WO2020144339A1

WO2020144339A1 - Method for automatically controlling a vehicle, and controller

Info

Publication number: WO2020144339A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/050558
Authority: WO
Inventors: Holger Mielenz; Christoph G. KELLER
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh; Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2019-01-11
Filing date: 2020-01-10
Publication date: 2020-07-16
Also published as: DE102019100600A1

Abstract

In a method for automatically controlling a vehicle, an upcoming roadside check is first of all detected. In a further step, a stopping location suitable for the roadside check is determined and at least one driving function of the vehicle is then controlled such that the vehicle heads for the stopping location and stops at the stopping location.

Description

description

title

Automated vehicle control method and control device

The invention relates to a method for the automated execution of a driving function of a vehicle, a control device for such a vehicle and a computer program for executing the method and a storage medium for the computer program.

This patent application claims the priority of German patent application 10 2019 100 600.7 from 1 1. January 2019, the disclosure content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

State of the art

Methods for longitudinal and transverse guidance of a vehicle in the context of automated control of a vehicle are known. By means of these methods, a vehicle is guided to a destination on a predetermined route or determined by a navigation device and can react to traffic situations.

Disclosure of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a method by which a vehicle equipped with an automated driving function can respond to a traffic control. Another object of the invention is to provide a control device for such a vehicle for executing the method. Another object of the invention is to provide a corresponding computer program and a storage medium. These tasks are solved with the method, the control unit, the computer program and the storage medium of the independent claims. Further developments are specified in the subclaims.

In a method for the automated execution of a driving function of a vehicle, a traffic control ahead is recognized in a first step. In a second method step, a stop location suitable for traffic control is determined. In a third method step, a control signal for at least one driving function of the vehicle is output in such a way that the vehicle drives to the stopping point and stops at the stopping point when it is controlled using the control signal.

In one embodiment of the method, the traffic control ahead is identified in the first step by evaluating a signal from a sensor, the sensor being arranged on the vehicle. In one embodiment of the method, the stopping point is determined in the second step by evaluating a signal from a sensor, the sensor being arranged on the vehicle. A sensor arranged on the vehicle can also be referred to as assigned to the vehicle.

To carry out the method, a vehicle can be equipped with a control device according to the invention. The control unit is set up to carry out the method. For this purpose, the control unit can have a sensor input and an output option for information on the execution of the automated driving function. Furthermore, the control unit has a computing unit on which the method steps are carried out as part of an executable program code. The executable program code can be present as a computer program and can be stored on a machine-readable storage medium.

By recognizing the traffic control and determining the stopping point of the traffic control, a method is provided by means of which the vehicle is able to control this stopping point accordingly if a desired stopping of the vehicle is signaled in the traffic control. The control signal for at least one driving function of the vehicle may include information about a steering movement, braking and / or acceleration of the vehicle. The method can be used in the context of the different degrees of automation for driver assistance systems defined by the Federal Highway Research Institute. It can be seen before that the driver assistance system assists the driver by taking over either lateral or longitudinal guidance of the vehicle. Furthermore, the method can also be used in semi-automated, highly automated or fully automated vehicles, with the driver assistance system taking over both lateral and longitudinal guidance in all degrees of automation. The systems differ in terms of the driver's duty to monitor the driver assistance system. In partially automated vehicles, the driver is obliged to monitor the driver assistance system. In highly automated vehicles, the driver assistance system issues a request to take over the vehicle. In fully automated vehicles, the driver assistance system changes the vehicle to a risk-minimal vehicle state if the driver does not comply with a handover request.

In one embodiment of the method, the traffic control ahead is identified by means of object recognition. Object detection provides a particularly simple way of recognizing traffic control and determining the stopping point.

In one embodiment of the method, the detection of the preceding traffic control comprises a situation analysis. It can be provided that objects that have been identified, for example, by means of object recognition, are connected to an infrastructure and classified on the basis of this connection.

In one embodiment of the method, the object detection comprises the evaluation of a camera sensor and / or a LIDAR sensor. Here, for example, the image of a camera sensor can be evaluated using known shapes. Alternatively, it is possible to apply the sensor signal of a LIDAR sensor hand to evaluate known outlines. Another possibility is that special LIDAR reflectors will be used for traffic controls in the future, the reflected signal of which will be evaluated by means of object detection.

In one embodiment, an outline of a trowel and / or a gesture of a police officer is recognized when evaluating the camera sensor and / or the LIDAR sensor. The outline of the trowel or the policeman's gesture is set in relation to the vehicle's own trajectory. As a result, the method can be used in conventional traffic controls and thus also make it possible to stop a fully automated vehicle at a traffic control. The traffic control can, for example, be carried out by a police and also referred to as a police control. Alternatively, other controls, for example toll controls, customs controls, freight traffic controls and / or cargo securing controls can also be carried out as part of the traffic control. By putting the gesture or trowel in relation to your own vehicle trajectory, it is possible to recognize whether a stop request is directed to the vehicle.

In one embodiment of the method, the stopping point is identified on the basis of a recognized position of another police officer. This is particularly advantageous if the traffic control is carried out in such a way that a police officer signals the vehicles to be checked to stop and another police officer is responsible for the actual control. The vehicle is then set up to head for the other police officer and to stop in the area of the other police officer.

In one embodiment of the method, the stopping point is selected such that the vehicle stops in such a way that a left front side window of the vehicle is arranged next to the other police officer. This is particularly advantageous when a driver of the vehicle is usually seated in the left front seat of the vehicle, ie in areas with right-hand traffic. In areas with left-hand traffic, provision can accordingly be made for the stopping point to be selected such that the vehicle stops in such a way that a right front side disc of the vehicle is arranged next to the other policeman. This means that the method can be designed such that the side window, which is usually assigned to the driver's seat of the vehicle, is arranged at the stopping point next to the other police officer. As a result, the driver of the vehicle can be checked during traffic control, since the arrangement of the corresponding side window enables the driver to come into direct contact with the other police officer.

In one embodiment of the method, the stopping point is selected such that the vehicle stops in such a way that a device with which voice contact can be made with an external operator of the vehicle is arranged next to the other police officer. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for vehicles that are operated in a fully automated manner. In such a vehicle, a direct interaction with the driver by the police officer is not possible, since, for example, only passengers are or are transported within the vehicle as part of local public transport or freight, so that for traffic control, voice contact with an external operator who performs possible monitoring functions of a vehicle fleet from several such vehicles, can be recorded. For this purpose, the vehicle can have a corresponding device and, when traffic control is detected, bring the vehicle to a standstill in such a way that these devices are arranged in addition to the other police officers, so that voice contact can be established easily.

In one embodiment, several other police officers are recognized and the stopping point is selected on the basis of a predetermined criterion. The predetermined criterion serves to select which of the other police officers should stop the vehicle. In one embodiment, the predetermined criterion includes an evaluation of the stopping point with regard to the obstruction of further vehicles. The vehicle is therefore set up to evaluate the stops identified by the other police officers according to whether further vehicles could be obstructed when stopping at these stop locations and to control the stop with no or the least disability of other vehicles. If the traffic control is not a police control, but a toll control, customs controls, freight traffic controls and / or cargo securing controls, the stopping point can be selected and controlled using another control person. This is possible in particular for the four embodiments described above.

A control unit of a vehicle is set up to carry out one of the processes described. For this purpose, the control device has in particular an input for at least one sensor signal. Furthermore, the control unit has a computing unit for carrying out the method steps and an output for forwarding driving information to a system for the automated execution of driving functions.

A computer program comprises instructions that lead to the execution of the method when the computer program is executed on a computer. The computer program includes a machine-readable storage medium.

Embodiments of the invention are explained with reference to the following drawings. The schematic drawing shows:

Figure 1 shows a vehicle with a control unit for performing a driving function.

2 shows a flowchart of a method;

3 shows a first control situation;

4 shows a second control situation; and

Fig. 5 shows a third control situation.

1 shows a vehicle 10 with a control unit 11, a sensor 12 and a system 13 for automated control of the vehicle 10. The sensor 12 is therefore arranged on the vehicle 10. The control unit 1 1 can have an input for a sensor signal from the sensor 12 and an output for forwarding driving information or a control signal to the system 13. Furthermore, the control unit 11 can comprise a computing unit which is set up to carry out method steps in the context of a computer program. The computer program can be stored on a machine-readable storage medium within the control unit. The system 13 for executing the at least one driving function is set up to control at least one steering movement and / or a speed of the vehicle 10, for example by means of intervention in steering, accelerating or braking the vehicle 10.

In addition, shown in Fig. 1 is a left front side window 14 and a device 15 with which voice contact to an external operator of the vehicle 10 can be recorded. Both the left front side window 14 and the device 15 are arranged on a left side 19 of the vehicle. Flinter of the left front side window 14 is usually a driver of the vehicle 10 in right-hand traffic. If the vehicle 10 is designed for left-hand traffic, a driver can accordingly sit behind a right front side window not shown in FIG. 1. If the vehicle 10 is operated fully automatically, the device 15, with which voice contact can be made with an external operator of the vehicle 10, can also be arranged on the right-hand side of the vehicle in a vehicle designed for left-hand traffic. The external operator can operate or monitor a larger vehicle fleet consisting of such vehicles 10, and contact can be made with this operator during a traffic control.

The device 15 for making voice contact with an external operator is arranged at the rear left of the vehicle 10. However, it is also possible to arrange such a device 15 at another location of the vehicle 10, in particular in the area of the front left side window 14, in particular in an area of the vehicle 10 in which the driver would be suspected in a conventional vehicle.

2 shows a flowchart 20 of the method according to the invention with the recognition 21 of a traffic control ahead in a first method. step, determining 22 a stop suitable for traffic control in a second method step and outputting 23 a control signal of at least one driving function of the vehicle in a third method step such that the vehicle controls the stopping point and stops at the stopping point when the vehicle is controlled based on the control signal. A steering movement, braking or accelerating the vehicle can be carried out. It can be provided that the system 13 of FIG. 1 is set up to take over this control of the vehicle. The control unit 11 and the system 13 of FIG. 1 can also be combined to form a uniform control unit.

It can be provided that the detection 21 of the traffic control 2 lying ahead takes place in the first step by evaluating a signal from a sensor 12, the sensor 12 being arranged on the vehicle 10. It can be provided that the determination 22 of the stopping point 5 takes place in the second step by evaluating a signal from a sensor 12, the sensor 12 being arranged on the vehicle 10.

3 shows a first control situation on a street 1. A vehicle 10, which can be configured as the vehicle of FIG. 1, drives the road 1 and is alerted to a traffic control 2 by a policeman 3 with a trowel 4. By means of a sensor 12 or the sensor signal of the sensor 12 of the vehicle 10, the policeman 3 with the trowel is known to him and thereby recognized that a traffic control should be carried out. Subsequently, a stop 5 suitable for traffic control 2 is determined by means of the sensor 12 or the sensor signal of the sensor 12 and a vehicle trajectory 16 is determined in such a way that the system 13 controls the vehicle 10 along the vehicle trajectory 16 to the stop 5 for executing a driving function.

The detection of the traffic control 2 ahead can take place by means of object detection. The object detection can in particular include the evaluation of a camera sensor and / or a LIDAR sensor, wherein the sensor 12 can be configured as a camera sensor and / or as a LIDAR sensor. In particular, when evaluating the camera sensor and / or the LIDAR sensor an outline of the trowel 4 and / or a gesture of the policeman 3, for example a pivoting of the trowel 4, can be recognized. The trowel 4 can be a police trowel. Likewise, the trowel can have 4 special reflectors for a LIDAR signal, with which traffic control can be recognized.

It can be provided that the gesture of the policeman 3 or the kel le 4 is placed in relation to the vehicle trajectory of the vehicle 10 in order to recognize whether the gesture of the policeman 3 or the trowel 4 signals that the vehicle 10 is to be stopped, or whether the trowel 4 or gesture of the policeman 3 possibly another, not shown in Fig. 2, vehicle applies.

In addition, a situation analysis can be provided in which objects such as police officers and / or beacons are connected to the infrastructure and the situation is classified on the basis of this connection.

A further policeman 6 is also shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the stopping point 5 is recognized by the other policeman 6, for example by the position of the other policeman 6.

Fig. 4 shows a second control situation, which speaks the control situation of Fig. 3 ent, provided no differences are described below. Within traffic control 2, two other police officers 6, 7 are responsible for checking vehicles. Each of the other police officers 6, 7 is assigned a suitable stop 5, one of the other police officers 6 has a first stop 8 and one of the other police officers 7 has a second stop 9. The control unit 11 of the vehicle 10 moving on the road 1 leads 3, and recognizes the traffic control 2 on the basis of the policeman 3 or the trowel 4, determines the stopping points 5 on the basis of the further policemen 6, 7 and controls the vehicle in such a way that the vehicle is at the first Stop 8 stops. The first stop 8 is selected for the reason that at the second stop 9 another vehicle 17 is already checked by the other policeman 7 and thus only the first stop 8 is free. The state as to whether a stopping point 5 is occupied by another vehicle 17 can therefore be used as a criterion for selecting a stopping point 5.

If the other vehicle 17 is not present and both stopping points 5 are free, the criterion for the selection of a stopping point 5 can include braking the vehicle 10 as gently as possible and thus driving to the second stopping point 9, which is further away from the vehicle 10 when the traffic control 2 is recognized is.

FIG. 5 shows a third control situation which corresponds to the control situation in FIG. 4, provided that no differences are described below. In this control situation, the stops 5 are arranged in a side street 18 such that the other police officers 6, 7 are arranged on the left-hand side of the vehicle 10 when the stops are approached.

As a result, for example, the stopping point can be selected such that a left front side window 14 or a device 15 for receiving voice contact with an external operator, which are each arranged on the left side of the vehicle 19, is arranged next to the other police officers 6, 7 and further policeman 6, 7 can start directly with the corresponding traffic control 2. The device 15 is arranged in a front area of the vehicle on the left-hand side of the vehicle, but can also be arranged elsewhere on the left-hand side of the vehicle 19.

It can also be provided that the vehicle 10 arranges either the left front side window 14 or the device 15 next to one of the other police officers 6, 7.

In one exemplary embodiment, the predetermined criterion for selecting the stopping points 8, 9 includes an evaluation of the stopping points 8, 9 with regard to the obstruction of further vehicles. This can be implemented, for example, in the control situation in FIG. 5 in such a way that the second stopping point 9 is selected because the secondary road 18 is very narrow and, by selecting the second stopping point 9, the first stopping point 8 which is closer in the direction of travel from a potentially later point controlling vehicle could still be started, whereby at Approach of the first stopping point 8, the second stopping point 9 is blocked by the vehicle 10.

In the third control situation, the other police officers 6, 7 are arranged to the left of the vehicle. This is useful if the traffic situation, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, includes right-hand traffic. In the case of left-hand traffic, a correspondingly mirrored arrangement of the control situations in FIGS. 3 to 5 can be provided. In particular, it can be provided that the vehicle 10 comes to a stop next to the other police officers 6, 7 in such a way that a right front side window is arranged next to the other police officers 6, 7.

Although the invention has been described in detail by the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted to the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Reference list

1 street

2 traffic control

3 policeman

4 ladles

5 stopping place

6 other police officers

7 other policeman

8 first stop

9 second stop

10 vehicle

1 1 control unit

12 sensor

13 system

14 left front side window

15 establishment

16 vehicle trajectory

17 other vehicles

18 side street

19 left vehicle side

20 Flow chart

21 first process step (detection)

22 second process step (determining)

23 third process step (output)

Claims

Expectations

1 . Method for the automated execution of a driving function of a vehicle (10) with the steps:

Detection (21) of a traffic control (2) in front;

Determine (22) a folding location suitable for traffic control (2)

(5);

Outputting (23) a control signal for at least one driving function of the vehicle (10) in such a way that the vehicle (10) controls the stopping point (5) and stops at the stopping point (5).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection (21) and / or the determination (22) is carried out by evaluating a signal from a sensor (12), the sensor (12) being arranged on the vehicle (10).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection (21) of the traffic control lying ahead (2) is carried out by means of object detection.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the detection (21) of the traffic control ahead (2) comprises a situation analysis.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the object detection comprises the evaluation of a camera sensor and / or a LIDAR sensor.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the evaluation of the camera sensor and / or LIDAR sensor, an outline of a trowel (4) and / or a gesture of a policeman (3) is recognized and the outline of the trowel (4) or the gesture the policeman (3) is set in relation to his own vehicle trajectory.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the stopping point (5) is recognized on the basis of a recognized position of another police officer (6, 7).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the stopping point (5) is selected such that the vehicle (10) stops in such a way that a left front side window (14) of the vehicle (10) is arranged next to the other police officer (6, 7) .

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the stopping point (5) is selected such that the vehicle (10) stops in such a way that a device (15) with which voice contact with an external operator of the vehicle (10) can be recorded , next to the other policeman (6, 7) is arranged.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein a plurality of positions

several other police officers (6, 7) are recognized and the stopping point (5) is selected on the basis of a predetermined criterion.

1 1. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined criteria is an off

assessment of the stopping point (5) with regard to the disability of other vehicles.

12. Control device (1 1) for a vehicle (10), wherein the control device (1 1) is set up to perform one of the methods of claims 1 to 1 1.

13. Computer program, comprising commands which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 11.

14. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to claim 13 is stored.