VEHICLE, SYSTEM AND METHOD USING A VANDALISM DETECTION DEVICE

Abstract

A vehicle includes sensors that monitor at least part of the outer shell of the vehicle. The sensors have monitoring sensors for detecting vandalism. The vehicle has a monitoring system using the monitoring sensors and the monitoring system includes monitoring sensor electronics which are set up to operate the monitoring sensors at least also in the parked state of the vehicle. The vehicle includes automatically closing doors and the sensors have operating sensors for detecting the position of passengers as well as an entry system using the operating sensors, which serves to detect the position of passengers, in order to prevent a jamming of passengers during the automatic closing of the doors. At least one sensor is configured both as an operating sensor and a monitoring sensor and is used both by the monitoring system and also by the entry system.

Claims

1.-18. (canceled)

19. A vehicle with sensors, which monitor at least part of the outer shell of the vehicle, wherein the sensors comprise monitoring sensors for the detection of vandalism, and the vehicle comprises a monitoring system using the monitoring sensors and the monitoring system comprises monitoring sensor electronics which are set up to operate the monitoring sensors at least also in the parked state of the vehicle, and the vehicle comprises automatically closing doors and the sensors comprise operating sensors for detecting the position of passengers, and the vehicle has an entry system using the operating sensors, which serves to detect the position of passengers, in order to prevent a jamming of passengers during the automatic closing of the doors, wherein at least one sensor is configured both as operating sensor and also as monitoring sensor and is used both by the monitoring system and also by the entry system.

20. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the monitoring system comprises an activation device, which can bring about the switching on of cameras and/or the emitting of an audible acoustic alarm or a silent alarm and/or the switching on of a lighting.

21. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the monitoring sensors have a detection zone, which is adapted to the outer contour of the outer shell of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the monitoring sensors have a detection zone, which is configured so that a crawling underneath of the vehicle is detected.

23. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the vehicle is a bus with electric drive, and comprises a drive battery chargeable in a contactless manner by means of charging electronics, and the monitoring sensors serve to protect the charging electronics.

24. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the vehicle comprises an interfering contour detection system using the monitoring sensors.

25. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the sensors are arranged externally on the outer shell of the vehicle.

26. The vehicle according to claim 19, wherein the sensors act by radar and/or optically.

27. A method for monitoring a vehicle, above all for the prevention of vandalism and/or for the reconnaissance of cases of vandalism, wherein at least part of the outer shell of the vehicle is monitored by sensors, wherein the outer shell is at least also monitored outside the operating times of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises automatically closing doors and an entry system and for the method at least one sensor is used, which during the operating times of the vehicle is also or exclusively used for the entry system as operating sensor, for detecting the position of passengers.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein for the at least partial monitoring of the outer shell of the vehicle, operating sensors and additionally installed monitoring sensors are used.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] The disclosure is explained more closely with the aid of the following figures. These are to be understood as only by way of example and are not to limit the disclosure to the example embodiments which are shown.

[0048] There are shown:

[0049] FIG. 1 additionally installed sensors or respectively a schematic lateral illustration of a first example embodiment of a vehicle according to the disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 2 the use of the operating sensors used by the entry system or respectively a portion of a second example embodiment of a vehicle according to the disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 3 a view as in FIG. 1 with further details; and

[0052] FIG. 4 a view as in FIG. 2 with further details.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] In FIGS. 1 and 3, a first example embodiment is shown, schematically from the side, of a vehicle 1 according to the disclosure, and namely a bus. The vehicle has wheels which are omitted for the sake of easier representation in the figures. The sensors 2, 3 of the vehicle 1 monitor at least part of the outer shell 5 of the vehicle 1.

[0054] Only a lateral area 21 of the outer shell 5 of the vehicle 1 is shown in the figures.

[0055] The sensors 2, 3 comprise monitoring sensors 29, 30 for the detection of vandalism, which are at least also in operation outside the operating times of the vehicle 1.

[0056] The monitoring system 6 of the vehicle 1, using the monitoring sensors 29, 30, which is in operation outside the operating times of the vehicle, prevents vandalism and serves for the reconnaissance of vandalism cases, is illustrated schematically for instance in FIG. 3. The monitoring system 6 comprises monitoring sensor electronics 7, which are set up to operate the monitoring sensors 29, 30 at least also outside the operating times of the vehicle. The monitoring system 6 comprises an activation device 16, which is set up to bring about the switching on of cameras and/or the emitting of an audible acoustic alarm or a silent alarm and/or the switching on of a lighting.

[0057] The vehicle has doors 18 (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3), which respectively define a door region.

