Turning Assistant for a Vehicle

Abstract

A method controls a first vehicle in respect of an oncoming second vehicle. The method determines a turning situation of the first vehicle, in which an expected first trajectory of the first vehicle crosses an expected second trajectory of the second vehicle, and controls the first vehicle in such a way that, during the turning situation, a predetermined distance between the vehicles is maintained. The control includes an influencing of the direction of travel of the first vehicle.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method for controlling a first vehicle with respect to an oncoming second vehicle, the method comprising steps of: determining a turning situation of the first vehicle, in which an expected first trajectory of the first vehicle crosses an expected second trajectory of the second vehicle; controlling the first vehicle in such a way that a predetermined distance between the first and second vehicles is maintained during the turning situation; wherein the controlling comprises influencing a travel direction of the first vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a steering intervention on the first vehicle is controlled.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the steering intervention comprises a predetermined steering force, which is counteractable by a driver of the first vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein a travel speed of the first vehicle is reduced before the crossing.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the travel direction of the first vehicle is dynamically controlled in dependence on a travel speed of the first vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the travel direction of the first vehicle is controlled in an increased manner in a direction of turning so as to increase a distance to an approaching second vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the travel direction of the first vehicle is controlled in a decreased manner in a direction of turning so as to increase a distance to the second vehicle moving away.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first vehicle is controlled in such a way that a predetermined distance to a further road user is maintained.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first vehicle is returned to an original first trajectory after completely crossing the second trajectory.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein an acceleration intention of a driver of the first vehicle is recognized and the influencing of the travel direction of the first vehicle is switched off.

24. A device for controlling a first vehicle with respect to an oncoming second vehicle, comprising: a first unit for determining an expected first trajectory of the first vehicle; a second unit for determining an expected second trajectory of the second vehicle; a processing unit, which is configured to determine a turning situation, in which the determined expected first trajectory crosses the determined expected second trajectory; an interface for connection to a unit for influencing a travel direction of the first vehicle; wherein the processing unit is configured to influence the travel direction of the first vehicle so that, that during the turning situation, a predetermined distance between the first and second vehicles is maintained.

25. The device according to claim 24, further comprising: an interface for connection to a unit for influencing a travel speed of the first vehicle, wherein the processing unit is configured to reduce a travel speed of the first vehicle before the crossing.

26. A vehicle comprising a device according to claim 24.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary turning situation;

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary device for controlling a vehicle; and

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method for controlling a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary turning situation. A first lane 105 and a second lane 110 are provided on a road 100, the provided travel directions of which are opposite to one another. The illustration of FIG. 1 is based on right-hand traffic by way of example; the procedure described hereinafter takes place accordingly in the case of left-hand traffic with exchanged directions. On the first lane 105, a first vehicle 115 is located, toward which a second vehicle 120 is coming on the second lane 110. It is planned for the first vehicle 115 to turn to the left into a further road 125, and in this case to travel through the second lane 110 in the transverse direction. A control device 130 for controlling a travel direction of the first vehicle 115 is located on board the first vehicle 115. In the present illustration, the road 105 extends straight and the second vehicle 120 follows this road 105. In another embodiment, the road 105 can also extend in a curve. The second vehicle 120 can also turn, so that under certain circumstances it leaves the road 105. In the case of a curving preference road, the second vehicle 120 can travel through a curve and nonetheless remain on the original road 105. Practically, still other combinations are also conceivable. If the first vehicle 115 should have the right-of-way over the second vehicle 120, the technology described herein can thus not necessarily be required; however, it can nonetheless be applied for safety reasons.

[0030] In the illustrated situation, the first vehicle 115 follows a first expected trajectory 135, and the second vehicle 120 follows a second expected trajectory 140. The first vehicle 115 is required to yield to the second vehicle 120; its turning maneuver is to be controlled as much as possible so that a predetermined distance is maintained between the vehicles 115, 120. The distance is preferably dimensioned in such a way that there is no reason to change the second trajectory 140 of the second vehicle 120.

[0031] The turning situation comprises crossing of the expected trajectories 135 and 140. A turning process is understood hereinafter as a maneuver of the first vehicle 115 in which it moves from its lane 105 on the road 100 onto the further road 125, wherein it crosses the second lane 110. More precisely, the turning process can begin as soon as the first vehicle 115 penetrates with its outer outline into the second lane 110, and can end as soon as its outer outline has completely left the second lane 110 after the traversal. Instead of the second lane 110, a three-dimensional object can also be observed, which comprises the set of all points at which the second vehicle 120 can be located in the context of the turning process. This object is similar to a tube along the road 100 and is sometimes referred to as a “driving tube”. Optionally, for these observations, the outer outline of one of the vehicles 115, 120 can be enlarged in a predetermined manner before the formation of the driving tube in order to form a safety margin.

