WO2011138164A1 - Method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle, driver assistance system and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a driver assistance system (1) of a vehicle (9), wherein information (16, 17) relating to an area surrounding the vehicle (9) is acquired by at least one sensor (3a to 3y) of the driver assistance system (1) and sensor data (4a to 4y) are provided from this information (16, 17), a digital map of the surrounding area (5) is calculated from the sensor data (4a to 4y) and a functionality (2a to 2x) is provided by the driver assistance system (1) in the vehicle (9) on the basis of the map of the surrounding area (5), which functionality assists a driver when driving the vehicle (9). The map of the surrounding area (5) is calculated in a common format for at least two different functionalities (2a to 2x) of the driver assistance system (1), and the at least two functionalities (2a to 2x) are provided by the driver assistance system (1) on the basis of the common map of the surrounding area (5).

Description

 Method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle,

 Driver assistance system and vehicle

The invention relates to a method for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle. Information about an environment of the vehicle is detected by at least one sensor of the driver assistance system. Sensor information is provided from this information. The sensor data becomes a digital one

Area map - a digital map of the area - calculated and displayed

The basis of the environment map is a functionality through the

Driver assistance system provided in the vehicle, by which a driver is assisted in driving the vehicle. The invention also relates to a driver assistance system, which is designed to carry out such a method, as well as to a vehicle having such a driver assistance system.

It is state of the art to generate a digital environment map from sensor data of a sensor. Such an environment map is formed by map data; it essentially represents a database. The map data contain information about objects located in the vicinity of the vehicle, namely in particular the position of the objects with respect to the vehicle and the like. The provision of such an environment map, on the basis of which driver assistance functionality is provided, is known, for example, from document EP 0 650 866 B1. In the subject of this document, a driver of a vehicle when parking out of a parking space is supported. Environmental sensors of the vehicle detect objects that are in the environment. In particular, distances between the vehicle and obstacles located in the vicinity are measured, namely in the direction of travel of the vehicle. From the measured values for the distances, a local area map is formed. Based on the environment map, a driving strategy for the process of parking is determined. For example, directional arrows can be displayed to the driver, according to which he can direct himself. So, functionality is provided in the vehicle based on the environment map, namely, the functionality of assisting the driver in performing

Park operations.

From the document EP 1 309 882 B1 a driver assistance system is known, which has a multiplicity of sensors. The sensors detect one each

different area of the environment. The sensors can also track objects located in the respective detection areas. The sensors can also exchange information with each other: A sensor, which tracks a specific object in its detection range, can forward information about the respective instantaneous position of the object to another sensor when the object exits the detection range and enters the detection range of the further sensor ,

Thus, in the prior art, a digital environment map can be calculated that provides a basis for the provision of a specific application (functionality) by the driver assistance system. In this case, the environment map is usually implemented by a specific control device, which then also provides the application in the vehicle. After providing the functionality, the

Area map deleted, and it is calculated a new area map when the functionality is to be provided by the controller again, namely, for example, when the driver is to be supported again when parking.

It is an object of the invention to provide a solution, as in the method of the type mentioned above over the prior art improved utilization of the existing sensor resources can be achieved.

This object is achieved by a method with the features according to claim 1, as well as by a driver assistance system with the features according to claim 1 1 and by a vehicle with the features according to

Claim 12 solved. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the description.

In a method according to the invention for operating a driver assistance system of a vehicle, information about an environment of the vehicle is detected by at least one sensor of the driver assistance system. Sensor information is provided from this information. The sensor data becomes a digital one

Area map is calculated, and based on the area map becomes a Functionality provided by the driver assistance system in the vehicle, by which a driver is assisted in guiding the vehicle. The environment map is calculated for at least two different functionalities of the driver assistance system in a common format, and based on the common

Area map will be the at least two functionalities through the

Driver assistance system provided.

Thus, according to the invention, a common digital environment map is calculated, independently of the respective functionalities of the driver assistance system. In other words, the environment map is implemented functionally independent, i. H. regardless of whether and which functionalities or applications of the

Driver assistance system to be provided immediately. Thus, a common environment map is available for the at least two functionalities; no separate environment maps need to be implemented for the at least two functionalities. The driver assistance system thus manages for the at least two functionalities with only a single environment map, so that the available sensor resources are optimally utilized.

