EP3510577B1 - Concept for detecting the surroundings of a vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle. The invention relates to a method for processing a motor vehicle. The invention relates to a system for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a computer program.

State of the art

Systems for determining parking spaces at a roadside are known as such. They usually include two sub-systems: a first sub-system is located in the motor vehicle and a second sub-system is located in a cloud infrastructure.

The sub-system, which is located in the motor vehicle, includes environment sensors that scan a roadside when the motor vehicle drives along the roadside. The raw sensor data are then processed further in a parking control device of the motor vehicle. This means, for example, that occupied or free areas are determined in the parking control device, as well as their dimensions or distances from one another.

In a so-called "HeadUnit", the main control unit of the motor vehicle, or possibly in a further computer, a position of the occupied or free areas is additionally determined, for example by means of a GPS sensor.

These data (position of the determined area and its occupancy status, i.e. free or unoccupied) are sent via a communication unit of the motor vehicle to the sub-system, which is located in the cloud infrastructure.

The sub-system, which is located in the cloud infrastructure, processes this data and determines, for example, whether an open space is an entrance or not. These further processed data are then sent back to the motor vehicle or to other motor vehicles, for example, so that the information contained in these further processed data can be displayed in the respective motor vehicle and / or can be made available via the Internet.

A correspondingly designed parking control device must therefore be located in the motor vehicle. In particular, a position determination component, for example a GPS sensor, must be located inside the motor vehicle. In particular, a communication component must be located within the motor vehicle for communication with the sub-system that is located within the cloud infrastructure.

In addition, adjustments to vehicle-internal communication, for example to a bus system of the motor vehicle, are usually necessary.

For these reasons, the first sub-system, which is located in the motor vehicle, cannot be installed in a motor vehicle that has already been completed, or can only be installed with considerable adjustments, in other words after it has been manufactured.

The disclosure document DE 10 2014 217 900 A1 discloses an apparatus for collecting information about availability of free parking spaces.

Disclosure of the invention

The object on which the invention is based is to provide an efficient concept for efficiently capturing the surroundings of a motor vehicle, which overcomes the disadvantages described above and which enables a motor vehicle to be part of a system subsequently, i.e. after its manufacture can be used to determine parking spaces.

This object is achieved by means of the respective subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous refinements of the invention are the subject matter of the respective dependent subclaims.

• ein Parksteuergerät,
• eine erste Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung,
• eine oder mehrere Sensoreinheiten, die jeweils einen oder mehrere Umfeldsensoren zum Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs und eine Kommunikationsschnittstelle zum drahtgebundenen Übertragen von der jeweiligen Erfassung entsprechenden Umfeldsensordaten umfassen,
• wobei das Parksteuergerät eine Kommunikationsschnittstelle aufweist, die ausgebildet ist, die Umfeldsensordaten drahtgebunden zu empfangen,
• wobei das Parksteuergerät zwischen der jeweiligen Kommunikationsschnittstelle der einen oder der mehrere Sensoreinheiten und der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung geschaltet ist,
• wobei die erste Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung ein Kommunikationsmodul aufweist, welches ausgebildet ist, mittels der Kommunikationsschnittstelle des Parksteuergeräts ausgegebene auf den Umfeldsensordaten basierende Daten drahtgebunden zu empfangen,
• wobei das Kommunikationsmodul ausgebildet ist, die Daten und/oder auf den Daten basierende Umfelddaten über ein drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an eine zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung zu senden, so dass die zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung die Daten und/oder die Umfelddaten über ein weiteres drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an einen Cloud-Server senden kann.

According to one aspect, a device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle is provided, comprising:

• a parking control device,
• a first data processing device,
• one or more sensor units, each of which comprises one or more environment sensors for detecting the environment of a motor vehicle and a communication interface for the wired transmission of the respective environment sensor data,
• wherein the parking control device has a communication interface which is designed to receive the surroundings sensor data in a wired manner,
• wherein the parking control device is connected between the respective communication interface of the one or more sensor units and the first data processing device,
• wherein the first data processing device has a communication module which is designed to receive data output based on the environment sensor data based on the environment sensor data in a wired manner by means of the communication interface of the parking control device,
• wherein the communication module is designed to send the data and / or environment data based on the data to a second data processing device via a wireless communication network, so that the second data processing device sends the data and / or the environment data to a cloud server via a further wireless communication network can.

According to another aspect, a motor vehicle is provided which comprises the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

• Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs mittels des oder der Umfeldsensoren,
• drahtgebundenes Übertragen von der Erfassung entsprechenden Umfeldsensordaten mittels der jeweiligen Kommunikationsschnittstelle der Sensoreinheit(en),
• drahtgebundenes Empfangen der Umfeldsensordaten mittels des Parksteuergeräts,
• drahtgebundenes Ausgeben mittels der Kommunikationsschnittstelle des Parksteuergeräts von auf den Umfeldsensordaten basierenden Daten,
• drahtgebundenes Empfangen mittels des Kommunikationsmoduls der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung der ausgegebenen Daten und
• Senden der Daten und/oder von auf den Daten basierenden Umfelddaten über ein drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk mittels der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung an eine zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung, so dass die zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung die Daten und/oder die Umfelddaten über ein weiteres drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an einen Cloud-Server senden kann.

