METHOD AND CONTROL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for controlling a vehicle (100) includes reading-in measurement data about a surface (6) of a substrate (2) lying ahead of the vehicle (100) in its travel direction (F), where the surface contains a ground-level obstacle (4) and recognizing the ground-level obstacle (4) from the measurement data. The method also includes determining a movement vector (V4) of the recognized ground-level obstacle (4) in a vehicle-associated coordinate system on the basis of the measurement data read in and determining a movement vector (V1) of the vehicle (100) in a coordinate system superordinate relative to the vehicle-associated coordinate system. The method further includes checking whether the ground-level obstacle (4) is a dynamic ground-level obstacle (4) in the superordinate coordinate system and emitting a control signal for controlling an operational safety system (30) of the vehicle (100) as a function of the result of the check. Also disclosed is a control unit (200) for carrying out a method of that type and a vehicle (100) with a control unit (200) of that type.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for controlling a vehicle (100) having an operational control system, the method comprising: reading-in (S1), by an environment detection sensor system of a vehicle, measurement data about a surface (6) of a substrate (2) ahead of the vehicle (100) in a travel direction (F) of the vehicle, wherein the surface contains a ground-level obstacle (4); recognizing (S2) the ground-level obstacle (4) in the measurement data; determining (S3), by a vehicle-associated coordinate system, a first movement vector (V4) of the ground-level obstacle (4) on the basis of the measurement data; determining (S5) a second movement vector (V1) of the vehicle (100) in a coordinate system that is superordinate relative to the vehicle-associated coordinate system; checking (S7) whether the ground-level obstacle (4) is a dynamic ground-level obstacle (4) in the superordinate coordinate system, wherein the checking (S7) is carried out on the basis of a comparison (S6) with the first movement vector (V4) and the second movement vector (V1); and emitting (S8) a control signal for controlling (S9) the operational safety system (30) of the vehicle (100) as a function of the comparison (S6) of the first movement vector (V4) and the second movement vector (V1).

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising reading-in (S4) information about a dynamic of the vehicle (100) in the superordinate coordinate system, wherein the information is based on measurement data determined by a sensor system (20) installed on the vehicle (100), and wherein the step (S5) of determining the movement vector (V1) of the vehicle (100) is based on the information read in.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the environment detection sensor system (10) comprises a radar unit (11) configured to capture the measurement data about the surface (6) of the substrate (2) ahead of the vehicle (100) in its travel direction (F), wherein the step (S3) of determining the first movement vector (V4) of the recognized ground-level obstacle (4) is carried out in the vehicle-associated coordinate system on the basis of the measurement data captured by the radar unit (11).

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising transforming the first movement vector (V4) determined for the ground-level obstacle (4) from the vehicle-associated coordinate system to the coordinate system superordinate relative to the vehicle-associated coordinate system, wherein the checking step (S7) is carried out on the basis of a comparison (S6) of the first and second movement vectors (V1, V4).

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first and second movement vectors (V1, V4) are three-dimensional movement vectors (V1, V4).

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the operational safety system (30) comprises a warning device (32) configured for warning a vehicle driver before the vehicle is driven over the ground-level obstacle (4), and wherein emitting (S8) the control signal includes emitting a control signal for actuating the warning device (32).

17. The method according claim 16, wherein the operational safety system (30) comprises an operating device (34) configured for intervening in the operation of the vehicle (100), and wherein emitting (S8) the control signal includes emitting a control signal for actuating the operating device (34).

18. A control unit (200) for controlling a vehicle (100), comprising: an interface configured to read-in measurement data about a surface (6) of a substrate (2) lying ahead of the vehicle (100) in its travel direction (F), which surface contains a ground-level obstacle (4); an environment detection sensor system (10) installed on the vehicle (100), the environment detection sensor system (10) configured to capture the measurement data; a recognition unit configured to recognize the ground-level obstacle (4) from the measurement data read in; a determination unit configured to determine a first movement vector (V4) of the ground-level obstacle (4) in a vehicle-associated coordinate system and a second movement vector (V1) of the vehicle (100) in a coordinate system superordinate relative to the vehicle coordinate system; a checking unit configured to check whether the ground-level obstacle (4) is a dynamic ground-level obstacle (4) in the superordinate coordinate system, wherein the checking is carried out on the basis of a comparison of the first and second movement vectors (V1, V4); and an interface configured to emit a control signal for controlling an operational safety system (30) of the vehicle (100) as a function of the result of checking whether the ground-level obstacle (4) is a dynamic ground-level obstacle.

