METHOD FOR OPERATING A DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, VEHICLE, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM AND DATA CARRIER SIGNAL

Abstract

A method for operating a driver assistance system in a vehicle including operating the vehicle at an at least partially automated autonomy level by the driver assistance system, providing at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the at least one acoustic transducer is arranged in an interior of the vehicle, registering, by an evaluation unit, whether a vehicle occupant is present, transmitting an acoustic signal through the acoustic transducer, wherein the acoustic signal has a sound power, wherein the sound power is adjusted by the acoustic transducer, wherein the adjustment of the sound power by the acoustic transducer takes place depending on the presence of a vehicle occupant.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. A method for operating a driver assistance system, configured as a parking assistance system, in a vehicle comprising: operating the vehicle at an at least partially automated autonomy level by the driver assistance system; providing at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the at least one acoustic transducer is arranged in an interior of the vehicle; registering, by an evaluation unit, whether a vehicle occupant is present; and transmitting an acoustic signal through the at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the acoustic signal has a sound power that is adjusted by the at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the adjustment of the sound power by the at least one acoustic transducer takes place based at least in part on a presence of a vehicle occupant.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising: opening, at least partially, an openable window of the vehicle performed through the actuation of a window lifter, depending on the adjusted sound power, wherein the actuation is performed by the driver assistance system, and/or at least a partial opening of an openable sliding roof of the vehicle is performed through the actuation of a sliding roof drive apparatus, depending on the adjusted sound power, wherein the actuation is performed by the driver assistance system.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, further comprising: ascertaining whether at least one movable object is acquired by at least one sensor of the vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to acquire movable objects within a surrounding of the vehicle; and effectuating an at least partial opening of at least one window by the window lifter, wherein the at least one window is arranged on the side of the vehicle that faces toward the object.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising: ascertaining whether at least one object is acquired by at least one sensor of the vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to acquire movable objects within a surrounding of the vehicle; and adjusting the sound power based at least in part on one or more of: a distance of the acquired object from the vehicle and a direction of movement of the acquired object with respect to the vehicle.

26. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising: outputting a visual signal by a lighting unit configured to output the visual signal to at least a part of a surrounding of the vehicle.

27. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the driver assistance system is a parking assistance system configured to effect a parking procedure and/or procedure for pulling out of a parking space, and the parking procedure and/or a pulling-out procedure comprises at least two different parking procedures.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least the start of the parking and/or of the pulling out comprises a first parking procedure, maneuvering the vehicle comprises a second parking procedure, and ending the parking and/or pulling out comprises a third parking procedure.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein different acoustic signals are made available for at least two different parking procedures.

30. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the acoustic signal is one or more of a voice output, a sound output, a melody, a tone output, and a warning tone.

31. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the sound power is adjusted depending on at least one surrounding parameter of the vehicle.

32. A driver assistance system in a vehicle configured as a parking assistance system and operate the vehicle at an at least partially automated autonomy level by the driver assistance system, comprising: at least one first operating mode for operating the vehicle at the at least partially automated autonomy level; an evaluation unit configured to register a presence of a vehicle occupant; and at least one acoustic transducer arranged in an interior of the vehicle and configured for a transmission of an acoustic signal with a sound power, wherein the sound power is adjustable by the at least one acoustic transducer, and wherein the sound power can be adjusted by the at least one acoustic transducer based at least in part on a presence of a vehicle occupant.

33. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 32, wherein at least one opened window is provided, wherein the at least one window is configured such that the at least one window can be at least partially opened through the actuation of a window lifter, and wherein the actuation takes place depending on the sound power set by the driver assistance system, and/or an opened sliding roof is provided, wherein the sliding roof is designed in such a way that the sliding roof can be at least partially opened through the actuation of a sliding roof drive apparatus, wherein the actuation takes place depending on the sound power set by the driver assistance system.

34. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 33, further comprising: a sensor configured to acquire at least one movable object within a surrounding of the vehicle, wherein the at least partially opened window is arranged on the side of the vehicle that faces toward the object.

35. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 32, further comprising: a sensor configured to acquire at least one movable object within a vehicle surroundings, wherein the at least one acoustic transducer adjusts the sound power depending on a distance of the acquired object from the vehicle.

36. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 32, further comprising: a sensor configured to acquire at least one movable object within a vehicle surroundings, wherein the at least one acoustic transducer adjusts the sound power based at least in part on a direction of movement of the acquired object with respect to the vehicle.

37. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 32, wherein the acoustic signal is one or more of a voice output, a sound output, a melody, a tone output, and a warning tone.

38. The driver assistance system as claimed in claim 32, wherein the driver assistance system is a parking assistance system.

39. A vehicle, comprising: an interior; and a driver assistance system, comprising: at least one first operating mode for operating the vehicle at the at least partially automated autonomy level; an evaluation unit configured to register a presence of a vehicle occupant; and at least one acoustic transducer arranged in an interior of the vehicle and configured for a transmission of an acoustic signal with a sound power, wherein the sound power is adjustable by the at least one acoustic transducer, and wherein the sound power can be adjusted by the at least one acoustic transducer based at least in part on a presence of a vehicle occupant.

40. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium comprising commands that cause the driver assistance system to: operate the vehicle at an at least partially automated autonomy level by the driver assistance system; provide at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the at least one acoustic transducer is arranged in an interior of the vehicle; register, by an evaluation unit, whether a vehicle occupant is present; transmit an acoustic signal through the at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the acoustic signal has a sound power that is adjusted by the at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the adjustment of the sound power by the at least one acoustic transducer takes place based at least in part on the presence of a vehicle occupant.

41. A data carrier signal that transmits the computer program as claimed in claim 40.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] Further features, properties and advantages of the present invention emerge from the following description with reference to the attached figures. These show, schematically:

[0065] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustration of a vehicle with a driver assistance system designed as a parking assistance system; and

[0066] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method according to one aspect of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0067] Although the invention has been described and illustrated in more detail by a preferred exemplary embodiment, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples. Variations thereof may be derived by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention as is defined by the following patent claims.

[0068] FIG. 1 schematically shows a vehicle 1 with a driver assistance system designed as a parking assistance system according to one aspect of the invention. The parking assistance system 2 comprises sensors 3 that can also be used to survey the parking space. These sensors can comprise a front sensor, a side sensor, or a rear sensor or sensor arrays. The sensors can preferably be designed as ultrasonic sensors. The vehicle 1 further comprises windows 4, wherein the windows 4 are actuated, meaning that they can be opened and closed, by window lifters. The window lifters can here be actuated by the parking assistance system 2. A sliding roof (not shown) with a sliding roof drive apparatus can also be provided, and can again be actuated by the parking assistance system 2.

[0069] An optical lighting unit 5 is further provided, attached to the vehicle 1 and facing out into the vehicle surroundings. The vehicle 1 comprises a plurality of acoustic transducers on the left-hand and right-hand sides designed as interior loudspeakers 6, which are identified here with reference sign 6; left-hand side and right-hand side refer here to being at the driver's door or facing the driver's door, and at the passenger's door on the other side. The interior loudspeakers 6 comprise a regulator for adjusting the volume. The regulator, or a further regulator, can furthermore be designed to adjust the volumes of the left-hand and right-hand side interior loudspeaker 6 separately.

[0070] The parking assistance system 2 furthermore comprises seat sensors 7 that can be installed in the seat, or ultrasonic sensors, for acquiring the presence of a vehicle occupant. The vehicle 1 can furthermore comprise a communication interface for externally connecting to a cloud 8 or to an external server. An update to the method can thus be installed into the vehicle 1 at any time without difficulty.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a method according to one aspect of the invention. In S1 a driver starts an automated parking procedure according to one aspect of the invention in a vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). Such a procedure can be designed as valet parking or trained parking, in which the presence of the driver is not necessary. The parking space can be surveyed for this purpose by sensors 3 (FIG. 1). In S2, the parking assistance system 2 (FIG. 2) of the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1) checks whether there are vehicle occupants inside the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). This is, for example, checked by seat sensors 7 (FIG. 1).

[0072] If one or a plurality of vehicle occupants are present in the vehicle (1 (FIG. 1)), then S3 is executed, and the parking assistance system 2 (FIG. 1) is placed into “a vehicle occupant is present” mode. This means that a sound power of zero, or a heavily limited sound power, is set at the interior loudspeaker 6 (FIG. 1), to protect the vehicle occupants from excessive noise/sound. An indication is nevertheless provided through an optical lighting unit 5 at the external bodywork of the vehicle. A check is made in S4 as to whether the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1) has reached its final parking position. If yes, the method is ended at S9.

[0073] If no, the method is continued in S3 until the final parking position has been reached.

[0074] If no vehicle occupants are present in the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1), then S5 is executed, and the parking assistance system 2 (FIG. 1) is placed into “a vehicle occupant is not present” mode. An indication is provided in S5 through an optical lighting unit 5 at the external bodywork of the vehicle. In a next act S6, the surroundings parameters, that is to say whether or not it is raining, are checked with reference to sensors. In addition, a check is made using a further sensor as to whether road users are located within a vehicle surroundings. The precise position, i.e. whether the road user is on the side facing the driver's side or the side facing the passenger's side, and the distance from the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1), as well as the direction of movement, are acquired. The interior loudspeaker 6 is now adjusted depending on the situation. If a weaker road user is not discovered, then S5 and S6 are carried out again, until the method is ended at S9.

[0075] If a weaker road user is discovered in S7, then the sound power of the interior loudspeaker 6 is set in S8 depending on the ascertained surroundings parameters, the distance and the direction of movement, and, depending on the weather, at least that window side that faces the road user is opened. This means that if a road user is ascertained on the side that faces the driver's side, then in dry weather the window is opened on this side, and the sound power of the interior loudspeaker 6 (FIG. 1) is set on this side with reference to the ascertained parameters.

[0076] Other devices belonging to the vehicle that can effectuate an acoustic output can also be employed for this purpose. If the driver is far away, then a low sound power can be set that grows as the road user gets closer to the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1). Different acoustic signals can, furthermore, be output. If the road user is very close to the parking vehicle, then a loud signal tone/warning tone can, for example, be output. The start of the parking procedure and its end can also be indicated by short signal tones. This can also be supported by a voice output such as “parking procedure started”. A check is made in S9 as to whether the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1) has reached its parking position. If not, S5, S6, S7, and S8 are carried out again in sequence. If the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1) has reached its position, the method is ended at S9.

[0077] The method can be applied to all autonomous driving procedures such as, for example, pulling out of a parking space, driving in a traffic jam, and so forth.

[0078] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto