Method and System for Automatically Determining a Display Status of a Traffic Signal Installation

Abstract

A method automatically determines a display status of a traffic signal installation by: detecting a traffic signal installation in vehicle surroundings of a vehicle, including a signal transmitter structure of the traffic signal installation; detecting an electromagnetic signal issuing from the traffic signal installation; detecting intensity variations in the detected signal over time; and determining a display status of the traffic signal installation. The determining takes place on the basis of the detected intensity variations and an original location of the detected signal relative to the signal transmitter structure.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A method for automatically determining a display status of a traffic signal installation, the method comprising the steps of: recognizing a traffic signal installation in vehicle surroundings of a vehicle, including a signal generator structure of the traffic signal installation; acquiring an electromagnetic signal originating from the traffic signal installation; recognizing intensity variations over time of the acquired signal; determining a display status of the traffic signal installation, wherein the determination is carried out in dependence on the recognized intensity variations and on an origin location of the acquired signal with respect to the signal generator structure.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the intensity variations of the signal take place at one or more frequencies in a frequency range that cannot be resolved by a human eye.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the recognition of the traffic signal installation is carried out at least partially based on map data which indicate a position of the traffic signal installation.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: recognizing a color of the acquired signal; determining a display status of the traffic signal installation in dependence on the recognized color; comparing the display status determined in dependence on the color to the display status determined in dependence on the intensity variations and the origin location of the signal.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle is controlled in an at least partially automated manner in dependence on the determined display status.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method further comprises: logically decoding the intensity variations over time and thus determining at least one element from a group comprising: verbal communication content; items of weather information; items of information on a traffic situation; items of information which are exchanged in a system for cooperative driving.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the items of information determined by the logical decoding are conveyed to a vehicle occupant via a display and/or playback device.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle is controlled in an at least partially automated manner in dependence on the items of information determined by the logical decoding.

20. A system for automatically determining a display status of a traffic signal installation, comprising: one or more sensors; and one or more evaluation units, wherein the system is configured to execute, via at least one of the sensors and/or at least one of the evaluation units, the acts of: recognizing a traffic signal installation in vehicle surroundings of a vehicle, including a signal generator structure of the traffic signal installation; acquiring an electromagnetic signal originating from the traffic signal installation; recognizing intensity variations over time of the acquired signal; determining a display status of the traffic signal installation, wherein the determination is carried out in dependence on the recognized intensity variations and on an origin location of the acquired signal with respect to the signal generator structure.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera and/or a lidar sensor.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein the one or more sensors are designed to acquire intensity variations of the acquired signal at one or more frequencies in a frequency range that cannot be resolved by a human eye.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG. 1 schematically shows an example of a system for automatically determining a display status of a traffic signal installation according to one or more embodiments; and

[0055] FIG. 2 is a schematic flow chart of a method for automatically determining a display status of a traffic signal installation according to one or more embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary scenario having an automated vehicle 1 which approaches a traffic signal installation in the form of a traffic light installation 3.

[0057] The vehicle 1 is equipped with a system 10 for automatically determining a display status of a traffic signal installation 3. The system 10 comprises a camera 101 and an evaluation unit 102 connected to the camera 101.

[0058] The functionality of the system 10 according to FIG. 1 is explained hereinafter in the scope of the exemplary scenario, wherein reference is also made at the same time to general method steps 21, 22, 23, 24 schematically illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0059] In a map, which is available to the automated vehicle 1, the accurate position of the traffic light installation 3 is noted. The camera 101 detects the traffic light installation 3 in the vehicle surroundings of the vehicle 1. The traffic light installation 3 is recognized as the traffic light installation 3 recorded in the map by means of the evaluation unit 102.

[0060] In addition, by means of the camera 101 and the evaluation unit, the signal generator structure of the traffic light installation 3 (in the present case a typical vertical arrangement of circular signal lights in the sequence: top red, middle yellow, bottom green) is recognized.

[0061] With respect to the schematic method sequence according to FIG. 2, this corresponds to step 21: recognizing 21 a traffic signal installation 3 in vehicle surroundings of a vehicle 1, including a signal generator structure of the traffic signal installation 3.

[0062] The camera 101 moreover also acquires the light signal originating from the traffic light installation 3, possibly including its color (red), corresponding to step 22 according to FIG. 2: acquiring 22 an electromagnetic signal originating from the traffic signal installation 3.

[0063] In addition, the camera 101 (possibly in cooperation with the evaluation unit 102) recognizes flickering of the light signal originating from the traffic light installation 3, which originates, for example, from a PWM of the signal light, which can be designed in the form of LEDs. The flickering can be so high frequency here, for example, that it is not resolved by the human eye.

[0064] This corresponds to step 23 in FIG. 2: recognizing intensity variations over time of the acquired signal.

[0065] By means of the evaluation unit 102, the traffic light status is then determined in dependence on the recognized flickering and on an origin location of the acquired light signal with respect to the signal generator structure. In other words, the current traffic light status is inferred via the position of the detected flickering (in the present case: “red”, since the flickering is detected at the topmost position of the recognized vertical traffic light structure).

[0066] This corresponds to step 24 in FIG. 2: determining a display status of the traffic signal installation 3, wherein the determination 23 takes place in dependence on the recognized intensity variations and on an origin location of the acquired signal with respect to the signal generator structure.

[0067] In the described manner, the traffic light status can also be detected, for example, if the traffic light color cannot be detected directly due to low-lying sun, but the signal generator structure of the traffic light installation 3 can be detected.

[0068] If the traffic light color is additionally also recognized directly, a plausibility check of the traffic light status can be performed via the detected flickering of the currently lighted traffic light LED, in order to increase the recognition reliability.

[0069] Accordingly, the method can optionally comprise the following steps: determining a display status of the traffic signal installation 3 in dependence on the recognized color; and comparing (i.e., checking the plausibility of) the display status determined in dependence on the color to the display status determined in dependence on the intensity variations and the origin location of the signal.

[0070] A correct reaction of the automated vehicle 1 can then be initiated automatically in dependence on the determined traffic light status (for example stopping before the red light).

[0071] Beyond the described application scenario, such an automatic detection and evaluation of acquired intensity variations of electromagnetic signals in the road traffic can also be made usable in principle in other ways. It is thus conceivable, for example, that a flickering of LED vehicle headlights is recognized at night. A high beam assistant can thereupon switch to low beams, for example.

[0072] Furthermore, an assistance of image processing by a detection of intensity variations of electromagnetic signals (for example flickering) is generally conceivable, for example, for the following applications: [0073] vehicle classification by detecting flickering of the taillights of a vehicle; [0074] assisting the image processing in the detection of turnoff processes (detecting a set turn signal); [0075] assisting the image processing in the detection of neon signs.