According to a further aspect, a method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle using the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle is provided, comprising the following steps:

• Detecting an environment of a motor vehicle by means of the environment sensor (s),
• wired transmission of the corresponding environment sensor data by means of the respective communication interface of the sensor unit (s),
• wired reception of the surroundings sensor data by means of the parking control device,
• wired output by means of the communication interface of the parking control device of data based on the environment sensor data,
• wired reception by means of the communication module of the first data processing device of the output data and
• Sending the data and / or environment data based on the data via a wireless communication network by means of the first data processing device to a second data processing device, so that the second data processing device can send the data and / or the environment data to a cloud server via a further wireless communication network.

According to a further aspect, a method for processing a motor vehicle is provided, the motor vehicle having a parking control device and one or more sensor units, each of which has one or more environment sensors for detecting the environment of a motor vehicle and a communication interface for wired transmission of the respective detection via corresponding environment sensor data comprise a bus, in particular a CAN bus, of the motor vehicle, the parking control device having a bus communication interface for wired reception of the environment sensor data via the bus, a first data processing device being installed in the motor vehicle in such a way that the parking control device is between the respective communication interface of the one or the plurality of sensor units and the first data processing device is switched, the first data processing device having a communication module which is i st, to receive data based on the environment sensor data output by means of the communication interface of the parking control device in a wired manner, the communication module being designed to send the data and / or environment data based on the data to a second data processing device via a wireless communication network, so that the second data processing device the Can send data and / or the environment data via a further wireless communication network to a cloud server.

• die Vorrichtung zum Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs und
• einen Cloud-Server, welcher eine Kommunikationsschnittstelle umfasst, die ausgebildet ist, die Daten und/oder die Umfelddaten über das weitere drahtlose Kommunikationsnetzwerk zu empfangen.

According to another aspect, a system for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle is provided, comprising:

• the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle and
• a cloud server which comprises a communication interface which is designed to receive the data and / or the environment data via the further wireless communication network.

According to a further aspect, a computer program is provided which comprises program code for performing the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle when the computer program is executed on a computer.

The invention is based on the knowledge that the above object can be achieved in that a first data processing device is provided which receives data output by the parking control device in a wired manner. These data are based on the environment sensor data. For example, the data correspond to the surroundings sensor data. For example, the data include the environment sensor data. Environment sensor data include, for example, raw environment sensor data or are, for example, raw environment sensor data.

The first data processing device sends the received data and / or environment data based on the received data wirelessly via a wireless communication network to a second data processing device. These surroundings data are thus determined, for example, by means of the first data processing device based on the data that were output by the parking control device.

As a result, the second data processing device can then advantageously send this data or environmental data to a cloud server via a further wireless communication network. This means that the environment sensor data or the environment data from the first data processing device are not transmitted via a bus to the second data processing device in a wired manner, but rather wirelessly. This means that, in an advantageous manner, no adaptations have to be made to a motor vehicle bus for a communication connection between the first data processing device and the second data processing device.

The first data processing device is therefore not connected directly to the sensor units or to the sensor unit, but rather indirectly or indirectly via the parking control device.

As a result, after its manufacture, a motor vehicle can also participate as part of a system for determining parking spaces by simply installing a first data processing device. After the processing of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle therefore has, in addition to the parking control device, the first data processing device, which communicates with the second data processing device, which in turn communicates with the cloud server. As a result, a motor vehicle that has been processed in this way can efficiently participate in a system for determining parking spaces, although it was not yet able to do so before processing. Because before the processing, there was a lack of suitable communication options with the cloud server, for example. As a rule, the parking control device itself is not in a position or is not designed to communicate with the cloud server. By providing the first data processing device, a first step is taken to establish a communication connection with the cloud server.

The second data processing device then takes over the communication between the first data processing device and the cloud server. The provision of such a second data processing device can be effected efficiently. Here, for example, as will be described below, it is sufficient to provide a mobile terminal device or a main control device.

The second data processing device can, for example, send the data that it has received from the first data processing device directly to the cloud server. Additionally or instead, the second data processing device can further process the data it has received from the first data processing device and send the further processed data to the cloud server. These further processed data can also be referred to below as environment data.

Environment data therefore generally refer to data that are based on the data that were output by means of the parking control device, regardless of whether they are can be output or forwarded by means of the first or the second data processing device or the cloud server. For example, environmental data correspond exactly to the data that the parking control device has output.

Drivers of motor vehicles usually already carry a mobile device with them, for example a cell phone. This then takes over the communication between the first data processing device and the cloud server.

As a rule, motor vehicles already have a main control device, so that a suitable device is already available here to communicate with the cloud server.

In particular, due to the concept according to the invention, no changes need to be made in or on the sensor units. The sensor units that have already been installed in the motor vehicle as part of its manufacture can therefore continue to be used.

An already existing parking control device usually no longer needs to be modified.

Furthermore, due to the concept according to the invention, no changes, at least no significant changes, need to be made on and / or in a bus of the motor vehicle, provided that the data, for example the environment sensor data, are transmitted, sent or output indirectly via the parking control device to the first data processing device.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the device comprises the second data processing device, the second data processing device being designed to send the data and / or the environment data to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

According to a further embodiment it is provided that the second data processing device is a mobile terminal, in particular a mobile phone.

