Sensor module and vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is a sensor module for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor; and a controller configured to: send, to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation where the at least one other sensor module comprises at least one other sensor different from the sensor, and receive sensing data from the at least one other sensor module. The sensor module according to the present disclosure can control at least one other sensor to perform a sensing process, thereby reducing the complexity of vehicle control and alleviating the demand for computing resources, thereby realising assisted driving or autonomous driving in a low-cost and low-complexity manner.

Description

[0001] P24J08001X-CN01

[0002]

[0003] Sensor Module and Vehicle

[0004] Technical Field

[0005] The present invention relates to a sensor module and a vehicle.

[0006] Background

[0007] An advanced driver assistance system (ADAS, Advanced Driver Assistance System) may be a system integrating a plurality of sensors including cameras, millimetre-wave radars, ultrasonic radars and the like, and is intended to improve the comfort and safety of vehicle driving. By sensing the environment around the vehicle in real time, the ADAS can collect sensing data characterising the environment around the vehicle, and perform detection and tracking of static and dynamic objects. By using the ADAS, the vehicle can perform system operation and analysis in combination with map data from a navigation device, thereby warning the driver in advance of a dangerous situation that may be encountered, and taking intervention measures when necessary.

[0008] The ADAS can use a plurality of sensors to collect sensing data characterising the environment around the vehicle, so that the vehicle can make intelligent decisions and improve driving safety. Generally, different sensors are controlled through complicatedly distributed electronic control units (ECUs) or expensive centralised domain controllers (DCUs) to perform corresponding sensing functions.

[0009] Therefore, a solution that can control sensors to perform sensing functions with low complexity and low cost is desired.

[0010] Summary

[0011] The present disclosure provides a sensor module for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor; and a controller configured to: send, to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation where the at least one other sensor module 1

[0012] 1003

[0013] 96.7comprises at least one other sensor different from the sensor, and receive sensing data from the at least one other sensor module.

[0014] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one other sensor module comprises a hands-off detection sensor, and the controller is configured to: send, to the hands-off detection sensor, a control signal for the hands-off detection sensor to perform a hands-off detection operation, and receive sensing data regarding the hands-off detection operation from the hands-off detection sensor.

[0015] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the hands-off detection sensor, a contact state between the user’s hand and the steering wheel.

[0016] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to control a heater located on the steering wheel to perform a heating operation.

[0017] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one other sensor module comprises a temperature sensor located on the steering wheel, and the controller is configured to: send, to the temperature sensor, a control signal for the temperature sensor to perform a temperature detection operation, and receive sensing data regarding the temperature detection operation from the temperature sensor.

[0018] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the temperature sensor, the temperature of the steering wheel, and control, based on the temperature of the steering wheel, the heater to perform the heating operation.

[0019] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one other sensor module comprises a living body detection sensor, and the controller is configured to: send, to the living body detection sensor, a control signal for the living body detection sensor to perform a living body detection operation, and receive sensing data regarding the living body detection operation from the living body detection sensor.In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the living body detection sensor comprises one or more of a millimetre- wave radar sensor facing the interior of the cabin, an infrared sensor facing the interior of the cabin, and a camera sensor facing the interior of the cabin.

[0020] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller is configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the living body detection sensor, the number of children or pets located inside the cabin.

[0021] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one other sensor module comprises a plurality of sensors, and the sensor module is connected to the plurality of sensors through a daisy-chain connection.

[0022] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor module corresponds to the sensor having the greatest amount of available computing resources among the plurality of sensor modules which the vehicle comprises.

[0023] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor comprises a sensor for assisted driving.

[0024] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor comprises a camera sensor, and the controller comprises an electronic control unit of the camera sensor.

[0025] In the sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor module is a front- view camera.

[0026] The present disclosure provides a vehicle, the vehicle comprising the abovedescribed sensor module, which will not be described again here for the sake of brevity.

[0027] According to the sensor module of the present disclosure and the vehicle comprising the sensor module, the sensor module according to the present disclosure can control at least one other sensor to perform a sensing process, thereby reducing vehicle control complexity and alleviating the demand for computing resources, thereby realising assisted driving or autonomous driving with a low cost and low complexity.Description of the Drawings

[0028] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of specific embodiments of the present disclosure will become clearer from the following description in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure lAis an exemplary schematic diagram regarding sensor control.

