DE102024003233A1 - Method for outputting information to a vehicle user, computer program product and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for outputting information to a vehicle user based on a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor (1). The method according to the invention is characterized by the following method steps executed by an in-vehicle computing unit (2):
- monitoring a signal channel assigned to a vehicle-integrated operating means (3);
- if an actuation of the operating device (3) is registered via the signal channel:
- detecting the actual tire pressure (IST) supplied by the tire pressure sensor (1) and comparing the actual tire pressure (IST) with a specified target tire pressure (SOLL); and
- controlling a vehicle-external lighting device (4) and/or a vehicle-external loudspeaker (5) to output a first light pattern (LM-1) and/or noise pattern as long as the actual tire pressure (IST) deviates from the target tire pressure (SOLL) by more than a specified tolerance value (6); and
- Controlling the vehicle-external lighting device (4) and/or the vehicle-external loudspeaker (5) to output a second light pattern (LM-2) and/or noise pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure (IST) is below the specified tolerance value (6) and corresponds to the target tire pressure (SOLL).

Description

The invention relates to a method for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor, a computer program product and a vehicle.

Vehicles such as cars typically have pneumatic tires. To ensure safe operation, tire pressure should be maintained within a permissible range. If the tire pressure is too high, air should be removed from the tire, and if it is too low, air should be added accordingly. In particular, tire pressure should be adjusted to the vehicle's load. Tire pressure can be monitored using tire pressure sensors integrated into the vehicle's wheels.

There are often discrepancies between the measurement quality of the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors and the corresponding pressure gauges of compressors used to inflate pneumatic tires. Such compressors can be available in the form of mobile or stationary units at a workshop or gas station. The vehicle user can adjust the tire pressure using such compressors. The process of inflating or deflating the pneumatic tires can be automatically ended by the compressor when the pressure gauge integrated in the compressor reaches a target value preset by the user. The user can also manually monitor the pressure gauge and manually end the tire pressure adjustment process. Due to the discrepancy in the measurement quality used to determine the pressure between the compressor used and the tire pressure sensors, it can happen that the vehicle displays tire pressure that is too high or too low shortly after starting the journey, despite the tire pressure being corrected.

The compressors provided in public spaces are often inadequately calibrated or maintained, so in such cases, the vehicle's integrated tire pressure sensors should be given priority. This results in the vehicle user having to return to the workshop or service station to repeat the tire inflation or deflation process. This negatively impacts the user experience. If the vehicle user fails to subsequently correct the tire pressure, there is a risk of driving with over- or under-inflated tires. This can compromise road safety.

There is therefore a need to avoid such situations.

From the DE 10 2017 119 240 A1 A vehicle status notification device and a vehicle with such a device are known. The document describes the monitoring of the tire pressure of a vehicle and the control of a lighting device of the vehicle depending on the measured tire pressure. In this way, at least two different light patterns can be emitted via the vehicle's lighting devices, with a first light pattern indicating correct function and the second light pattern indicating a malfunction. This allows the vehicle user to be visually informed when the tire pressure is too low. The lighting device can be, for example, the headlights, daytime running lights, or even the direction indicator. Lights installed at the front of the vehicle as well as lights installed at the rear can be used. The tire pressure check and the control of the lighting device are initiated by detecting the person driving the vehicle getting out of the vehicle.

The present invention is based on the object of providing an improved method for outputting information to a vehicle user, with the aid of which a vehicle user can be assisted in correctly setting his tire pressure.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for outputting information to a vehicle user having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments as well as a computer program product and a vehicle for providing or executing the method result from the dependent claims.

• - Überwachen eines einem fahrzeugintegrierten Bedienmittel zugeordneten Signalkanals;
• - wenn über den Signalkanal eine Betätigung des Bedienmittels registriert wird:
  • - Erfassen des vom Reifendrucksensor gelieferten Ist-Reifendrucks und Vergleichen des Ist-Reifendrucks mit einem vorgegebenen Soll-Reifendruck; und
  • - Ansteuern einer fahrzeugexternen Beleuchtungsvorrichtung und/oder eines fahrzeugexternen Lautsprechers zur Ausgabe eines ersten Lichtmusters und/oder Geräuschmusters, solange der Ist-Reifendruck über einen festgelegten Toleranzwert vom Soll-Reifendruck abweicht; und
  • - Ansteuern der fahrzeugexternen Beleuchtungsvorrichtung zur Ausgabe eines zweiten Lichtmusters oder Deaktivieren der Beleuchtungsvorrichtung und/oder Ansteuern des fahrzeugexternen Lautsprechers zur Ausgabe eines zweiten Geräuschmusters, sobald der Ist-Reifendruck unterhalb des festgelegten Toleranzwerts mit dem Soll-Reifendruck übereinstimmt.