[0032] A distance between the vehicles 115, 120 at a predetermined point in time can be determined as the smallest geometrical distance between outer outlines of the vehicles 115, 120. It is presumed here that the outlines do not penetrate; the distance is thus preferably positively defined. For the first vehicle 115, a first safety distance 145 can be defined, and/or for the second vehicle 120, a second safety distance 150 can be defined.

[0033] A safety distance 145, 150 comprises in any case an outer outline of the assigned vehicle 115, 120 and can be enlarged in relation thereto in a predetermined manner. In particular, the enlarging can be constant in the lateral direction of the vehicle 115, 120, wherein the enlarged lateral outline is preferably not wider than the respective lane 110, 115. An enlargement in the travel direction can be dependent on a travel speed of the respective vehicle 115, 120, wherein a high travel speed can cause a strong enlargement and a low travel speed can cause a low enlargement or none at all. An enlargement of the outline against the travel direction can be constant or also dependent on the travel speed, wherein it is preferred that the enlargement against the travel direction is always less than that in the travel direction. In one embodiment, the safety distance 145, 150 extends along an assigned expected trajectory 135, 140.

[0034] A predetermined distance between the vehicles 115, 120 can be maintained if the safety distances 145, 150 neither touch nor penetrate one another.

[0035] The first vehicle 115 can cross the second lane 110 in general before or behind the second vehicle 120. If the safety distances 145, 150 threaten to touch one another when the first vehicle 115 follows the expected first trajectory 135, the first vehicle can thus be controlled on a flatter first trajectory 135.1 or on a steeper trajectory 135.2. The flatter trajectory 135.1 can in particular enlarge a distance of the first vehicle 115 in front of the second vehicle 120, while the steeper trajectory 135.2 can in particular enlarge a distance of the first vehicle 115 behind the second vehicle 120.

[0036] When controlling the travel direction of the first vehicle 110 on one of the changed trajectories 135.1 or 135.2, it can be ensured that no further road user 155 is obstructed. In the present case, the further road user 155 comprises, for example, a pedestrian, who crosses the further road 125. In a similar manner as described above with respect to the vehicles 115, 120, a predetermined distance can be maintained between the first vehicle 115 and the further road user 155. An assigned safety distance (not shown) and/or an expected trajectory 160 of the further road user 155 can be taken into consideration here.

[0037] It is to be noted that the control of the trajectory 135 of the first vehicle 115 can take place additionally or alternatively to a control of the travel speed of the first vehicle 115. The first vehicle 115 can be braked to a standstill if necessary; this preferably takes place outside the above-described driving tube of the second vehicle 120. The trajectory 135 can be controlled starting from a stationary or a traveling first vehicle 115.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary device 130 for controlling a first vehicle 115. The device 130 is preferably configured to be attached on board the first vehicle 115. It comprises a processing unit 205, and a first device 210 for determining the first expected trajectory 135 and a second device 215 for determining the second expected trajectory 140. The first device 210 can comprise one or more sensors which determine, for example, a movement direction, an acceleration, and/or a planned route. The movement direction can be determined, for example, by means of a compass, a navigation system, or an inertial system, the acceleration by means of an acceleration sensor, on the basis of a steering angle, or due to an actuation of an acceleration or braking system of the first vehicle 115. The planned route can be provided by a route planning system.

[0039] The second device 215 can comprise a sensor 220 for scanning the surroundings of the first vehicle 115, in particular for scanning the second vehicle 120. The sensor 220 can comprise, for example, one or more optical sensors, a radar sensor, and/or a LiDAR sensor. Items of movement information about the second vehicle 120 can also be received by means of a communication interface 225, for example, from the second vehicle 120 or from a central instance. In particular C2X technologies can be used for this purpose, for example, C2C communication (car-to-car; vehicle-to-vehicle) or C2I (car-to-infrastructure; vehicle-to-infrastructure).

[0040] The processing unit can also determine whether a turning situation exists at all on the basis of a geographic position of the first vehicle 115 and items of map information, which comprise a course of the roads 100 and 125. The geographic position of the first vehicle 115 can be determined by means of a position sensor 230, for example, a receiver of a navigation system, which is satellite-based in particular, and the items of map information can be stored in a map memory 235.

[0041] The processing unit 205 can be connected by means of a first interface 240 to a steering unit 245 and/or by means of a second interface 250 to a drive or braking unit 255 of the first vehicle 115, in order to influence a travel direction or a travel speed of the first vehicle 115.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of an exemplary method 300 for controlling a first vehicle 115. In a first step 305, an expected first trajectory 135 of the first vehicle 115 can be determined and in a step 310, an expected second trajectory 140 of the second vehicle 120 can be determined. In a step 315, an existing turning situation can be determined. For this purpose, it can be determined whether the vehicles 115, 120 are located in a region which permits a turning maneuver of the first vehicle 115 with crossing of the trajectory 140 of the second vehicle 120. Such a region can in particular comprise an intersection of two roads 100, 125. A direction intention of the first vehicle 115 can be determined on the basis of further locally available items of information.

