METHOD OF CARRYING OUT A DEPARTURE INSPECTION ON AN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMBINATION

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of carrying out a departure inspection on an autonomous vehicle combination. In a method that shortens the inspection period, before departure of the vehicle combination (1), a first region (15) under the towing vehicle (3) of the vehicle combination (1) is checked for living beings and objects by means of a sensor system (13) fixedly installed on the towing vehicle (3), and a second region (21) under the trailer (5) of the vehicle combination (1) is checked by means of a mobile robot (19) comprising a further sensor system (15).

Claims

1. Method of carrying out a departure inspection on an autonomous vehicle combination, characterised in that before departure of the vehicle combination (1), a first region (15) under the towing vehicle (3) of the vehicle combination (1) is checked for living beings and objects by means of a sensor system (13) fixedly installed on the towing vehicle (3), and a second region (21) under the trailer (5) of the vehicle combination (1) is checked by means of a mobile robot (19) comprising a further sensor system (25).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile robot (19) is transported in the vehicle combination (1).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that the mobile robot (9) is transported in a storage box (17) on the base (9) of the vehicle combination (1) while the vehicle combination (1) is travelling.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile robot (19) communicates wirelessly with the vehicle combination (1) during the entire departure inspection under the trailer (5).

5. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the mobile robot (19) is charged in the storage box (17) when not in use.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the mobile robot (19) communicates with the vehicle combination (1) via a wired connection during the entire departure inspection under the trailer (5).

7. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the data determined by the first sensor system (13) of the towing vehicle (3) and the data determined by the further sensor system (25) of the mobile robot (19) are evaluated in the vehicle combination (1) or in a vehicle backend.

Description

[0016] In the drawing:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle combination with a mobile robot,

[0018] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention,

[0019] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the mobile robot.

[0020] In FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle combination with a mobile robot is depicted. The vehicle combination 1 is for example designed as a semi-trailer, which comprises a tractor unit 3 and a trailer 5, wherein the trailer 5 is coupled with the tractor unit 3 via a fifth-wheel coupling 7. A sensor system 13 is fixedly positioned under the bumper 11 of the towing vehicle 3, said sensor system monitoring a first region 15 under the tractor unit 3 for living beings and objects during a departure inspection of the vehicle combination 1. A storage box 17 for transporting a mobile robot 19 is formed in the rear region of the base 9 of the tractor unit 3. The mobile robot 19 is used to monitor a second region 21 under the trailer 5 during the departure inspection.

[0021] The departure inspection by means of the mobile robot 19 is explained with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2a, the mobile robot 19 is located in its storage box 17 and is released from this storage box 17 onto the road 23 under the vehicle combination 1 for the departure check (FIG. 2b). After the robot 19 is set down on the road 23, a sensor system 25 arranged on the robot 19 is activated (FIG. 2c), which is aligned in the direction of the trailer 5. A patrol is then carried out according to FIG. 2d by the robot 19 in the second region 21 under the trailer 5. Every hidden and/or non-visible portion under the trailer 5 is also accessed (FIG. 2e). When the departure inspection is complete, the mobile robot 19 drives back to its storage box 17 (FIG. 2f), where it positions itself under the storage box (FIG. 2g). In FIG. 2h, the robot 19 is stowed in the storage box 17 again and is charged in said storage box.

[0022] The mobile robot 19 can be connected to the vehicle combination 1 by wires during the departure inspection, or can be controlled via a wireless connection. The mobile robot 19 is in contact with a computer of the vehicle combination for the entire time. The sensor data recorded by the robot 19 is either automatically evaluated in the vehicle combination 1 or transmitted to a vehicle backend, which takes over the evaluation of the sensor data.

[0023] An exemplary embodiment of the mobile robot 19 is depicted in FIG. 3. The robot has a body 29 comprising an electric drive 27, to which body wheels 31 are fixed. The sensor system 25, for example a thermal camera, is fixed to the top side 33 of the body 29.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0024] 1 vehicle combination [0025] 3 tractor unit [0026] 5 trailer [0027] 7 fifth-wheel coupling [0028] 9 base of the tractor unit [0029] 11 bumper [0030] 13 sensor [0031] 15 first region under the tractor unit [0032] 17 storage box [0033] 19 mobile robot [0034] 21 second region under the trailer [0035] 23 road [0036] 25 sensor [0037] 27 electric drive [0038] 29 body of the robot [0039] 31 wheel [0040] 33 top side of the robot