METHOD FOR DETECTING OBJECTS IN A VEHICLE DETECTION FIELD COMPRISING AN INTERIOR AND AN OUTER REGION OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for detecting objects in a first vehicle detection field (10a), which comprises an interior (12) and an outer region (14) of a vehicle (16), by means of a first sensor unit (18a) of the vehicle (16). The method comprises the following steps: Detecting an object in the outer region (14) of the first vehicle detection field (10a) with the first sensor unit (18a) as first detection data; detecting an object in the interior (12) of the first vehicle detection field (10a) with the first sensor unit (18a) as second detection data; and processing the first and second detection data in a computing unit. The invention also relates to a corresponding detection system.

Claims

1. A method for detecting objects in a first vehicle detection field, which comprises an interior and an exterior region of a vehicle, by means of a first sensor unit of the vehicle, the method comprising: detecting an object in the exterior region of the first vehicle detection field with the first sensor unit as first detection data; detecting an object in the interior of the first vehicle detection field with the first sensor unit as second detection data; processing the first and second detection data in a computing unit.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising detecting objects in a second vehicle detection field, which comprises an interior and an exterior region of the vehicle, by at least one second sensor unit of the vehicle, wherein detecting objects in the second vehicle detection field comprises: detecting an object in the exterior region of the second vehicle detection field with the second sensor unit as first detection data; detecting an object in the interior of the second vehicle detection field with the second sensor unit as second detection data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit are arranged opposite one another on two pillars of the same type, of the vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object in the exterior region is in a blind-spot region of the vehicle.

5. The method as claimed claim 1, wherein the object in the interior is an occupant of the vehicle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is arranged on an A-pillar of the vehicle in the interior of the vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is arranged on a B-pillar or C-pillar of the vehicle in the interior of the vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is arranged in a manner such that its vehicle detection field extends from a first vehicle side, at least across the interior, transversely to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to the opposite, second vehicle side into the exterior region.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit has a vehicle detection field which, starting from the respective sensor unit, forms a horizontal detection cone of at least 110 degrees.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein further comprising: providing a driving assistance function based on the detection data by way of a driving assistance system.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is an optical sensor comprising a camera or a laser scanner.

12. A detection system for detecting objects in a first vehicle detection field, which comprises an interior and an exterior region of a vehicle, comprising: a first sensor unit for detecting an object in the exterior region of the first vehicle detection field as first detection data; and detecting an object in the interior of the first vehicle detection field as second detection data; and a computing unit for processing the first and second detection data.

13. A driving assistance system for providing a driving assistance function, comprising a detection system as claimed in claim 12; and a control unit to provide the driving assistance function based on the detection data.

14. A vehicle having a detection system as claimed in claim 12.

Description

[0051] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawing on the basis of preferred embodiments. The features shown may each represent an aspect of the invention both individually and in combination. Features of different exemplary embodiments may be transferred from one exemplary embodiment to another.

[0052] In the figures:

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a vehicle with two sensor units, arranged on a respective A-pillar, with two intersecting vehicle detection fields, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of a vehicle with two sensor units, arranged on a respective A-pillar, with two intersecting vehicle detection fields, according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a vehicle with two sensor units, arranged on a respective A-pillar, with two intersecting vehicle detection fields, according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a symbolic application of a method for detecting objects in one or more vehicle detection fields 10a, 10b, which comprise an interior 12 and an exterior region 14 of a vehicle 16, with or by means of a first sensor unit 18a. The method has the following steps: [0058] step 100: detecting an object in the exterior region 14 of the first vehicle detection field 10a as first detection data with the first sensor unit 18a, and detecting an object in the interior 12 of the first vehicle detection field 10a with the first sensor unit 18a [0059] step 200: processing the first and second detection data with a computing unit or computing system; and possibly [0060] step 300: providing a (safety-relevant) driving assistance function based on the (processed) first and second detection data by way of a driving assistance system.

[0061] It is also possible for two, in particular structurally identical, sensor units to be present, with the result that objects in a second detection field, which comprises a, or the, interior and a, or the, exterior region of the vehicle, are also detected with or by means of a second sensor unit 18b. In this case, step 100 additionally comprises also: detecting an object in the exterior region 14 of the second vehicle detection field 10b as first detection data with the second sensor unit 18b, and detecting an object in the interior 12 of the second vehicle detection field 10b with the second sensor unit 18b.