[0058] The monitoring sensors 29, 30 have respectively a detection zone 10, 11, which is configured so that a crawling underneath of the vehicle 1 is detected and which reaches to the ground 24 on which the vehicle 1 is standing. This serves for the protection of the charging electronics of the vehicle 1. Moreover, the detection zones 10, 11 are respectively adapted to the outer contour of the outer shell 5 of the vehicle 1 and are greater than a door region. The detection zone 10, 11 of the monitoring sensors 29, 30 also comprises respectively the door region and is adapted to the outer shell 5 or respectively to the outer contour 22 of the outer shell of the vehicle 1, by extending along two edges 23 of the lateral area 21 of the outer shell 5. The two detection zones 10, 11 shown in FIG. 3 overlap one another in an overlapping region 14 and cover the lateral area 21 of the outer shell 5 together to more than 90%. The two monitoring sensors 29, 30 shown in FIG. 3 therefore monitor the lateral area 21 of the outer shell to a proportion of more than 90%.

[0059] A further example embodiment is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The same reference numbers designate the same components here. In this respect, reference is to be made to the above description. The vehicle 1 of the second example embodiment likewise has the sensors 2, 3, 29, 30 of the first example embodiment (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 4). In the following, only the differences with respect to the first example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 are presented.

[0060] Beyond the sensors shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the vehicle of the second example embodiment has further sensors 4 in the form of operating sensors 26, which are in operation at least also during the operating times of the vehicle 1, for the detection of the position of passengers. One of these sensors 4, 26 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0061] The vehicle 1 of the second example embodiment comprises an entry system in the form of an entry system 8. The sensor used by the entry system is an external sensor 25. Like all other sensors shown in the figures, it is arranged on the vehicle, outside the vehicle. FIG. 2 shows the two door wings 19, the door course 20 and the external sensor 25.

[0062] The operating sensor 4, 26, used by the entry system 8, is used in a multiple manner and is also a monitoring sensor 31, used by the monitoring system 6, for the detection of vandalism. The detection zone 13 of the sensor 4, 26, 31 of the monitoring system 6, also used by the entry system 8, is adapted to the respective door region 12. The entry system 8 comprises entry sensor electronics 9 which are set up to operate the sensor 4, 26, 31 of the monitoring system 6, also used by the entry system 8, in the operating times of the vehicle 1.

[0063] The monitoring system 6 of the second example embodiment of the vehicle uses the sensor 4, 26, 31, present in any case, also used by the entry system 8, and the additionally installed sensors 2, 3, 29, 30, shown in particular in FIG. 3. The sensor 4, 26, 31 shown in FIG. 4 serves, during the operating time of the vehicle 1, for the detection of the position of passengers, and serves outside the operating time of the vehicle for the detection of vandalism. As this sensor 4, 26, 31 is a sensor which is already present in any case, used by the entry system 8, its further use reduces the additional expenditure which is involved with the monitoring system 6.

[0064] All the sensors 6 shown in the figures act in a contactless manner and guarantee a non-imaging detection, and are arranged externally on the outer shell of the vehicle 1. The sensors operate optically, by means of laser technology.

[0065] The vehicles 1 of both example embodiments which are shown comprise a sensor evaluation device 15, operatively connected to the sensors 2, 3, 4, 26, 29, 30, 31, by means of which device a differentiation can be made between objects which move past the vehicle 1, and those which damage the vehicle. The activation device 16 is operatively connected to the sensor evaluation device 15. The monitoring system 6 has an alarm arrangement 17 for emitting an audible acoustic alarm and a silent alarm, which alarm arrangement is able to be activated by the activation device 16. Unlike as illustrated in the figures, the monitoring sensor electronics 7, the sensor evaluation device 15, the activation device 16 and the alarm arrangement 17 can be devices which are separate from one another.

[0066] In addition to the monitoring system 6 using the monitoring sensors 29, 30, 31, the vehicles 1 of both example embodiments have an interfering contour detection system, likewise using the monitoring sensors 29, 30, 31. Hereby, in the case of an oncoming approach of the vehicle 1, interfering contours can be detected (underground train surfers, suburban train surfers or dragged-along objects).

[0067] FIGS. 1 and 3 or respectively 2 and 4 also show two example embodiments of a monitoring system 6. The first example embodiment of the monitoring system 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 comprises the two sensors 2, 3, 29, 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, which monitor part of the outer shell 5 of the vehicle 1. In the second example embodiment of the monitoring system 6 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the monitoring system 6 uses, in addition to the two sensors 2, 3, 29, 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, also the sensor 4, 26, 31 of the BMU 8 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0068] FIGS. 1 to 4 also show an example embodiment of the method. In this method for monitoring the vehicle 1, part of the outer shell 5 of the vehicle 1 is monitored with sensors 2, 3, 4, 29, 30, 31, and by means of the monitoring system 6 at least also outside the operating times of the vehicle 1.