Sensing an Object in the Surroundings of a Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A system for sensing at least one object in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, includes at least one first sensor for classifying the at least one object, the ability of the at least one first sensor to carry out classification depending on the brightness of the at least one object; at least one second sensor for detecting the at least one object; and at least one actuator for increasing the brightness of the at least one object. The system is designed to increase the brightness of the at least one object by the at least one actuator when the at least one second sensor detects the at least one object and the at least one first sensor cannot classify the at least one object.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A system for sensing at least one object in surroundings of a motor vehicle, the system comprising: at least one first sensor for class allocation of the at least one object, wherein a classification capability of the at least one first sensor depends on a brightness of the at least one object; at least one second sensor for recognizing the at least one object; and at least one actuator for increasing the brightness of the at least one object, wherein the system is configured to increase the brightness of the at least one object by the at least one actuator if the at least one second sensor recognizes the at least one object and the at least one first sensor cannot classify the at least one object.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the system is further configured to reduce the brightness of the at least one object after the brightness of the at least one object has been increased.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one first sensor is a camera.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one second sensor is at least one of a radar sensor or a lidar sensor.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one second sensor is unsuitable for class allocation of the at least one object.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one actuator is a high beam of the motor vehicle, and the system is configured to activate the high beam for increasing the brightness of the at least one object.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to emit a directional light beam, and the system is configured to align the light beam with the at least one object by the at least one actuator for increasing the brightness of the at least one object.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the system is configured to increase the brightness of the at least one object depending on a spatial position of the at least one object.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the system is configured to increase the brightness of the at least one object depending on a spatial position of the motor vehicle.

20. A method for sensing at least one object in surroundings of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: increasing the brightness of the at least one object by at least one actuator if at least one second sensor recognizes the at least one object and at least one first sensor cannot classify the at least one object, wherein the motor vehicle comprises: the at least one first sensor for class allocation of the at least one object, wherein a classification capability of the at least one first sensor depends on the brightness of the at least one object, the at least one second sensor for recognizing the at least one object, and the at least one actuator for increasing the brightness of the at least one object.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG. 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows relevant components for the system according to the invention.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows one exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] FIG. 1 shows one exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for sensing at least one object O1, O2, O3 in the surroundings of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0058] In this case, the at least one object O1, O2 can be situated on the roadway, for example. Alternatively, the at least one object O3 can also be situated next to the roadway. If the at least one object O2 is situated on the roadway, then it can be situated for example in the same lane as the motor vehicle KFZ. Alternatively, the at least one object O1, if it is situated on the roadway, can also be situated in a different lane than the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0059] The system comprises at least one first sensor S1 for class allocation of the at least one object O1, O2, O3. In this case, a classification capability of the at least one first sensor S1 depends on the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3. The sensor range SB1 of the at least one first sensor S1, that is to say the range in which the at least one first sensor S1 can sense objects, is situated for example in the longitudinal direction in front of the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0060] The at least one first sensor S1 is a camera, for example.

[0061] Furthermore, the system comprises at least one second sensor S2 for recognizing the at least one object O1, O2, O3. The sensor range SB2 of the at least one second sensor S2, that is to say the range in which the at least one second sensor S2 can sense objects, is for example likewise situated in the longitudinal direction in front of the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0062] The at least one second sensor S2 is a radar sensor, for example. A radar sensor as the at least one second sensor S2 is not suitable for class allocation of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 since the sensor data of a radar sensor are usually a point cloud of the radar echoes reflected from all objects in the surroundings of the motor vehicle. Therefore, an allocation as to which radar echoes belong to the at least one object O1, O2, O3 is usually not possible or scarcely possible. In particular, no colors or textures of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 can be recognized by means of the point cloud.

[0063] Furthermore, the system comprises at least one actuator A, for increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0064] The at least one actuator A is for example a high beam of the motor vehicle KFZ and the system is configured to activate the high beam A for increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0065] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one actuator A, that is to say for example the high beam of the motor vehicle, is configured to emit a directional light beam. In this case, the system is configured to align the light beam with the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A for increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3. By way of example, a so-called “laser light” is suitable as high beam for emitting a directional light beam.

[0066] The system is configured to increase the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A if the at least one second sensor S2 recognizes the at least one object O1, O2, O3 and the at least one first sensor S1 cannot classify the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0067] In particular, the system is configured to reduce the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 after the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 has been increased, for example after a time period of 0.5 s or 1 s has elapsed.

[0068] Furthermore, the system is configured to increase the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A additionally depending on a spatial position of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 and/or of the motor vehicle KFZ.

[0069] FIG. 2 shows relevant components for the system according to the invention. In this case, the system for sensing at least one object O1, O2, O3 in the surroundings of a motor vehicle KFZ comprises at least one first sensor S1 for class allocation of the at least one object O1, O2, O3. Moreover, the system comprises at least one second sensor S2 for recognizing the at least one object O1, O2, O3, and at least one actuator A for increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0070] The system is configured, for example by a control device SV, to increase the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A if the at least one second sensor S2 recognizes the at least one object O1, O2, O3 and the at least one first sensor S1 cannot classify the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention for sensing at least one object O1, O2, O3 in the surroundings of a motor vehicle KFZ.

[0072] In this case, the motor vehicle comprises at least one first sensor S1 for class allocation of the at least one object O1, O2, O3, at least one second sensor S2 for recognizing the at least one object O1, O2, O3, and at least one actuator A for increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3.

[0073] In this case, one step of the method is recognizing 100 the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one second sensor S2.

[0074] A further step of the method is checking 110 whether the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one first sensor S1, or by the at least one second sensor S2.

[0075] If the at least one object O1, O2, O3 is not classifiable, one step of the method is increasing (120) the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A.

[0076] Increasing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 is effected in particular by activating a high beam of the motor vehicle KFZ, or by aligning a directional light beam with the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one actuator A.

[0077] Afterward, or alternatively if the at least one object O1, O2, O3 was classifiable even without increasing (120) the brightness, one step of the method is classifying 130 the at least one object O1, O2, O3 by the at least one first sensor S1.

[0078] A further step of the method is, in particular, reducing the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 after the brightness of the at least one object O1, O2, O3 has been increased.