METHOD FOR ASSIGNING THE LANE IN WHICH A VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY DRIVEN

Abstract

Technologies and techniques for assigning the lane in which a vehicle is currently driven, wherein input variables of at least one data source are detected to determine the lane currently being driven in, and wherein at least one data source includes signals from an environmental sensor system of the vehicle. In cases in which the possibility of unequivocal assignment of the lane in which a vehicle is currently driven is improved, it is provided that at least one data source includes a C2X communication.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a lane for a vehicle, comprising: detecting input variables of at least one data source to determine a current lane for the vehicle, wherein the at least one data source comprises (i) car-to-everything (C2X) signals from an environmental sensor system of the vehicle and (ii) information related to road topology; determining the number of lanes of at least a road segment currently being driven by the vehicle using the data source; detecting signals indicating a driving direction of one or more other vehicles in an environment of the vehicle; processing the detected signals and the road topology to determine the position of the vehicle; and using the determined position to execute a driver assistance function.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating C2X signals indicating the vehicle's position to the one or more other vehicles, and wherein the data source comprises C2X communication indicating the positions of the one or more other vehicles.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating information for the vehicle to infrastructure via C2X communication.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting environmental data for the vehicle via an environmental sensor system comprising radar and/or ultrasound.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting environmental data for the vehicle via an environmental sensor system comprising a side area sensor system, the side area sensor being configured to detect a lateral position of the vehicle used for determining the current lane for the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting environmental data for the vehicle via an environmental sensor system comprising a front sensor system for determining positions of one or more other vehicles in the environment of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting environmental data for the vehicle via an environmental sensor system comprising a rear sensor system for determining rearward positions of the one or more other vehicles relative to the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a lateral position of the vehicle using information relating to a position of a guardrail, determined by detecting a reflective characteristic.

9. A system for assigning a lane for a vehicle, comprising: communications for communicating on a car-to-everything (C2X) network; an environmental sensor system; and a processing apparatus, operatively coupled to the environmental sensor system and communications, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to detect input variables of at least one data source to determine a current lane for the vehicle, wherein the at least one data source comprises (i) C2X signals from the environmental sensor system of the vehicle and (ii) information related to road topology; determine the number of lanes of at least a road segment currently being driven by the vehicle using the data source; detect signals indicating a driving direction of one or more other vehicles in an environment of the vehicle; process the detected signals and the road topology to determine the position of the vehicle; and execute a driver assistance function using the determined position.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to communicate C2X signals indicating the vehicle's position to the one or more other vehicles, and wherein the data source comprises C2X communication indicating the positions of the one or more other vehicles.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to communicate information for the vehicle to infrastructure via C2X communication.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the environmental sensor system comprises radar and/or ultrasound.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the environmental sensor system comprises a side area sensor system, the side area sensor being configured to detect a lateral position of the vehicle used for determining the current lane for the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the environmental sensor system comprises a front sensor system for determining positions of one or more other vehicles in the environment of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein the environmental sensor system comprises a rear sensor system for determining rearward positions of the one or more other vehicles relative to the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to determine a lateral position of the vehicle using information relating to a position of a guardrail, determined by detecting a reflective characteristic.

17. A method for assigning a lane for a vehicle, comprising: detecting input variables of at least one data source to determine a current lane for the vehicle, wherein the at least one data source comprises (i) car-to-everything (C2X) signals from an environmental sensor system of the vehicle and (ii) information related to road topology; determining the number of lanes of at least a road segment currently being driven by the vehicle using the data source; detecting signals indicating a driving direction of one or more other vehicles in an environment of the vehicle; processing the detected signals and the road topology to determine the position of the vehicle; and using the determined position to execute a driver assistance function.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising communicating C2X signals indicating the vehicle's position to the one or more other vehicles, and wherein the data source comprises C2X communication indicating the positions of the one or more other vehicles, and communicating information for the vehicle to infrastructure via the C2X communication.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising detecting environmental data for the vehicle via an environmental sensor system comprising one or more of radar and/or ultrasound, a side area sensor system, the side area sensor being configured to detect a lateral position of the vehicle used for determining the current lane for the vehicle, a front sensor system for determining positions of one or more other vehicles in the environment of the vehicle, and/or a rear sensor system for determining rearward positions of the one or more other vehicles relative to the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a lateral position of the vehicle using information relating to a position of a guardrail, determined by detecting a reflective characteristic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present disclosure shall be explained below in exemplary embodiments using the associated drawings. These show:

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of the execution of an exemplary embodiment of a method on a four-lane highway, according to some aspects of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment according to some aspects of the present disclosure; and

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of communication between the infrastructure and at least one vehicle, according to some aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 10, that is driving on a lane 12 of a highway. By means of an environmental sensor system 14 and a C2X communication 16 the vehicle 10 is able to detect other vehicles 18 and to communicate with them. In addition, elements of the infrastructure 20, for example a camera that is arranged on the edge of the highway 22, can communicate with the vehicle via the C2X communication 16. In this exemplary embodiment the environmental sensor system 14 a side areas sensor system. Based on the signals detected by the environmental sensor system 14 and the C2X communication 16 conclusions may be drawn as to the lane 12 currently being driven in by the vehicle 10.

[0028] With the aid of the side area sensor system 14 information concerning the lateral position of the vehicle 10 on the road 22 can be determined, whereby from the lateral position, conclusions as to the lane 12currently driven in are made possible. In FIG. 1 it may be seen that next to the vehicle 10 other vehicles 18 are driving on the lane 12 next to the lane 12 in which the vehicle 10 is driving 12. Through the C2X communication 16 of the vehicle 10 and the other vehicles 18 with one another, they can reciprocally identify one another and thus confirm that another vehicle 18 is, for example, driving to the right of the vehicle 10.

[0029] With this information the vehicles can determine their position. In this example, position may be determined based on the principle that the vehicle 10 detects that another vehicle 18, is, for example, driving to the left of the vehicle 10 and concludes from this that the vehicle 10 cannot drive in the left lane 12. The knowledge of the lane 12 being driven in can likewise be transmitted to other vehicles 18 or other vehicles 18 transmit the knowledge of the lane 12 in which they are driving to the vehicle 10. From this the vehicles can conclude among themselves in which lane 12 they are located. Here an additional data source in the form of the knowledge of the road topology and accordingly the actual number of lanes 12 is provided.

[0030] With the aid of the side area sensor system of the environmental sensor system 14, it is further provided that the position of a guardrail 24 may be determined by means of detecting the reflective characteristics of objects and that depending on the position of the guardrail 24 the lateral position of the vehicle 10 on the road is determined. If the guardrail 24 is classified as an object, then based on the lateral offset of the position of the vehicle 10 to the guardrail 24, the lane 12 currently driven in can be determined. The classification as guardrail 24 is determined through the reflective characteristics of objects. To this end in this exemplary embodiment the side area sensor system is realized using radar.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the execution of a method for determining the lane 12 actually being driven in. In addition to the possibility of C2X communication, the vehicle 10 may be configured with a front sensor system as part of the environmental sensor system 14. By means of the front sensor system other vehicles ahead 18 can be detected. If other vehicles 18 are driving ahead of the vehicle 10, particularly with knowledge of the road topology, then the vehicle 10, using the other vehicles 18 detected, can determine its own lateral position on the road 22. Since the vehicles communicate via C2X communication, the vehicle 10 can also share with the vehicles 18 ahead their position. Likewise the other vehicles ahead 18, with knowledge of their own lateral position on the road, can determine the lateral position of the vehicle behind, i.e. of the vehicle 10, and share this position with the vehicle behind or the vehicle 10 via C2X communication 16.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows the advantageous C2X communication 16 of the vehicle 10 with the infrastructure 20 in the form of a camera. A camera arranged at a height offers additional angles of view to identify additional vehicles 18 that might possibly be concealed by vehicles behind. As a prerequisite it is assumed that a vehicle driving ahead 26 is completely concealed by the vehicle behind 28. The vehicle ahead 26 sends a C2X message to the infrastructure 20. If the infrastructure 20 is for example, a camera, then by means of the angle of inclination and the resolution of the camera as well as through the determination of the height of the vehicle behind 28, the spaces ahead of the vehicle behind 28 are calculated. In this manner the position of the vehicle ahead 26 can be localized in both a lateral and a longitudinal position to a certain area, for example a lane 12, and thus more precisely determined.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0033] 10 vehicle

[0034] 12 lane

[0035] 14 environmental sensor system

[0036] 16 C2X communication

[0037] 18 other vehicle

[0038] 20 infrastructure

[0039] 22 road

[0040] 24 guardrail

[0041] 26 vehicle ahead

[0042] 28 vehicle behind