DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A LENGTH OF A VEHICLE COMBINATION

Abstract

A device for determining the length of a vehicle combination comprises an input interface for receiving current driving dynamics data, in particular information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle, and a comparison unit for comparing the received current driving dynamics data with stored patterns of driving dynamics data that are typical for driving with a trailer of known dimensions, and an evaluation unit, which derives the length of the vehicle combination from the differences between the current driving dynamics data and the stored typical patterns of driving dynamics data. The device can use the sensors in the towing vehicle for obtaining the current driving dynamics data. Without additional hardware, a length of the vehicle combination, e.g. the length of a trailer connected to a towing vehicle, can be determined in this manner.

Claims

1. A device for determining the length of a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle and a trailer, which has: an input interface configured to receive current driving dynamics data from sensors in the towing vehicle while driving with a trailer; a comparison unit configured to compare the current driving dynamics data that have been received with stored driving dynamics data; and an evaluation unit configured to derive the length of the vehicle combination from the differences between the current driving dynamics data and the stored driving dynamics data.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the comparison unit is configured to compare the current driving dynamics data with a stored pattern of driving dynamics data that is typical for driving with a trailer of a known length, and wherein the evaluation unit is configured to recognize a typical pattern of driving dynamics data corresponding to the current driving dynamics data, and to determine the length of the vehicle combination belonging to the typical pattern.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the input interface is configured to receive information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle, the comparison unit is configured to compare the current travel path with a stored travel path that is typical for driving with a trailer of a known length, and the evaluation unit is configured to recognize a typical travel path corresponding to the current travel path, and to determine the length of the vehicle combination belonging to the typical travel path.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the output unit is configured to output the length of the vehicle combination belonging to the recognized typical travel path.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the comparison unit or the evaluation unit are configured to perform machine learning.

6. A system for determining the length of a vehicle combination, comprising a towing vehicle and a trailer, comprising: a sensor configured to obtain driving dynamics data for the towing vehicle while it is being driven; and the device according to claim 1.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the sensor is configured to obtain information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle.

8. A vehicle comprising the system according to claim 7.

9. A method for determining a length of a vehicle combination, comprising a towing vehicle and a trailer, the method comprising: receiving current driving dynamics data from a sensor in the towing vehicle while it is being driven; comparing the current driving dynamics data with stored driving dynamics data; and deriving the length of the vehicle combination from the differences between the current driving dynamics data and the stored driving dynamics data.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the driving dynamics data contain information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle, wherein the method further comprises: comparing the current travel path with a stored travel path that is typical for driving with a trailer of a known length; and determining and outputting a length of the vehicle combination belonging to the recognized typical travel path.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program code that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising: receiving current driving dynamics data from a sensor in the towing vehicle while it is being driven; comparing the current driving dynamics data with stored driving dynamics data; and deriving the length of the vehicle combination from the differences between the current driving dynamics data and the stored driving dynamics data.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the driving dynamics data contain information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle, wherein the method further comprises: comparing the current travel path with a stored travel path that is typical for driving with a trailer of a known length; and determining and outputting a length of the vehicle combination belonging to the recognized typical travel path.

Description

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the invention shall be explained below in reference to the drawings. Therein:

[0022] FIG. 1a shows, schematically, the normal travel path of a towing vehicle when making a turn;

[0023] FIG. 1b shows a different, typical travel path of the same towing vehicle, when towing a trailer;

[0024] FIG. 2a shows, schematically, the normal travel path of a towing vehicle when travelling through a roundabout;

[0025] FIG. 2b shows a different, typical travel path for the same towing vehicle, when towing a trailer;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a system that has a device for determining the length of a vehicle combination, in an image illustrating the basic principle of the system.

[0027] FIG. 1a illustrates how a towing vehicle 1 without a trailer makes a right-hand turn into a side street. The travel path forms a quarter circle, which then transitions into a straight line at the end thereof that is parallel to the roadway.

[0028] FIG. 1b illustrates how the same towing vehicle 1 travels through the same turn when a trailer 2 is connected to it. The travel path 3b differs significantly from the travel path 3a that would be travelled by the towing vehicle 1 without the trailer (FIG. 1a) in that the towing vehicle 1 first moves toward the left prior to reaching the intersection, in order to subsequently steer hard to the right. The travel path 3b therefore first takes approximately an eighth of a circle toward the left, and then a subsequent quarter circle with a smaller radius toward the right. In the end, the towing vehicle 1 turns in the other direction, i.e. to the left, so that the towing vehicle 1 and trailer 2 are again aligned and parallel to the roadway at the end of the maneuver.

