METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE AND A PARKING LOT

Abstract

A method for operating a vehicle, the vehicle driving autonomously in a parking lot and emitting at least one signal to its environment during its autonomous travel to signal to the environment that it is driving autonomously. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a parking lot, to a device for operating a vehicle, a device for operating a parking lot, to a vehicle, a device, a parking lot, and to a computer program.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A method for operating a vehicle, the method comprising: providing for the vehicle to drive autonomously in a parking lot; and emitting at least one signal to an environment of the vehicle during its autonomous travel to signal to the environment that the vehicle is driving in an autonomous manner.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the emitting of the at least one signal includes a signal being emitted via a communications network.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is emitted if at least one of (i) an environmental sensor system of the vehicle has detected an object in the environment of the vehicle, and (ii) the vehicle receives an off-board warning signal which includes the information that an object is located in the environment of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the emitting of the at least one signal includes at least one of a horn signal of a vehicle horn and a light signal of an external lighting system of the vehicle is emitted.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein when the light signal is a light signal of a hazard flashing light of the vehicle emitted by a turn signal lamp of the external lighting system of the vehicle, the turn signal lamp is switched off for a predefined time prior to a parking or an unparking operation and/or prior to a turning operation of the vehicle so that, once the predefined time has elapsed, a change in direction of the vehicle, allocated to the parking or unparking operation or to the turning operation, is able to be signaled to the environment with the turn signal lamp.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is a positional signal which includes the information of a current position of the vehicle and/or which includes a route signal that includes the information of a planned route of the vehicle in the parking lot.

23. A method for operating a parking lot, the method comprising: performing a signaling measure; wherein the signaling measure is signaled to an environment of a vehicle driving autonomously in the parking lot that the vehicle is driving in the parking lot in an autonomous manner.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the execution of the signaling measure provides that before the autonomous driving commences, a lighting system for emitting a light signal is mounted on the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the execution of the signaling measure provides that the vehicle is illuminated during its autonomous travel in the parking lot, at least during a portion of the autonomous travel.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the execution of the signaling measure provides that an acoustic signal is emitted which is able to acoustically signal to persons that the autonomously driving vehicle is driving in the parking lot.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the execution of the signaling measure provides that at least an information sign and/or a warning sign is/are mounted on the vehicle before the autonomous travel commences.

28. A device for operating a vehicle, comprising: a guidance device for autonomously guiding the vehicle; a signaling device for emitting a signal; and a control device, which is configured to control the signaling device during an autonomous travel of the vehicle so that it emits at least one signal to an environment of the vehicle to signal to the environment that the vehicle is driving in an autonomous manner.

29. A vehicle, comprising: a device for operating the vehicle, including: a guidance device for autonomously guiding the vehicle; a signaling device for emitting a signal; and a control device, which is configured to control the signaling device during an autonomous travel of the vehicle so that it emits at least one signal to an environment of the vehicle to signal to the environment that the vehicle is driving in an autonomous manner.

30. A device for operating a parking lot, comprising: an infrastructure configured to execute a signaling measure; wherein the signaling measure includes signaling to an environment of a vehicle driving autonomously in the parking lot that the vehicle is driving in the parking lot in an autonomous manner.

31. A parking lot, comprising: an apparatus configured for operating a parking lot by performing the following: performing a signaling measure; wherein the signaling measure is signaled to an environment of a vehicle driving autonomously in the parking lot that the vehicle is driving in the parking lot in an autonomous manner.

32. A computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising: a program code arrangement having program code for operating a vehicle, by performing the following: providing for the vehicle to drive autonomously in a parking lot; and emitting at least one signal to an environment of the vehicle during its autonomous travel to signal to the environment that the vehicle is driving in an autonomous manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method for operating a vehicle.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for operating a parking lot.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a device for operating a vehicle.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a vehicle.

[0060] FIG. 5 shows a device for operating a parking lot.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows a parking lot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method for operating a vehicle.

[0063] In a step 101, the vehicle drives in a parking lot in an autonomous manner. In a step 103, the vehicle sends at least one signal to its environment during its autonomous travel in order to signal to the environment that it is driving autonomously.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method for operating a parking lot.

[0065] In a step 201, a signaling measure is carried out so that, in a step 203, it is signaled to an environment of a vehicle driving autonomously in the parking lot that the vehicle is driving in an autonomous manner in the parking lot.

[0066] FIG. 3 shows a device 301 for operating a vehicle. Device 301 includes a guidance device 303, which is configured to guide the vehicle autonomously, in particular to guide it in a parking lot. Device 301 furthermore includes a signaling device 305 for emitting a signal. In addition, device 301 includes a control device 307, which is configured to control signaling device 305 during the autonomous travel of the vehicle in such a way that it emits at least one signal to an environment of the vehicle in order to signal to the environment that the vehicle is driving autonomously. Signaling device 305, for example, includes a vehicle horn and/or a vehicle external lighting system.

[0067] In other words, if control unit 307 detects or senses that the vehicle is driving in the parking lot autonomously with the aid of guidance device 303, control device 307 controls signaling device 305 accordingly.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a vehicle 401, which is configured to carry out the method for operating a vehicle. In particular, vehicle 401 includes device 301 from FIG. 3. Vehicle 401, for example, includes an environmental sensor system for sensing an environment of vehicle 401. The sensed environment may be used as the basis for guiding the vehicle with the aid of guidance device 303.

[0069] FIG. 5 shows a device 501 for operating a parking lot.

[0070] Device 501 includes an infrastructure 503, which is configured to carry out a signaling measure in order to signal to an environment of a vehicle driving autonomously in a parking lot that the vehicle is driving in the parking lot in an autonomous manner.

[0071] In one specific embodiment, infrastructure 503 includes a lighting system, which is configured to illuminate the vehicle while it is driving autonomously in the parking lot during a portion of the autonomous travel and to illuminate it specifically during the entire autonomous travel.

[0072] In another specific embodiment, the infrastructure includes a loudspeaker system for emitting an acoustic signal, in particular an acoustic announcement.

[0073] FIG. 6 shows a parking lot 601, which is set up to execute the method for operating a parking lot. Parking lot 601 includes device 501 from FIG. 5, for instance.

[0074] That is to say, the present invention specifically encompasses the thought of making it clear to an environment of an autonomously driving vehicle that the vehicle is traveling in an autonomous manner (also referred to as fully automatic), or in other words, is driving in the parking lot autonomously, in particular. This is done especially when the autonomously traveling vehicle, which particularly is an AVP vehicle, is driving autonomously from the drop-off position (also known as drop-off zone) to the parking position, and especially when the autonomously driving vehicle is parking in the parking position or is leaving the parking position, and in particular also when it is driving autonomously from the parking position back to the drop-off zone or the drop-off position.

[0075] Thus, in order to make it clear to the environment of the vehicle that the vehicle is moving in the parking lot in an autonomous manner, the following actions or signaling measures are used for the identification, either individually or in any possible combination: [0076] A regular operation of the horn by the AVP vehicle; [0077] Use of the horn if the AVP vehicle detects an object (such as a vehicle, person, animal or “unknown”) [0078] with the aid of the own vehicle sensor system (also termed environmental sensor system) and/or [0079] with the aid of the parking lot management system, which in turns informs the vehicle accordingly. [0080] Regular “flashing” of the vehicle lights by the AVP vehicle; [0081] “Flashing” of the vehicle lights when the AVP vehicle detects an object (such as a vehicle, person, animal or “unknown”) [0082] with the aid of its own vehicle sensor system, [0083] the parking lot management system, which in turn informs the vehicle accordingly, [0084] Emission of an electronic signal (e.g., via WLAN) with a message such as “Here comes an AVP vehicle” (which may include the current position and the scheduled path or route). [0085] Temporarily mounting a warning light or an information light (e.g., on the roof) beginning at the drop-off zone, which is able to be switched off by the parking lot management system, which may be during the parking operation, e.g., via WLAN. [0086] An “illumination” of the AVP vehicle by a parking lot infrastructure (e.g., lighting means that are controlled by the parking lot management (generally the device for operating a parking lot, in particular the control device)), [0087] Announcements by loudspeaker by the parking lot management system (e.g., “Attention, an AVP vehicle is underway on level 3”) [0088] Mounting one or more magnetic, and which may be very noticeable information/warning sign(s) on the AVP vehicle at the drop-off zone (e.g., with the writing “Attention, AVP vehicle”). [0089] Turned-on hazard flashing light in the AVP vehicle during the autonomous driving.

[0090] Prior to a parking operation or prior to a turning operation, the hazard flashing light may be turned off for a period of time so that the AVP vehicle is able to indicate the change in direction by the blinker.