[0030] Figure IB is another exemplary schematic diagram regarding sensor control. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method for a sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 5 is a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Detailed Embodiments

[0035] Before giving the following detailed description, it may be beneficial to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout the present disclosure. The terms “include” and “comprise” and derivatives thereof mean including but not limited to. The phrase “at least one”, when used together with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and only one item in the list may be required. For example, “at least one of A, B and C” includes any one of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0036] Definitions of other specific words and phrases are provided throughout the present disclosure. A person of ordinary skill in the art should understand that, in many cases, if not most cases, such definitions also apply to previous and future uses of the words and phrases so defined.

[0037] Various embodiments of the principles of the present disclosure in this patent application document described below in conjunction with the drawings are for illustration only, and should not in any way be construed as limiting the scope of thepresent disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged system or device. In some cases, the actions described in the present disclosure may be performed in a different order, and the desired result may still be achieved. In addition, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific order shown or a sequential order to achieve the desired result. In particular embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous.

[0038] The text and the drawings are provided by way of example only to help understand the present disclosure. They should not be construed as limiting in any way the scope of the appended claims of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, the same reference signs generally indicate the same elements. Although certain embodiments and examples have been provided, it is clear to those skilled in the art that, based on the content of the present disclosure, changes may be made to the illustrated embodiments and examples without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure lAis an exemplary schematic diagram regarding sensor control.

[0040] In a distributed sensor control scenario 1100 as shown in Figure 1A, the vehicle may comprise a plurality of sensors 1121-1123 and 1131-1133, and a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) 1124-1126 and 1134-1136.

[0041] In the distributed sensor control scenario 1100, the sensors and the ECUs may correspond to each other one by one, for example, ECUs 1124-1126 may respectively control sensors 1121-1123, and ECUs 1134-1136 may respectively control sensors 1131-1133, so as to process the captured sensor data. In one embodiment, sensors 1121-1123 and ECUs 1124-1126 may be included in a first system 1120 of the vehicle, for example, one of a body system, a vehicle motion system, a powertrain system, and an infotainment system. Sensors 1131-1133 and ECUs 1134-1136 may be included in a second system 1130 of the vehicle, for example, another of the body system, the vehicle motion system, the powertrain system, and the infotainment system. Although Figure 1 A shows 6 sensors, 6 ECUs, and 2 systems, those skilled in the art may understand that the vehicle may comprise significantly more sensors, ECUs, and systems.The plurality of ECUs 1124-1126 and 1134-1136 may be communicatively connected to one another. For example, the plurality of ECUs 1124-1126 and 1134-1136 may be connected to a central gateway 1110, so as to send signals to an upperlevel control system via the central gateway 1110, or receive signals from the upperlevel control system.

[0042] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1A in which a corresponding ECU is respectively configured for each sensor, the architecture of the system is relatively complex. For example, with the technological development of assisted driving and autonomous driving, the number of sensors and ECUs may rapidly increase to dozens or even hundreds. Such a large number of sensors and ECUs poses challenges to the complexity of the distributed architecture and the complexity of wiring.

[0043] Figure IB is another exemplary schematic diagram regarding sensor control. In a distributed sensor control scenario 1200 as shown in Figure IB, the vehicle may comprise a plurality of sensors 1221-1223 and 1231-1233, and a plurality of domain controllers (DCUs) 1224-1234.

[0044] In the centralised sensor control scenario 1200, a plurality of sensors correspond to one DCU, for example, DCU 1224 may control sensors 1221-1223, and ECU 1234 may control sensors 1231-1233, so as to process the captured sensor data. A domain controller or zone controller may be the core of each functional domain of the vehicle, and it mainly comprises three parts, a domain main control processor, an operating system, and application software and algorithms. Relying on a high-performance domain main control processor, abundant hardware interface resources, and powerful software functional features, the domain controller can integrate core functions that originally require many automotive control units ECUs to achieve, thus greatly improving the degree of functional integration of the system. Different types of sensors may send their respectively captured sensor data to the domain controller for processing. In one embodiment, sensors 1221-1223 and DCUs 1224-1226 may be included in a first domain 1220 of the vehicle, for example, one of a driving assistance domain, a safety domain, a vehicle motion domain, an infotainment domain, and a vehicle body electronics domain. Sensors 1231-1233and DCU 1234 may be included in a second domain 1230 of the vehicle, for example, another of the driving assistance domain, the safety domain, the vehicle motion domain, the infotainment domain, and the vehicle body electronics domain. Although Figure IB shows 6 sensors, 2 DCUs, and 2 domains, those skilled in the art may understand that the vehicle may comprise significantly more sensors, DCUs, and domains.