This has the technical advantage that, for example, a mobile terminal device, in particular a cell phone, can be used efficiently by a driver of the motor vehicle.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the second data processing device is a main control device for a motor vehicle.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that the main control unit can be used efficiently.

A main control device in the sense of the description can be referred to as a HeadUnit, for example.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the communication module of the first data processing device is connected directly on the output side to the communication interface of the parking control device.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that the data can be accessed directly on the parking control device.

For example, it is provided that the parking control device is or can be connected to the first data processing device via its own communication line, for example via its own communication cable, the communication line being different from a bus line, for example different from a bus cable, of the motor vehicle is. The communication connection between the parking control device and the first data processing device is therefore designed or formed separately from a bus of the motor vehicle, for example.

In one embodiment it is provided that the communication module of the first data processing device is connected to the communication interface of the parking control device via a bus line, in particular a CAN bus line.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that no changes need to be made to the parking control device, in particular on the output side of the communication interface of the parking control device.

That means in particular that the first data processing device is connected to the parking control device via a bus. The first data processing device is therefore connected in particular to a bus system of the motor vehicle.

The communication interface of the parking control device is designed in particular to output the data on the bus.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the communication module has a first communication interface, in particular a bus communication interface, for the wired reception of the data and a second communication interface, in particular a WLAN or a Bluetooth communication interface, for sending the data and / or the environment data to the second data processing device comprises.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that the data can be efficiently transmitted, i.e. in particular sent or received.

This means, for example, that the wireless communication network is, for example, a WLAN communication network or a Bluetooth communication network.

This means, for example, that the environment sensor data are transmitted from the sensor unit (s) indirectly via the parking control device via a bus communication system to the communication module of the first data processing device.

A bus communication system can also be referred to as a bus system. For the purposes of this description, a bus includes, for example, a CAN and / or a FlexRay bus.

That means in particular that the bus system includes, for example, a CAN and / or a FlexRay bus.

A bus in the sense of the description can in particular be referred to as a motor vehicle bus and / or as a communication bus.

According to a further embodiment it is provided that the further wireless communication network comprises a cellular radio communication network and / or a WLAN communication network.

In one embodiment, the second data processing device comprises a first communication interface, in particular a WLAN or a Bluetooth communication interface, for wirelessly receiving the environment sensor data or the environment data via the wireless communication network and a second communication interface, in particular a cellular communication interface or WLAN communication interface, for sending the environment sensor data and / or the environment data to the cloud server via the further communication network.

If the further communication network is a WLAN communication network, the first communication interface can be used, for example, to send the environment data or the environment sensor data, provided that it is designed as a WLAN communication interface.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the parking control device and / or the first data processing device and / or the second data processing device are designed or are designed to determine and based on the data dimensions of an open area of the surroundings and / or dimensions of an area of the surroundings occupied by a motor vehicle to determine the corresponding environmental data for determining the respective dimensions.

In particular, this has the technical advantage that the parking control device or the first data processing device or the second data processing device can or can be used efficiently. In particular, this has the technical advantage that the cloud server can be relieved of this task.

In one embodiment it is provided that a position sensor is provided for detecting a position of the motor vehicle, the first data processing device being designed to send position data corresponding to the detection of the position to the second data processing device, so that the second data processing device can send the position data via the further wireless communication network to the cloud server.

In particular, this has the technical advantage that the position of the captured environment can be efficiently determined and made available to the cloud server efficiently remotely from the motor vehicle.

According to one embodiment it is provided that a position sensor is provided for detecting a position of the motor vehicle, the second data processing device being designed to send position data corresponding to the detection of the position to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

In particular, this has the technical advantage that the position of the captured environment can be efficiently determined and made available to the cloud server efficiently remotely from the motor vehicle.

According to a further embodiment it is provided that the position sensor is integrated in the first data processing device or in the second data processing device.

In one embodiment it is provided that a position sensor is integrated in the first data processing device and in the second data processing device.

In one embodiment it is provided that the sensor unit (s) is / are each designed to encrypt the environment sensor data, the respective communication interface of the sensor unit (s) being designed to transmit the encrypted environment sensor data to the parking control device in a wired manner.

In particular, this has the technical advantage that the environment sensor data can be protected against unauthorized reading.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the communication interface of the parking control device is designed to output the data in encrypted form. In one embodiment it is provided that the communication module is designed to receive the encrypted data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device is designed to decrypt the encrypted data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device is designed to encrypt unencrypted data and / or unencrypted environment data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the second data processing device is designed to decrypt the encrypted data or encrypted environment data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the second data processing device is designed to encrypt unencrypted data and / or unencrypted environment data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the parking control device is designed to decrypt the encrypted environment sensor data.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the parking control device is designed to encrypt unencrypted data.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the communication module is designed to send the encrypted data and / or the encrypted environment data to the second data processing device via the wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the second data processing device is designed to send the encrypted data and / or the encrypted environment data to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, the sensor units or the first data processing device or the second data processing device or the parking control device each comprise a processor which is designed to to encrypt or decrypt the data or the surrounding data.

According to one embodiment, the environment sensor data are environment sensor raw data or comprise environment sensor raw data.

An environment sensor in the sense of the description is, for example, one of the following environment sensors: radar sensor, lidar sensor, ultrasonic sensor, magnetic sensor, laser sensor, video sensor, in particular video sensor of a video camera, infrared sensor.

In the case of several surroundings sensors, these are designed, for example, to be the same or different.

The phrase “or” includes in particular the phrase “and / or”.

In one embodiment it is provided that the parking control device is designed to park and / or unpark a motor vehicle at least partially autonomously, in particular fully autonomously.

The fact that the parking control device is designed to park a motor vehicle at least partially autonomously, in particular fully autonomously, means in particular that the parking control device is designed to control transverse guidance and / or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle.

In one embodiment it is provided that the parking control device is designed to determine a distance between a motor vehicle and an object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle based on the surroundings sensor data, for example during a maneuvering into and / or out of parking spaces of the motor vehicle. The parking control device is preferably designed to output a warning based on the determined distance and / or to control a warning device for outputting a warning if the determined distance is less than or less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. For example, the warning device comprises an optical and / or a haptic and / or an acoustic signal transmitter. For example, the warning device comprises a display device for displaying the warning.

In this way, for example, the technical advantage can be brought about that the driver of the motor vehicle can be efficiently warned so that a collision of the motor vehicle with the object can be avoided.

The warning device is comprised, for example, by the device for detecting an environment or by the motor vehicle.

In one embodiment it is provided that the parking control device is designed to measure a free parking space in response to a user command based on the surroundings sensor data, in particular before the motor vehicle is parked.

The user command can come, for example, from the driver or another occupant of the motor vehicle. This means in particular that the parking control device measures a free parking space upon request, based on the surroundings sensor data.

The parking control device provides a result of this measurement, for example to a display device that displays the result.

A result includes, in particular, the statement as to whether the motor vehicle fits into the free parking space or not.

In one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device has an electrical connection for connecting an electrical line in order to be able to supply the first data processing device with electrical energy from a motor vehicle battery.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that the first data processing device can be efficiently supplied with electrical energy.

In one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device is electrically conductively connected to the motor vehicle battery by means of an electrical line connected to the electrical connection. According to one embodiment, it is provided that the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle is implemented or carried out by means of the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle is designed or set up to execute or carry out the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

Technical functionalities of the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle result analogously from corresponding technical functionalities of the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle and vice versa.

According to one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device has an electrical energy store for internal electrical energy supply.

This has the technical advantage, for example, that the first data processing device can be operated independently.

The electrical energy store includes, for example, one or more batteries and / or one or more accumulators.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the motor vehicle is designed or set up to execute or carry out the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

According to one embodiment, the first data processing device according to the method for processing a motor vehicle is, for example, the first data processing device according to the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

Technical functionalities of the system for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle result analogously from corresponding technical functionalities of the method or the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle and vice versa.

According to one embodiment of the method for processing a motor vehicle, it is provided that a second data processing device is installed in the motor vehicle. The second data processing device is, for example, a mobile terminal device, in particular a mobile phone, or a main control device.

Technical functionalities of the method for processing a motor vehicle result analogously from corresponding technical functionalities of the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle and vice versa.

• drahtloses Empfangen der Daten respektive der Umfelddaten mittels der zweiten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung,
• Senden der Daten und/oder der Umfelddaten über das weitere drahtlose Kommunikationsnetzwerk mittels der zweiten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung an den Cloud-Server.

In one embodiment of the method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle, this comprises the following steps:

• wireless reception of the data or the environment data by means of the second data processing device,
• Sending the data and / or the environment data via the further wireless communication network by means of the second data processing device to the cloud server.

In one embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a bus. The bus can be referred to as a motor vehicle bus and / or a communication bus, for example.

Environment sensor data denote data that originate directly from the environment sensors and can include raw environment sensor data, for example.

Environment data refer to data that has been calculated or determined based on the environment sensor data. Surrounding data include, for example, dimensions of an occupied or unoccupied area and / or an occupancy status of an area.

The parking control device or the first data processing device or the second data processing device can, for example, determine appropriate environment data based on the environment sensor data (in the parking control device, such environment data are referred to as data based on the environment sensor data). The first data processing device sends the corresponding data to the second data processing device via the wireless communication network. The second data processing device sends this received data, for example, directly to the cloud server and / or processes this data itself and sends the further processed data to the cloud server. These further processed data can also generally be referred to as environment data, insofar as they are based on the environment sensor data of the environment sensors. These further processed data can also be referred to below as further environmental data.

In one embodiment it is provided that the cloud server is designed to determine, based on the data and / or on the environment data, dimensions of an open area of the environment and / or dimensions of an area of the environment occupied by a motor vehicle and to determine the respective dimensions accordingly To determine environmental data.

In one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device is designed to process the data, for example environment sensor data, and to send the processed data, in particular the processed environment sensor data, to the second data processing device. The processed data form, in particular, environmental data in the sense of this description.

Processing includes, for example, compressing and / or merging the data, in particular the environment sensor data.

For example, it is provided that the first data processing device only processes the data, in particular the environment sensor data, that is, does not calculate dimensions of free and / or occupied parking space areas based on the environment sensor data, as described above. This task is carried out, for example, by the second data processing device and / or the cloud server.

In one embodiment it is provided that the surroundings sensor data are received in a wired manner by means of the communication interface of the parking control device. The parking control device uses this environment sensor data, for example, as described above and / or below, to carry out calculations, for example to determine dimensions of free parking space areas or parking areas.

