EP3659122A1

EP3659122A1 - Method and device in a vehicle for evaluating and storing data

Info

Publication number: EP3659122A1
Application number: EP18728336.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nikolaos Gortsas
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2017-07-25
Filing date: 2018-05-24
Publication date: 2020-06-03
Also published as: US20200175787A1; DE102017212695A1; WO2019020240A1; CN110998675A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method in a vehicle controlled in an autonomous or highly automated driving mode without intervention by the driver or in a manual driving mode by the driver of the vehicle, the device evaluating and storing data, and the device comprising a memory element in which data can be recorded, which contains at least information about whether the autonomous or highly-automated driving mode was active at the moment of collision, or shortly before the collision, or whether the manual driving mode was active. Sensor signals from driver-actuatable operating elements and from collision identification devices are evaluated.

Description

Description title

Method and device in a vehicle for evaluating and storing data

The present invention relates to a device and a method in a vehicle, which is controlled in an autonomous or highly automated driving operation without intervention of the driver or in a manual driving operation by the driver of the vehicle, wherein the device evaluates and stores data, and the device Memory device, in the data

at least include information as to whether at a collision time or until shortly before the collision time, the autonomous or highly automatic driving was active or manual driving was active. In this case, sensor signals are evaluated by driver-operable controls and by collision detection devices.

PRIOR ART DE 100 46 696 A1 discloses a method and a device for

Record data collected by sensors in a vehicle

Playing parameters, in particular for the reconstruction of accidents, known, and a memory device and a device for recording such data. All relevant data is recorded continuously at a low storage volume and fixed in a short period of time

stored. For this purpose, the parameter values and / or data calculated therefrom are recorded with decreasing density with increasing, temporal distance from the instantaneous detection time. Core and advantages of the invention

The essence of the present invention is to provide a device for vehicles that can drive in a highly automated or autonomous driving mode and include a memory device in which is stored, whether at a collision time of the vehicle or shortly before this

Collision time the highly automated or autonomous driving was active or the vehicle was controlled manually by the driver at this time. According to the invention this is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous developments and refinements emerge from the subclaims.

Under a highly automated driving or autonomous

Driving is understood that the driver drives the vehicle independently by the traffic and the driver is not directly in the

Vehicle control intervenes to control the vehicle. Only in the case of highly automated driving operation, the driver takes over a control function and is available for system takeover, if the vehicle control does not cope with the currently imminent driving situation. In the case of an autonomously controlled vehicle, even this control function can be performed by the

Driver omitted, so that the vehicle is completely self-driving. Such a distinction is also known, for example, as SAE level 4 or SAE level 5. A manual driving operation is given if the driver himself controls the vehicle or has merely activated a driver assistance system which, although it reduces driving tasks, does not relieve the driver of his monitoring and control function. Driver assistance systems are often also so pronounced that only parts of the driving task are taken over by the driver assistance system and the remaining tasks of vehicle guidance still have to be fulfilled by the driver himself.

Advantageously, it is provided that the sensors whose sensor signals are supplied, and can detect whether the driver actuates driver-actuatable operating elements of the vehicle, a steering wheel sensor, a

Accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, a clutch sensor, or any combination of these sensors. By means of one or more of these Sensors are monitored the controls of the vehicle, which are immediately necessary for manual vehicle guidance. Be this

Controls operated by the driver, it can be concluded that there is a manual driving or the driver stops the autonomous or highly automated driving and takes over by manual control. If these controls are not operated by the driver for a long period and instead an autonomous or highly automated driving mode is activated, then it can be concluded that the driver does not want to take over the direct manual driving task.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the device supplied

Collision detection signals by which it is detected whether an accident of the vehicle has occurred or is imminent, either signals from an airbag control unit, which cause a freezing of the instantaneous data in the memory device or signals from a collision detection environment sensors on triggering or partial deployment of an airbag which cause a freezing of the current data in the memory device upon detection of a no longer avoidable collision situation or a combination of these two possibilities.