[0045] The plurality of DCUs 1224 and 1234 may be communicatively connected to one another. For example, the plurality of DCUs 1224 and 1234 may be connected to a central gateway 1210, so as to send signals to an upper-level control domain via the central gateway 1210, or receive signals from the upper-level control domain.

[0046] The cost of the domain controller may be relatively high, and therefore the cost of embodiments in which domain controllers are configured for sensors is relatively high. In the embodiment shown in Figure IB in which corresponding DCUs are configured for different types of sensors, the cost is relatively high.

[0047] Therefore, a solution that can control sensors to perform sensing functions with low complexity and low cost is desired.

[0048] The present disclosure provides a sensor module for a vehicle and a vehicle, the sensor module comprising: a sensor; and a controller configured to: send, to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation where the at least one other sensor module comprises at least one other sensor different from the sensor, and receive sensing data from the at least one other sensor module. According to the sensor module of the present disclosure and the vehicle comprising the sensor module, the sensor module can control at least one other sensor to perform a sensing process, thereby reducing vehicle control complexity and alleviating the demand for computing resources, thereby realising assisted driving or autonomous driving with a low cost and low complexity.

[0049] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a sensor module for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, the sensor module 2000 may comprise a sensor 2100 and a controller 2200.The sensor 2100 is configured to sense information around the vehicle or inside the vehicle. For example, the sensor 2100 may be configured to sense image information around the vehicle, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the sensor 2100 may be configured to sense information around the vehicle or inside the vehicle and generate corresponding sensor data, and the sensor 2100 may not process or calculate the sensor data.

[0051] The sensor 2100 may include, without limitation, one or more of a camera sensor, a millimetre-wave radar sensor, an ultrasonic radar sensor, a lidar sensor, a dash camera, a surround-view camera system, a hands-off detection sensor, and a temperature sensor.

[0052] The controller 2200 may be configured to send, to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation. The at least one other sensor module comprises at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100. In response to receiving the control signal, the at least one other sensor module may perform a sensing operation and generate corresponding sensing data. The controller 2200 may receive sensing data from the at least one other sensor module. The controller 2200 may process or calculate the sensor data generated by the sensor 2100 and the sensor data received from the at least one other sensor module.

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one other sensor module may comprise at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100. In one embodiment, the at least one other sensor module may comprise at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100, and may not comprise a controller. The at least one other sensor module may merely sense sensor data through the at least one other sensor, and may not process or calculate the sensor data. For example, the at least one other sensor module may send the sensor data to the sensor module 2000, so that the sensor data is processed or calculated by the sensor module 2000. In this way, the at least one other sensor module does not need to be provided with a controller, thereby greatly reducing the demand for computing resources. In another embodiment, the at least one other sensor module may comprise at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100 and a corresponding controller. The at leastone other sensor module may sense sensor data through the at least one other sensor, and perform simple processing or calculation on the sensor data. For example, the at least one other sensor module may perform simple processing or calculation on the sensor data sensed by the at least one other sensor, and send the sensor data after the simple processing or calculation to the sensor module 2000, so that the sensor data is subsequently processed or calculated by the sensor module 2000. In this way, the at least one other sensor module only needs to be provided with a controller having very low computing resources, thereby greatly reducing the demand for computing resources.

[0054] In one embodiment, the at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100 may be a sensor of a different type from the sensor 2100. For example, the sensor 2100 may be a sensor comprised in a front- view camera, and the at least one other sensor may be a sensor comprised in one or more of a millimetre-wave radar sensor module, an ultrasonic radar sensor module, a lidar sensor module, a dash camera, an external electronic control unit, a surround-view camera system, a hands-off detection sensor, a driver monitoring system, a living body detection sensor module, and a temperature sensor module. In another embodiment, the at least one other sensor different from the sensor 2100 may be a sensor of the same type as the sensor 2100. In other words, the sensor 2100 and the at least one other sensor may be sensors of the same type, but the sensor 2100 and the at least one other sensor may not be the same sensor. For example, the sensor 2100 may be a sensor comprised in a first front- view camera among a plurality of front- view cameras, and the at least one other sensor may be a sensor comprised in other front- view cameras among the plurality of front- view cameras other than the first front camera.

[0055] In the present disclosure, the vehicle cabin may be used to accommodate the driver, passengers, and their personal belongings. The vehicle cabin may refer to an enclosed space surrounded by the vehicle body, including an overall enclosed space comprising the driver’s compartment and the passenger compartment. The boundaries of the vehicle cabin may be defined by vehicle body structural members such as the roof, floor, front and rear windscreens, side windows, and doors. The vehicle cabin interior may refer to all areas within the vehicle cabin space, includingbut not limited to the driving area, passenger area, storage space, roof area, floor area, and the like. The driving area may include the space in which control components such as the driver’s seat, steering wheel, and instrument panel are located. The passenger area may include the front passenger seats and the rear seat space. The storage space may include fixed storage areas such as the glove box and the central armrest storage box. The roof area may include upper spaces such as the interior roof trim, reading lamps, and sunroof. The floor area may include lower spaces such as floor mats and carpets. The above description of the vehicle cabin interior is illustrative rather than limiting, and depending on the specific structure of the vehicle, the vehicle cabin interior may comprise more or fewer spaces or areas.

[0056] In one embodiment, the at least one other sensor module inside the vehicle cabin may comprise at least one other sensor module installed in the interior space of the vehicle cabin. For example, the at least one other sensor module may be connected to the vehicle by means of an adhesive member or a fastening member, thereby being installed in the interior space of the vehicle cabin. In another embodiment, the at least one other sensor module inside the vehicle cabin may comprise at least one other sensor module embedded in a structural member serving as a boundary of the vehicle cabin or embedded in another structural member in the vehicle cabin. For example, the at least one other sensor module may be embedded in structural members such as the roof, floor, front and rear windscreens, side windows, and doors, or embedded in the steering wheel, and does not intrude into the active space in the vehicle cabin. In yet another embodiment, the at least one other sensor module inside the vehicle cabin may comprise at least one other sensor module whose sensing range or sensing area comprises the active space in the vehicle cabin, structural members in the vehicle cabin, and structural members constituting the boundary of the vehicle cabin. For example, the at least one other sensor module may be configured to sense corresponding information in the active space in the vehicle cabin, the structures in the vehicle cabin, and the structural members constituting the boundary of the vehicle cabin, and therefore its sensing range or sensing area may comprise the active space in the vehicle cabin, the structures in the vehicle cabin, and the structural members constituting the boundaryof the vehicle cabin, but in the embodiment no limitation is made on the installation position of the at least one other sensor module.

[0057] The controller 2200 may comprise, but is not limited to, an electronic control unit (ECU), a microcontroller (MCU), a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or other forms of processing unit having data processing capability and / or programme execution capability, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) and the like. The controller 2200 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the controller 2200 of the sensor module 2000 may replace the ECU of other sensor modules. In other words, the controller 2200 of the sensor module 2000 may control the sensors comprised in other sensor modules, and the other sensor modules may send sensor data that they capture to the controller 2200 of the sensor module 2000 for processing. In this way, a solution for controlling sensors to perform sensing functions with low complexity and low cost can be realised.

[0059] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] As shown in Figure 3, the sensor module 3100 may comprise a camera sensor 3110 and a corresponding electronic control unit (ECU) 3120. In other words, the sensor 2100 may correspond to the camera sensor 3110, and the controller 2200 may correspond to the electronic control unit 3120. Although Figure 3 shows the sensor that is included, in the form a camera sensor, in the sensor module 3100, those skilled in the art may understand that the sensor module 3100 may be another sensor for assisted driving or autonomous driving.