In this way, it is possible, moreover, to reduce the data processing effort or the computational effort in the provision of the applications by the

Driver assistance system to a minimum. A common

Area map also has the advantage that - if sensor data of a variety of sensors are used for the calculation of the area map - virtually for each driver assistance functionality on the entire amount of map data can be accessed, regardless of where the map data come from and how they originated are.

Preferably, the environment map is temporally independent of the at least two functionalities of the driver assistance system. This means that the environment map is time independent of the time and the need to provide the

Functionality is calculated. The environment map is preferably continuously calculated in the driver assistance system and adapted to the respective current environment of the vehicle. For example, this may be such that the environment map is formed by map data containing information about a given map

Contain surrounding area around the vehicle. If the vehicle is moving, then those map data may be deleted that contain information about those areas of the environment that are beyond the given surrounding area go out. At the same time, new map data can be calculated so that the environment map for the predetermined surrounding area is completed. More generally, in this embodiment, the environment map is continuously adjusted for a predetermined environmental area with respect to the vehicle.

In particular, the environment map is calculated jointly for two different control devices of the driver assistance system, each having a functionality for

Provide driver support based on the shared environment map. It can also be provided that a control unit can provide at least two functionalities for driver assistance, namely on the basis of the common environment map.

The digital environment map may be used in common for at least two functionalities, preferably for at least three functionalities, more preferably for at least four functionalities, even more preferably for at least five functionalities of the

Driver assistance system can be implemented. On the basis of the common environment map, therefore, at least two functionalities, in particular at least three functionalities, preferably at least four functionalities, more preferably at least five functionalities can be provided by the driver assistance system.

In the present case, functionality is understood as meaning an application or a function of the driver assistance system, which assists the driver in guiding the vehicle. The driver assistance system may preferably provide at least two of the following functionalities based on the environment map:

 the functionality of assisting the driver in performing

 Parking operations and / or

 - The functionality of warning the driver when falling below a predetermined distance value to an object and / or

 - The functionality of warning the driver in an accidental leaving a lane and / or

 the functionality of holding the vehicle on a predetermined lane and / or

the functionality of displaying objects in the environment on a display device and / or

 the functionality of keeping a given distance to one

 preceding vehicle and / or

the functionality of warning the driver in the presence of an object in the area of a blind spot and / or the functionality of automatically switching on the high beam and / or the low beam and / or

 - The functionality of changing a spatial distribution of the high beam

 and / or the dipped beam and / or

 - The functionality of the recognition of traffic signs and / or

 - The functionality of the intervention in a component of the vehicle, in particular in a braking device of the vehicle.

So the digital environment map is provided in a common format for all functionalities. The term "format" here is a specification of

Processing and storage of data understood, which determines how data of the environment map programmatically read, stored and / or processed.

Sensor data of at least two different sensors of the driver assistance system, in particular sensor data of all environmental sensors present in the vehicle, are preferably processed to form the environment map. It thus becomes possible to generate an environment map containing a variety of information about the surroundings of the vehicle. And it can be one

Environmental map formed on the basis of a variety of

Functionalities can be provided by the driver assistance system. For example, sensor data of at least one camera and / or at least one ultrasound sensor and / or sensor data of at least one radar device and / or sensor data of at least one optical distance sensor can form the environment map

- z. B. a LED sensor - are processed. In this way, it is possible to provide a highly accurate and high information density map of the environment.

It proves to be particularly advantageous if the environment map is subdivided into at least two different representation planes or abstraction planes, which differ from one another in a degree of abstraction of the representation of the environment. This means that map data - which form the area map - are subdivided into at least two different display levels. Thus, in this embodiment, there are first map data, by which a first representation plane is formed, as well as second map data, by which a second representation plane is formed. This embodiment has the advantage that in order to provide the functionalities at different levels of abstraction, the representation of the environment can be accessed, depending on which degree of abstraction best suits the respective functionality suitable is. Thus, the computational effort in the provision of functionalities can be further reduced; For example, the driver assistance system can access different presentation levels of the environment map for different functionalities. For example, in assisting the driver in performing parking operations, one would use map data of such a display plane containing information about the type and relative position of the surrounding objects with respect to the vehicle. For the functionality of warning the driver when falling below a predetermined critical

Distance value to an object, however, map data from such a representation level can be used, which include information about the relative position of individual points of an object with respect to the vehicle. The definition of different levels of representation, each with different degrees of abstraction of the representation of the environment thus has the significant advantage that for

Provision of functionalities, the sensor data does not need to be re-processed, but as needed to different map data of such a degree of abstraction can be accessed, which ensures the least effort in terms of data processing. It is thereby also the

Data processing chain between the generation of the sensor data and the

Provision of the individual functionalities logically divided so that the detection of the environment is functionally separated from the application logic. In addition, in this embodiment, the fusion of the data originating from different sources at several different locations is

Processing chain - namely in at least two different levels of representation - possible.

In one embodiment, for providing the at least two

Functions map data depending on demand from at least two levels of representation, in particular from all levels of representation retrieved. To provide any functionality, the driver assistance system can thus be demand-dependent

Retrieve map data from at least two presentation levels, in particular from all existing presentation levels. This may, for example, look like the driver assistance system has to provide a first functionality

Map data of a first display level and when providing a second functionality on map data accesses a second display level. It can also be provided that the driver assistance system uses map data from at least two display levels when providing a single functionality. The individual display levels of the map can thus by the Driver assistance system can be used together or separately as needed. The driver assistance system can, in the provision of a specific functionality, access the representation map of the environment map which provides the least amount of data processing for this particular functionality.

One of the representation levels can be formed by map data that

Information about the relative position of individual points and / or contours of detected objects with respect to the vehicle include. Such a representation level thus has a relatively low degree of abstraction; it merely contains information about individual detected points and / or contours of nearby ones

Objects. This display plane proves to be particularly advantageous, for example, for that application in which the driver is warned by the driver assistance system of critical intervals. This representation level would also be accessed in such an application in which the driver is supported while holding the track or is warned when leaving the lane. Especially with such functionalities, this presentation level ensures a low level

Data processing effort.

On the other hand, one of the representation levels can be formed by map data having a higher degree of abstraction. Such a representation plane may include such information, which is abstracted by combining individual points and / or individual contours into objects. Such

Display plane thus contains information about the type or shape of objects located in the environment as well as about the relative position of the objects with respect to the vehicle. In this representation level, the objects located in the environment are therefore uniquely identified; these may be vehicles, curbs, road markings, traffic signs, trees, pedestrians, walls or the like. Such a display plane allows, for example, the calculation of parking paths for parking assistance functions with the highest accuracy. For putting in, such a representation level ensures, for example, an accurate

Representation of the environment on a display device of the vehicle. Namely, on the basis of map data from this display plane, images can be generated and displayed to the driver representing the surroundings of the vehicle.

As already stated, sensor data of the most varied sensors of the driver assistance system can be processed to form the environment map. In one embodiment, from sensor data of at least two sensors of the Driver assistance system - in particular from sensor data of each existing in the vehicle environment sensor - each map data for at least two

Calculated display levels. In particular, map data for each representation plane is calculated therefrom. This means that sensor data of at least two sensors are processed to map data of at least two display levels. The fusion of information from different sensors can take place in different levels of representation. For example, map data for a first display plane can be calculated from sensor data of all sensors, so that the fusion of the sensor data takes place virtually in the first display plane. From the map data of the first display plane, further map data can then be calculated, namely for further display levels. It can also be provided that, from sensor data of all sensors, map data are calculated quasi-parallel for all display planes.

With regard to the arrangement or the location of the implementation of the digital environment map, various embodiments are provided:

The environment map may be stored in a memory of a controller of the

Driver assistance system are provided by which at least one

Functionality is provided. At least one further control unit, by means of which a further functionality is provided, can then access the memory as needed in order to read out map data of the surroundings map for the provision of the assigned functionality and / or new ones formed from own sensor data

Provide map data for the area map. In this embodiment, the environment map is thus provided in a control unit of the driver assistance system, while other control devices can access the environment map and process or manage the same. This embodiment has the advantage that already existing components of the driver assistance system for the

Provision of the common environment map can be used, and the driver assistance system comes in particular without an additional computing and / or storage device. It can be saved in this embodiment components, as well as money.

It can also be provided that in each case an environment map in each

Store at least two control units of the driver assistance system is provided and the environment maps are matched to each other. At this

Thus, each embodiment will be an environment map in different ECUs implemented, and the existing environment maps are virtually synchronized. For example, this may be such that each controller manages its own environment map and each other's environment maps

be aligned. Each controller then accesses its own environment map. Alternatively, the environment map of a predetermined controller may be managed by all the controllers, and the other environment maps may then be aligned. The control units can communicate with each other, for example via a communication bus in the vehicle. This embodiment has the advantage that the environment map is present in all control devices so that the control devices can very quickly access their own environment maps and thus quickly provide the respective functionalities. In particular, the

Provision of functionalities not by the duration of the signals in the

Communication bus delayed.