A generic method for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor is further developed according to the invention by the following method steps carried out by a vehicle-internal computing unit:

• - Monitoring a signal channel assigned to a vehicle-integrated control device;
• - if an operation of the control device is registered via the signal channel:
  • - detecting the actual tire pressure supplied by the tire pressure sensor and comparing the actual tire pressure with a specified target tire pressure; and
  • - controlling an external lighting device and/or an external loudspeaker to emit a first light pattern and/or sound pattern as long as the actual tire pressure deviates from the target tire pressure by more than a specified tolerance value; and
  • - Controlling the vehicle-external lighting device to emit a second light pattern or deactivating the lighting device and/or controlling the vehicle-external loudspeaker to emit a second sound pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure is below the specified tolerance value and corresponds to the target tire pressure.

With the aid of the method according to the invention, the vehicle user can be assisted in manually correcting the tire pressure of their vehicle. Thus, the tire pressure measured by the corresponding tire pressure sensor can be communicated to the vehicle user via the lighting device and/or the loudspeaker during the filling or deflating of the corresponding tires. If the pressure is too low or too high, the first light pattern or sound pattern is emitted. This indicates to the vehicle user that more air needs to be added to or removed from the tires. Even if the compressor used by the vehicle user already indicates that the target tire pressure has been reached, the filling or deflating process can be continued until the vehicle also indicates that the target tire pressure has been reached. Due to the higher measurement quality of the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors described above, this increases the reliability that the actual tire pressure actually corresponds to the target tire pressure.

This, in turn, reduces the risk that the vehicle user will have to repeat the tire pressure adjustment procedure at short notice due to incorrectly set tire pressure. It also reduces the risk of driving with insufficiently high or low tire pressure, thus improving road safety.

The method according to the invention is initiated by the vehicle user manually actuating the operating means. Thus, the method according to the invention serves to output information during a correspondingly manually performed tire pressure correction process. The filling or deflation of the vehicle's tires is performed comparatively infrequently, so that manually starting the method allows the lighting device and/or loudspeaker to be activated precisely when necessary. In contrast to, for example, automatic detection of the need to perform the method, this reduces the risk of bystanders present in the vicinity of the vehicle being distracted by light patterns or noise patterns emitted at the wrong times.

An advantageous development of the method according to the invention provides that the first light pattern is implemented as a flashing light signal and the second light pattern as a continuous light signal; and/or the first sound pattern is implemented as a beep and the second sound pattern as a continuous tone. In general, various ways of designing the two light patterns and the two sound patterns can be implemented. Light patterns can be implemented, for example, by changing the color, brightness, contrast, and the like. However, by using flashing light signals, differences between light patterns can be reliably detected even with simply designed lighting devices. In this way, first and second light patterns can be emitted without the need for dimmable or multi-colored light sources. Furthermore, beeps can be distinguished from continuous tones without great cognitive effort. It would also be conceivable to change the frequency and/or volume of the sound pattern. Instead of emitting the second light pattern, the light output can also be stopped to indicate that the correct tire pressure has been reached.

Preferably, the output frequency of an underlying light signal and/or sound signal in the first light pattern and/or first sound pattern increases with decreasing difference between the actual tire pressure and the target tire pressure. In other words, the lighting device flashes increasingly faster until the target tire pressure is finally reached. Then the flashing light changes to a continuous light. Accordingly, the loudspeaker beeps increasingly faster until the continuous tone is emitted. This allows the vehicle user to be prepared for the fact that the tire pressure correction process may end shortly. This reduces the risk of the vehicle user overinflating their tires when inflating them or removing too much air from the respective tire when deflating them.

A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that at least one of the light patterns is output via a direction indicator light module. In general, all lighting devices that can be viewed from the vehicle's surroundings can The vehicle's signals are used to output the two light patterns. However, since the headlights and taillights can be viewed from a smaller solid angle than direction indicators, also known as turn signals, a corresponding direction indicator light module is preferred. In particular, the headlights can only be seen from the front of the vehicle, and the taillights from the rear. However, the respective direction indicators can be seen from the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle.

It is preferably provided that, viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, in the case of a tire pressure sensor arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module arranged in the right vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern and in the case of a tire pressure sensor arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module arranged in the left vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern.