[0043] If a turning situation exists, it can thus be determined in a step 320 whether on the basis of the determined expected trajectories 135, 140, a predetermined distance between the vehicles 115, 120 is expected to be undershot. If this is the case, it can thus be distinguished whether the first vehicle 115 crosses the trajectory 140 or lane 110 of the second vehicle in front of or behind the second vehicle 120. Both cases are described hereinafter; a combination of both cases when crossing through a column of second vehicles 120 can result accordingly.

[0044] In a step 325, it can be determined that the first vehicle 115 passes in front of the second vehicle 120. In a step 330, it can be determined whether sufficient free space is present in the region of the planned turning maneuver to modify the first expected trajectory 135. If sufficient free space is present, in a step 335, a flatter first trajectory 135.1 can be determined. Optionally, in a step 340, an increase of the travel speed of the first vehicle 115 can be determined.

[0045] In a step 345, the flatter trajectory 135.1 and/or the determined increased travel speed can be controlled. If it should be determined that neither a change of the travel direction nor the travel speed nor a combination of both measures can prevent an infringement of the predetermined distance between the vehicles 115, 120, a signal can thus be output. The signal can be directed to one of the drivers of the vehicles 115, 120. On the basis of the signal, a unit for minimizing accident damage on one of the vehicles 115, 120 can be activated, for example, a belt tensioner or a pre-crash system.

[0046] In a further embodiment, the turning maneuver can also be terminated upon the signal. For this purpose, the first vehicle 115 can be transferred into a safe state, which can in particular comprise a standstill and which preferably is assumed at a point in the region of the turning process at which the first vehicle 115 as much as possible is not in the way of any other road user 120, 155.

[0047] The safe state can also comprise that the first vehicle 115 is controlled further along the road 100. At the same time, the first vehicle 115 can be decelerated, preferably to a standstill. In this way, a collision with the second vehicle 120 can be prevented in an improved manner. In this embodiment, a driver can also override an initiated steering force and/or an initiated acceleration or deceleration.

[0048] Following step 320, it can also be determined in a step 350 that the first vehicle 115 passes behind the second vehicle 120. For this purpose, the first vehicle 115 has to wait until the oncoming second vehicle 120 has traveled past it, before it turns into the second lane 110. Steps 355-365 then following can correspond in pairs to above-described steps 330-340. In a step 355, it can be determined whether sufficient free space for influencing the first trajectory 135 exists in the region of the planned turning process. In a step 350, a steeper trajectory 135.2 can be determined if sufficient free space was determined. In a step 365, a reduced travel speed of the first vehicle 115 can be determined. The reduction typically ends before the actual turning maneuver and can comprise braking of the first vehicle 115 to a standstill. In step 345, the determined trajectory 135.2 and/or the reduced travel speed can then be controlled at the first vehicle 115. The option also exists in this case of terminating the turning maneuver if it is determined that the predetermined distance between the vehicles 115, 120 cannot be maintained.

[0049] In both variants, following step 345, thus while the first vehicle 115 carries out the turning maneuver, one or both trajectories 135, 140 can be updated on the basis of observations. The observations can in particular comprise updated trajectories 135, 140 of the vehicles 115, 120. It can thus be taken into consideration when a driver of one of the vehicles 115, 120 changes the trajectory 135, 140 of their vehicle 115, 120 with respect to the travel direction and/or travel speed. The method 300 can be run through multiple times in the manner of a control loop.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0050] 100 road [0051] 105 first lane [0052] 110 second lane [0053] 115 first vehicle [0054] 120 second vehicle [0055] 125 further road [0056] 130 control device [0057] 135 first expected trajectory [0058] 135.1 flatter first trajectory [0059] 135.2 steeper first trajectory [0060] 140 second expected trajectory [0061] 145 first safety distance [0062] 150 second safety distance [0063] 155 further road user [0064] 160 expected trajectory [0065] 205 processing unit [0066] 210 first device [0067] 215 second device [0068] 220 sensor [0069] 225 communication unit [0070] 230 position sensor [0071] 235 map memory [0072] 240 first interface [0073] 245 steering unit [0074] 250 second interface [0075] 255 drive or braking unit [0076] 300 method [0077] 305 determining first trajectory [0078] 310 determining second trajectory [0079] 315 determining turning situation [0080] 320 predetermined distance is undershot [0081] 325 passing in front of second vehicle [0082] 330 determining free space [0083] 335 trajectory flatter [0084] 340 increase travel speed [0085] 345 control vehicle [0086] 350 passing behind second vehicle [0087] 355 determining free space [0088] 360 trajectory steeper [0089] 365 reduce travel speed [0090] 370 update trajectory