Method and device for operating an automated vehicle at a traffic intersection

Abstract

A method and device for operating an automated vehicle, including: acquiring an environment of the automated vehicle including the traffic intersection; preparing an environment map based on the acquired environment, the environment map including a subdivision into grid cells, each including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions; acquiring an updated environment of the automated vehicle; adapting the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions for each grid cell; determining the occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions of an expected environment in a next time step; repeatedly executing the steps until a final occupancy probability and a final velocity distribution is determined for each grid cell according to predefined criteria; determining a driving strategy for the automated vehicle as a function of the final occupancy probabilities and the final velocity distributions; and operating the automated vehicle as a function of the driving strategy.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automated vehicle at a traffic intersection, the method comprising: a) acquiring an environment of the automated vehicle using an environment sensor system, the environment including the traffic intersection; b) preparing an environment map based on the acquired environment, the environment map including a subdivision into grid cells, each of the grid cells including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions; c) acquiring an updated environment of the automated vehicle using the environment sensor system; d) adapting the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions for each of the grid cells as a function of the updated environment; e) determining occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions of an expected environment in a next time step for each of the grid cells as a function of the adapted occupancy probabilities and the adapted velocity distributions; repeatedly executing steps c-e until a final occupancy probability and a final velocity distribution, which are determined for each of the grid cells, satisfy predefined criteria; determining a driving strategy for the automated vehicle as a function of the final occupancy probabilities and the final velocity distributions; and operating the automated vehicle as a function of the driving strategy; wherein a size of the grid cells is specified as a function of a measuring accuracy of the environment sensor system, and wherein a one-dimensional subdivision of the environment into the grid cells is implemented so that a first traffic route is subdivided into the grid cells along a center line of the first traffic route, and wherein each of the grid cells encompasses adjacent lanes along the center line.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first traffic route intersecting a second traffic route on which the automated vehicle is located in front of the traffic intersection in a driving direction.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a size of the grid cells is also specified as a function of a range of the environment sensor system.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions are determined using a recursive probabilistic filter.

5. A control apparatus to operate an automated vehicle at a traffic intersection, comprising: a control device, including a processor, configured to perform the following: a) acquire an environment of the automated vehicle using an environment sensor system, the environment including the traffic intersection; b) prepare an environment map based on the acquired environment, the environment map including a subdivision into grid cells, each of the grid cells including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions; c) acquire an updated environment of the automated vehicle using the environment sensor system; d) adapt the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions for each of the grid cells as a function of the updated environment; e) determine occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions of an expected environment in a next time step for each of the grid cells as a function of the adapted occupancy probabilities and the adapted velocity distributions; repeatedly execute c-e until a final occupancy probability and a final velocity distribution, which are determined for each of the grid cells, satisfy predefined criteria; determine a driving strategy for the automated vehicle as a function of the final occupancy probabilities and the final velocity distributions; and operate the automated vehicle as a function of the driving strategy; wherein a size of the grid cells is specified as a function of a measuring accuracy of the environment sensor system, and wherein a one-dimensional subdivision of the environment into the grid cells is implemented so that a first traffic route is subdivided into the grid cells along a center line of the first traffic route, and wherein each of the grid cells encompasses adjacent lanes along the center line.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable memory medium, on which is stored a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising: a program code arrangement having program code for operating an automated vehicle at a traffic intersection, by performing the following: a) acquiring an environment of the automated vehicle using an environment sensor system, the environment including the traffic intersection; b) preparing an environment map based on the acquired environment, the environment map including a subdivision into grid cells, each of the grid cells including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions; c) acquiring an updated environment of the automated vehicle using the environment sensor system; d) adapting the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions for each of the grid cells as a function of the updated environment; e) determining occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions of an expected environment in a next time step for each of the grid cells as a function of the adapted occupancy probabilities and the adapted velocity distributions; repeatedly executing steps c-e until a final occupancy probability and a final velocity distribution, which are determined for each of the grid cells, satisfy predefined criteria; determining a driving strategy for the automated vehicle as a function of the final occupancy probabilities and the final velocity distributions; and operating the automated vehicle as a function of the driving strategy; wherein a size of the grid cells is specified as a function of a measuring accuracy of the environment sensor system, and wherein a one-dimensional subdivision of the environment into the grid cells is implemented so that a first traffic route is subdivided into the grid cells along a center line of the first traffic route, and wherein each of the grid cells encompasses adjacent lanes along the center line.

