Surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle, includes a separating device configured to separate a total vehicle surroundings model into a static vehicle surroundings model based on a first look-ahead distance and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model based on a second look-ahead distance. A first real-time computing device is configured to calculate the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance within a maximum response time. A second real-time computing device is configured to calculate the static vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the second look-ahead distance with a characteristic response time. A situation analysis device is configured to change the separation process on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model.

Claims

1. A surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle, comprising: a separating device configured to separate a total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated into a static vehicle surroundings model based on a first look-ahead distance and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model based on a second look-ahead distance; a first real-time computing device configured to calculate the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance within a maximum response time; a second real-time computing device configured to calculate the static vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the second look-ahead distance with a characteristic response time; and a situation analysis device configured to change the separation process on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the situation analysis device is configured to change the separation process on the basis of a comparison of a predicted first response time of the first real-time computing device with a first threshold for the maximum response time and/or on the basis of a comparison of a predicted second response time of the second real-time computing device with a second threshold for the characteristic response time.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first real-time computing device comprises a plurality of control blocks and/or wherein the second real-time computing device comprises a plurality of control blocks.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of the control blocks of the first real-time computing device comprises a chain and/or wherein the plurality of the control blocks of the second real-time computing device comprises a chain.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first real-time computing device is configured to calculate the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance of up to 200 meters within a maximum response time of up to 10 seconds.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first real-time computing device is configured to output a calculated total surroundings model and/or a calculated trajectory planning on the basis of the dynamic vehicle surroundings model with a first calculation cycle of up to 5 seconds.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second real-time computing device is configured to output a calculated total surroundings model and/or a calculated trajectory planning on the basis of the static vehicle surroundings model with a second calculation cycle of up to 10 seconds and with a range of up to 1000 meters.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first real-time computing device is configured to calculate the dynamic vehicle surroundings model with a first integrity level, and wherein the second real-time computing device is configured to calculate the static vehicle surroundings model with a second integrity level.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first integrity level is higher than the second integrity level.

10. A surroundings modeling method for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle, wherein the method comprises: separating a total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated into a static vehicle surroundings model based on a first look-ahead distance and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model based on a second look-ahead distance with the aid of a separating device; calculating the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance within a maximum response time with the aid of a first real-time computing device; calculating the static vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the second look-ahead distance within a characteristic response time with the aid of a second real-time computing device; and changing the separation process of the total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model utilizing a situation analysis device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example of the present invention; and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a flow diagram of a surroundings modeling model for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES

(4) Unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals designate elements, parts, components or method steps which are similar or have a similar function in the figures of the drawings.

(5) The motor vehicle or respectively vehicle is, for example, a motor vehicle or a hybrid motor vehicle such as a motorcycle, a car, a bus, a truck, a rail vehicle, a ship, an aircraft such as a helicopter or airplane, or, for example, a bicycle.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a surroundings modeling device 100 for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example.

(7) The surroundings modeling device 100 for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle comprises a separating device 10, a first real-time computing device 20, a second real-time computing device 30, and a situation analysis device 40.

(8) The separating device 10 is configured to separate a total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated into a static vehicle surroundings model based on a first look-ahead distance and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model based on a second look-ahead distance.

(9) The first real-time computing device 20 is configured to calculate the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance within a maximum response time.

(10) The second real-time computing device 30 is configured to calculate the static vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the second look-ahead distance with a characteristic response time.

(11) The situation analysis device 40 is configured to change the separation process on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a surroundings modeling device for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example.

(13) FIG. 2 shows a schematic overview of the device 100. Blocks having hard real-time requirements are represented by dashes, while blocks having soft real-time requirements are represented with a continuous line. The device 1 can be referred to as a hybrid calculation system for a driver assistance system, since two different real-time computing devices are used.

(14) Here, the blocks or respectively the control blocks have, for example, the following functions:

(15) Surroundings sensor technology 1 can monitor and provide data, for example sensor data, for a total vehicle surroundings model which is to be calculated.

(16) The total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated can have a minimum surroundings model 3 in a rapid safety path.

(17) A situation analysis device in the form of block 4 can be configured to change the separation process on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model.

(18) A control block in the form of block 5 can be coupled to the situation analysis device 40 in the form of block 4 and can be configured to intervene in the separation process of the total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated into a static vehicle surroundings model and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model.

(19) This means that the situation analysis device 40 can be configured to displace proportions to be calculated, in a distributed manner, to the real-time computing devices or to alter said proportions, in order to observe a maximum response time with the hard real-time system.

(20) In other words, instead of a comprehensive result of the non-hard real-time capable second real-time computing device 30, which result is to be calculated in an elaborate manner, a calculable result of the non-hard real-time capable second real-time computing device 30 or a stored result of the first real-time computing device 20 is used.

(21) A supervising block in the form of block 6 can supervise these alterations.

(22) A situation analysis block 9 can be configured to provide a dynamic control of the trajectory with an increased look-ahead distance.

(23) The chain of functions for a current ADAS system, e.g., an emergency brake assist (EBA) function which is purely based on dynamic objects, would be formed by the blocks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which all have to fulfil hard real-time requirements and are assigned to the first real-time computing device 20, since these calculations have to be performed within a maximum response time.

(24) In this case, an amended combination of the blocks can be used or a switch can be made to static surroundings information of the second path or respectively of the second chain.

(25) The standard path for functions having a high degree of automation is formed by the blocks 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 6.

(26) A trajectory having a temporal look-ahead of multiple seconds or respectively a spatial look-ahead of multiple 100 m is calculated or respectively planned by the blocks 1, 2, 7, 8.

(27) This trajectory is, for example, subsequently moved along by a control having hard real-time requirements in the form of the situation analysis block 9.

(28) The aim of this chain of functions is, for example, to provide a convenient normal driving function. In this case, it is assumed, for example, that in most cases a convenient trajectory can be planned both longitudinally and transversely with a high look-ahead of, for example, up to 10 s or up to 1000 m.

(29) To this end, the conduct of other road users is, for example, predicted and a vehicle response at low acceleration, that is to say a large safety buffer, is calculated. This conduct corresponds, for example, to a human driver who drives, for example, economically and/or in a manner focused on comfort.

(30) In this case, the blocks 3 and 7 are distinguished, for example, by the scale of the surroundings model. The surroundings model in block 3 is, for example, kept to a minimum and, in addition to ADAS functions, only allows emergency operation, while block 7, which has a large scale and look-ahead distance, supports the entire function setup, including, for example, changing lanes.

(31) The trajectory output by block 8 is, as a general rule, less time-critical due to the high look-ahead. If it is now envisaged in this control block 9 that, in particular, dynamic objects are additionally received from the hard real-time capable block 3, a particular system constellation can be achieved compared with non-hybrid driver assistance systems.

(32) For example, both the surroundings model 7 and the trajectory planning 8 can be easily predicted and are therefore less time-critical than, e.g., an EBA intervention, due to the large look-ahead and due to the predominantly static content in a block such as the control 9.

(33) It can be, for example, that in the case of a look-ahead of 5 s, the trajectory of the trajectory planning is output with a cycle of 1 s; in this constellation an output which is 50 ms too late would not be relevant.

(34) The controller would then be updated, for example, in the case of a look-ahead of only 3950 ms instead of 4000 ms, thus obtaining a sufficient safety margin from idling of the input data of the controller.

(35) In a normal situation, block 9 therefore simply regulates, for example, the obtained trajectory. In order to be able to respond to dynamic situations such as, e.g., suddenly before a braking vehicle, block 9 additionally contains a situation analysis for dynamic objects.

(36) Since said situation analysis is, for example, provided by the hard real-time capable path via block 3, it is at all times ensured that it is possible to react sufficiently quickly to a dynamic alteration in the driving situation such as, for example, in the case of emergency braking or in the event of another vehicle suddenly going back into a lane.

(37) The block 6 takes over, for example, the supervision of the system and the changeover to the emergency path, if a malfunction or an unexpected event occurs on the main path. To this end, in addition to the control variables, block 6 receives, for example, the current length of the trajectory, on which the control specification is based, from block 9.

(38) If the length of the trajectory falls below a first threshold, e.g., 3.5 s, the supervisory system outputs a warning. This warning can, e.g., prompt the driver to take over via the HMI. If the trajectory falls below a second threshold value, the supervisory block 6 changes over to the safety path after a time interval of 2 s, for example.

(39) The safety path via block 4 and block 5 can be active, for examplepossibly for the entire usage time, which is also referred to as a hot standby. The safety path can additionally be activated by the supervisory system in the form of block 6, as soon as the length of the trajectory received by block 9 falls below a threshold, for example a threshold of 3.5 s is used.

(40) The result of this is that the blocks 2, 7 and 8 can also be executed with a system with soft real-time requirements, with which an operating system such as, for example, embedded Linux can also be used.

(41) This offers corresponding advantages in terms of the development effort and, due to the large range of functions of the operating system available to the runtime such as, e.g., network or respectively communications stack and file systems for persistent data storage, the possibility of automatic updates.

(42) The blocks 2, 7, and 8 are, for example, assigned to the second real-time computing device 30, since these calculations of the blocks 2, 7 and 8 simply have to be performed with a characteristic response time.

(43) The requirements for the functional safety can be reduced for the soft real-time capable chain, by constructing the hard real-time capable chain 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 such that the chain safeguards against accidents occurring, while accepting a possibly uncomfortable control.

(44) The static information of the surroundings model 7 can, in this case, be additionally made available to the situation analysis 4. If the surroundings model 7 fails, data with a relatively high look-ahead distance are still available to the situation analysis 4.

(45) It could be assumed, e.g., by the device 100 that, in the case of data which are received too late by more than, for example, 200 ms, the surroundings model 7 has failed. In this case, the emergency path of the chain 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 would take over.

(46) The remaining look-ahead distance of, for example, 3800 ms is used to reduce the vehicle speed to such an extent that safe operation of the vehicle until the driver takes over or respectively until a safe condition is reached is possible, even with the small look-ahead distance of the remaining path.

(47) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a flow diagram of a surroundings modeling method for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle according to one embodiment example of the present invention.

(48) The surroundings modeling method for a driver assistance system for a motor vehicle may include, at s1, separating a total vehicle surrounds model into a static vehicle surroundings model based on a first look-ahead distance and a dynamic vehicle surroundings model based on a second look-ahead distance with the aid of a separating device 10.

(49) The method may also include, at S2, calculating the dynamic vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the first look-ahead distance within a maximum response time with the aid of a first real-time computing device 20.

(50) The method may further include, at S3, calculating the static vehicle surroundings model on the basis of the second look-ahead distance within a characteristic response time with the aid of a second real-time computing device 30.

(51) The method may also include, at S4, changing the separation process of the total vehicle surroundings model to be calculated on the basis of an analysis of the total vehicle surroundings model by means of a situation analysis device 40.

(52) Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiment examples, it is not limited to these, but can be modified in a variety of ways. In particular, the present invention can be altered or modified in various ways, without deviating from the basic invention.

(53) In addition, it is pointed out that the wording comprising and having does not exclude any other elements or steps and a does not exclude a plurality.

(54) It is additionally pointed out that features or steps, which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiment examples, can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiment examples described above.