[0062] According to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, objects in the two vehicle detection fields 10a, 10b are detected as first and second detection data 100 by the first sensor unit 18a with the first vehicle detection field 10a and by the second sensor unit 18b with the second vehicle detection field 10b. The sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged here opposite one another on two pillars of the same type, specifically A-pillars 20a, 20b, of the vehicle 16. The two sensor units 18a, 18b are preferably cameras.

[0063] In principle, all the features that apply to one sensor unit 18a, 18b are also applicable to one or more further, preferably all, sensor units.

[0064] Both sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged in this case in the interior 12 of the vehicle 16 in a manner such that a detection of the interior 12, in particular an occupant detection, and a detection of the exterior region 14, preferably a blind spot detection, are carried out with the respective sensor unit 18a, 18b. The sensor unit 18b on the front passenger side detects in particular the driver's side and its exterior region as the first vehicle side A. The sensor unit 18a on the driver's side preferably detects the side of the front passenger and its exterior region as the second vehicle side B.

[0065] Furthermore, the two sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged on a respective A-pillar 20a, 20b in the interior 12 of the vehicle 16.

[0066] At least one sensor unit 18a, 18b is arranged in a manner such that its vehicle detection field 10a, 10b extends from a first vehicle side A, in particular from the respective A-pillar 20a, 20b of the vehicle 16, at least across the interior 12, transversely to a longitudinal axis L of the vehicle 16, to the opposite, second vehicle side B, preferably to the second A-pillar 20a, 20b of the vehicle 16, into the exterior region 14.

[0067] As shown symbolically in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, each sensor unit 18a, 18b preferably has a vehicle detection field 10a, 10b which, starting from the respective sensor unit 18a, 18b, has a horizontal detection cone of at least 110 degrees. In particular, the vehicle detection fields 10a, 10b illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 have a horizontal detection cone of (approximately) 120 degrees.

[0068] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 differ in terms of their distribution of the vehicle detection fields 10a, 10b.

[0069] According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 1, both sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged in a manner such that they each have a vehicle detection field 10a, 10b, whose horizontal detection cone extends at least from a front corner (here, e.g., from the front light) of the first vehicle side A (on which the sensor unit 18a, 18b is also arranged) up to at least one third of the length of the vehicle 16 (here, e.g., up to the B-pillar 22a, 22b) on the opposite, second vehicle side B. The length of the vehicle 16 is the length along the longitudinal axis L.

[0070] In contrast, according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 2, both sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged in a manner such that they each have a vehicle detection field 10a, 10b, whose horizontal detection cone extends at least from a front corner (here, e.g., from the front light) on the opposite, second vehicle side B (i.e., e.g., on the side B opposite to the side A, on which the sensor unit 18a is also arranged) up to at least two thirds of the length of the vehicle (here, e.g., up to the C-pillar 24a, 24b) on the opposite, second vehicle side B.

[0071] Furthermore, according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 3, both sensor units 18a, 18b are arranged in a manner such that they each have a vehicle detection field 10a, 10b, whose horizontal detection cone extends at least from a central region, disposed on a longitudinal axis L of the vehicle 16, of a front side, or hood front, 26 of the vehicle 16 up to at least one half the length of the vehicle (here, e.g., to between the B-pillar 22a, 22b and the C-pillar 24a, 24b) on the opposite, second vehicle side. The horizontal detection cone particularly preferably extends so far that a respective blind spot can also be detected.

[0072] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show an overlap of the vehicle detection fields 10a, 10b. This overlap can be present in the interior 12 or in the exterior region 14 of the vehicle 16. The redundancies of this double detection increase the quality of the detection data and make them more precise and enable more reliable detection, with the result that safety-enhancing measures can follow from this.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0073] 10a First vehicle detection field of a first sensor unit [0074] 10b Second vehicle detection field of a second sensor unit [0075] 12 Interior of a vehicle [0076] 14 Exterior region of a vehicle [0077] 16 Vehicle [0078] 18a First sensor unit [0079] 18b Second sensor unit [0080] 20a First A-pillar of a vehicle [0081] 20b Second A-pillar of a vehicle [0082] 22a First B-pillar of a vehicle [0083] 22b Second B-pillar of a vehicle [0084] 24a First C-pillar of a vehicle [0085] 24b Second C-pillar of a vehicle [0086] 26 Front or hood front of the vehicle [0087] 100 Detecting at least one vehicle detection field, with at least one respective sensor unit, as detection data [0088] 200 Processing the detection data with a computing system [0089] 300 Setting a safety-relevant vehicle behavior based on the detection data by way of a driving assistance system [0090] L Longitudinal axis of the vehicle [0091] A First side of vehicle [0092] B Second side of vehicle