Additionally or alternatively, the area map can also be stored in a memory device common to at least two control units of the driver assistance system

to be provided. Then, the at least two control devices can access the storage device as needed depending on the map data of the environment map

Providing the assigned functionality read and / or from their own

Sensor data formed to provide new map data for the area map. This embodiment in turn has the advantage that the control units of the

Environment map can be "relieved", namely, the map is managed on the shared memory device - which can also be assigned a computing device.

In one embodiment, the driver assistance system communicates with

Driver assistance systems of other vehicles. The driver assistance system may, for example, receive sensor data from other vehicles and also these

use received sensor data for the calculation of the environment map. Thus, the information density of the common environment map can be further improved.

An inventive driver assistance system for a vehicle comprises at least one sensor for acquiring information about an environment of the vehicle and for providing sensor data from the acquired information. The

Driver assistance system can calculate a digital environment map from the sensor data and on the basis of the environment map a functionality for Provide driver assistance. The driver assistance system is designed for at least two different functionalities of the driver assistance system

To calculate the environment map in a common format and to provide the at least two functionalities based on the common environment map.

An inventive vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, includes a

inventive driver assistance system.

The preferred embodiments presented with reference to the process according to the invention

Embodiments and their advantages apply correspondingly to the driver assistance system according to the invention and the vehicle according to the invention.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. All the features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures are not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in others

Combinations or even usable in isolation.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to individual preferred embodiments, as well as with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Show it:

Fig. 1 in a schematic and highly abstract representation

 Driver assistance system according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein a method according to an embodiment of the invention is explained in detail;

Fig. 2 to 6 in a schematic representation in each case a plan view of a

Traffic situation, wherein the content of map data different display levels, as well as the processing of sensor data to map data and the provision of functionality based on the map data are explained in more detail; 7 is a schematic representation of a top view of a traffic situation, advantages of the driver assistance system being explained in greater detail; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of a structure of a

 Driver assistance system according to an embodiment of the invention.

In Fig. 1, a driver assistance system 1 is shown in highly abstract representation, as used for example in a passenger car. FIG. 1 shows schematic functional blocks which only functionally describe the driver assistance system 1. For example, individual function blocks can be used in

various components of the driver assistance system 1 are realized, namely, for example, in control devices, sensors, computing devices,

Memory devices and the like.

The driver assistance system 1 provides a plurality of functionalities in the vehicle by which a driver is assisted in guiding the vehicle. Namely, functionalities 2a to 2x are provided by the driver assistance system 1. These functionalities can be, for example, the following:

 the functionality of assisting the driver in performing

 Parking operations and / or

 - The functionality of warning the driver when falling below a predetermined distance value to an object and / or

 - The functionality of warning the driver in an accidental leaving a lane and / or

 the functionality of holding the vehicle on a predetermined lane and / or

the functionality of displaying objects in the environment on a display device and / or

 the functionality of keeping a given distance to one

 preceding vehicle and / or

 the functionality of warning the driver in the presence of an object in the area of a blind spot and / or

 the functionality of automatically switching on the high beam and / or the

 Low beam and / or

 - The functionality of changing a spatial distribution of the high beam

 and / or the dipped beam and / or

- The functionality of the recognition of traffic signs and / or - The functionality of the intervention in a component of the vehicle, in particular in a braking device of the vehicle.

The functionalities 2a to 2x are provided, for example, in each case by a control unit of the driver assistance system 1. For example, such controllers may each comprise a digital signal processor and / or a microcontroller and / or a memory.

The driver assistance system 1 also includes a plurality of sensors 3a to 3y which respectively acquire information about an environment of the vehicle. The

For example, sensors 3a to 3y can each be assigned to a control unit or they can be separate components. The sensors 3a to 3y may include, for example, the following components: at least one ultrasonic sensor and / or at least one optical distance sensor and / or at least one camera and / or at least one radar device. Thus, the sensors 3a to 3y acquire information about the environment. Sensor data 4a to 4y are respectively generated from the acquired information. The processing of the collected information is thus carried out

sensor-specific; the information or detected raw data is separately processed for each sensor 3a to 3y, and the respective sensor data 4a to 4y become

generated sensor specific. In the generation of the sensor data 4a to 4y, the respective information is processed specifically - for example, the method of triangulation and / or sensor-specific filtering of the information is applied. The respective information is thus processed in such a way that the sensor data 4a to 4y generated therefrom already contain abstracted information about the environment. Namely, the sensor data 4a to 4y include information about individual features of surrounding objects, namely, for example, the position of individual points and / or individual contours detected objects - this can be calculated, for example, from the triangulation of ultrasound raw data - and / or information about floor projections of edges that were detected, for example, in an image of a camera.