Alternatively or in combination for evaluating the airbag trigger signals, the vehicle can evaluate data from at least one environmental sensor system. Such environment sensors are, for example, radar, lidar, video or

Ultrasonic sensors and can evaluate an approach of their own vehicle to other objects, and it can be determined whether this approach to objects lead to a critical traffic situation, which even have an unavoidable collision. If the vehicle has such an environment sensor system and such an evaluation function, a freezing of the data can already take place before the collision time point when a critical driving situation or a collision situation that can no longer be avoided is detected.

If the airbags of the vehicle are triggered, then a collision has already taken place, so that the data currently available for a later accident analysis are to be stored. The storage of the data must be done in such a way that subsequent manipulation of this data is no longer possible is possible. Such saving of data against erasure, overwriting or altering is referred to as freezing the data in the context of the present invention. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the memory device is designed as a ring memory. A ring memory here is a memory device in which the data is written continuously in the memory. If the memory contents are completely filled, the oldest, stored data is overwritten again with current data. As a result, the most up-to-date data is always kept ready, and automatically automatically overwritten older, no longer required data.

Advantageously, it is provided that the evaluation device, the sensors, the collision detection device, the memory, or parts of these

Components are interconnected by means of a communication bus. Today's vehicles have several different ones

Communication buses, the different vehicle components and

Connect control unit together. The use of such

Communication busses for realizing the device according to the invention can be advantageous in this case since the outlay for realizing the device can be reduced. It may also be advantageous, the

inventive device in several different

To realize vehicle components in order to maintain functional in the event of a vehicle collision, in which vehicle components are destroyed.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the timers in the evaluation device, in the sensors, in the collision detection device and in the memory are synchronized with each other via the communication bus. In electronic devices that communicate with each other, clocks are nowadays equipped without exception or internal clocks are installed. In the case of using internal clocks, the transmitted data can also be provided with a time stamp. When operating a bus system with multiple components, it is advantageous if the components connected to it work with a synchronized clock or, in the case of internal clocks, these clocks are synchronized with one another. Especially in the realization of Invention in several control devices and electronic components, it is advantageous to synchronize the clock and / or internal clocks to improve a later accident reconstruction. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the stored in the memory device

Data is stored with a time stamp. This makes it possible to make an accident reconstruction with very precise timeline.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the sensors, which detect whether the driver actuates driver-actuatable operating elements of the vehicle, as a

Steering wheel, are designed as an accelerator pedal sensor, as a brake pedal sensor, as a clutch sensor or any combination of these sensors.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the information stored in the memory device, which indicate whether the autonomous or highly automatic driving operation was active at a collision time or until shortly before a collision time or the manual driving operation was active, is displayed as a status bit. The information as to whether the vehicle has driven automatically or the driver controlled the vehicle can, for example, be stored in the storage device by means of a special status bit. By using a status bit, it is possible to use this information with as little memory as possible

implement. If this status bit with a high temporal resolution stored in the ring memory, possibly with the addition of a time stamp signal, so can be determined very accurately in an accident reconstruction after collision, at what time the driver has taken control of the vehicle and at what time the highly automated control system of the vehicle Driver transfer has requested. The less memory required this information, the more often this information can be stored and the higher the temporal

Reconstruction in case of a readout. The use of a status bit has proven to be particularly effective.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that at least the status bit and the time stamp are stored when the autonomous or highly automated driving operation is started and / or the autonomous or highly automated driving is completed and / or the vehicle during the autonomous or

hochautomatisierte Fahrbetrieb the driver issues the message that the driver should take control of the vehicle and / or the driver actuates one or more driver operable controls of the vehicle and / or a collision detection signal is detected that an accident of the vehicle has occurred or an accident of Vehicle is imminent and / or any combination of the listed events.

Of particular importance is the realization of the method according to the invention in the form of a control element which is provided for a control device of a highly automatic vehicle guidance system or an autonomous vehicle guidance system of a motor vehicle. In this case, a program is stored on the control, which is executable on a computing device, in particular on a microprocessor or signal processor, and suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention. In this case, therefore, the invention is realized by a program stored on the control program, so that this provided with the program control in the same way represents the invention, as the method to whose execution the program is suitable.

Other features, applications and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the figures of the drawing. All described or illustrated features form for themselves or in any

Combination of the subject matter of the invention, regardless of theirs

Summary in the claims or their dependency and regardless of their formulation or representation in the description or in the drawings.

drawings

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention with reference to

Drawings explained. Show it FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the evaluation of the

device according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a timeline which represents an exemplary driving situation and FIG

FIG. 4 shows a schematic flow diagram for explaining the

inventive method.

Description of exemplary embodiments

In Figure 1 is at the lower end by the horizontal bar a

Communication bus 1 shown, which connects several components together. This communication bus 1 can be designed, for example, as a CAN bus. On this CAN bus is a control unit 2 for the

Connected sensor evaluation, in which the method of the invention runs by way of example. Furthermore, 1 different sensors are connected to the communication bus. For example, a steering wheel sensor 3, a

Accelerator pedal sensor 4, a brake pedal sensor 5 and a clutch sensor 6 indicated. These sensors are also connected to the communication bus 1. In the event that the vehicle has an automatic transmission, the clutch sensor can be omitted. Alternatively, the sensors 3 to 6 may also be connected directly to the control unit 2 for the sensor evaluation. Furthermore, a further control unit 7 is shown in Figure 1, which may optionally be provided and is therefore shown in dashed lines in Figure 7 and may be designed as an airbag control unit. If there is a collision, then means

Acceleration sensors determines an airbag deployment. By evaluating this delay signal or the impact signal, the

Collision detection device 7 detect a collision and forward this detection signal via the communication bus 1 to the control unit 2 for sensor evaluation. Alternatively, it is also possible that the

Collision detection device 7 is an environment sensor that the

Vehicle environment detected and a critical approach of an object to the own vehicle recognizes. In this case, that would be

Collision detection device designed as part of the control unit 8 for autonomous or highly automated driving. This control unit 8 for autonomous or highly automated driving receives information from the environment sensor of the vehicle and can detect an impending and possibly unavoidable collision situation replace the optionally provided airbag control unit 7, since then the collision detection device 7 is designed as an integral part of the control unit 8. Such an evaluation of environment detection means makes it possible to detect already before a collision that an unavoidable collision is imminent.

In the event that such a critical approach is detected or that an unavoidable collision is imminent, the evaluation unit can

Environment sensor, which in this case the control unit 8 for autonomous or

highly automated driving is and the function of

Collision detection device 7 takes over, also a signal on the

Communication bus 1 are transmitted to the control unit 2 for the sensor evaluation.

Furthermore, the already mentioned control unit 8 for autonomous driving or highly automated driving is shown. In the case that this control unit 8 is connected to the communication bus 1 for highly automated or autonomous driving, the evaluation of the environment sensor system by the

Collision detection device 7 omitted and instead be designed by running as a head unit control unit for autonomous driving. By means of the steering wheel sensor 3 can now be detected whether the driver has his hands on

Steering wheel or has a steering activity of the driver. By means of the

Accelerator pedal sensor 4 can be detected, whether the driver operates the accelerator pedal. By means of the brake pedal sensor 5 can be detected whether the driver actuates the brake pedal and thereby would like to stop the autonomous or highly automated driving and want to take over the vehicle control again manually. By means of the optional clutch sensor 6 can be detected whether the driver operates the clutch pedal and thus would like to stop an autonomous driving or highly automated driving to manually continue even the vehicle control. The control unit 2 is connected directly or via a communication bus 1 to the sensors 3, 4, 5, 6. The control unit 2 processes the sensor signals and deduces whether the driver intervenes in the driving event by actuating either the steering wheel or a pedal. This information can be mapped to a status bit, for example, which is stored and represents whether the driver in the