[0061] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the ECU 3120 of the camera sensor 3110 may replace the ECU of at least one other sensor module. That is, other sensor modules may send the sensor data that they capture to the ECU 3120 of the camera sensor 3100 for processing. The camera sensor 3110 may be used for visual perception of the environment around the vehicle, and identify objects around the vehicle by capturing static or dynamic images. With the improvement of image resolution and image frame rate, and the application of real-time image processingalgorithms, the computing resources corresponding to the camera sensor 3110 are also continuously increasing. The sensor module 3100 may correspond to a camera sensor module having abundant available computing resources. Here, the sensor module 3100 may be, for example, a camera for supporting assisted driving functions and / or autonomous driving functions, for example, a front- view camera, a side-view camera and / or a rear-view camera. In particular, the sensor module 3100 may be the front- view camera of the vehicle. The front- view camera is, for example, a camera arranged at the windscreen or interior rear-view mirror of the vehicle, for sensing the external environment of the vehicle so as to support driving-related functions (for example, FCW (forward collision warning), LDW (lane departure warning), ACC (adaptive cruise control), and the like). In the prior art, the ECU of the front-view camera is used to support itself, rather than to control other sensor modules of the vehicle, especially sensor modules inside the vehicle cabin. Here, however, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, in view of the fact that the front-view camera can have sufficient available computing resources to support its serving as a centralised sensor module for uniformly controlling sensor modules other than itself, the front- view camera may be used as the sensor module for controlling other sensor modules. Accordingly, it is possible to save the need of additionally arranging a separate domain controller and / or zone controller in the vehicle, and the front-view camera is uniformly responsible for the control and scheduling of various sensor modules, thereby significantly reducing the complexity and cost of the assisted driving system architecture. In the present disclosure, the computing resources may refer to one or more of the computing power, memory, and transmission bandwidth of the controller, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The controller having more computing resources may mean that the controller has higher computing power, larger memory, and wider transmission bandwidth, etc., so as to perform more complex operations or processing at a faster speed.

[0062] However, those skilled in the art should understand that the sensor module 3100 may also correspond to another type of sensor module. For example, the sensor module 3100 may correspond to the sensor module having the greatest amount ofavailable computing resources among the various sensor modules configured in the vehicle.

[0063] According to the present disclosure, the front- view camera capable of being configured as the sensor module 3100 can be adapted to control different sensor modules, especially sensor modules inside the vehicle cabin, significantly improving the versatility of the front-view camera and the development cost and complexity of the ADAS system.

[0064] Similar to the sensor module 2000 described in Figure 2, the electronic control unit 3120 of the sensor module 3100 may send, to at least one other sensor module 3200 inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module 3200 to perform a sensing operation, the at least one other sensor module 3200 comprising at least one other sensor different from the sensor 3110 and receiving sensing data from the at least one other sensor module 3200. In addition, the electronic control unit 3120 of the sensor module 3100 may further control one or more components inside the vehicle cabin, for example a heater 3300.

[0065] The other sensor modules 3200 controlled by the electronic control unit 3120 may comprise a hands-off detection sensor module 3201, a temperature sensor module 3202, a living body detection sensor module 3203, a millimetre- wave radar sensor module 3204, an ultrasonic radar sensor module 3205, a lidar sensor module 3206, a dash camera 3207, a surround-view camera system 3208, an external electronic control unit 3209, and a driver monitoring system 3210, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0066] The hands-off detection sensor module 3201 may be configured to detect a contact state between the hand of a user such as a driver and the steering wheel. The contact state may comprise whether the user’s hand is in contact with the steering wheel, the time during which the user’s hand is separated from the steering wheel, and whether the user’s hand has a specific contact posture with the steering wheel, etc. The hands-off detection sensor module 3201 may comprise or apply a capacitive hands-off detection sensor, a pressure hands-off detection sensor, a torque hands-off detection sensor, an optical hands-off detection sensor, and multi-sensor fusion hands-off detection technology.According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the electronic control unit 3120 may send, to the hands-off detection sensor module 3201, a control signal for the hands-off detection sensor to perform a hands-off detection operation, and receive sensing data regarding the hands-off detection operation from the hands-off detection sensor (for example, current or voltage or other types of sensing data). For example, during a process in which the vehicle switches from autonomous driving to manual driving, the electronic control unit 3120 may control the hands-off detection sensor module 3201 to perform hands-off detection so as to ensure safe driving, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the hands-off detection function may be applied in other appropriate scenarios. The electronic control unit 312 and the hands-off detection sensor module 3201 may be connected by means of a local interconnect network (LIN) bus. The electronic control unit 3120 may determine, based on the sensing data received from the hands-off detection sensor 3120, the contact state between the user’s hand and the steering wheel. As an example, the electronic control unit 3120 may send the contact state between the user’s hand and the steering wheel to an upper-level control system so that the upper-level control system further performs assisted driving or autonomous driving operations. As another example, the electronic control unit 3120 may, based on the detection result, determine whether to prompt the user to correctly grip the steering wheel, for example through a loudspeaker, a display, a vibrator installed in the steering wheel or seat, and another prompting device.