19. A vehicle (100) comprising; an operational safety system (30); and a control unit (200) according to claim 18 for controlling the operational safety system (30).

20. The vehicle (100) according to claim 19, wherein the vehicle (100) is a self-driving working machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0047] The figures show:

[0048] FIG. 1: A vehicle with a control unit for controlling the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0049] FIG. 2: The control unit for controlling an operational safety system of the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 3: A flow chart with process steps for carrying out a method for controlling a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 100. In the embodiment shown the vehicle 100 is in the form of a self-driving working machine, for example a tractor. The vehicle 100 is moving in the travel direction F of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 is moving over a substrate 2. The substrate 2 has a surface 6 over which the vehicle 100 can drive.

[0052] The substrate 2 has a ground-level obstacle 4, which is on a ground 3 of the substrate 2. The ground-level obstacle 4 is moving relative to the ground 3 of the substrate 2. The surface 6 of the substrate 2 forms a common surface 6 of the ground 3 and the ground-level obstacle 4. Owing to the movement of the ground-level obstacle 4, the surface 6 of the substrate 2 changes.

[0053] The vehicle 100 comprises an environment detection sensor system 10. In an embodiment the environment detection sensor system 10 is fixed to a vehicle body or to a vehicle frame of the vehicle 100. The environment detection sensor system 10 covers a detection field 12, which is directed obliquely downward onto the surface 6 of the substrate. The surface 6 detected in the detection field 12 has a surface zone formed by the ground-level obstacle 4. In an embodiment, the environment detection sensor system 10 comprises a radar unit 11, which scans the surface 6 in the detection field 12 on a radar basis. If the radar unit 11 is a Doppler radar unit, then from the measurement data of the radar unit 11 a movement vector V4 of the ground-level obstacle 4 is determined in a vehicle-associated coordinate system (not shown in the figures). In an embodiment the vehicle-associated coordinate system is a sensor coordinate system of the radar unit 11.

[0054] The vehicle 100 also comprises a sensor system 20 for determining a dynamic of the vehicle 100 in a coordinate system (not shown in the figures) which is superordinate relatively to the vehicle-associated coordinate system. The sensor system 20 comprises a navigation sensor 21 for determining a movement vector V1 of the vehicle 100. According to an embodiment the navigation sensor 21 is part of an inertial measurement system.

[0055] The vehicle 100 comprises a control unit 200 for controlling the vehicle 100, as explained in greater detail in FIG. 2. The control unit 200 is connected to an operational safety system 30 of the vehicle 100, shown in FIG. 2. The control unit 200 is also connected to the environment detection sensor system 10 and to the sensor system 20 of the vehicle 100. In an embodiment, the operational safety system 30 of the vehicle 100 comprises a warning device 32 for warning an operator or driver of the vehicle 100 about the ground-level obstacle 4 ahead in the travel direction F of the vehicle 100. In a further embodiment, the operational safety system 30 of the vehicle 100 comprises an operating device 34, which is designed to intervene in the operation of the vehicle 100 in order to prevent a collision of the vehicle 100 with the ground-level obstacle 4. According to an example embodiment, the operating device 34 is designed to brake the vehicle 100.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows process steps for carrying out a method for controlling the vehicle 100 in accordance with an embodiment, in a time sequence of the said process steps. The steps S0 to S7 are carried out by the control unit 200 shown in FIG. 2. The control unit 200 can actuate the warning device 32 for warning the operator or driver of the vehicle 100, or it can actuate the operating device 34.