Fig. 1

eine Vorrichtung zum Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs,

Fig. 2

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens zum Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs,

Fig. 3

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens zum Bearbeiten eines Kraftfahrzeugs und

Fig. 4

ein Kraftfahrzeug.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of preferred exemplary embodiments. Show here

Fig. 1

a device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle,

Fig. 2

a flowchart of a method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle,

Fig. 3

a flowchart of a method for processing a motor vehicle and

Fig. 4

a motor vehicle.

• ein Parksteuergerät 103,
• eine erste Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung 105,
• eine oder mehrere Sensoreinheiten 107, die jeweils einen oder mehrere Umfeldsensoren 109 zum Erfassen eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs und eine Kommunikationsschnittstelle 111 zum drahtgebundenen Übertragen von der jeweiligen Erfassung entsprechenden Umfeldsensordaten umfassen,
• wobei das Parksteuergerät 103 eine Kommunikationsschnittstelle 115 aufweist, die ausgebildet ist, die Umfeldsensordaten drahtgebunden zu empfangen,
• wobei das Parksteuergerät 103 zwischen der jeweiligen Kommunikationsschnittstelle 111 der einen oder der mehreren Sensoreinheiten 107 und der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung 105 geschaltet ist,
• wobei die erste Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung 105 ein Kommunikationsmodul 113 aufweist, welches ausgebildet ist, mittels der Kommunikationsschnittstelle 115 des Parksteuergeräts 103 ausgegebene auf den Umfeldsensordaten basierende Daten drahtgebunden zu empfangen,
• wobei das Kommunikationsmodul 113 ausgebildet ist, die Daten und/oder auf den Daten basierende Umfelddaten über ein drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an eine zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung zu senden, so dass die zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung die Daten und/oder die Umfelddaten über ein weiteres drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an einen Cloud-Server senden kann.

Fig. 1 shows a device 101 for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle. The device 101 comprises:

• a parking control device 103,
• a first data processing device 105,
• one or more sensor units 107, each of which comprises one or more environment sensors 109 for detecting the environment of a motor vehicle and a communication interface 111 for wired transmission of the respective environment sensor data corresponding to the respective detection,
• wherein the parking control device 103 has a communication interface 115 which is designed to receive the surroundings sensor data in a wired manner,
• wherein the parking control device 103 is connected between the respective communication interface 111 of the one or more sensor units 107 and the first data processing device 105,
• wherein the first data processing device 105 has a communication module 113 which is designed to receive data based on the environment sensor data output via the communication interface 115 of the parking control device 103 in a wired manner,
• the communication module 113 being designed to send the data and / or environment data based on the data to a second data processing device via a wireless communication network, so that the second data processing device can send the data and / or the environment data to a cloud server via a further wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, the device 101 comprises the second data processing device, which is designed to send the data and / or the environment data to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, a motor vehicle is provided which comprises the device 101.

In one embodiment it is provided that the first data processing device or the second data processing device comprises a position sensor for detecting a position of the motor vehicle. The position sensor is, for example, a GPS sensor.

The parking control device 103 comprises, for example, a control device which is designed to control transverse and / or longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 2 FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle using the device for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle, for example the device 101 of FIG Fig. 1 .

• Erfassen 201 eines Umfelds eines Kraftfahrzeugs mittels des oder der Umfeldsensoren,
• drahtgebundenes Übertragen 203 von der Erfassung entsprechenden Umfeldsensordaten mittels der jeweiligen Kommunikationsschnittstelle der Sensoreinheit(en),
• drahtgebundenes Empfangen 205 der Umfeldsensordaten mittels des Parksteuergeräts,
• drahtgebundenes Ausgeben 207 mittels der Kommunikationsschnittstelle des Parksteuergeräts von auf den Umfeldsensordaten basierenden Daten,
• drahtgebundenes Empfangen 209 mittels des Kommunikationsmoduls der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung der ausgegebenen Daten und
• Senden 211 der Daten und/oder von auf den Daten basierenden Umfelddaten über ein drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk mittels der ersten Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung an eine zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung, so dass die zweite Datenverarbeitungseinrichtung die Daten und/oder die Umfelddaten über ein weiteres drahtloses Kommunikationsnetzwerk an einen Cloud-Server senden kann.

The procedure consists of the following steps:

• Detecting 201 an environment of a motor vehicle by means of the environment sensor (s),
• wired transmission 203 of the detection of corresponding environment sensor data by means of the respective communication interface of the sensor unit (s),
• wired reception 205 of the surroundings sensor data by means of the parking control device,
• wired output 207 by means of the communication interface of the parking control device of data based on the environment sensor data,
• wired reception 209 by means of the communication module of the first data processing device of the output data and
• Sending 211 the data and / or environment data based on the data via a wireless communication network by means of the first data processing device to a second data processing device, so that the second data processing device can send the data and / or the environment data to a cloud server via a further wireless communication network .

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the second data processing device sends the data and / or the environment data to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for processing a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle has a parking control device and one or more sensor units, each of which has one or more environment sensors for capturing the environment of a motor vehicle and a communication interface for wired transmission of the respective capture sensor data via a bus, in particular a CAN bus of the motor vehicle, the parking control device having a bus communication interface for the wired reception of the environment sensor data via the bus, a first data processing device being installed 301 in the motor vehicle in such a way that the parking control device is between the respective communication interface of the one or the other a plurality of sensor units and the first data processing device is switched 303, the first data processing device having a communication module which is formed by means of the communication interface of the parking control device to receive data based on the environment sensor data in a wired manner, the communication module being designed to send the data and / or environment data based on the data to a second data processing device via a wireless communication network, so that the second data processing device can transmit the data and / or or can send the environmental data to a cloud server via another wireless communication network.

Fig. 4 shows a motor vehicle 401.

The motor vehicle 401 comprises a device 403 for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

The device 403 comprises a sensor unit 405, which comprises an environment sensor for detecting the environment of the motor vehicle 401 and a communication interface for the wired transmission of the detection corresponding environment sensor data to a parking control device 409.

For the sake of clarity, the communication interface and the environment sensor of the sensor unit 405 are not shown.

The device 403 comprises a first data processing device 407 and the parking control device 409, which is designed, for example, to park and / or unpark a motor vehicle, here in particular the motor vehicle 401, at least partially autonomously, in particular fully autonomously.

The parking control device 409 comprises a communication interface (not shown) which is designed to receive the surroundings sensor data in a wired manner.

The communication interface of the parking control device 409 is designed to output data based on the environment sensor data, for example on a bus of the motor vehicle 401. Such data include, for example, the environment sensor data itself or environment data.

The first data processing device 407 comprises a communication module (not shown). The communication module is designed to receive the data output by the parking control device 409 in a wired manner. The communication module is also designed to send the data and / or environment data based on the data to a second data processing device 411 via a wireless communication network, so that the second data processing device 411 receives the data and / or the environment data and / or based on the data or based on can send or send the environment data further environment data via a further wireless communication network to a cloud server 413.

The environment sensor of the sensor unit 405 detects an environment of the motor vehicle 401 and sends this detection corresponding environment sensor data by means of the Communication interface to the parking control device 409. This transmission is carried out in a wired manner, for example via a bus of the motor vehicle 401.

The parking control device 409 determines, for example, based on the surroundings sensor data, dimensions of an open area of the surroundings and / or dimensions of an area of the surroundings occupied by a motor vehicle and determines surroundings data corresponding to the determination of the respective dimensions.

The parking control device 409 is connected between the first data processing device 407 and the sensor unit 405. The environment sensor data can therefore only reach the first data processing device 407 indirectly, that is to say via the parking control device 409.

The first data processing device 407 determines, for example, based on the data or surroundings sensor data, dimensions of an open area of the surroundings and / or dimensions of an area of the surroundings occupied by a motor vehicle and determines surroundings data corresponding to the determination of the respective dimensions.

The first data processing device 407 sends these determined data to the second data processing device 411 via a wireless communication network. The second data processing device 411 is included in the device 403, for example. The second data processing device 411 is included in the motor vehicle 401, for example. The second data processing device 411 is arranged in particular within the motor vehicle.

The second data processing device 411 is, for example, a mobile terminal, for example a mobile phone, a driver or a vehicle occupant of the motor vehicle 401.

The second data processing device 411 is, for example, a main control device of the motor vehicle 401.

The second data processing device 411 comprises, for example, a first communication interface, for example a WLAN or a Bluetooth communication interface, for receiving the data or the environment sensor data or the environment data from the first data processing device 407 via the wireless communication network.

The second data processing device 411 comprises, for example, a second communication interface, for example a mobile radio communication interface, for sending the data or the environment sensor data and / or the environment data and / or the further environment data to the cloud server 413.

The communication module of the first data processing device 407 comprises, for example, a first communication interface, for example a bus communication interface, for the wired reception of the outputted data.

The communication module of the first data processing device 407 comprises, for example, a second communication interface, for example a WLAN communication interface or a Bluetooth communication interface, for wireless transmission of the data, for example the environment sensor data or the environment data, to the second data processing device 411.

The cloud server 413 comprises a communication interface 415 which is designed to receive the environment sensor data or the environment data or the further environment data from the second data processing device 411 via the further wireless communication network.

The communication between the first data processing device 407 and the second data processing device 409 is identified by means of a double arrow with the reference number 417.

The communication between the second data processing device 411 and the cloud server 413 is identified by means of a double arrow with the reference number 419.

The cloud server 413 is designed, for example, to determine free or occupied parking spaces in the vicinity of the motor vehicle 401 and their positions, for example their GPS positions, based on the received data. This information, that is to say in particular the positions of the free or occupied parking spaces or parking spaces, is sent, for example, to the motor vehicle 401 via the further wireless communication network. This information is sent, for example, to further motor vehicles (not shown) via the further wireless communication network, so that they gain knowledge of where occupied or free, i.e. unoccupied, parking spaces or parking spaces are.

Thus shows the Fig. 4 also a system 421 for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle.

The system 421 comprises the device 403 and the cloud server 413.

The provision of a cloud server 413 has the particular technical advantage that it can efficiently perform calculations. In particular, it can efficiently receive a large number of data or environment sensor data or environment data or further environment data from a large number of motor vehicles and process and evaluate them accordingly and correspondingly results of this processing or evaluation (for example the positions of the free or occupied parking spaces) to the large number of motor vehicles Send over the further wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the second data processing device 411 is designed to display the information from the cloud server 413 that is sent via the further wireless communication network.

The second data processing device 411 comprises, for example, a screen for displaying this information.

The invention therefore includes in particular the idea of installing an additional hardware component, the first data processing device, in a motor vehicle, which is connected downstream of the parking control device in relation to the environment sensors, so that the environment sensor data from the environment sensors only reach the additional hardware component indirectly via the parking control device can, wherein the additional hardware component further processes the received data and sends the further processed data and / or directly the received data wirelessly to a second data processing device. As a result, for example, the technical advantage is achieved that, for example, no significant changes or modifications need to be carried out on a bus of a motor vehicle.

This means that the additional hardware component that is installed in the motor vehicle after processing has two functionalities: wireless or wireless communication in addition to wired communication.

For the purposes of the description, the terms “wireless” and / or “wireless” can be used synonymously.

This means that the newly installed hardware component has a communication module which is designed to communicate wirelessly via a wireless communication network, that is to say in particular to transmit the environment sensor data or the environment data wirelessly to a second data processing device.

The environment sensor data, which can include raw environment sensor data, or the environment data, for example, can thus be transmitted to the second data processing device, which is for example a mobile terminal.

For example, the data is transmitted in encrypted form.

For example, a position sensor is provided for detecting a position of the motor vehicle, so that a position can be assigned to the environment sensor data or a position can be assigned to the environment data. This means that a position of the motor vehicle, that is, corresponding position data, is linked to the environment data or the environment sensor data.

For example, the first data processing device and the second data processing device each comprise a position sensor, so that the data processing device or the further data processing device can detect or determine a position of the motor vehicle at the time of the detection of the surroundings of the motor vehicle.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the first data processing device or the second data processing device or the parking control device are designed or are designed to determine dimensions of an open area of the environment and / or dimensions of an area of the environment occupied by a motor vehicle based on the environment sensor data or based on the environment data and to determine the corresponding environmental data, here the additional environmental data, for determining the respective dimensions. The dimensions together with the corresponding positions of the open areas or the occupied areas are then sent to the cloud server, for example by means of the second data processing device, via the further wireless communication network.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that in addition to or instead of the aforementioned determination of the dimensions of the open spaces or the occupied areas by means of the first data processing device or the parking control device or the second data processing device, the corresponding calculations are carried out by means of the cloud server.

According to one embodiment, the cloud server is designed to calculate further data based on the received data (for example environment sensor data, environment data, further environment data), for example whether an open space is an entrance. For example, the cloud server determines whether a parking space is fully occupied or whether there are still free spaces within a parking lot.

The data determined or calculated by the cloud server are preferably sent via the further wireless communication network to the second data processing device or to further motor vehicles so that the second data processing device or data processing device of the further motor vehicles can display this information.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the second data processing device is a “HeadUnit”, that is to say a main control device. According to this Embodiment it is provided that the main control device comprises a wireless communication interface. This means that the wireless communication interface can communicate wirelessly. For example, it is provided that the communication interface of the main control device can communicate wirelessly via Bluetooth or WLAN.

This means that, according to this embodiment, the data are sent wirelessly from the additional hardware component to the main control device and are then sent wirelessly from this to the cloud server via the further wireless communication network.

It is usually the case that a motor vehicle already includes a main control unit which, for example, includes an infotainment system. Usually, a main control device already present in the motor vehicle already has a communication interface for wireless communication. In already known motor vehicles, such a communication interface provides, for example, that the main control unit communicates with a mobile phone of a vehicle occupant, for example to play back music stored on the mobile phone by means of the infotainment system.

This means that no more hardware modifications have to be made to the main control unit. Rather, it is sufficient for such a main control unit to receive a software update. This is usually not a great effort and there are no additional hardware costs.

The concept according to the invention now has the particular advantage that existing motor vehicles, that is to say motor vehicles that have already been completed, can also subsequently become part of a system for determining free or movable parking spaces at the roadside. According to the invention, this is brought about by means of the device or by installing an additional hardware component, that is to say in particular in addition to the parking control device.

In particular, no significant changes need to be made on or in the bus of the motor vehicle.

In particular, if the first data processing device already includes a position sensor, no additional position detection components need to be installed in the motor vehicle.

In particular, no changes need to be made to the main control unit, apart from the software update, provided that communication with the cloud server is not to be carried out via a mobile phone but via the main control unit.

In particular, no changes need to be made to the parking control device.

In particular, no changes need to be made to the sensor units.