In the driver assistance system 1 becomes for all functionalities 2a to 2x a

common digital environment map 5 is calculated. The environment map 5 is provided based on the sensor data 4a to 4y. It is generated in a common format for all functionalities 2a to 2x or all control units and all sensors 4a to 4y. This means that all control units or functionalities 2a to 2x can access map data of the area map 5 and all Control devices and / or all sensors 3a to 3y manage the environment map 5, so can edit.

The digital environment map 5 is formed by map data including information about the surroundings of the vehicle. The area map 5 is in

Embodiment divided into two different levels of representation, namely a first display level 6 and a second display level 7. Die

Display levels 6, 7 each have a different level of abstraction of the representation of the environment. Namely, the second display plane 7 has a higher degree of abstraction than the first display plane 6. The presentation levels 6, 7 are each formed by map data. In other words, the

Map of the environment 5 forming map data divided into two groups; one group forms the first display plane 6, while the second group forms the second display plane 7.

As is apparent from Fig. 1, the driver assistance system 1 for providing the functionalities 2a to 2x on both abstraction levels or

Display levels 6, 7, namely, depending on which of the

Display levels 6, 7 in the respective functionality 2a to 2x ensures the lowest data processing or computational effort. For example, the

Functionalities 2a, 2d and 2x - as shown in Fig. 1 - provided on the basis of the second level of abstraction 7, while the functionalities 2b and 2e on

Basis of the first display level 6 are provided. The functionality 2c is provided based on both representation levels 6, 7.

The environment map 5 is generated from the sensor data 4a to 4y. The sensor data 4a to 4y are first combined, and the first display plane 6 is formed. The first display plane 6 is formed by map data that has arisen from the sensor data 4a to 4y. The first display plane 6 is formed by such map data, which contain information about elementary features of the objects in the environment. These include, for example, information about the relative position of individual points and / or points of intersection and / or

Tangent points of detected objects. For example, as already stated, this information is generated by the method of triangulation of ultrasound measurements. The map data of the first representation plane 6 can also contain information about the relative position of individual contours or edges of detected objects. Thus, sensor data 4a to 4y of all sensors 3a to 3y become summarized, and the mentioned features of the detected objects are grouped, merged and further processed. The density of these features in the room can be varied, so that, for example, those areas that are responsible for the

Providing a specific functionality 2a to 2x are particularly interesting to be presented with a higher resolution. The map data of the first

Presentation level 6 may also contain further information, namely, for example, information about the origin of the respective data - that is to say from which sensor 4a to 4y the data originates - and / or information about the probable nature of the detected object - for example "probably flat", " probably massive, probably free space and the like.

The map data of the first display plane 6 are processed into map data, by which the second display plane 7 is formed. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor data 4a to 4y can also be used directly to form the second

Representation level 7 are used, as shown in Fig. 1 with the dashed arrow. The second representation level 7 contains map data that includes much more abstract information about the objects. These are information about the relative position and / or the dimensions and / or the height and / or the color and / or the type or the type and / or the relative speed with respect to the vehicle and / or a direction of movement with respect to the vehicle. The objects shown in the second representation level 7 of the environment map 5 are thus reproduced virtually true to reality.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 6, a road situation is described, based on which the content of the individual display levels 6, 7 of the area map 5 is explained in more detail. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of a real road situation. On a parking lot 8 is a vehicle 9 - namely a passenger car - which has the driver assistance system 1 according to FIG. The vehicle 9 moves from a starting point 10 in the direction of arrow 1 1 to that shown in Fig. 2

Position. Left of the vehicle 9 is a wall 12, which is an obstacle. On the right side again there is a parking space 13, through two

Marking lines 14, 15 is limited. The situation shown in Fig. 2 is a real scenario.

During the movement of the vehicle 9, an ultrasonic sensor arranged on the left side edge detects information about the environment to the left of the vehicle 9, while a further ultrasonic sensor arranged on the right side edge detects the Environment right of the vehicle 9 detected. