VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING DAMAGE TO A VEHICLE

Abstract

A vehicle designed for an automated driving operation may have a ventilation device for ventilating a vehicle interior. A control unit and at least one pressure sensor assembly may be provided. The control unit may be designed to activate the ventilation device and to determine a setpoint pressure value of the air pressure within the vehicle interior while the vehicle interior is closed, to infer damage to a vehicle shell surrounding the vehicle interior. Further, the control unit may block the automated driving operation if it is inferred that there is damage to the vehicle shell. Methods for detecting damage to the vehicle and for operating a vehicle are also provided. A device for carrying out a method for detecting damage to a vehicle and/or for carrying out a method for operating a vehicle to a computer program and to a machine-readable storage medium are also provided.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A vehicle designed for automated driving operations, comprising: a ventilation device for actively ventilating an interior of the vehicle, wherein said ventilation device comprises a control unit and at least one pressure sensor assembly, wherein the control unit is designed for activating the ventilation device and determining a setpoint pressure value for an air pressure arising within the vehicle interior when said vehicle interior is closed, inferring damage to a vehicle shell enclosing the vehicle interior when a specified deviation of a measured pressure value determined by means of the pressure sensor assembly from the setpoint pressure value occurs by a specified amount, and blocking the automated driving operation when it is inferred that there is damage to the vehicle shell.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising a forced-air ventilation system having at least one closable ventilation opening and designed for passively ventilating the vehicle interior.

16. The vehicle according to claim 14, further comprising a communications unit designed for transmitting information relating to the damage to the vehicle shell to a central processing unit external to the vehicle.

17. A method for detecting damage to a vehicle, comprising: a ventilation device for actively ventilating a vehicle interior is activated, a setpoint pressure value for an air pressure arising within the vehicle interior when said vehicle interior is closed is determined as a function of an amount of air fed into the vehicle interior via the ventilation device, determining whether a deviation is present between the measured pressure value and the setpoint pressure value, and when a specified amount of deviation is exceeded, damage to a vehicle shell enclosing a vehicle interior is inferred.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising at least one ventilation opening of a forced air ventilation device implemented for passively ventilating the vehicle interior is closed off prior to activating the ventilation device.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising a type of the damage is determined by comparing the determined deviation to a plurality of specified values of the deviation and saved potential damage types associated with the same.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising providing a computer program comprising commands for causing a computer to perform the method according to claim 17 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising providing a machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

22. A method for operating a vehicle implemented in an automated driving operation, comprising: upon receipt of an order for performing automated travel of the vehicle, the following steps occur: a ventilation device for actively ventilating a vehicle interior is activated, a setpoint pressure value for an air pressure arising within the vehicle interior when said vehicle interior is closed is determined as a function of an amount of air fed into the vehicle interior via the ventilation device, it is determined whether a deviation is present between the measured pressure value and the setpoint pressure value, when a specified amount of deviation is exceeded, damage to a vehicle shell enclosing a vehicle interior is inferred, and the automated driving operation is blocked when it is inferred that there is damage to the vehicle shell.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising at least one ventilation opening of a forced air ventilation device implemented for passively ventilating the vehicle interior is closed off prior to activating the ventilation device.

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising a type of the damage is determined by comparing the determined deviation to a plurality of specified values of the deviation and saved potential damage types associated with the same.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein when it is inferred that the vehicle shell has been damaged, information relating to the damage to the vehicle shell is transmitted to a central processing unit external to the vehicle.

26. The method according to claim 22, further comprising providing a computer program comprising commands for causing a computer to perform the method according to claim 22 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising providing a machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

Description

[0033] Embodiment examples of the invention are explained in greater detail below using a drawing.

[0034] Shown are:

[0035] FIG. 1 a schematic block circuit diagram of a vehicle.

[0036] The single FIG. 1 shows a block circuit diagram of a potential embodiment example of a vehicle 1.

[0037] The vehicle 1 is designed for automated, particularly highly automated, driving operations and comprises a ventilation device 2 for actively ventilating an interior of the vehicle. The vehicle 1 further comprises a forced-air ventilation system 3 having at least one closable ventilation opening 3.1 for passively ventilating the vehicle interior. The vehicle 1 further comprises a control unit 4, a temperature sensor assembly 5, a pressure sensor assembly 6, and a communication unit 7.

[0038] The temperature sensor assembly 5 is implemented for capturing a temperature in the vehicle interior or in the immediate surrounding area of the vehicle 1. The pressure sensor assembly 6 is implemented for capturing an air pressure in the vehicle interior or in the immediate surrounding area of the vehicle 1.

[0039] When the vehicle 1 receives a driving order for automated driving, the control unit 4 first closes the at least one ventilation opening 3.1 of the forced air ventilation device 3. A temperature value T in the vehicle interior and optionally in the surrounding area of the vehicle is further detected by means of the temperature sensor assembly 5, and a pressure value p of the air pressure is detected by means of the pressure sensor assembly 6 and transmitted to the control unit 4.

[0040] In addition, air is fed into the vehicle interior by means of the active ventilation device 2 and the air pressure within the same is thus increased. The control unit 4 uses the amount of air fed into the vehicle interior by means of the ventilation device 2, the transmitted pressure value p, and the transmitted temperature value T to determine an expected setpoint pressure value of the air pressure arising within the vehicle interior when the vehicle interior is closed off.

[0041] Furthermore, a current measured pressure value p.sub.est within the vehicle interior is captured by means of the pressure sensor assembly 6 and also transmitted to the control unit 4. Said unit determines whether a deviation is present between the measured pressure value p.sub.est and the expected setpoint pressure value.

[0042] If a deviation is present and if said deviation exceeds a specified amount, then the control unit 4 infers damage to a vehicle shell enclosing the vehicle interior, for example a damaged windowpane, and blocks automated driving operation.

[0043] In one potential embodiment, a plurality of potential amounts of the deviation are saved together with potential types of damage in the control unit 4, wherein the control unit 4 determines a type of damage by comparing the determined deviation to the plurality of specified amounts of the deviation.

[0044] It is further provided that the communications unit 7 is designed for transmitting information I relating to the damage to the vehicle shell to a central processing unit 8 external to the vehicle, such as a so-called backend server. The processing unit 8 external to the vehicle can then block the vehicle 1 from accepting driving tasks to be performed in a driverless manner, and/or can inform service personnel to assess and/or correct the damage and/or to secure the vehicle 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE INDICATORS

[0045] 1 Vehicle [0046] 2 Ventilation device [0047] 3 Forced air ventilation device [0048] 3.1 Ventilation opening [0049] 4 Control unit [0050] 5 Temperature sensor assembly [0051] 6 Pressure sensor assembly [0052] 7 Communication unit [0053] 8 Processing unit [0054] I Information [0055] p Pressure value [0056] p.sub.est Measured pressure value [0057] T Temperature value