Method for warning at least one road user in the surroundings of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for warning road users (V) in the surroundings (U) of a motor vehicle (1) located on a roadway (2), - according to which a warning (X) is projected onto the roadway (2) by the motor vehicle (1), triggered by a specific traffic situation in which the motor vehicle (1) is currently located, in a manner visible to other road users (V), by means of which warning a road user (V) perceiving said warning (X) is or can be made aware of said current traffic situation, - wherein the warning (X) is projected at a position (P, P1-P4) of the roadway (2), which position is determined depending on the current traffic situation.

Description

[0001] Method for warning at least one road user in the vicinity of a motor vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to a method for warning at least one road user in the vicinity of a motor vehicle located on a roadway. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle which is equipped / programmed to carry out this method.

[0003] Methods for additionally indicating the direction of travel using so-called signal light projectors (SLPs) are known from the prior art. These serve to provide additional visualization, for example of a turning signal, by projecting it onto the roadway. This is intended to inform road users of impending, potentially dangerous maneuvers by a motor vehicle, enabling them to take appropriate countermeasures such as stopping or swerving. The additional projection signal is designed to make these maneuvers particularly noticeable to road users, allowing them to react more effectively and quickly. This can help to avoid collisions, rear-end collisions, and other critical traffic situations.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to demonstrate new approaches for methods of warning other road users by projecting a warning message onto a roadway. In particular, an improved embodiment of such a method is to be created, by means of which warnings are issued individually and with particular effectiveness against various dangerous traffic situations. This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0005] The basic idea of ​​the invention is therefore to determine the position of a warning message projected onto the road surface depending on the current traffic situation of the motor vehicle from which this warning originates, i.e., which generates said projection using a suitable projection device, such as, in particular, a signal light projector mentioned above. Thus, in the inventive method presented here, the position of the warning message projected onto the road surface is determined depending on the current traffic situation.

[0006] The inventive method presented here serves to warn road users in the vicinity of a motor vehicle on a roadway. According to the method, triggered by a specific traffic situation, the motor vehicle projects at least one warning message onto the roadway, visible to other road users. In this way, a road user perceiving this warning message can be made aware of the current traffic situation. According to the invention, the warning message is projected onto the roadway at a position on the roadway that is determined depending on the current traffic situation. Preferably, two or more warning messages can also be projected at a distance from each other, with these positions then also being determined depending on the current traffic situation.

[0007] A key advantage of such a projection onto the roadway is that the potential danger zone around the vehicle is directly marked. The projectors are typically mounted at a 45° angle to the vehicle's axis. The point where the projected light beam hits the road is in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, typically between 0.5 and 2.0 meters away. Animated or dynamic projections are possible, where the signal image is composed of multiple segments that can be switched on and off independently. This allows for the display of moving animations by staggering the activation of each segment.

[0008] According to an advantageous embodiment of the inventive method, the content of the projected warning message can be determined depending on the prevailing traffic situation. Thus, the content of the projected warning message can be individually adapted to different traffic situations. This allows a road user perceiving the warning message to quickly recognize the potentially dangerous traffic situation and take appropriate countermeasures.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the position of the projection is determined depending on the gear selected in the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, in this further development, the position can be determined depending on the direction of travel selected, in particular by means of a turn signal present in the vehicle.

[0010] According to a further advantageous development, the position can be determined not only based on the current traffic situation of the vehicle, but also based on the position of another road user relative to the vehicle, as detected by the vehicle's sensors. With this development, the position at which the warning message is to be projected can thus be chosen so that the warning message is particularly easily perceived by the road user to be warned. According to this advantageous development, at least two different warning messages can therefore be projected at at least two different positions.

[0011] According to a further advantageous development, the position in front of the vehicle can be selected if the detected other road user is in an area in front of the vehicle and / or the vehicle is moving forward or is about to move forward. Alternatively or additionally, this development allows the position behind the vehicle to be selected if the detected road user is in an area behind the vehicle and / or the vehicle is moving backward or is about to move backward. Finally, the position to the left of the vehicle can be selected if the detected road user is in an area to the left of the vehicle and / or the vehicle is moving to the left or is about to move to the left.Alternatively or additionally, the position to the right of the motor vehicle can be selected if the detected road user is located in an area to the right of the motor vehicle and / or the motor vehicle is moving or is about to move to the right.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment, the current traffic situation can be an imminent or just-executed lane change while driving on the roadway, or an imminent or just-executed parking maneuver, in particular with subsequent merging into a lane of the roadway, or a turning maneuver.

[0013] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle. This motor vehicle comprises at least one projection device by means of which a warning message can be projected onto the road at a variable position in the vicinity of the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle according to the invention also comprises a control device, which is configured and / or programmed for controlling the projection device, in particular for setting the position at which the warning message is to be projected, and for carrying out the aforementioned method according to the invention. Preferably, the method according to the invention is carried out while the motor vehicle is in operation.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises at least one sensor system that interacts with the control unit for detecting the position of the road user.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, the position of the warning message, which can be projected onto the roadway by means of a projection device, can be varied by means of this projection device. Alternatively or additionally, in this embodiment, at least two projection devices can be provided that can project the warning message into different positions on the roadway.