In particular, it is further provided according to the invention that, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the case of a tire pressure sensor arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern and in the case of a tire pressure sensor arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern.

Typically, the vehicle user kneels next to the tire being inflated or deflated. This makes it difficult for the vehicle user to see the vehicle's respective lighting devices. Advantageously, the direction indicator that is closest to the respective tire being inflated or deflated is activated to emit the first and second light patterns. This ensures that the vehicle user can reliably see the respective light pattern, while uninvolved third parties in the vicinity are not disturbed by the corresponding light patterns.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is further provided that a physical operating means, an operating means displayed on a graphical user interface, or a voice command operating means is used as the vehicle-integrated operating means. This enables the vehicle user to use various operating modalities to initiate the method according to the invention. All common buttons, knobs, sliders, rotary controls, rotary push buttons, and the like can be used as physical operating means. These can be embedded in the dashboard, attached to a vehicle door, integrated into the roof lining, integrated into an armrest, and the like. The vehicle user can also use a touch-sensitive display device to operate vehicle functions. A graphical user interface (GUI) can be displayed on such a display device. This allows the method according to the invention to be initiated particularly conveniently. Operation via voice command is also conceivable.

A computer program product according to the invention is characterized by machine-interpretable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing unit, cause the processor to carry out a method described above.

A vehicle according to the invention comprises a computing unit with at least read access to a computer-readable storage medium storing such a computer program product. The computing unit is embodied by a logical computing unit. A logical computing unit can be embodied by a physical computing device or by several interacting physical computing devices. For example, a dedicated control unit can be provided for processing sensor values output by the tire pressure sensor, as well as a dedicated control unit for controlling the lighting device and/or the loudspeakers and the operating means.

Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for outputting information as well as of the computer program product and vehicle according to the invention also emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Reifendruckkorrekturvorgangs;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer visuellen Vermittlung eines unzureichend oder korrekt eingestellten Reifendrucks;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung einer Anpassung einer Ausgabefrequenz eines akustischen und/oder visuellen Signals in Abhängigkeit einer Differenz zwischen einem Ist-Reifendruck und einem Soll-Reifendruck; und
• 4 eine schematisierte Darstellung der zur Ausführung eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in einem erfindungsgemäßen Fahrzeug implementierten Komponenten.

Showing:

• 1 a schematic representation of a tire pressure correction process;
• 2 a schematic representation of a visual communication of insufficient or correctly adjusted tire pressure;
• 3 a schematic representation of an adjustment of an output frequency of an acoustic and/or visual signal depending on a difference between an actual tire pressure and a target tire pressure; and
• 4 a schematic representation of the components implemented in a vehicle according to the invention for carrying out a method according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 8 according to the invention. A vehicle user manually carries out a correction process of the tire pressure of the respective tires of the vehicle 8. For this purpose, the vehicle user can use conventional stationary compressor devices 9.1 or mobile compressor devices 9.2. In the 1 In the embodiment shown, the vehicle user corrects the tire pressure of the front left tire, which is symbolized by a connected pressure line.

For example, due to an improperly calibrated or maintained compressor device 9.1, 9.2, the vehicle user could set a tire pressure that is too high or too low. In most cases, the 4 The vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors 1 shown allow a more accurate determination of the tire pressure than the respective compressor devices 9.1, 9.2.

Using a method according to the invention, the tire pressure measured by the vehicle-integrated tire pressure sensors 1 can be output to the vehicle user via a visual and/or acoustic transmission path while the tire pressure correction process is being performed. A vehicle-integrated computing unit 2 processes sensor signals supplied by the respective tire pressure sensors 1 and controls corresponding output means. Visual output means can be lighting devices 4 that emit light into the surroundings of the vehicle, such as the headlights 10, the rear lights 11, and/or the respective direction indicator light modules 7. Furthermore, the computing unit 2 can control acoustic output means in the form of on-board loudspeakers 5 for outputting sound signals, which particularly preferably project sound into the surroundings of the vehicle 8.

As long as the 2 If the measured actual tire pressure IST shown deviates from a target tire pressure SOLL to be achieved, a first light pattern LM-1 or a first sound pattern is emitted via the lighting device 4 or the loudspeakers 5, whereas as soon as the actual tire pressure IST reaches the target tire pressure SOLL, a second light pattern LM-2 or second sound pattern is emitted instead.