Driving events intervene. In addition to this information, the time of the intervention must also be documented precisely. It is advantageous if it is detected on the one hand, whether the driver engages in the driving or not, and at what time A the driver optionally engages in the driving. This information is stored in a memory device, in particular a ring memory, which can be embodied, for example, as part of the control device 2 for the sensor evaluation. This storage device may alternatively be installed elsewhere in the vehicle and on the

Communication bus 2 be connected. Furthermore, it is conceivable that this storage device is arranged outside the vehicle and the

data to be stored are transferred from the control unit 2 via the communication bus 1 to a radio interface, from where they are

be stored signals are sent to a provided outside the vehicle data cloud.

The control unit 2 receives via the communication bus 1 from the responsible for autonomous driving or highly automated driving control unit 8, the information as to whether the vehicle currently by the automatic

Vehicle control is controlled. For this purpose, in addition to the status bit, which represents whether or not it is currently being driven autonomously or highly automated, the time duration since which the vehicle has been detected by the autonomous vehicle control system or the highly automated one is also to be recorded

Vehicle control is controlled. These two pieces of information can be stored as a data pair in the memory device of the control unit 2.

In addition to the beginning of autonomous or highly automated driving, the time of the end of the autonomous or highly automated driving can also be stored. Furthermore, it is also advisable to store the information at which time the autonomous or highly automatic vehicle control system outputs to the driver of the vehicle a signal that the automatic vehicle control system is no longer able to provide To handle the driving situation and the driver must take control of the vehicle. Such a takeover request to the driver has to be made in good time and the driver has to the takeover request the vehicle control within a maximum time allowed

take over. It is therefore important to know the exact date of issue

Transfer request to the driver and save the time at which the driver complies with the request and takes over control of the vehicle again manually. This information must be stored in the storage device.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the control unit 2 for the

Sensor evaluation shown. The control device 2 has a

Input circuit 11, by means of the control unit 2 input variables are supplied. As a possible input signal signals are detected by driver-operable controls 9 and the input circuit 11 is supplied. These driver-actuatable operating elements can be, for example, the sensors shown in FIG. 1, such as steering wheel sensor 3, accelerator pedal sensor 4,

Brake pedal sensor 5 and / or coupling sensor 6 be. By means of these signals, the control unit 2 can detect whether the driver wants to take over the vehicle control and, if a takeover request has been issued, at which time the driver takes over the vehicle control.

As a further input variable, the input circuit 11 is supplied with the output signal of a collision detection device 7. This can be as described with respect to Figure 1, designed as an airbag control unit, the one

detected collision recognizes or be executed as an evaluation of an environment detection device that detects objects in the vehicle environment and evaluates their relative speed and direction of movement and thus critical driving situations or already unavoidable

Collision situations detect and thus before the collision time

Can issue collision detection signal in the form of a warning signal to the driver.

Furthermore, it is possible to supply further input variables 10 to the input circuit 11. The input circuit 11 supplied signals from driver-operable controls 9 are via an internal

Data exchange device 12 a calculation device 13 supplied, which may be embodied for example as a microprocessor or microcontroller. In this calculation device 13 it can be determined whether the driver is currently operating a driver-actuatable control element, and whether he has taken over the vehicle control itself. Furthermore, the

Input data of the driver-operable controls 9 via the internal data exchange system to the memory device 14, which is designed in particular as a ring memory, forwarded and stored there. If the control device 2 detects a signal of the collision detection device 7 that a collision of the vehicle has taken place or a collision of the vehicle with an object in the environment will soon take place, the data stored in the memory device 14 can be frozen, as a result of which subsequent changes and deletion or overwriting the data is prevented.

FIG. 3 shows a timeline 15 of an exemplary collision situation. At time 16, an event A is shown, to which the vehicle control, which autonomously or the vehicle leads, a

Takeover request of the vehicle control by the driver

(Takeover Request). In the further course of time, the event B is shown at time 17, to which the driver has taken over the vehicle control through his manual intervention. This time required between event A and event B may be considered

Takeover period can be designated 19 and is in the case of one

Accident reconstruction of particular interest, since the takeover request must be issued in good time before a possible collision time and the driver must have taken over the control within a maximum period of time. At time 18, event C is shown representing collision detection by triggering an occupant protection system. In order to enable accurate reconstruction of this data, it is necessary that the time data of the various controllers 2, 7, 8 have a common time base. For this purpose, the timers of these controllers 2, 7, 8 must be synchronized, for example by a time signal is present on the communication bus 1, which serves as a synchronization base. Alternatively, it is also possible that, for example, the control unit 2 outputs its time signal to the communication bus for sensor evaluation and the other control devices 7, 8 synchronize at this time signal.

In the accident reconstruction, it must be clarified whether the driver or the automatic vehicle guidance system had control of the vehicle, for which purpose the three event times A, B and C are to be evaluated. For this it is necessary that the takeover signal of the automatic vehicle control to the driver was not issued too late. For example, the length of time between event A16 and event C18 must be at least two seconds. If this length of time between event A and event C is too long, the takeover request comes too early, whereby the acceptance of the automatic vehicle guidance by the driver decreases. Furthermore, the acquisition of the vehicle control by the driver must be timely, otherwise the driver can no longer avoid a collision. The time between event B and event C should be at least two seconds. If the driver transfer is too close to the

Collision detection, so the driver can not respond and the driver will not be held liable for any damage. If the time duration between event A and event C is more than 2 seconds and at the same time the time duration between event B and event C is also greater than 2 seconds, then the takeover request at time A by the automatic vehicle control comes sufficiently early and the driver takes over the vehicle control on time ,

If a collision according to event C is detected by the collision detection device 7, the data stored in the ring memory are frozen, so that they can no longer be overwritten. Furthermore, to the collected information in the storage device 14, a sequence of images of a possibly existing front camera of the vehicle can be stored. It is also possible to store further data from other sensors that are used for autonomous driving or highly automated driving, or that describe the collision situation. It is also possible, the last commands to relevant components of the autonomously driving vehicle or the highly automated driving vehicle how to store and freeze signals to the engine controller, the brake system or the steering devices in the storage device 14.

Alternatively, the control device 2 may also be a partial function of the control device 7 of the collision detection device or in the control device 8, the

For example, as a head unit or central computer of an automated

Car control system can be implemented, be realized.

FIG. 4 shows an example flowchart starting in step 20. In this case, this starting step 20 can be executed, if

For example, an automatic vehicle guidance system for a

highly automated vehicle guidance or autonomous vehicle guidance is activated. Alternatively, it is also possible to execute this starting step 20 when the vehicle is started.

In the subsequent step 21, the status of the driving operation is detected by determining whether the vehicle is currently being operated in an autonomous driving or a highly automated driving or manual driving.

This information can be represented as a status bit, for example. In the subsequent step 22 sensor signals are detected, by means of which a driver's activity is recognizable. Thus, for this purpose, a steering wheel sensor 3, a

Accelerator pedal sensor 4, a brake pedal sensor 5 or a clutch sensor 6 are evaluated and it can be determined whether the driver currently leads the vehicle or would like to take over the vehicle.

In the subsequent step 23, the input signal from a

Collision detection device evaluated by means of which it is determined whether a collision has occurred or an unavoidable collision is imminent.

In the following step 24, the data is continuously written in the ring buffer. If the memory of the ring buffer is full, the oldest, stored data is overwritten with new data, so that the most up-to-date data is always stored in the memory device 14. In step 25, the input signal of the collision detection device or the collision detection signal of an environmental sensor system is evaluated and in the event of a collision or an impending collision, step 25 branches to yes and is continued in step 26. If no collision has occurred or if no collision is imminent, then step 24 branches to no and the method is continued in step 21 by the status of the driving operation being detected again.

If a collision or an imminent collision is detected in step 25, then the data currently in the ring memory are frozen in the following step 26, so that they are against updating, deleting or

Change are secured. Alternatively, it is also possible that the

continuously stored data in step 24 in a volatile memory, for example, a ring memory, written and if a collision was detected in step 25 or an imminent collision situation was detected, the data of the volatile memory are written to a non-volatile memory and thus also be protected against change such as deletion, overwriting or altering.

Claims

claims

1. Device in a vehicle that is in an autonomous or

highly automated driving operation is controlled without intervention of the driver or in a manual driving operation by the driver of the vehicle, wherein the device evaluates and stores data,

characterized,

in that the device has a memory device (14) in which data are recorded which comprise at least information on whether the autonomous or highly automatic driving operation was active or the manual driving operation was active at a collision time (18) or until shortly before the collision time (17) .

in that sensor signals (9) are supplied to the device, by means of which it is detected whether the driver actuates driver-actuatable operating elements (3, 4, 5, 6) of the vehicle, and

by the device collision detection signals (7) are supplied, by means of which it is detected whether an accident of the vehicle has taken place or is imminent.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensors (3, 4, 5, 6), the sensor signals (9) are supplied, detect whether the driver actuates the driver-operable controls of the vehicle (9), a steering wheel sensor (3),

an accelerator pedal sensor (4),

a brake pedal sensor (5),

a clutch sensor (6) or

any combination of these sensors Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collision detection signals (7) supplied to the device, by means of which it is detected whether an accident of the vehicle has taken place or is imminent,

- Signals from an airbag control unit (7) which causes a triggering of the instantaneous data in the memory device (14) when triggered or partially triggered an airbag

or

- Signals from an environment sensor (7) with collision detection are that causes a freezing of the current data in the memory device (14) upon detection of a no longer avoidable collision situation.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory device (14) is designed as a ring memory.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation device (2), the sensors (9), the collision detection device (7), the memory (14), or parts of these components by means of a communication bus (1) are interconnected.

Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the timers in the evaluation device (2), in the sensors (9), in the

Collision detection device (7) and in the memory (14) via the communication bus (1) are synchronized with each other.

Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data stored in the memory device (14) are stored with a time stamp.

8. Procedure for a vehicle operating in an autonomous or

highly automated driving operation is controlled without intervention of the driver or in a manual driving operation by the driver of the vehicle, wherein the method evaluates and stores data,

characterized,

in that the method records data in a memory device (14), the data comprising at least information as to one

Collision time (18) or until shortly before the collision time (17) the autonomous or highly automatic driving mode was active or the manual driving mode was active,

in that the method evaluates sensor signals (9) by means of which it is detected whether the driver actuates driver-actuatable operating elements (3, 4, 5, 6) of the vehicle, and

in that the method evaluates collision detection signals (7) by means of which it is detected whether an accident of the vehicle has taken place or is imminent.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the sensors (9), which detect whether the driver actuates driver-actuatable operating elements (9) of the vehicle,

a steering wheel sensor (3),

an accelerator pedal sensor (4),

a brake pedal sensor (5),

a clutch sensor (6) or

any combination of these sensors

is.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that in the memory device (14) stored information indicating whether at a collision time (18) or until just before a collision time (17) of the autonomous or highly automatic driving was active or the manual driving mode was active, is represented as a status bit. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that at least the status bit and the time stamp are stored, if

- the autonomous or highly automated driving is started, or

- the autonomous or highly automated driving is stopped, or

during autonomous or highly automated driving, the vehicle issues to the driver the message that the driver is to take control of the vehicle (16), or

- The driver actuates a driver-operable controls (9) of the vehicle, or

- A collision detection signal (7) is detected that an accident of the vehicle has taken place or is imminent or

- any combination of listed events.