Abstract
An ultrasonic sensor unit for a vehicle. The ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to emit first, second, and third ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to receive and/or detect a movement path with the ultrasonic sensor unit. The ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to detect first, second, and third reflection, of the first, second, and third ultrasonic wave, of an object. The ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to ascertain a first intersection point between the first reflection and the second reflection, a second intersection point between the second reflection and the third reflection, and a first ellipse based on the first intersection point, the second intersection point and the movement path. The ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to determine a type of the object based on the first ellipse.
Claims
1. An ultrasonic sensor unit for a vehicle, configured to: emit a first ultrasonic wave, a second ultrasonic wave and a third ultrasonic wave; receive and/or detect a movement path using the ultrasonic sensor unit; detect a first reflection of the first ultrasonic wave of an objec, a second reflection of the second ultrasonic wave of the object, and a third reflection of the third ultrasonic wave of the object; ascertain a first intersection point between the first reflection and the second reflection; ascertain a second intersection point between the second reflection and the third reflection; ascertain a first ellipse based on the first intersection point, the second intersection point, and the movement path; and determine a type of the object based on the first ellipse.
2. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to assign a point contour or a line contour based on the first ellipse of the object.
3. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to ascertain an eccentricity of the first ellipse, and wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to assign the point contour or the line contour to the object based on eccentricity.
4. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 3, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to assign the point contour to the object when the eccentricity tends toward zero, and/or to assign the line contour to the object when the eccentricity tends toward 1.
5. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to determine a driving probability based on a width of the first ellipse and the movement path, and wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to assign the point contour or the line contour to the object based on the driving probability.
6. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to ascertain a phi probability based on an angle between a semi-major axis of the first ellipse and a reference, and wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to assign the point contour or the line contour to the object based on the phi probability.
7. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to determine a position of the object on a center point of the first ellipse.
8. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to ascertain a center of gravity based on the first intersection point and the second intersection point, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to fit the first ellipse based on the center of gravity.
9. The ultrasonic sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to form a point matrix based on the first intersection point and the second intersection point, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to ascertain an eigenvalue for each entry of the point matrix, and wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to fit the first ellipse based on the eigenvalue of the entries of the point matrix.
10. A vehicle, comprising: an ultrasonic sensor unit for the vehicle, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit is configured to: emit a first ultrasonic wave, a second ultrasonic wave and a third ultrasonic wave, receive and/or detect a movement path using the ultrasonic sensor unit, detect a first reflection of the first ultrasonic wave of an objec, a second reflection of the second ultrasonic wave of the object, and a third reflection of the third ultrasonic wave of the object, ascertain a first intersection point between the first reflection and the second reflection, ascertain a second intersection point between the second reflection and the third reflection, ascertain a first ellipse based on the first intersection point, the second intersection point, and the movement path, and determine a type of the object based on the first ellipse.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the figures.
[0030] FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic sensor unit according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIGS. 3 to 5 are each a diagram for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a flow chart for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIGS. 7 and 8 are each a diagram for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit according to one example embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT
[0035] Preferably, all the same elements, units and/or steps in all figures are provided with the same reference signs.
[0036] FIG. 1 shows an ultrasonic sensor unit 10 for a vehicle 100 according to one embodiment. The ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to emit a first ultrasonic wave, a second ultrasonic wave and a third ultrasonic wave, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to receive and/or detect a movement 11 of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to detect a first reflection 12 of the first ultrasonic wave of an object 14, a second reflection 16 of the second ultrasonic wave of the object 14, and a third reflection 18 of the third ultrasonic wave of the object 14, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to ascertain a first intersection point 20 between the first reflection 12 and the second reflection 16, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to ascertain a second intersection point 22 between the first reflection 12 and the third reflection 18, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to ascertain a first ellipse 24 based on the first intersection point 20, the second intersection point 22 and the movement path 11, wherein the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is configured to determine a type of the object 14 based on the first ellipse 24.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle 100 according to one embodiment. The vehicle 100 preferably comprises an ultrasonic sensor unit 10 for a vehicle, as described above and below.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a diagram 200 for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. The diagram 200 comprises a first axis 202 on which the echo distance is plotted. More preferably, the diagram 200 comprises a second axis 204 on which time is plotted. More preferably, the first ellipse 24 is shown in the diagram 200. The first ellipse 24 comprises a first semi-subaxis 206 as well as a first semi-major axis 208. More preferably, the first ellipse 24 comprises a center 220. Preferably, a phi angle 214 can be formed between a reference 210 and a semi-major axis 208 of the first ellipse 24. More preferably, a first variable 216 can be formed between the focus 218 and the center 220. Based on a ratio between the first semi-major axis 208 and the distance 216, the eccentricity of the first ellipse 24 can be determined.
