Method for detecting a contact event on the outer shell of a vehicle and vehicle with a sensor device for detecting contact events on the outer shell of the vehicle

Abstract

With a method for detecting a contact event on the outer shell of a vehicle, wherein at least one structure-borne sound signal is detected by means of a structure-borne sound sensor, the detected structure-borne sound signal is evaluated by an evaluation device, and wherein the vehicle comprises a number of structure-borne sound sensors, it is provided as essential to the invention that each of the structure-borne sound sensors is associated with an area of the vehicle outer shell via a structure-borne sound conducting link, that an evaluation device is used to ascertain, by which of the structure-borne sound sensors respectively, a structure-borne sound signal has been detected, that conclusions are drawn from the association of the structure-borne sound sensors as to the area of the vehicle outer shell which has been touched, and that conclusions are drawn from the area of the vehicle shell which has been touched, as to the kind of underlying contact.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a contact event on the outer shell of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a number of structure-borne sound sensors, the method comprising: associating each of the structure-borne sound sensors with a respective area of the vehicle outer shell, associating the respective area of the vehicle outer shell with a type of contact, detecting at least one structure-borne sound signal by at least one of the structure-borne sound sensors, ascertaining which of the structure-borne sound sensors has detected the at least one structure-borne sound signal, determining from the association of the structure-borne sound sensors as to the area of the vehicle outer shell which has been touched, and determining directly from the area of the vehicle outer shell, which has been touched, as to the type of underlying contact, wherein for an exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with a roof and/or a front bonnet and/or a tailgate, the conclusion drawn is damage due to vandalism, and wherein for an exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with bumpers and/or a lower door area, the conclusion drawn is ramming damage.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for a stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with the roof and/or the front bonnet and/or the tailgate and/or the bumpers and/or the door area, the conclusion drawn is damage to the outer shell of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein if a contact is determined in case of a locked vehicle, a message is transmitted to a previously determined mobile phone.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the message to be transmitted is stored on the vehicle side in case a connection of the vehicle with the internet cannot be established, and the message is transmitted to the determined mobile phone as soon as a connection of the vehicle to the internet is established.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if damage through vandalism is established, a control signal is emitted by a control device of the vehicle for actuating a signalling device, for example a hazard warning light and/or the horn.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a message with information about the contact event is transmitted to an external facility.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of structure-borne sound sensors are associated with an area on the outer shell of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of structure-borne sound sensors by which a structure-borne sound signal has been detected on the outer shell of the vehicle, is ascertained by the evaluation device, and from the ascertained number of structure-borne sound sensors, a conclusion is drawn as to the intensity of the contact which was the underlying cause of the structure-borne sound signal.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a structure-borne sound signal is detected by at least two structure-borne sound sensors, at least one signal amplitude of the structure-borne sound signal is determined by an evaluation device, the signal propagation times of the structure-borne sound signal is determined on each of the structure-borne sound sensors, by which the structure-borne sound signal was detected, and from the signal amplitudes and the signal propagation times, a conclusion is drawn as to the location of impact and the resulting severity of the accident of a contact of an object with the outer shell of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle with a sensor device for detecting contact events on the outer shell of the vehicle, wherein the sensor device comprises structure-borne sound sensors and at least one evaluation device for evaluating the detected structure-borne sound signals associated therewith, wherein a plurality of areas of the outer shell of the vehicle are respectively associated with a type of contact, each of the structure-borne sound sensors is associated with respective one of the plurality of areas of the outer shell of the vehicle by way of a structure-borne sound conducting connection and detects a structure-borne sound signal, the evaluation device is used to ascertain which of the structure-borne sound sensors has detected the structure-borne sound signal, the evaluation device determines from the association of the structure-borne sound sensors as to the area of the vehicle outer shell which has been touched, and the evaluation device determines directly from the area of the vehicle outer shell, which has been touched, as to the type of underlying contact, wherein for an exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with a roof and/or a front bonnet and/or a tailgate, the conclusion drawn is damage due to vandalism, and wherein for an exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with bumpers and/or a lower door area, the conclusion drawn is ramming damage.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the evaluation device is connected with a signalling device of the vehicle in a control-signal conducting manner.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle comprises a transmission device for transmitting a message to a mobile phone and/or an external facility.

13. A method for detecting a contact event on the outer shell of a vehicle having a roof, a front bonnet, bumpers, tailgate and a lower door area, wherein the vehicle comprises a number of structure-borne sound sensors, the method comprising: associating the number of the structure-borne sound sensors respective with a plurality of areas of the vehicle outer shell, the plurality of areas being associated with the roof, the front bonnet, the bumpers, the tailgate and the lower door area, associating the respective area of the vehicle outer shell with a type of contact, detecting at least one structure-borne sound signal by at least one of the structure-borne sound sensors, ascertaining which of the structure-borne sound sensors has detected the at least one structure-borne sound signal, determining from the association of the structure-borne sound sensors as to the area of the vehicle outer shell which has been touched, determining directly from the area of the vehicle outer shell, which has been touched, as to the type of underlying contact, for an exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with the roof and/or the front bonnet and/or the tailgate, determining that damage is due to vandalism, and for the exclusive stimulation of the structure-borne sound sensors associated with the bumpers and/or the lower door area, determining that the damage is ramming damage.

Description

(1) The invention will now be explained further by way of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, in which, in detail:

(2) Sole FIGURE: shows a schematic flow diagram illustrating the method according to the invention.

(3) The sole FIGURE is a schematic illustration of a flow sequence according to the invention. A structure-borne sound signal generated by a contact is detected 1 by means of a structure-borne sound sensor. The structure-borne sound sensors arranged on the vehicle are each associated with a certain area of the outer shell of the vehicle. The detected structure-borne sound signals are evaluated 2 by means of an evaluation device. Due to associating a structure-borne sound sensor to a defined area of the vehicle outer shell it is possible to determine 3 the area of the vehicle outer shell which was contacted. Certain types of contact are associated 4 with certain areas of the outer shell of the vehicle. For example, vandalism damage is in the main caused on the engine bonnet, the tailgate, the roof area and the upper area of doors, whilst tailgating damage, such as incurred during parking, more likely occurs on bumpers and the lower area of the doors. In case of potential vandalism damage 5 a signal activating a signalling device of the vehicle may be emitted 7. The signalling device may be the horn, the hazard warning lights or the full-beam headlights. By activating a signalling device a person causing vandalism damage for example may be frightened away. In addition a message containing the information about a potential vandalism damage can be sent 8 to a mobile phone or a service facility. If tailgating damage or ramming damage 6 is established, a message may be sent 8 to a mobile phone, for example the mobile phone of the vehicle user, and/or a service facility. Based on the message the vehicle user can decide, whether to return to the vehicle in order to directly establish the facts.

(4) All features mentioned in the above description and in the claims, selected at random, can be combined with the features of the independent claims. The disclosure of the invention is thus not limited to the described and claimed feature combinations, rather all feature combinations meaningful in terms of the invention are regarded as disclosed.