[0016] Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0017] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

[0019] The figures shown schematically are: Fig. 1 shows a motor vehicle according to the invention traveling on a roadway in a top view of the roadway,

[0020] Fig. 2 is a snapshot illustrating the method according to the invention.

[0021] Fig. 3 shows a variant of the example in Figure 2.

[0022] Figure 1 shows an example of a motor vehicle 1 according to the invention traveling on a roadway 2 in a top view. The motor vehicle 1 comprises several projection devices 4 by means of which a warning message X can be projected onto the roadway 2 at a variable position P in the vicinity U of the motor vehicle 1. In the example scenario, four such projection devices 4 are provided, which can project said warning message at a first position P1 to the left in front of the vehicle, at a second position P2 to the right in front of the motor vehicle 1, at a third position P3 to the left behind the motor vehicle 1, and at a fourth position P4 to the right behind the motor vehicle 1. In a further variant of the example, it is conceivable that only a single projection device 4 (not shown in the figures) is provided, which, however, is adjustable and thus able to project the warning message variably to the aforementioned positions P1 to P4.Using said projection devices 4, a warning message can be projected onto the roadway 2 at different positions P, depending on the traffic situation.

[0023] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 1 according to the invention comprises a control unit 5, which is set up and programmed for controlling the projection devices 4 and also for carrying out the method according to the invention. Thus, the method according to the invention can be carried out in a ferry operation of the motor vehicle 1. The method according to the invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the illustration in Figure 2. The method serves to warn a road user V located in the vicinity U of the motor vehicle 1.

[0024] Figure 2, like Figure 1, shows a top view of the roadway 2 with the motor vehicle 1. It illustrates a traffic situation in which a motor vehicle 1, previously parked between two other motor vehicles 20 at the edge 21 of the roadway 2, wants to drive away and merge into a lane 22 of the roadway 2 (see arrow S in Figure 2). The traffic situation presented here is therefore a maneuver by the motor vehicle 1 to exit a parking space, followed by merging into lane 22 of the roadway 2.

[0025] The said lane 22 of the roadway 2 is currently being used by another road user V in the form of another motor vehicle 24 along a direction of travel F, whereby this other motor vehicle 24 has not yet reached the motor vehicle 1 according to the invention which is currently parking out.

[0026] The motor vehicle 1 according to the invention can have sensor technology 6 (see Figure 1) that interacts with the control unit 5 for detecting the instantaneous position of the road user V. Such sensor technology 6 can, for example, be a camera monitoring the surroundings U of the motor vehicle 1 or one or more radar sensors, also monitoring the surroundings U of the motor vehicle 1. This sensor technology 6 enables the motor vehicle 1 to detect the other road user V, in the example scenario, approaching from behind in the form of motor vehicle 24.

[0027] In response to the detection of road user V in the rear surroundings U of the vehicle 1 by the sensors 6 when the vehicle 1 is pulling out of its parking space, two warning messages X are projected onto the roadway 2 by the projection devices 4. Thus, the traffic situation "vehicle 1 pulling out of its parking space" triggers the projection of the warning messages X onto the roadway 2 during the execution of the method according to the invention. In this way, the road user V, in the form of the vehicle 24, is made aware of the current traffic situation, i.e., the vehicle 1 pulling out of its parking space, and can therefore react appropriately if necessary, for example by braking or initiating an evasive maneuver, in particular to prevent a collision with the vehicle 1.

[0028] In the inventive method, and thus also in the example of Figure 2, the two positions P at which the warning messages X are projected onto the roadway 2 are determined depending on the current traffic situation of the motor vehicle 1. In the example of Figure 2, the motor vehicle 1, which was previously parked on the right-hand side 21 of the roadway 2, is to be pulled out of its parking space and merge into the lane 22 of the roadway 2 to the left of the motor vehicle 1. In order for the road user V, in the form of the motor vehicle 24, to perceive the warning messages X projected onto the roadway 2 as clearly as possible, the warning messages X are projected as shown at the two positions P = P1 front left and P = P3 rear left relative to the motor vehicle 1; because the two positions P1, P3 are – unlike the two positions P3, P4 – to the right of the motor vehicle 1 (cf. Figure 2).Figure 1 - arranged on lane 22 in the direction of travel F in front of the motor vehicle 24 and thus easily visible to it.

[0029] In the example scenario, the content of the projected warning messages X is also determined depending on the current traffic situation. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 2, arrows are projected onto lane 2 as warning message X, indicating possible directions of travel for the vehicle 1 – in this example, to the left rear or to the left front.

[0030] In the example scenario, the position P at which a warning message X is projected can be determined not only depending on the current traffic situation of the motor vehicle 1, but also depending on the position P detected in its surroundings U by the sensor system 6 of the motor vehicle 1 and the direction of travel FR of the other road user V relative to the motor vehicle 1.

[0031] If the other road user V is a motor vehicle 25 shown in Figure 2 and approaching motor vehicle 1 (see arrow Q in Figure 2), i.e., oncoming traffic traveling on a further lane 23 adjacent to lane 22 and separated from it by a lane marking 24, then it is sufficient to project the warning sign X only at the left front position P1, but not at the rear left position P3.

[0032] Figure 3 illustrates a variant of the example in Figure 2. A turning maneuver is shown here. As the top view in Figure 3 illustrates, the motor vehicle 1 according to the invention, which is traveling in lane 22 of roadway 2, wants to turn left (see arrow Q). In this maneuver, another road user V, in the form of a cyclist 26, is located behind and to the left of the motor vehicle 1 in the direction of travel.

[0033] As can be seen in Figure 3, the driver of the motor vehicle traveling in lane 22 of roadway 2 activated three turn signals 7 – also known colloquially as "indicators" – which are intended to inform or warn other road users V in the vicinity U of the motor vehicle 1, and thus also road user V in the form of cyclist 26, that the motor vehicle 1 intends to turn left. In this case, to provide additional warning to road user V, a warning message X can be projected onto roadway 2, similarly to the one shown in Figure 2, at position P1, i.e., at the front left of the motor vehicle 1. This would inform cyclist 26 of the impending turning maneuver of the motor vehicle 1 in addition to the three turn signals 7, so that cyclist 26 can take appropriate countermeasures, in particular to prevent a dangerous situation from arising.As can be seen from the examples in Figures 2 and 3, the positions P and P1 to P4 can be determined depending on the direction of travel F of the motor vehicle 1 intended or selected by the driver. For this purpose, the setting of the direction indicator 7 made by the driver in the motor vehicle 1, as well as the setting of a direction selector device (not shown in the figures) for determining the desired direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 – i.e., forward or reverse – can be taken into account.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Method for warning at least one road user (V) in the vicinity (U) of a motor vehicle (1) located on a roadway (2), according to which at least one warning signal (X) is projected onto the roadway (2) by the motor vehicle (1), triggered by a specific traffic situation in which the motor vehicle (1) is currently located, and visible to other road users (V), by means of which a road user (V) perceiving this warning signal (X) can be made aware of this specific traffic situation, wherein the projection of the warning signal (X) onto the roadway (2) takes place at a position (P, P1-P4) which is determined depending on the current traffic situation.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of the projected warning message (X) is determined depending on the traffic situation.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the position (P, P1-P4) is determined depending on a driving stage currently set in the motor vehicle (1); or / and that the position (P, P1-P4) is determined depending on a direction of travel (F) of the motor vehicle (1), indicated in particular by means of a direction indicator (7) present in the motor vehicle (1).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the position of the warning message (P, P1-P4) is determined not only depending on the current traffic situation of the motor vehicle (1), but also depending on a position (P) of another road user (V) relative to the motor vehicle (1) detected by means of a sensor (3) in the environment (U) of the motor vehicle (1).

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a position (Z, P1, P2) in front of the motor vehicle (1) is selected if the detected other road user is in an area in front of the motor vehicle and / or the motor vehicle is moving forward or is about to move forward; or / and a position (P, P3, P4) behind the motor vehicle (1) is selected if the detected road user (V) is in an area behind the motor vehicle (1) and / or the motor vehicle (1) is moving backward or is about to move backward; or / and a position (P, P1, P3) to the left of the motor vehicle (1) is selected if the detected road user (V) is in an area to the left of the motor vehicle (1) and / or the motor vehicle (1) is moving to the left or is about to move to the left;or / and that a position (P, P2, P4) to the right of the motor vehicle (1) is selected if the detected road user (V) is located in an area to the right of the motor vehicle (1) and / or the motor vehicle (1) is moving or is intended to move to the right.; 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the traffic situation is an imminent or just executed lane change while driving on the roadway (2).

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the traffic situation is an imminent or just executed parking maneuver, in particular with subsequent merging into a lane (22) of the carriageway (2).

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the traffic situation is an imminent or just executed turning maneuver.

9. Motor vehicle (1) with at least one projection device (4) by means of which a warning message (X) can be projected in the vicinity (U) of the motor vehicle (1) at at least two different positions (P, P1-P4) on the roadway (2), with a control device (5) which is set up / programmed to control the projection device (4) and to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that a position (P, P1-P4) of the warning message (X), which can be projected onto the roadway (2) by means of a specific projection device (4), is variable by means of this projection device (4); or / and that at least two projection devices (4) are available which can project the warning message (X) onto the roadway (2) at different positions (P, P1-P4).

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