[0057] In an optional step S0, measurement data are collected about the surface 6 of the substrate 2 ahead of the vehicle 100 in its travel direction F. The measurement data are captured within the detection field 12 of the environment detection sensor system 10, wherein a ground-level nearby area of the surface 6 of the substrate 2 is scanned in the travel direction F ahead of the vehicle 100. In an embodiment not shown in the figures, the detection field 12 is filtered in a ground-level strip, as a function of a spatial orientation of the vehicle 100 in the superordinate coordinate system. In a step S1 of the method, the captured measurement data about the surface 6 of the substrate 2 ahead of the vehicle 100 in its travel direction F are read in. The read-in measurement data include measurement data about the surface zone of the surface 6 formed by the ground-level obstacle 4.

[0058] In a further step S2 of the method, a recognition of the ground-level obstacle 4 is carried out from the read-in measurement data. In an embodiment, the recognition is carried out in the ground-level strip (not shown in the figures). The recognition of the ground-level obstacle 4 in the read-in measurement data is carried out on the basis of the measurement data captured by the radar unit 11. In the recognition step S2, a ground-level obstacle 4 moving in the vehicle-associated coordinate system is recognized. An outline of the ground-level obstacle 4 moving in the vehicle-associated coordinate system is recognized on the basis of movement information about the ground-level obstacle 4, which information is derived directly from the measurement data of the radar unit 11. In a further step S3 a determination of the movement vector V4 of the recognized ground-level obstacle 4 in the vehicle-associated coordinate system is carried out on the basis of read-in measurement data. The movement vector V4 of the recognized ground-level obstacle 4 is determined from the movement information in the measurement data of the radar unit 11.

[0059] In a further, optional step not shown in FIG. 3, information about the dynamic of the vehicle 100 in the superordinate coordinate system is determined by the navigation sensor 21. In a further step S4 the said information is read in. In yet another further step S5 the movement vector V1 of the vehicle 100 is determined in the superordinate coordinate system on the basis of the read-in information about the dynamic of the vehicle 100. The movement vector V1 of the vehicle 100 is determined from the measurement data of the navigation sensor 21.

[0060] In a further step S6 the movement vectors V1, V4 of the vehicle 100 and the ground-level obstacle 4 are compared. If the movement vectors V1, V4 do not fulfill predetermined epipolar conditions or if the movement vectors V1, V4 do not cancel each other out in a vector addition, it is established that the ground-level obstacle 4 is moving relative to the ground 3 of the substrate 2. In a further step S7 it is checked whether this is a ground-level obstacle 4 moving in that manner. In an embodiment the steps S1 to S7 are carried out in a loop or repeatedly, until the check result found in step S7 reaches a predetermined number.

[0061] If the check result in the checking step S7 is found at least once, then in a further step S8 a control signal for controlling the operational safety system 30 is emitted. In a further step S9 the operational safety system 30 is controlled on the basis of the control signal emitted. The control can include the activation of at least one of the warning device 32 and the operating device 34.

INDEXES

[0062] 2 Substrate [0063] 3 Ground [0064] 4 Ground-level obstacle [0065] 6 Surface [0066] 10 Environment detection sensor system [0067] 11 Radar unit [0068] 12 Detection field [0069] 20 Sensor system [0070] 21 Navigation sensor [0071] 30 Operational safety system [0072] 32 Warning device [0073] 34 Operating device [0074] 100 Vehicle [0075] 200 Control unit [0076] F Travel direction [0077] S0 Capture of measurement data [0078] S1 Reading-in of measurement data [0079] S2 Recognition of obstacle [0080] S3 Determination of the movement vector of the obstacle [0081] S4 Reading-in of information [0082] S5 Determination of the movement vector of the vehicle [0083] S6 Comparison of the movement vectors [0084] S7 Checking of the dynamic obstacle [0085] S8 Emitting a control signal [0086] S9 Control of the operational safety system [0087] V1 Movement vector of the vehicle [0088] V4 Movement vector of the obstacle