DE102022132900B3 - Method for setting a parameter of a vehicle system of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and intermediate system - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for setting at least one parameter (1) of at least one vehicle system (2) of a motor vehicle (3), comprising the steps:
- Acquiring image data (4) depicting the motor vehicle (3) by at least one capture device (5, 6),
- Evaluating a timeliness condition (11), the fulfillment of which depends on a reference time (12, 13) and/or on at least one piece of vehicle status information (14) relating to the vehicle condition, which is recorded at or after the reference time (12, 13), and
- on the one hand, setting the respective parameter (1) to a respective image data-dependent parameter value (18) when the timeliness condition (11) is fulfilled, the image data-dependent parameter value (18) being specified depending on whether a parameter value (18) is determined depending on the image data (4). Roof load information (16) indicates that a roof load (19) is present on the outside of the motor vehicle (3), and
- On the other hand, setting the respective parameter (1) to an image data-independent parameter value (20) if the timeliness condition (11) is not met.

Description

The invention relates to a method for setting at least one parameter of at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle and an intermediate system.

In vehicles that have a high center of gravity, such as an SUV, the maximum lateral forces that occur must be kept sufficiently low to avoid a rollover. Depending on the specific design of such a vehicle, active measures to prevent a vehicle rollover may be appropriate and may even be required by law. For example, appropriate parameterization of a stability control system, for example an ESP system, can trigger understeer in certain driving situations in order to keep transverse forces that occur low and thus prevent the motor vehicle from tipping over. This can be achieved, for example, through suitable braking interventions.

An external roof load, in particular a roof rack, can often be attached to corresponding vehicles or a permanently installed roof rack is provided in order to enable an additional roof load. The presence or loading of such a roof rack shifts the center of gravity of the motor vehicle further upwards, so that when driving with a roof rack, especially a loaded one, lower lateral forces can lead to the vehicle tipping over than when driving without additional roof load. Therefore, when designing and parameterizing vehicles, maneuvers with a roof load are typically also checked and vehicle systems, such as stability control systems, are configured in such a way that tipping can be robustly avoided even when driving with a roof load.

However, this results in the disadvantage that transverse forces that can be achieved while driving are unnecessarily reduced by appropriately parameterized vehicle systems when driving without a roof rack or without loading the roof rack, which means that the vehicle can appear significantly less powerful, especially when driving in a sporty manner. The usual approach often results in lower customer satisfaction and a less powerful vehicle.

One way to avoid this disadvantage is to detect the installation of a roof rack or a roof load in general using a sensor specifically designed for this purpose. However, a corresponding additional sensor system is relatively expensive, requires a certain amount of installation space and also increases the weight of the vehicle.

The publication US 2018/0039283 A1 proposes to detect a change in shape of a motor vehicle, such as that resulting from loading a roof rack, by first detecting quantities using sensors that can detect a potential corresponding change in shape, in particular a payload. If a potential shape change has been detected, a request can be sent to external motor vehicles or other external devices, which are then used to capture image data of the external shape of the own motor vehicle. This makes it possible to check in particular whether there is actually a change in shape or whether the changed measured values result from other factors, for example due to a load in the interior.

In this teaching, changes in shape can only be detected if internal sensors indicate a likely change in shape.

Particularly in the case of relatively large and heavy vehicles, for example an SUV, the influence of a roof rack on easily detectable variables, for example the acceleration achieved, is relatively small, at least at low speeds, so that a sufficiently robust detection of each assembly or loading of a roof rack is possible would only be possible with the complex additional sensor technology explained above. However, a high degree of robustness of this detection is required if higher lateral forces are to be permitted during driving when the roof rack is not installed or not loaded, which could potentially lead to the vehicle tipping over when the roof rack is installed or loaded.

A method for determining a size of a load-carrying motor vehicle is from the publication EP 3 543 905 A1 known. There, image data from cameras external to the vehicle are evaluated in order to detect a load attached to the vehicle. Depending on the dimensions detected, automated driving or warning functions are parameterized and chassis settings are adjusted depending on the type of load detected.

The method is therefore based on the task of improving the driving behavior of a motor vehicle at least in some operating situations, in particular with regard to sporty driving, with little technical effort, and at the same time robustly avoiding misconfiguration when the roof load is present.

• - Erfassen von das Kraftfahrzeug abbildenden Bilddaten durch wenigstens eine separat von dem Kraftfahrzeug ausgebildete und außerhalb des Kraftfahrzeugs angeordnete Erfassungseinrichtung,
• - Auswerten einer Aktualitätsbedingung, deren Erfüllung von wenigstens einer den Fahrzeugzustand betreffenden Fahrzeugzustandsinformation, die jeweils an oder nach einem Referenzzeitpunkt erfasst wird, abhängt, wobei der Referenzzeitpunkt jener Zeitpunkt ist, zu dem die Bilddaten durch die Erfassungseinrichtung erfasst oder die Bilddaten oder aus den Bilddaten ermittelte Verarbeitungsdaten durch das Kraftfahrzeug oder eine zur Informationsvermittlung zwischen der Erfassungseinrichtung und dem Kraftfahrzeug dienendes Zwischensystem empfangen oder verarbeitet werden, wobei die Fahrzeugzustandsinformation einen Bewegungszustand und/oder eine Position des Kraftfahrzeugs und/oder einen Öffnungszustand wenigstens einer Tür des Kraftfahrzeugs und/oder eine Belegung wenigstens eines Sitzes des Kraftfahrzeugs und/oder einen zeitlichen Verlauf wenigstens einer dieser Größen beschreibt, und
• - einerseits Einstellen des jeweiligen Parameters auf einen jeweiligen bilddatenabhängigen Parameterwert, wenn die Aktualitätsbedingung erfüllt ist, wobei der bilddatenabhängige Parameterwert in Abhängigkeit davon vorgegeben wird, ob eine in Abhängigkeit der Bilddaten und/oder der Verarbeitungsdaten ermittelte oder durch die Verarbeitungsdaten vorgegebene Dachlastinformation indiziert, dass eine Dachlast außenseitig an dem Kraftfahrzeug angebracht ist, und
• - andererseits Einstellen des jeweiligen Parameters auf einen bilddatenunabhängigen Parameterwert, der unabhängig von den Bilddaten vorgegeben ist, wenn die Aktualitätsbedingung nicht erfüllt ist.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a method for setting at least one parameter of at least one vehicle system of a motor vehicle, which comprises the following steps:

• - Acquiring image data depicting the motor vehicle by at least one recording device designed separately from the motor vehicle and arranged outside the motor vehicle,
• - Evaluating a timeliness condition, the fulfillment of which depends on at least one piece of vehicle state information relating to the vehicle state, which is recorded at or after a reference time, the reference time being the time at which the image data was captured by the capture device or the image data or determined from the image data Processing data is received or processed by the motor vehicle or an intermediate system used to convey information between the detection device and the motor vehicle, the vehicle status information being a movement state and/or a position of the motor vehicle and/or an opening state of at least one door of the motor vehicle and/or an occupancy of at least one Seat of the motor vehicle and / or a time course of at least one of these variables describes, and
• - on the one hand, setting the respective parameter to a respective image data-dependent parameter value when the timeliness condition is met, the image data-dependent parameter value being specified depending on whether roof load information determined as a function of the image data and / or the processing data or specified by the processing data indicates that a Roof load is attached to the outside of the motor vehicle, and
• - on the other hand, setting the respective parameter to an image data-independent parameter value, which is specified independently of the image data if the timeliness condition is not met.

The fulfillment of the timeliness condition can optionally also depend on the reference time.

In the context of the invention, it was recognized that in many operating situations of motor vehicles, image data of the motor vehicle is recorded by already existing detection devices, for example by detection devices of other vehicles and/or infrastructure devices, which can be used to determine whether a roof load, in particular a roof rack or a Loading a roof rack, which is present on the outside of the motor vehicle. The image data can be captured in particular while the motor vehicle is driving. For example, at least one camera and/or a lidar or laser scanner or another imaging system can be used as the detection device.

If sufficient current image data is available, the image data from the external detection device can be used to determine whether a roof load is present, i.e. in particular whether a roof rack is mounted or loaded, and if the roof load is not present, a suitable parameterization of the at least one vehicle system can be carried out, whereby in particular Higher lateral forces during driving and thus sportier driving can be permitted. However, if it is recognized that there is a roof load, for example that a roof rack is attached to the vehicle or is loaded, a parameterization can be selected that is suitable for such a load or such an upward shift of the center of gravity and in particular for which maximum permissible transverse forces be reduced.

The checking of the timeliness condition and the subsequent parameterization can be repeated in particular at relatively short time intervals, for example once or several times per minute or even at intervals of a few minutes. If it is now recognized that the image data or processing data determined from them, for example the roof load information, are no longer sufficiently up-to-date, for example because the elapsed time period or the driving operation recognizable from the vehicle status information indicates that, in principle, an assembly or If it had been possible to load the roof rack or generally attach a roof load, the vehicle system is parameterized independently of the image data.

The image data-independent parameter value can correspond to the image data-dependent parameter value for the case that a roof load on the outside of the motor vehicle was detected. In other words, in the method according to the invention it can preferably always be assumed that a roof load is present if, on the one hand, the timeliness condition is not met and, on the other hand, the corresponding image data or processing data that was recorded or received or processed at the corresponding reference time den, indicate that there is no external roof load attached to the motor vehicle, for example there is no roof rack or it is not loaded.

As will be explained in more detail later using exemplary embodiments, by using a suitable update condition it can be achieved that even if new image data is acquired relatively infrequently, for example when driving on a country road with little traffic, a trip with a parameterization of the vehicle system can be carried out over long periods of time , which allows high lateral forces, can be made possible if there is no roof rack or no loaded roof rack or generally no roof load. At the same time, however, situations in which it is potentially possible to install a roof load or to attach or load a roof rack can be robustly recognized, so that incorrectly sporty parameterization when a roof load is present can be robustly avoided. In many applications, a similar good driving behavior is achieved as when using a dedicated roof rack sensor, although costs, weight and installation space can be saved.

Image data depicting the motor vehicle is understood to mean, in particular, image data that depicts the area of the motor vehicle in which a roof load, for example a mounted roof rack or its load, would be present if the roof load is present. Image recordings for which this is not the case can already be rejected or not taken into account by the recording device or by the motor vehicle or the intermediate system. If an intermediate system is used, it can in particular be an intermediate system that is arranged outside any motor vehicle. For example, the intermediate system can be a backend server or a cloud solution.

In the simplest case, the fulfillment of the timeliness condition can depend, for example, on whether a period of time since the reference time has exceeded a predetermined limit value. For example, it could be assumed that the assembly or loading of a roof load takes several minutes and thus, for example, for 2 or 5 or 10 minutes after the capture or receipt of image data showing the absence of the roof load, an otherwise impermissible one could occur Parameterization, in particular a parameterization that allows higher transverse forces, can be released.

However, continuous driving with image data-dependent parameter values over longer periods of time is typically only possible in areas with relatively high traffic density or in inner cities, if only the time that has elapsed since the reference point is taken into account, where parameterization of a vehicle system that allows higher lateral forces is typically less relevant . In order to enable appropriate parameterization, for example on country roads with little traffic, it is therefore advantageous to take the driving operation or the vehicle state into account when evaluating the update condition and thus evaluate the vehicle state information exclusively or together with the reference time.

An explicit evaluation of the reference time can be dispensed with, for example, if respective image data or processing data determined from them or roof load information determined in a motor vehicle are then discarded when a driving situation is identified that would potentially allow the installation or loading of a roof load, for example if a longer idle time is detected, especially in connection with an unoccupied driver's seat and/or an opening of the driver's door, which indicates that the driver has gotten out.

According to the invention, the vehicle status information describes a movement state and/or a position of the motor vehicle and/or an opening state of at least one door of the motor vehicle and/or an occupancy of at least one seat of the motor vehicle and/or a time course of at least one of these variables. It has been recognized that essentially in all cases in which a roof rack is assembled or loaded or, in general, a roof load is loaded, the motor vehicle stops and in particular the driver or at least one other vehicle occupant gets out. It is therefore advisable to evaluate the movement status and in particular the occupancy of the seat or the door opening.

In addition or as an alternative to detecting the occupant getting out, it may be useful to distinguish between different stopping locations, for example in order to distinguish stopping at a traffic light or in a traffic jam from stopping in a parking lot. Adding a roof load in a traffic jam or at a traffic light is at least very unlikely, so that at least in connection with further information there is usually a change in the roof load status and This means that a height shift in the vehicle's center of gravity can be ruled out at such stopping positions.

With regard to the detection of the movement state, a distinction can be made in particular between a standstill or a movement below a certain minimum speed and a movement of the motor vehicle or a movement above this minimum speed.

With regard to the position of the motor vehicle, a general distinction can be made between places that, on the one hand, are suitable for changing a roof load, in particular for assembling or dismantling or unloading or loading the roof rack, and, on the other hand, are not suitable for this purpose. Parking spaces, for example, are suitable for changing the roof load, in particular parking spaces near a vehicle occupant's home or a set destination. However, stopping positions at traffic lights, junctions or in traffic jams, for example, are unsuitable. Such a classification of the position can be carried out, for example, based on specified map data

The variables mentioned can be recorded using sensors that are known per se, for example with speed sensors, seat occupancy sensors, seat belt buckle sensors, door sensors and/or interior cameras. In addition to or as an alternative to the variables mentioned, vehicle status information can include, for example, a switching state of the ignition, the implementation of driving interventions that indicate the presence of a driver in the interior, and / or a position or signal strength of a communication means assigned to an occupant for detecting occupants in the vehicle interior be taken into account.

The vehicle status information can indicate or it can be determined from the vehicle status information whether the motor vehicle is at a standstill, whereby if the standstill exists, a duration of the standstill can be determined, and whereby the fulfillment of the timeliness condition can depend on whether the duration is less than or equal to a predetermined duration limit. As explained above, it can be assumed that loading a roof load, for example assembling or loading a roof rack, takes a certain minimum time and that corresponding processes only take place when the motor vehicle is at a standstill. As long as only short downtimes of, for example, less than one minute or less than five minutes have been recorded since the reference time, it can be assumed that the roof load information determined based on the image data is still valid.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be determined whether the respective vehicle status information indicates that an occupant, in particular a driver, of the motor vehicle is in the motor vehicle interior, in particular on a driver's seat, with the fulfillment of the timeliness condition depending on whether the occupant is in accordance with the vehicle status information or according to all vehicle status information recorded since the reference time, is located in the motor vehicle interior, in particular on the driver's seat. If the vehicle status information is determined with sufficient frequency, any departure from the vehicle interior by a vehicle occupant can ultimately be detected. Since it is at least extremely unusual for a roof load or a roof rack to be mounted or loaded while all vehicle occupants are still in the vehicle or while no vehicle occupants are getting in or out of the vehicle, this is at least a strong indication that if the roof load was not previously present, this is at least very unusual is still not available.

After the reference time, the vehicle status information or at least partial information of the vehicle status information on which the fulfillment of the timeliness condition depends can be recorded repeatedly and/or each time a detection condition is met, after which the timeliness condition is evaluated in each case, the fulfillment of the timeliness condition depending on the last recorded one Vehicle condition information and/or partial information depends. In particular, it can be achieved here that after driving situations that would potentially enable assembly or loading of the roof load, the vehicle system is robustly configured by the image data-independent parameter value, at least until more current image data that was captured after this driving situation is available.

The detection condition can be fulfilled, for example, when sensor data exceeds or falls below a limit or when a specific measured value from a digital sensor is reached. For example, the detection condition can be met when a door is opened or closed, a weight sensor of a seat is loaded or unloaded, the speed of the motor vehicle falls below a limit value or the like.

Each of the image data depicting the motor vehicle can be captured at several of the reference times or at several reference times Relevant times, respective image data or processing data determined from these can be received or processed, whereby the fulfillment of the timeliness condition additionally depends on the latest reference time of the image data or processing data present at the time of evaluation of the update condition and / or on the vehicle status information or at least one of the vehicle status information is recorded at or after the latest reference time, whereby when the respective timeliness condition is met, the image data-dependent parameter value is specified depending on the image data captured at this latest reference time or the image data or processing data received or processed at this latest reference time. In particular, the most current image data or processing data or roof load information dependent on them can always be used to determine whether the roof load is present on the motor vehicle and image data-independent parameterization is only required if the timeliness condition is not met for the most current image data or processing data or roof load information is fulfilled or if the corresponding data has already been discarded due to the timeliness condition not being met.

For example, if the timeliness condition is to be evaluated in the motor vehicle itself or in the intermediate system, it is in principle easiest to use the respective reception time or the time of first processing in the respective device as the reference time. Such a procedure is particularly useful if it can be assumed that only very short delays of in particular less than five minutes or less than one minute or less than ten seconds occur on the transmission path from the detection device to the motor vehicle, in particular via the intermediate system can. In this case, in particular, the explicit evaluation of the reference time can be dispensed with and, for example, image data or processing data or roof load information that was previously received in the vehicle can always be discarded if the timeliness condition is not met at any time.

However, if potentially longer communication or processing times occur, it may be appropriate to select the reference time as the time of image data acquisition and, for example, to transmit it to the motor vehicle as a time stamp and evaluate it there.

A stability control system and/or a traction control system and/or an active differential can be used as the vehicle system or at least one of the vehicle systems. As already explained at the beginning, the method according to the invention is particularly relevant if the center of gravity of the motor vehicle is shifted upwards by adding a roof load, for example by installing or loading the roof rack, and thus in these cases the maximum permissible transverse forces during driving must be reduced. Since the systems mentioned are particularly relevant in order to influence the maximum lateral forces that occur in such driving situations, parameterization of these systems using the method according to the invention is particularly advantageous. Alternatively or additionally, an active chassis and/or an engine control, for example with regard to a pedal characteristic and/or a power or torque limitation, can also be parameterized as vehicle systems.

At least one detection device can be used to record road user data for several different road users, which depict the respective road user, with those road user data which depict an identification feature, in particular a vehicle license plate, assigned to the motor vehicle, or a subgroup of this road user data being selected as image data.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible, for example, to determine the assignment of the road user data to the motor vehicle based on the position of the motor vehicle at the time the image or road user data and position data relating to the position of the detection device are recorded.

With regard to the selection of the subgroup, it is possible in particular to use only the most recently recorded or most current image or road user data in the process. Alternatively, road user or image data recorded at different recording times can also be taken into account in the method, for which the timeliness condition is met in each case. This can be useful, for example, to validate current image data using further current image data.

In some cases it may also be appropriate, if the timeliness condition for several image or road user data is met, to present the road user data from a specific source or a specific type of source to other road users th that show the motor vehicle should be preferred. For example, image data from a source operated by an authority or another particularly trustworthy institution can preferably be used, or something similar.

The intermediate system can receive the image data and/or the processing information from the detection device together with identification information identifying the detection device and/or position information relating to the position of the detection device. In this case, the identification information and/or the position information is preferably at least temporarily stored and/or evaluated by the intermediate system, but is not provided to the motor vehicle.

The image data or the processing information can be sent directly from the capture device to the intermediate system. However, indirect reception preferably takes place, for example via a communications network. The communication can be protected by encryption and/or a public communication network can be used for communication.

The identification information can serve to identify and, in particular, to authenticate the receiving device relative to the processing device, so that, for example, attempts at manipulation that are based on feeding in incorrect image data or processing information can be prevented.

The transmission of position information can be advantageous in order to identify the motor vehicle imaged by the image data. Such identification can take place as an alternative or in addition, for example for validation, for identification using the vehicle license plate. For example, the motor vehicle itself can store information about when it was in which position. By comparing the position of the motor vehicle and the detection device, which can be done in an intermediate system that both sides trust, particularly for data protection reasons, it can then be determined which motor vehicle or which of several road users the image data relates to.

If the intermediate system is trusted by both sides or if there are corresponding data protection agreements with the operator of the intermediate system, the identity or position of the recording device can be protected by the procedure explained above. This is particularly relevant for mobile detection devices that are assigned to specific users or motor vehicles.

The respective detection device can be a component of another motor vehicle or an infrastructure facility. In this case, the detection device can serve primarily for other purposes, for example for detecting the surroundings in the motor vehicle or for traffic monitoring, toll billing or the like. Because detection devices used for other purposes can be used in the method according to the invention, this can be implemented with little effort.

Alternatively or additionally, at least one of the detection devices can be a portable camera and/or integrated in a smartphone, which makes it possible, for example, for a user of the motor vehicle to confirm immediately before the start of the journey that there is no roof load on the motor vehicle or that the roof load is low is when an existing roof rack is not loaded. This can be useful, for example, to enable sportier driving from the start of the journey.

The or at least one of the image data-dependent parameter values can depend on a loading state and/or center of gravity of the motor vehicle determined as a function of the image data and/or the processing data. In particular, by analyzing the image data, a deflection state of the motor vehicle can be determined or at least estimated and thus, for example, the total load can be recognized based on the deflection or the position of the center of gravity based on a different degree of deflection at the front and rear or on the different sides of the motor vehicle.

However, since driving conditions, in particular longitudinal and/or lateral acceleration, also have an influence on the deflection state of the motor vehicle, it may be expedient to store motor vehicle data about the previous driving operation of the motor vehicle, so that when image data is provided with a specific acquisition or reference time an expected deflection state of the motor vehicle in a reference loading state can be estimated and compared with the actual deflection state determined from the image data in order to determine the loading state or the center of gravity of the motor vehicle.

In addition to the method according to the invention, the invention relates to a motor vehicle with at least one vehicle system and a control unit direction which is set up to set at least one parameter of the vehicle system, the control device being set up to carry out the steps of evaluating the timeliness condition and setting the respective parameter of the method according to the invention when the image data and/or the image data are processed by the detection device and/or the intermediate system. or processing data determined from the image data are provided. The motor vehicle according to the invention can be further developed with the features explained for the method according to the invention with the advantages mentioned there and vice versa.

In addition, the invention relates to an intermediate system that is set up to evaluate the timeliness condition in the method according to the invention and to evaluate the vehicle status information provided by the motor vehicle to the intermediate system and to implement the information transfer between the detection device and the motor vehicle and, depending on the image data, the processing data and / or to determine the roof load information and / or to determine the roof load information depending on the processing data and to provide the determined processing information and / or roof load information to the motor vehicle.

The intermediate system can in particular serve to provide respective image data or processing data or the respective roof load information to different road users or different motor vehicles, in particular, as explained above, this assignment can be made based on the identification feature or the position of the detection device and the motor vehicle at the time of detection or reference .

The intermediate system can therefore serve in particular to receive image data or processing data from a large number of detection devices, which are also arranged, for example, in road users and/or infrastructure devices, and to forward these or processing data or roof load information determined from them to the respective motor vehicles depicted.

The intermediate system can also implement the evaluation of the timeliness condition. For example, this can be useful if the reference time is the time of the respective image data acquisition and image data is to be discarded or not taken into account when the distance between the current time and the reference time reaches or exceeds a limit value. According to the invention, when the current condition is evaluated on the intersystem side, vehicle status information is evaluated, which is provided by the respective motor vehicle to the intermediate system. However, in the interests of data economy, it may be expedient, particularly if the timeliness condition is to evaluate at least one piece of vehicle status information, to first check this timeliness condition in the motor vehicle itself.

The intermediate system can be implemented as a backend server. A cloud solution is preferably used to implement the intermediate system, as this can further improve scalability and reliability.

• 1 die Nutzung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Kraftfahrzeugs und eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Zwischensystems zur Implementierung eines Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens in einer beispielhaften Fahrsituation, und
• 2 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Further advantages and details of the present invention emerge from the exemplary embodiments described below and the associated drawings. Show schematically:

• 1 the use of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the invention and an exemplary embodiment of an intermediate system according to the invention for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention in an exemplary driving situation, and
• 2 a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention.

1 shows a driving situation in which the motor vehicle 3 is being driven on a road 38. A roof load 19, in the example a roof rack, can potentially be attached to the motor vehicle. Here, the arrangement or loading of the roof rack on the motor vehicle 3 shifts its center of gravity upwards, so that a vehicle system 2 of the motor vehicle 3 should be parameterized when the roof rack is present or loaded in such a way that maximum transverse forces acting on the motor vehicle during driving are reduced in order to prevent the motor vehicle from tipping over Despite the potentially high center of gravity, this can be avoided.

Particularly suitable for this is the parameterization of a stability control system as vehicle system 2. A permanent parameterization of a stability control system, in particular an electronic lane control (ESP), such that lateral forces that occur in vehicles with a high center of gravity are reduced is known per se and should not be explained in detail. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle system 2 could be, for example, a traction control system, an active one Differential or an active chassis can be parameterized.

However, a permanent parameterization of the vehicle system 2 such that a roof rack can be used would mean that, due to the reduction in the permissible transverse forces, the curve 42 can now be driven through at lower speeds than in cases in which there is no reduction in the permissible transverse forces due to an existing Roof load 19 occurs. For example, higher speeds would tend to lead to understeer in curve 42 when parameterizing a stability control system to limit lateral forces. However, such driving behavior is often perceived as disadvantageous, especially by drivers who want sporty driving behavior, and can also limit driving options in critical driving situations.

It is therefore desirable to use a corresponding parameterization of the vehicle system 2 to reduce transverse forces only if there is actually a roof load 19 on the outside of the motor vehicle 3 and in other cases there is no reduction in the permissible transverse forces or a small reduction in the permissible transverse forces through suitable ones Parameterization of the vehicle system 2 must be specified.

The proposed procedure is described below with additional reference 2 explained, which shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for setting a parameter 1 of the vehicle system 2. This method is based on the fact that image data 4 depicting the motor vehicle 3 are recorded at different detection or reference times by different detection devices 5, 6, depending on which an image data-dependent parameter value 18 can be specified for the parameter 1 of the vehicle system 2.

Since the motor vehicle 3 is typically not always in the detection range of one of the detection devices 5, 6 while it is driving, the method must also enable parameterization of the vehicle system 2 for times in which no suitable image data capture is possible. The aim here is to robustly avoid that the driving assistance system 2 is operated with a parameterization in cases in which a roof load 19 is attached to the motor vehicle 3, which is intended for the case of a non-existent roof load 19, since in this case, as explained above , potentially excessive transverse forces and thus a risk of tipping could result.

In the simplest case, such incorrect parameterization could be avoided by selecting a parameterization that allows higher lateral forces only when the motor vehicle 3 is in the detection range of one of the detection devices 5, 6. In this case, however, a longer-term parameterization that allows sporty driving is only achieved when there is high traffic density or when the route is extensively monitored by infrastructure facilities and therefore usually not in sections of the route that are typically particularly attractive for sporty driving, for example Country roads with low traffic density.

Therefore, in the method explained, a timeliness condition 11 is evaluated, the fulfillment of which depends on a reference time 12, 13 or vehicle status information 14 relating to the vehicle condition, which is recorded on or after the reference time 12, 13.

The example focuses on whether the driving operation of the motor vehicle 3 after the reference time 12, 13 would allow the roof load 19 to be mounted or loaded. If this is the case, the timeliness condition is not met and the image data or processing data 15 determined from them or roof load information 16 determined from them are no longer taken into account. If no more recent image data is available for which the timeliness condition is met, a reversion to image data-independent parameter values 20 occurs, which in particular specify a suitable parameterization of the vehicle system 2 for a journey with an existing roof load 19. As already explained in the general section, other configurations of the timeliness condition are also possible.

In the specific exemplary embodiment according to 2 In step S1, the image data 4 is first determined at the reference time 12. The image data acquisition takes place in the in 1 driving situation shown, in which the motor vehicle 3 is in position 8, by the detection device 5. At later detection times, for example at the time at which the motor vehicle is in position 10, the image data capture could be carried out by the detection device 6.

In principle, the image data 4 could be transmitted directly to the motor vehicle 3. However, if image data 4 or processing data 15 or roof load information 16 is to be provided to a large number of road users 31, 32 or a large number of recordings are to be made devices 5, 6 are used, it is advantageous to use an intermediate system 17, to which the image data 4 in the example is first transferred in step S2.

In the example, identification information 36, which identifies or authenticates the detection device, and position information 34, which can be used, for example, to determine the relevant detection area and thus potentially road users 31, 32 detected by the detection device 5, 6, are also transmitted.

In step S3, the intermediate system 17 checks whether the respective detection device 5, 6 is authorized to provide image data. For this purpose, for example, an authentication condition can be evaluated, the fulfillment of which depends on the identification information 36. Corresponding authentication procedures are known per se and, for example, challenge-response procedures or similar can also be used.

While in the example in 1 If only the presence of the roof load 19 of the motor vehicle 3 is determined, such a determination can also be made for a large number of different road users 31, 32.

In step S4, the intermediate system 17 first determines which road user 31, 32 the respective received image data 4 relates to, or the image data 4 for the motor vehicle 3 is created from road user data 33 that is available for different road users 31, 32 in the intermediate system 17 selected. For this purpose, an identification feature 35, in the example the vehicle license plate 37, is first extracted from the image data 4 or the road user data 33 using an image processing algorithm and, on the basis of this identification feature, it is determined which motor vehicle the respective data relates to.

In addition or alternatively, in this step the position 36 of the detection device 5, 6, which provides the image data 4 or the road user data 33, could also be compared with the position 8, 9, 10 of the motor vehicle at the time of detection, which, for example, is currently being carried out by the motor vehicle 3 Operation can be repeatedly provided to the intermediate system 17.

In step S5, in the example, the data received from the detection device 5, 6 is anonymized or at least pseudonymized, which ensures that the position information 34 and the identification information 36 are not provided to the motor vehicle 3. While this is less relevant in the case of permanently installed or infrastructure-side detection devices 6, providing this information to the motor vehicle 3 in the case of the detection device 5, which is arranged in another motor vehicle 7 or in another road user 32, would potentially provide information about the whereabouts of a user of the Motor vehicle 7 provide, which is generally not desired for data protection reasons.

In step S6, the image data 4 depicting the motor vehicle 3 are processed in order to determine processing data which, in the example, directly describes roof load information which indicates whether a roof load 19, in the example a roof rack 19 or its load, is attached to the outside of the motor vehicle . In alternative embodiments, the processing data could also initially describe an intermediate result that is processed at a later point in time in order to determine the roof load information. In the example, processing is carried out by the intermediate system 17, but could also only take place at a later point in time in the motor vehicle 3 itself, for example by the control device 38.

To determine the roof load information or to identify a potentially existing roof load, approaches known per se, for example scale-invariant feature recognition or machine learning approaches, can be used. For example, the recognition of the external shape can be used, which is explained in the prior art mentioned at the beginning.

In step S7, the anonymized processing data 15 or the anonymized roof load information 16 are transmitted to the motor vehicle 3. If it can be assumed that a relatively short time of, for example, only a few seconds elapses between the receipt of this data by the motor vehicle 3 and the original acquisition of the image data 4 in step S1, it may be sufficient to specify the reception time at which the data in step S7 is received as a reference time 13, from which the driving operation of the motor vehicle 3 is evaluated in order to assess the timeliness of the determined image data 4 or the processing data 15 determined therefrom.

However, if longer delays occur, it may be expedient to send the reference time 12 at which the image data 4 is captured together with the image data 4 or the processing data 15 from the capture device 5, 6 via the intermediate system 17 to that Motor vehicle 3 to be transferred. As part of the review of the timeliness condition 11, vehicle status information 14 can then also be taken into account, which was recorded by the motor vehicle 3 in the time interval between the acquisition of the image data 4 and the receipt of the processing data 15 or the roof load information 16.

In step S8, vehicle state information 14 relating to the vehicle state of the motor vehicle 3 is recorded. In the example, this is a movement state 23 of the motor vehicle 3, i.e. in particular information as to whether the motor vehicle is currently driving or stationary, the current position 8, 9, 10 of the motor vehicle, and an opening state 24 of at least one door 21 of the motor vehicle 3, about the occupancy 25 of at least one seat 22 of the motor vehicle 3 and about a duration 26 of a standstill time if a standstill 27 of the motor vehicle has been detected since the reference time 12 or 13. The duration 26 of a standstill 27 could alternatively also be determined in a separate method step after the vehicle status information 14 has been determined several times or on the basis of a time course of the motion state 23.

In step S9, an actuality condition 11 is then evaluated, which in the example depends exclusively on the vehicle status information 14 that was recorded in the time interval since the reference time 12 or 13. Alternatively or additionally, for example, the time that has elapsed since the reference time 12, 13 can also be evaluated in order, for example, to no longer take sufficiently old image data 4 into account regardless of the vehicle status information 14.

In the example, the fulfillment of the timeliness condition 11 depends on whether the duration 26 of the longest standstill 27 of the motor vehicle 3 since the reference time 12 or 13 used exceeds a duration limit 29. In addition, the timeliness condition 11 can, for example, evaluate whether the vehicle status information 14 indicates that an occupant 28, in particular a driver, of the motor vehicle 3 has been permanently inside the motor vehicle interior 30, in particular on the driver's seat 22, since the reference time 12, 13 used.

If the timeliness condition 11 is not met, for example it is determined that since the reference time 12 or 13 there has been a longer standstill 27 of the motor vehicle 3 or the vehicle occupant 28 has left the interior 30, then in step S10 an image data-independent parameter value 20 is specified, since In these cases, it cannot be ruled out that the roof load 19 was attached or loaded onto the motor vehicle 3 during the standstill 27 or while the occupant 28 was outside the motor vehicle 3. Since it is therefore not guaranteed that there is no additional roof load 19 on the motor vehicle, in this case the parameterization of the vehicle system 2 should be carried out in such a way that transverse forces that occur are sufficiently reduced that the motor vehicle cannot tip over even when the roof rack is present or loaded .

However, if the timeliness condition 11 is met in step S9, an image data-dependent parameter value 18 can be specified in step S11. In the simplest case, a choice is made in step S11 between two possible parameter values, depending on whether or not the roof load information 16 indicates the presence or loading of the roof rack and thus the presence of a roof load 19. If sufficiently current image data 4 indicates that the roof load 19 is not present, the vehicle system 2 can be parameterized in such a way that larger lateral forces are permitted.

However, it is also possible for the image data-dependent parameter values 18 to be selected from more than two values or varied continuously depending on the image data 4 or the processing data 15 in step S11. This can be useful, for example, if a deflection state of the motor vehicle can be recognized based on the image or processing data 4, 15, on the basis of which, for example, a loading state and/or a center of gravity of the motor vehicle 3 can be determined.

In step S12, the parameter 1 of the vehicle system 2 is then set to the parameter value 18 or 20 previously specified in step S10 or step S11. The method is then repeated from step S8 in order to check, in particular at relatively short time intervals, whether the timeliness condition 11 is still met and thus image data-dependent parameter values 18 can be specified or whether a reversion to the image data-independent parameter values 20 is necessary or whether in the meantime Intermediate system 17 processing data 15 was provided, which is based on more current image data 4 and which should therefore be taken into account instead of the previously used processing data 15.

As in 1 is shown schematically, the vehicle-side processing functions can be implemented by a control device 38 there. Also with reference to 1 The effect of the evaluation of the timeliness condition 11 explained above will be briefly explained. Here, the motor vehicle 3 is initially at position 8 and there the image data 4 is captured by the detection device 5. In the example shown, the next capture of image data only takes place when the motor vehicle 3 passes the capture device 6, i.e. shortly before reaching the position 10. During the journey between these capture or reference times, it is only possible to access image data that was previously captured by the capture device 5 , can be resorted to.

If the detection device 6 were not present or if the image data captured there did not allow a clear identification of the motor vehicle 3 or a determination as to whether the roof load 19 was present, even at position 10 the image data captured by the capture device 5 would still have to be used in order to assess whether the roof load is present, i.e. whether the roof rack is attached or loaded.

This is possible without any problems, for example, if the motor vehicle 3 is moved along the trajectory 39, that is, travels continuously on the road 38, since attaching or loading the roof load 19 is not possible or at least highly unlikely during continuous driving. However, if the motor vehicle is moved on the trajectory 40, on which it is temporarily braked to a standstill 27 in a parking lot 41, after which the vehicle occupant 28 leaves the motor vehicle 3 and can therefore potentially mount or load the roof load 19, it is at position 10, however It is not known whether the roof load 19 is present, which is why in the method explained above, the image data-independent parameter value 20 should be used if no more current image data from the detection device 6 is available.

As explained above, this state is recognized by evaluating the duration 26 of the standstill 27 or by recognizing that the vehicle occupant 28 has left the interior 30. The evaluation of both pieces of information is expedient because an exclusive evaluation of the duration of the standstill 27 would also lead to a parameterization independent of the image data if, for example, the vehicle is in a traffic jam or at a traffic light for a long time. To avoid such false recognition, it may additionally or alternatively be expedient to also evaluate the position 8, 9, 10 of the motor vehicle 3 within the context of the timeliness condition 11, in particular the position 9 in which a standstill 27 of the motor vehicle 3 is detected.