In the 1 In the embodiment shown, only the direction indicator light modules 7 arranged in the left hemisphere of the vehicle 8 are operated.

2 Subfigure a) shows a condition in which the actual tire pressure ACTUAL has not yet reached the target tire pressure TARGET. A flashing light is particularly preferably emitted as the first light pattern LM-1. A switched-off light is indicated by a white circle. If, however, the respective light emits light, it is symbolized by a black circle. As long as the actual tire pressure ACTUAL deviates from the target tire pressure TARGET by more than a specified tolerance value 6, the first light pattern LM-1 or the first sound pattern is emitted.

How 2b) However, as soon as the actual tire pressure ACTUAL falls below the specified tolerance value 6 and matches the target tire pressure SET, the second light pattern LM-2, here in the form of a continuous light, or the second sound pattern, is emitted. The light output can also be stopped completely. In this case, the light output could be symbolized by a white circle, and a deactivated light by a black circle.

Particularly preferred is how 3 shows, the output frequency f of an underlying light signal and/or sound signal in the first light pattern LM-1 or the first noise pattern increases with decreasing distance between the actual tire pressure ACTUAL and the target tire pressure SOLL. If the target tire pressure SOLL is reached, the continuous tone is emitted or the continuous light signal, which in 3 This can be seen in the graph qualitatively representing the output frequency f, which jumps to infinity. The tire pressure is indicated by the value "P" and the time by the value "t."

4 illustrates the system structure in the vehicle 8 according to the invention. In sub-figure a), a central processing unit 2 is present, which receives and outputs signals transmitted via a respective data bus 12. Thus, the processing unit 2 receives corresponding sensor signals from the tire pressure sensor 1. As soon as the vehicle user initiates an execution of the method according to the invention via an operating means 3, the processing unit 2 controls said lighting device 4 or loudspeaker 5 depending on the corresponding tire pressure signal.

How 4b) shows, there may also be several physical computing units 2 that work together as one logical computing unit 2.

QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10 2017 119 240 A1 [0006]

Claims (9)

Method for outputting information to a vehicle user as a function of a signal supplied by a tire pressure sensor (1), characterized by the following method steps carried out by an in-vehicle computing unit (2): - monitoring a signal channel assigned to a vehicle-integrated operating means (3); - when an actuation of the operating means (3) is registered via the signal channel: - detecting the actual tire pressure (IST) supplied by the tire pressure sensor (1) and comparing the actual tire pressure (IST) with a predetermined target tire pressure (SOLL); and - controlling a vehicle-external lighting device (4) and/or a vehicle-external loudspeaker (5) to output a first light pattern (LM-1) and/or noise pattern as long as the actual tire pressure (IST) deviates from the target tire pressure (SOLL) by more than a specified tolerance value (6); and - controlling the vehicle-external lighting device (4) to output a second light pattern (LM-2) or deactivating the lighting device (4) and/or controlling the vehicle-external loudspeaker (5) to output a second noise pattern as soon as the actual tire pressure (IST) is below the specified tolerance value (6) and corresponds to the target tire pressure (SOLL). Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the first light pattern (LM-1) is designed as a flashing light signal and the second light pattern (LM-2) as a continuous light signal; and/or the first sound pattern is designed as a beep and the second sound pattern as a continuous tone. Procedure according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the output frequency (f) of an underlying light signal and/or sound signal in the first light pattern (LM-1) and/or first noise pattern increases with decreasing distance between the actual tire pressure (IST) and the target tire pressure (SOLL). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that at least one of the light patterns (LM-1, LM-2) is output via a direction indicator light module (7). Procedure according to Claim 4 , characterized in that , viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, in the case of a tire pressure sensor (1) arranged in the right-hand vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module (7) arranged in the right-hand vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2), and in the case of a tire pressure sensor (7) arranged in the left-hand vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module (7) arranged in the left-hand vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2). Procedure according to Claim 4 or 5 , characterized in that , viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the case of a tire pressure sensor (1) arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module (7) arranged in the front vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2) and in the case of a tire pressure sensor (1) arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere, a direction indicator light module (7) arranged in the rear vehicle hemisphere emits the light pattern (LM-1, LM-2). Method according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that a physical operating means, an operating means displayed on a graphical user interface or a voice command operating means is used as the vehicle-integrated operating means (3). Computer program product, characterized by machine-interpretable instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computing unit (2), cause the latter to carry out a method according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 to execute. Vehicle (8), characterized by a computing unit (2) with at least read access to a computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program product according to Claim 8 .

Images