[0029] The travel path 3b is typical for a vehicle combination comprising a towing vehicle 1 and a trailer 2. The longer the trailer 2, the more the towing vehicle 1 must shift to the left prior to turning right, such that the towing vehicle 1 must then make a tighter right hand turn. This is the only way to ensure that the trailer 2 does not cut over the corner, because it will always travel over a smaller radius than the towing vehicle. The travel path 3b for the vehicle combination makes use of the entire width of the available roadway.

[0030] FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate the different travel paths (4a, 4b) when passing through a roundabout, first with just the towing vehicle (FIG. 2a) and then with the trailer 2 (FIG. 2b). When entering the roundabout, the towing vehicle 1 with the trailer 2 travels further in a straight line, and then steers hard to the right. The trailer 2 travels though a smaller radius here as well, so that it does not get caught on the corner. Prior to exiting the roundabout, the towing vehicle 1 must first get as far inside as possible, to be able to subsequently turn nearly ninety degrees to the right in order to be able to exit the roundabout. The travel path 4b is typical for passing through a roundabout with a trailer 2, and differs strongly from the travel path 4a, which the towing vehicle 1 would travel along without a trailer.

[0031] Typical travel paths for left hand turns or other turning angles are obtained in a similar manner. In all cases, the travel path of the towing vehicle 1 when it is connected to a trailer 2 differs significantly from that of the vehicle 1 when it is not connected to a trailer. The pattern for the travel path is therefore substantially dependent on the length of the vehicle combination, in which, if the length of the towing vehicle is fixed, the length of the trailer, or numerous trailers if more than one is being towed, is decisive.

[0032] The fundamental structure of a system 10 for determining the length of a vehicle combination, e.g. the overall length of the combination comprising a towing vehicle 1 and a trailer 2, is illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0033] The system 10 comprises a steering angle sensor 11, an acceleration sensor 12, and a yaw rate sensor 13, which are components of the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) in the towing vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1a in this case.

[0034] The system 10 also comprises a device 20 that has an input interface 21, a comparison unit 22, an evaluation unit 23, and an output interface 24. The device 20 also belongs to the towing vehicle 1, and is integrated in this case, by way of example, in the advanced driver assistance system.

[0035] The input interface 21 receives current driving dynamics data from the steering angle sensor 11, the acceleration sensor 12, and the yaw rate sensor 13 in the towing vehicle 1. In particular, the input interface 21 receives information regarding the current travel path of the towing vehicle 1, i.e. the travel path 4b of the towing vehicle 1 when passing through the roundabout with a trailer 2, as shown in FIG. 2b. Typical travel paths for driving with trailers of known lengths are stored in the comparison unit 22. This allows the comparison unit 22 to compare the current travel path (4b in FIG. 2b) with the stored, typical travel paths. This comparison takes place according to the principle of pattern recognition (pattern matching). If the evaluation unit 23 recognizes that the current travel path corresponds to a stored, typical travel path, the evaluation unit 23 determines a length L belonging to the typical travel path, which is either the overall length of the vehicle combination, or the length of just the trailer 2, depending on the definition. The determined length L is output by the output interface 24, and sent to the advanced driver assistance system in the towing vehicle 1, so that the driving program can be adjusted accordingly.

[0036] The invention has been comprehensively described and explained in reference to the drawings in this description. The description and explanation are to be understood as an example, and not as limiting. The invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein. Other embodiments or variations can be derived by the person skilled in the art in the use of the present invention, as well as through a more thorough analysis of the drawings, the disclosure, and the following claims.

[0037] The words “comprising” and “with” in the claims do not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. The indefinite articles “a” or “an” do not exclude the presence of a plurality. A single element or single unit can execute the functions of numerous units specified in the claims. An element, unit, interface, device, and system may be implemented partially or entirely in hardware and/or software. Simply specifying some measures in numerous different dependent claims is not to be understood to mean that a combination of these measures cannot likewise be used advantageously. A computer program can be stored/distributed on a non-volatile data medium, e.g. an optical memory or a solid state drive (SSD). A computer program can be distributed with hardware and/or as part of hardware, e.g. by means of the internet or a hard-wired or wireless communication system. Reference symbols in the claims are not to be understood as limiting.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0038] 1 towing vehicle [0039] 2 trailer [0040] 3a, 3b travel path (turning) [0041] 4a, 4b travel path (roundabout) [0042] 10 system [0043] 11 steering angle sensor [0044] 12 acceleration sensor [0045] 13 yaw rate sensor [0046] 20 device [0047] 21 input interface [0048] 22 comparison unit [0049] 23 evaluation unit [0050] 24 output interface