Claims (13)

Method for setting at least one parameter (1) of at least one vehicle system (2) of a motor vehicle (3), comprising the steps: - Acquiring image data (4) depicting the motor vehicle (3) by at least one detection device (5, 6) which is designed separately from the motor vehicle (3) and is arranged outside the motor vehicle (3), - Evaluating a timeliness condition (11), the fulfillment of which depends on at least one piece of vehicle state information (14) relating to the vehicle state, which is recorded at or after a reference time (12, 13), the reference time (12, 13) being that time, to which the image data (4) is captured by the detection device (5, 6) or the image data (5, 6) or processing data (15) determined from the image data (5, 6) by the motor vehicle (3) or for the purpose of conveying information between the Detection device (5, 6) and the intermediate system (17) serving the motor vehicle (3) are received or processed, the vehicle status information (14) being a movement state (23) and/or a position (8, 9, 10) of the motor vehicle (3). and/or describes an opening state (24) of at least one door (21) of the motor vehicle (3) and/or an occupancy (25) of at least one seat (22) of the motor vehicle (3) and/or a time course of at least one of these variables, and - on the one hand, setting the respective parameter (1) to a respective image data-dependent parameter value (18) when the timeliness condition (11) is met, the image data-dependent parameter value (18) being specified depending on whether a depending on the image data (4) and /or roof load information (16) determined from the processing data (15) or specified by the processing data (15) indicates that a roof load (19) is present on the outside of the motor vehicle (3), and - On the other hand, setting the respective parameter (1) to an image data-independent parameter value (20), which is specified independently of the image data (4) if the timeliness condition (11) is not met. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the fulfillment of the timeliness condition (11) additionally depends on the reference time (12, 13). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the vehicle status information mation (14) or that it is determined from the vehicle status information (14) whether the motor vehicle (3) is at a standstill (27), whereby if the standstill (27) exists, a duration (26) of the standstill is determined, and whereby the Fulfillment of the timeliness condition (11) depends on whether the duration (26) is less than or equal to a predetermined duration limit (29). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is determined whether the respective vehicle status information (14) indicates that an occupant (28), in particular a driver, of the motor vehicle (3) is in the motor vehicle interior (30), in particular on a Driver's seat, whereby the fulfillment of the timeliness condition (11) depends on whether the occupant (28) is in the motor vehicle interior (30) according to the vehicle status information (14) or according to all vehicle status information (14) recorded since the reference time (12, 13). , especially in the driver's seat. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the reference time (12, 13) the vehicle status information (14) or at least part of the vehicle status information (14), of which the fulfillment of the timeliness condition (14) is repeated and/or each time a detection condition is fulfilled. 11). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that respective image data (4) depicting the motor vehicle (3) are captured at several of the reference times (12, 13) or respective image data (4) or at several reference times (12, 13). Processing data (15) determined in each case is received or processed, the fulfillment of the timeliness condition (11) also being determined by the latest reference time (12, 13) of the image data (4) or processing data (15) present at the time of evaluation of the timeliness condition (11). depends and / or depends on the vehicle status information (14) or at least one of the vehicle status information (14), which is recorded at or after the latest reference time (12, 13), and whereby when the respective timeliness condition (11) is met, the image data-dependent parameter value ( 18) is specified depending on the image data (4) acquired at this latest reference time (12, 13) or the image data (4) or processing data (15) received or processed at this latest reference time (12, 13). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a stability control system and/or a traction control system and/or an active differential is used as the vehicle system (2) or at least one of the vehicle systems (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one detection device (5, 6) records road user data (33) for several different road users (31, 32), which represent the respective road user (31, 32), whereby those road user data (33) that represent an identification feature (35), in particular a vehicle license plate (37), which is assigned to the motor vehicle (3), or a subgroup of this road user data (33) is selected as image data (4). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate system (17) stores the image data (4) and/or the processing data (15) together with identification information (36) identifying the detection device (5, 6) and/or the position the position information (34) relating to the detection device (5, 6) is received from the detection device (5, 6), the identification information (36) and/or the position information (34) being at least temporarily stored and/or evaluated by the intermediate system (17). , but not provided to the motor vehicle (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective detection device (5, 6) is a component of a further motor vehicle (7) or an infrastructure device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or at least one of the image data-dependent parameter values (18) depends on a loading condition and/or center of gravity of the motor vehicle (3) determined as a function of the image data (4) and/or the processing data (15). . Motor vehicle with at least one vehicle system (2) and a control device (38) which is set up to set at least one parameter (1) of the vehicle system (2), characterized in that the control device (38) is set up to carry out the steps of evaluating the Current condition (11) and the setting of the respective parameter (1) of the method according to one of the preceding claims if carried out by the detection device (5, 6) and / or the intermediate system tem (17), the image data (4) and/or the processing data (15) determined from the image data (4) are provided. Intermediate system, characterized in that it is set up in the method according to one of the Claims 1 until 11 evaluate the timeliness condition (11) and thereby evaluate the vehicle status information provided by the motor vehicle (3) to the intermediate system and implement the information transfer between the detection device (5, 6) and the motor vehicle (3) and, depending on the image data (4), the processing data (15) and/or to determine the roof load information (16) and/or to determine the roof load information (16) depending on the processing data (15) and to send the determined processing data (15) and/or roof load information (16) to the motor vehicle (3). to provide.

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