[0067] The temperature sensor module 3202 may be located on the steering wheel. The temperature sensor module 3202 may be configured to detect the temperature of the steering wheel. The temperature sensor module 3202 may comprise a bimetal thermometer, a glass liquid thermometer, a pressure thermometer, a resistance thermometer, a thermistor, and a thermocouple, etc., but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The electronic control unit 3120 may send, to the temperature sensor module 3202, a control signal for the temperature sensor module 3202 to perform a temperature detection operation, and receive sensing data regarding the temperature detection operation from the temperature sensor module 3202 (for example, current or voltage or other types of sensing data).The heater 3300 may be located on the steering wheel. The heater 3300 may comprise a resistance- wire heater, an electric heating-wire heater, a hot-air heater, a positive temperature coefficient heater, a heating film, and the like. The electronic control unit 3120 may control the heater 3300 located on the steering wheel to perform a heating operation so as to increase the temperature of the steering wheel, thereby improving user experience. The electronic control unit 3120 may determine the temperature of the steering wheel based on the sensing data received from the temperature sensor module 3202, and control the heater to perform the heating operation based on the temperature of the steering wheel. For example, the electronic control unit 3120 may determine, based on the temperature of the steering wheel, the heating time, heating intensity, heating interval, etc., of the heating operation performed by the heater 3300.

[0068] The living body detection sensor module 3203 may be configured to perform child or pet occupant detection. For example, the living body detection sensor module 3203 may comprise one or more of a millimetre-wave radar sensor facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, an infrared sensor facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, and a camera sensor facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. Compared with the infrared sensor and the camera sensor, the internal millimetre-wave radar sensor may have greater advantages in terms of detection accuracy and privacy. For example, the electronic control unit 3120 may be connected to a plurality of living body detection sensor modules 3203 by means of a daisy chain. By installing the living body detection sensor module 3203 in the vehicle cabin (for example, at the top of the vehicle cabin), the vehicle may sense the entire passenger area, thereby detecting whether there are children or pets staying in the vehicle.

[0069] The electronic control unit 3120 sends, to the living body detection sensor module 3203, a control signal for the living body detection sensor module 3203 to perform a living body detection operation, and receives sensing data regarding the living body detection operation from the living body detection sensor module 3203. The electronic control unit 3120 may be connected to the living body detection sensor module 3203 through a controller area network (CAN) bus. The electronic control unit 3120 may determine, based on the sensing data received from the livingbody detection sensor module 3203, the number of children or pets located inside the vehicle cabin. Once it is found that there are children or pets staying in the vehicle, the electronic control unit 3120 may control relevant components (for example, internal or external loudspeakers, internal or external lights and / or displays, etc.) to issue an alarm, and may optionally forcibly start the ventilation system, so as to ensure the safety of persons or animals in the vehicle. The electronic control unit 3120 may send the result indicating the presence of children (including but not limited to infants, and older children under 6 years old) or pets to the upperlevel control system so that the upper-level control system further notifies the driver and the like through the communication system.

[0070] The millimetre- wave radar sensor module 3204 may be a device that performs detection by using radio waves (radar waves / electromagnetic waves). Generally speaking, the millimetre-wave radar sensor module 3204 may operate in the millimetre- wave band, with a wavelength between 1-10 mm, corresponding to a frequency range of 30-300 GHz. The millimetre-wave radar 3204 may transmit frequency-modulated continuous waves (FMCW) through an antenna, and after the FMCW is reflected by the target, there is a time difference between the received echo and the transmitted wave, and the target distance may be calculated by using the time difference. The millimetre-wave radar sensor module 3204 has a long detection distance (up to 250 metres at most), a fast response speed, and strong adaptability.

[0071] The ultrasonic radar sensor 3205 may be a detection device developed by utilising the characteristics of ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic radar sensor 3205 may convert alternating electrical signals into acoustic signals within the ultrasonic frequency range (usually greater than 20 kHz), or convert acoustic signals in an external sound field into electrical signals. The working principle of the ultrasonic radar sensor 3205 is that a transmitter emits high-frequency ultrasonic waves (common operating frequencies include 40 kHz, 48 kHz and 58 kHz, etc.), and these ultrasonic waves are reflected back after encountering an obstacle and are received by a receiver. By calculating the round-trip time of the ultrasonic signal, the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle can be accurately measured. The effectivedetection distance of the ultrasonic radar sensor 3205 is moderate (generally between 5 and 10 metres) and the cost is low.

[0072] The lidar sensor module 3206 may be a detection device that uses laser beams to perform distance measurement and speed measurement. The lidar sensor module 3206 may emit laser beams and receive optical signals reflected back by the target, and calculate information such as the distance, speed and shape of the target object according to the time and intensity of the optical signals. The detection accuracy and resolution of the lidar sensor module 3206 are very high, can reach the centimetre level or even the millimetre level, and can form point cloud data. The lidar sensor module 3206 has a long detection distance and strong anti-interference capability.

[0073] The dash camera 3207 is also called the vehicle’s “black box driving safety recorder”, and the dash camera 3207 may be a digital, fully automatic and intelligent in-vehicle safety real-time monitoring device controlled by a microcomputer. The dash camera 3207 may perform one or more of video recording, sound recording, GPS positioning, a collision sensing function, a loop recording function, and a night vision function.

[0074] The surround-view camera system 3208 may also be referred to as a holographic imaging system, and it may receive images captured by a plurality of cameras in different directions, and correct and stitch the received images so as to generate a continuous, seamless and all-round 360-degree surround-view image. The surround- view camera system 3208 can provide the driver with an all-round view of the vehicle, thereby providing the driver with an all-round view of the vehicle and ensuring driving safety.

[0075] The external electronic control unit ECU 3209 may be an ECU that performs other assisted driving functions. For example, the external electronic control unit ECU 3209 may include an automatic parking ECU and the like.

[0076] The driver monitoring system 3210 may be a system that monitors the driver’s state in real time by means of a plurality of sensor technologies. By detecting dangerous driving behaviours such as driver fatigue, distraction and inattention, timely warnings are issued, thereby improving driving safety. The driver monitoringsystem 3210 may include a camera sensor, an infrared sensor, a physiological sensor, and a seat pressure sensor.

[0077] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a way of connection between the sensor module and at least one other sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0078] As shown in Figure 4, the sensor module 3100 may be connected to at least one other sensor module each comprising a plurality of sensors. For example, the sensor module 3100 may be connected to the living body detection sensor module 3203 comprising a plurality of living body detection sensors (such as millimetrewave radars facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, etc.), and may be connected to the ultrasonic radar sensor module 3205 comprising a plurality of ultrasonic radar sensors.

[0079] In one embodiment, the living body detection sensors 4110-4120 and the ultrasonic radar sensors 4210-4240 may have input / output ports of the same type as or different types from those of the sensor module 3100. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sensor module 3100 may be connected, by means of a daisy-chain connection, to the plurality of sensors comprised in the at least one other sensor module. A daisy-chain connection (Daisy Chain Connection) refers to a serial type of connection, wherein a plurality of devices of the same type are sequentially connected end to end, the first device being connected to the main controller (for example, the sensor module 3100), and each subsequent device being respectively connected to its adjacent previous device, thereby forming a chain structure similar to daisy petals unfolding one after another. A plurality of sensors of the same type, performing the same sensing function, or sensing the same type of data may be connected to the sensor module 3100 by means of a daisy-chain connection. For example, the sensor module 3100 may be connected to the living body detection sensors 4110-4120 by means of a daisy-chain connection, and the sensor module 3100 may be connected to the ultrasonic radar sensors 4210-4240 by means of a daisy-chain connection.

[0080] The sensor module 3100 may send data to the living body detection sensors 4110-4120 and / or receive data from the living body detection sensors 4110-4120through the daisy-chain connection. In addition, the sensor module 3100 may receive data from the ultrasonic radar sensors 4210-4240 through the daisy-chain connection. Since the sensor module 3100 replaces, or at least partially shares, the processing function of the at least one other sensor module, the sensor module 3100 may have a large amount of data exchange with the at least one other sensor module. When the at least one sensor module has a plurality of sensors, it may be necessary for the sensor module 3100 to have a large number of input / output ports in order to exchange data with the plurality of sensors. By means of the daisy-chain connection shown in Figure 4, the input / output ports of the sensor module 3100 can be greatly saved, thereby achieving the function of controlling more other sensor modules. In this way, the sensor module 3100 may serve as a gateway, forwarding signals from other controllers of the vehicle to the plurality of sensors, and forwarding data from the plurality of sensors to other controllers of the vehicle.