7. The memory medium as recited in claim 6, wherein a size of the grid cells is also specified as a function of a processing power of the processor.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions are determined using a Bayesian filter.

9. The control apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein a size of the grid cells is also specified as a function of a processing power of the processor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in the figures and described in greater detail in the following specification.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the method for operating an automated vehicle according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the method for operating an automated vehicle according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the method for operating an automated vehicle according to the present invention, in the form of a flow diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of method 300 for operating 380 an automated vehicle 100 according to the present invention. Automated vehicle 100 is located in front of a traffic intersection 200 in the driving direction, on a second traffic route 202 which is intersected by a first traffic route 201 purely by way of example. In addition, an object 210, which is moving in the direction of traffic intersection 200, is located on first traffic route 201. In the embodiment shown here, object 210 poses a possible risk to automated vehicle 100 while it is passing through traffic intersection 200.

(6) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of an environment map 230. Environment map 230 is prepared based on the acquired environment of automated vehicle 100. Environment map 230 at least partially includes a subdivision into grid cells 240, each grid cell 241-247 including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions.

(7) In one possible embodiment, the subdividing of the environment into grid cells 240 is implemented in such a way, for example, that first traffic route 202 is subdivided into grid cells 240 along a center line 220 of first traffic route 201. This corresponds to a one-dimensional subdivision of the environment because environment map 230 encompasses grid cells 240 only along one directionin this instance, along first traffic route 201.

(8) A size of grid cells 240 is specified as a function of a range 250 and/or a measuring accuracy of the environment sensor system of automated vehicle 100, for instance. In one possible embodiment, the size is determined in such a way, for example, that each grid cell 241-247 has approximately the size of a few meters, comparable to the size of a motor vehicle. In a further embodiment, the size is a function of the processing power of the device because an increasing number of grid cells 240 also requires an increase in the processing power.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a possible exemplary embodiment of a method 300 for operating 380 an autonomous vehicle 100 at a traffic intersection 200.

(10) Method 300 begins in a step 301, for instance in that automated vehicle 100 approaches traffic intersection 200. The fact that automated vehicle 100 is approaching traffic intersection 200 is able to be determined with the aid of an environment sensor system and/or with the aid of a localization device (a navigation system, etc.), for example.

(11) In step 310, an environment of automated vehicle 100 is acquired with the aid of an environment sensor system, the environment including traffic intersection 200.

(12) In step 320, an environment map 230 is prepared on the basis of the acquired environment. Environment map 230 includes a subdivision into grid cells 240, each grid cell 241-247 including occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions.

(13) In step 330, an updated environment of automated vehicle 100 is acquired with the aid of the environment sensor system.

(14) In step 340, the occupancy probabilities and velocity distributions for each grid cell 241-247 are adapted as a function of the updated environment.

(15) In step 350, the occupancy probabilities and the velocity distributions of an expected environment in a next time step are determined for each grid cell 241-247 as a function of the previously adapted occupancy probabilities and the previously adapted velocity distributions.

(16) Step 360 represents a repeated execution of steps 330-350 until a final occupancy probability and a final velocity distribution are determined for each grid cell 241-247 according to predefined criteria.

(17) In step 370, a driving strategy for automated vehicle 100 is determined as a function of the final occupancy probabilities and the final velocity distributions.

(18) In step 380, automated vehicle 100 is operated as a function of the driving strategy.

(19) In step 390, method 300 ends.