of the driver's position, and in the case of a right-hand curve, the audio object 200 can be arranged to the right in front of the driver's position; and / or

[0044] • the frequency and / or volume of the audio object 200 can be determined as a function of the strength, in particular as a function of the curvature and / or the radius of curvature 211, of the curve 210; the frequency and / or volume of the audio object 200 can be increased with increasing strength (in particular with increasing curvature or with decreasing radius of curvature 211) of the curve 210.

[0045] The device 101 can further be configured to cause an audio signal corresponding to the audio object 200 to be reproduced via the audio playback system 104 as the vehicle 100 approaches the upcoming curve 210. The audio object 200 and the corresponding audio signal can be repeatedly adjusted as the vehicle 100 approaches the curve 210. In particular, the distance 201 of the audio object 200 from the driver position can be repeatedly adjusted to the decreasing distance of the curve 210.

[0046] The upcoming route of the roadway traveled by vehicle 100 can thus be acoustically communicated to the driver, so that the driver does not have to take their eyes and / or focus off the road. This allows for particularly comfortable and safe manual (longitudinal and / or lateral) guidance of vehicle 100.

[0047] In particular, a synthetic sound (i.e., an audio signal with a specific sound) can be generated and reproduced that comes from the direction and / or is located at the distance at which a curve 210 is located ahead. In particular, a right-hand curve can be indicated by a sound coming from the right, while a left-hand curve can be represented by a sound coming from the left, with the sound being located at the distance of the curve 200. The "narrowness" (i.e., the strength) of the curve 210 can be represented by different volumes and / or pitches of the sound. The "narrowness" (i.e.,The intensity (i.e., the strength) of the curve 210 can be related to the driving speed of the vehicle 100 (in order to determine the criticality of the curve 210), and one or more properties (in particular the volume and / or the frequency) of the audio signal can be determined depending on the ratio (in particular depending on the criticality). As the curve 210 approaches, the sound preferably also comes closer, so that the driver acoustically perceives the current distance to the curve 210. In this way, the driver can be intuitively informed about the course of the road without having to take their eyes off the road. Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a (possibly computer-implemented) method 300 for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle 100 when driving on a roadway. The method 300 can be executed by a control device 101 of the motor vehicle 100.The method 300 comprises detecting 301 a curve 210 of the roadway ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 100. The curve 210 can be detected, for example, based on the surroundings data from one or more surroundings sensors 102 of the motor vehicle 100 and / or based on the position data of a position sensor 103 of the motor vehicle 100 (in conjunction with a digital map for the roadway). Based on the surroundings data and / or the position data, one or more properties 211 of the detected curve 210 can also be determined.

[0048] The method 300 further includes causing 302 a spatial audio object 200 representing the detected curve 210 to be played back by an audio playback system 104 (of the motor vehicle 100). The audio object 200 may have a specific sound (with a specific frequency spectrum). The specific sound may be generally associated with "curves," so that the driver (after a learning phase) can conclude from the specific sound that the spatial audio object 200 the driver hears represents information related to a curve.

[0049] The audio object 200 can have a specific distance 201 and / or a specific position 202 relative to the driver position of the motor vehicle 100. In other words, the audio object 200 can be reproduced in such a way that the driver has the impression that the sound source emitting the specific sound of the audio object 200 is arranged at a specific distance 201 and / or in a specific position 202 relative to the driver position of the motor vehicle 100. The specific distance 201 and / or the specific position 202 of the audio object 200 can (each) be associated with one or more properties 211 of the curve 210. The measures described in this document can achieve particularly comfortable and safe manual (longitudinal and / or transverse) guidance of a vehicle 100. The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown.In particular, it should be noted that the description and the figures are intended only to illustrate the principle of the proposed methods, devices and systems by way of example.

Claims

Claims 1) Device (101) for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle (100) when driving on a roadway; wherein the device (101) is designed - to detect a curve (210) of the roadway ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (100); and - causing an audio playback system (104) to play back a spatial audio object (200) representing the detected curve (210). 2) Device (101) according to claim 1, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine one or more properties (211) of the recognized curve (210); and - to determine one or more properties (201, 202) of the audio object (200) based on the one or more properties (211) of the detected curve (210). 3) Device (101) according to claim 2, wherein - comprising one or more properties (211) of the recognized curve (210), - a distance of the curve (210) from the motor vehicle (100); - a direction of curvature of the curve (210); and / or - a strength, in particular a curvature, of the curve (210); and - comprising one or more properties (201, 202) of the audio object (200), - a distance (201) of the audio object (200) from a driver position of the motor vehicle (100); - a spatial position, in particular an azimuth angle, of the audio object (200) relative to the driver position of the motor vehicle (100); - a volume of the audio object (200); and / or - a frequency and / or pitch of the audio object (200). 4) Device (101) according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the device (101) is arranged to repeat during an approach of the motor vehicle (100) to the detected curve (210), - to determine one or more current properties (211) of the recognized curve (210); and - to update the one or more properties (201, 202) of the audio object (200) based on the one or more current properties (211) of the recognized curve (210). 5) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine a distance of the detected curve (210) from the motor vehicle (100); and - to determine a distance (201) of the audio object (200) from a driver position of the motor vehicle (100) as a function of the determined distance of the detected curve (210). 6) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine a direction of curvature of the detected curve (210); and - to determine a spatial position, in particular an azimuth angle, of the audio object (200) relative to a driver position of the motor vehicle (100) as a function of the determined direction of curvature of the detected curve (210). 7) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine a strength, in particular a curvature, of the detected curve (210); and - to determine a volume, a frequency and / or a pitch of the audio object (200) depending on the determined strength of the detected curve (210). 8) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to determine a relation, in particular a ratio, between a driving speed of the motor vehicle (100) and a strength, in particular a curvature, of the detected curve (210); and - to define one or more properties (201, 202) of the audio object (200) depending on the determined relation. 9) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the device (101) is configured to cause the audio playback system (104) to play back a spatial audio object (200) that is perceived by the driver, who is arranged at a driver position of the motor vehicle (100), as if the audio object (200), in particular a sound source corresponding to the audio object (200), were arranged at a specific distance (201) in front of the driver position of the motor vehicle and / or in a specific spatial position, in particular at a specific azimuth angle, relative to the driver position of the motor vehicle; and - the distance (201) and / or the spatial position of the audio object (200) represent one or more properties (211) of the recognized curve (210). 10) Device (101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (101) is arranged - to select a sound stored for curves (210) from a list of different sounds; wherein the different sounds are associated with different events; and - to use the selected sound for the spatial audio object (200). 11) Method (300) for assisting the driver of a motor vehicle (100) when driving on a roadway; the method (300) comprising - detecting (301) a curve (210) of the roadway ahead in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (100); and - causing (302) a spatial audio object (200) representing the detected curve (210) to be reproduced by an audio reproduction system (104).

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