Claims (19)

1. Apparatus (101, 403) for capturing an environment of a motor vehicle (401), comprising:

   a parking control unit (103, 409),

   a first data processing device (105, 407),

   one or more sensor units (107, 405) each comprising one or more environmental sensors (109) for capturing an environment of a motor vehicle (401) and a communication interface (111) for transmitting environmental sensor data corresponding to the respective capture in a wired manner,

   wherein the parking control unit (103, 409) has a communication interface (115) which is designed to receive the environmental sensor data in a wired manner,

   wherein the parking control unit (103, 409) is connected between the respective communication interface (111) of the one or more sensor units (107, 405) and the first data processing device (105, 407), wherein the first data processing device (105, 407) has a communication module (113) which is designed to receive data, which are output by means of the communication interface (115) of the parking control unit (103, 409) and are based on the environmental sensor data, in a wired manner,

   wherein the communication module (113) is designed to transmit the data and/or the environmental data to a second data processing device (411) via a wireless communication network, with the result that the second data processing device (411) can transmit the data and/or the environmental data to a cloud server (413) via a further wireless communication network.
2. Apparatus (101, 403) according to Claim 1, comprising the second data processing device (411), wherein the second data processing device (411) is designed to transmit the data and/or the environmental data to the cloud server (413) via the further wireless communication network.
3. Apparatus (101, 403) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the second data processing device (411) is a mobile terminal.
4. Apparatus (101, 403) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the second data processing device (411) is a main control unit for a motor vehicle (401).
5. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication module (113) of the first data processing device (105, 407) is directly connected, on the output side, to the communication interface (115) of the parking control unit (103, 409).
6. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication module (113) of the first data processing device (105, 407) is connected to the communication interface (115) of the parking control unit (103, 409) via a bus line.
7. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication module (113) comprises a first communication interface for receiving the data in a wired manner and a second communication interface for transmitting the data and/or the environmental data to the second data processing device (411).
8. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the parking control unit (103, 409) and/or the first data processing device (105, 407) and/or the second data processing device (411) is/are designed to determine dimensions of an open area of the environment and/or dimensions of an area of the environment occupied by a motor vehicle (401) on the basis of the data and to determine environmental data corresponding to the determination of the respective dimensions.
9. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a position sensor for capturing a position of the motor vehicle (401) is provided, wherein the first data processing device (105, 407) is designed to transmit position data corresponding to the capture of the position to the second data processing device (411), with the result that the second data processing device (411) can transmit the position data to the cloud server (413) via the further wireless communication network.
10. Apparatus (101, 403) according to Claim 9, wherein the position sensor is integrated in the first data processing device (105, 407) or in the second data processing device (411).
11. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor unit(s) (107, 104) is/are each designed to encrypt the environmental sensor data, wherein the respective communication interface (111) of the sensor unit(s) (107, 405) is designed to transmit the encrypted environmental sensor data to the parking control unit (103, 409) in a wired manner.
12. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first data processing device (105, 407) has an electrical connection for connecting an electrical line in order to be able to supply the first data processing device (105, 407) with electrical energy from a motor vehicle battery.
13. Apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first data processing device (105, 407) has an electrical energy store for internal electrical energy supply.
14. Motor vehicle (401) comprising the apparatus (101, 403) according to one of the preceding claims.
15. Method for capturing an environment of a motor vehicle (401) using the apparatus (101, 403) according to one of Claims 1 to 13, comprising the following steps of:

    capturing (201) an environment of a motor vehicle (401) by means of the environmental sensor(s) (109), transmitting (203) environmental sensor data corresponding to the capture in a wired manner by means of the respective communication interface (111) of the sensor unit(s) (107, 405),

    receiving (205) the environmental sensor data in a wired manner by means of the parking control unit (103, 409),

    outputting (207) data based on the environmental sensor data in a wired manner by means of the communication interface (115) of the parking control unit (103, 409),

    receiving (209) the output data in a wired manner by means of the communication module (113) of the first data processing device (105, 407), and

    transmitting (211) the data and/or environmental data based on the data to a second data processing device (411) via a wireless communication network by means of the first data processing device (105, 107), with the result that the second data processing device (411) can transmit the data and/or the environmental data to a cloud server (413) via a further wireless communication network.
16. Method for processing a motor vehicle (401), wherein the motor vehicle (401) has a parking control unit (103, 409) and one or more sensor units (107, 405) each comprising one or more environmental sensors (109) for capturing an environment of a motor vehicle (401) and a communication interface (111) for transmitting environmental sensor data corresponding to the respective capture in a wired manner via a bus, in particular a CAN bus, of the motor vehicle (401), wherein the parking control unit (103, 409) has a bus communication interface for receiving the environmental sensor data in a wired manner via the bus, wherein a first data processing device (105, 407) is installed (301) in the motor vehicle (401) in such a manner that the parking control unit (103, 409) is connected (303) between the respective communication interface (111) of the one or more sensor units (107, 405) and the first data processing device (105, 407) wherein the first data processing device (105, 407) has a communication module (113) which is designed to receive data, which are output by means of the communication interface (115) of the parking control unit (103, 409) and are based on the environmental sensor data, in a wired manner, wherein the communication module (113) is designed to transmit the data and/or environmental data based on the data to a second data processing device (411) via a wireless communication network, with the result the second data processing device (411) can transmit the data and/or the environmental data to a cloud server (413) via a further wireless communication network.
17. System (421) for capturing an environment of a motor vehicle (401), comprising:
    the apparatus (101, 403) according to one of Claims 1 to 13 and a cloud server (413) comprising a communication interface (415) which is designed to receive the data and/or the environmental data via the further wireless communication network.
18. System (421) according to Claim 17, wherein the cloud server (413) is designed to determine dimensions of an open area of the environment and/or dimensions of an area of the environment occupied by a motor vehicle (401) on the basis of the data and/or the environmental data and to determine environmental data corresponding to the determination of the respective dimensions.
19. Computer program comprising program code for carrying out the method according to Claim 15 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

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