[0081] Although only one living body detection sensor module 3203 and one ultrasonic radar sensor module 3205 are shown in Figure 4, those skilled in the art may understand that the sensor module 3100 may be connected, through a daisychain connection, to more living body detection sensor modules, more ultrasonic radar sensor modules, and other sensor modules of other types, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, although only 4 living body detection sensors and 4 ultrasonic radar sensors are shown in Figure 4, those skilled in the art may understand that the living body detection sensor module 3203 may comprise more or fewer living body detection sensors and the ultrasonic radar sensor module 3205 may comprise more or fewer ultrasonic radar sensors, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0082] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for a sensor module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0083] As shown in Figure 5, the method for a sensor module may comprise steps S501 and S502. The sensor module may comprise a sensor and a controller.

[0084] In step S501, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation may be sent to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, the at least one other sensor module comprising at least oneother sensor different from the sensor.

[0085] In step S502, sensing data may be received from the at least one other sensor module.

[0086] Figure 6 is a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 600 may include, but is not limited to, a car, a tractor (with or without a trailer), a bus, a recreational vehicle, a minivan or a sport utility vehicle (SUV), and the like.

[0087] As shown in Figure 6, the vehicle 600 may comprise a sensor module 610, which may be one or more of the sensor modules 2000 and 3100 described above.

[0088] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in the present disclosure may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, a register, a hard disk, a removable disc, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from and write information to the storage medium. In an alternative arrangement, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative arrangement, the processor and the storage medium may reside in the user terminal as discrete components.

[0089] In one or more exemplary designs, the functions may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on a computer-readable medium as one or more instructions or codes, or transmitted thereby. The computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, the latter including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. The storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer.

[0090] According to the sensor module of the present disclosure and the vehicle comprising the sensor module, the sensor module according to the present disclosure may control at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing process,thereby reducing vehicle control complexity and alleviating the demand for computing resources, thereby realising assisted driving or autonomous driving with a low cost and low complexity.

[0091] Although the present disclosure has been described with exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. The present disclosure is intended to cover such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0092] Any description in the present invention should not be understood as implying that any particular element, step, or function is a necessary element that must be included within the scope of the claims. The scope of the patent subject matter is defined only by the claims.

Claims

P24J08001X-CN01Claims1. A sensor module for a vehicle, comprising:a sensor; anda controller configured to:send, to at least one other sensor module inside the cabin of the vehicle, a control signal for the at least one other sensor module to perform a sensing operation, wherein the at least one other sensor module comprises at least one other sensor different from the sensor, andreceive sensing data from the at least one other sensor module.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one other sensor module comprises a hands-off detection sensor, and the controller is configured to:send, to the hands-off detection sensor, a control signal for the hands-off detection sensor to perform a hands-off detection operation,receive sensing data regarding the hands-off detection operation from the hands-off detection sensor.

3. The sensor module according to claim 2, wherein, the controller is configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the hands-off detection sensor, a contact state between the user’s hand and the steering wheel.

4. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein, the controller is configured to control a heater located on the steering wheel to perform a heating operation.

5. The sensor module according to claim 4, wherein, the at least one other sensor module comprises a temperature sensor located on the steering wheel, and the controller is configured to:send, to the temperature sensor, a control signal for the temperature sensor to perform a temperature detection operation,receive sensing data regarding the temperature detection operation from the temperature sensor.

6. The sensor module according to claim 5, wherein, the controller is i100296.7configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the temperature sensor, the temperature of the steering wheel, andcontrol, based on the temperature of the steering wheel, the heater to perform the heating operation.

7. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one other sensor module comprises a living body detection sensor, and the controller is configured to:send, to the living body detection sensor, a control signal for the living body detection sensor to perform a living body detection operation,receive sensing data regarding the living body detection operation from the living body detection sensor.

8. The sensor module according to claim 7, wherein, the living body detection sensor comprises one or more of a millimetre-wave radar sensor facing the interior of the cabin, an infrared sensor facing the interior of the cabin, and a camera sensor facing the interior of the cabin.

9. The sensor module according to claim 7, wherein, the controller is configured to determine, based on the sensing data received from the living body detection sensor, the number of children or pets located inside the cabin.

10. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one other sensor module comprises a plurality of sensors, and the sensor module is connected to the plurality of sensors through a daisy-chain connection.

11. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, the sensor module corresponds to the sensor module having the greatest amount of available computing resources among the plurality of sensor modules which the vehicle comprises.

12. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, the sensor comprises a sensor for assisted driving.

13. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, the sensor comprises a camera sensor, and the controller comprises an electronic control unit of the camera sensor.

14. The sensor module according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein, the sensormodule is a front- view camera.

15. A vehicle, the vehicle comprising the sensor module according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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