[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram 250 for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 shows an object 14 that comprises a line contour. The ultrasonic wave can cause a first reflection 12, a second reflection 16 and a third reflection 18. More preferably, a first intersection point between the first reflection 12 and the second reflection 16 of the object 14 can be ascertained. More preferably, a second intersection point 22 can be formed based on the second reflection 16 and the third reflection 18 of the ultrasonic waves at the object 14. Based on the first intersection point 20 and the second intersection point 22, the first ellipse 24 can be ascertained. More preferably, a plurality of further reflections and intersection points can also be used for forming the first ellipse 24. FIG. 4 shows a fourth reflection 264 and a fifth reflection 268. Preferably, a third intersection point 262 can be formed between the third reflection 18 and the fourth reflection 264. More preferably, a fourth intersection point can be ascertained based on the fourth reflection 264 and the fifth reflection 268. Preferably, the first ellipse 24 can also comprise the third intersection point 262 as well as the fourth intersection point 266. More preferably, a first position 252 of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is shown when creating the first reflection 12. More preferably, a second point 254 of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10, at which the second reflection 16 was ascertained, is shown. More preferably, a plurality of further points 256, 258, 260, at each of which a reflection could be ascertained, are shown. More preferably, the movement path 11 of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 is shown in FIG. 4.
[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram 300 for showing the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. In FIG. 5, an object 14 that comprises a point contour is shown. Similar to FIG. 4, based on the first reflection 12, the second reflection 16 and the third reflection 18 on the object 14, a first intersection point 20 and a second intersection point 22 can be formed. Based on the first intersection point 20 and the second intersection point 22, the first ellipse 24 can be determined. As can be seen from the comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5, an extension width of the first ellipse 24 in FIG. 5 is significantly smaller than in FIG. 4, since the object is a point contour. More preferably, the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 can ascertain the first reflection 12 at a first position 302, the second reflection 16 at a second position 304, the third reflection 18 at a third position 306, and the further reflection 310 at a fourth position 308. Thus, in particular, the movement path 11 can be put into a context with the determination of the reflections.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a flow chart 350 for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. The intersection points can be ascertained from a side object memory 352 in step 354. Based on the intersection points, a center-of-gravity calculation 356 can be performed. More preferably, a point matrix 360 can be formed by means of a transfer 358. Based on the point matrix 360, the eigenvalues 361 of the entries of the point matrix 360 can be calculated. More preferably, the eigenvalue minimization 362 can take place based on the eigenvalues 360. Preferably, states 364 of the first ellipse 24 can be ascertained. In step 366, the first ellipse 24, in particular parameters of the ellipse, can be determined. In step 368, the ellipse can be transformed in order to be able to perform an object classification 370. The result 372 is a type of the object 14.
[0042] FIG. 7 is a diagram 400 for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. In the diagram 400 there is a first axis 402 on which the echo distance is plotted. More preferably, there is a second axis 404 on which time is plotted. As can be seen in FIG. 7, there are a plurality of intersection points 406 that comprise the first intersection point 20 and the second intersection point 22 in order to thus be able to form a first ellipse 24. As can be seen in FIG. 7, due to the width of the first ellipse, the object is highly likely to have a linear contour.
[0043] FIG. 8 is a diagram 450 for illustrating the functioning of the ultrasonic sensor unit 10 according to one embodiment. The diagram 450 comprises a first axis 452 with an echo distance, and a second axis 454 with a time. The diagram 450 comprises a plurality of intersection points 456, which comprise the first intersection point 20 and the second intersection point 22. Preferably, the first ellipse 24 can be formed based on the plurality of intersection points 456. As can be seen in FIG. 8, due to the small width of the ellipse 24, a point-like contour of the object can be assumed.
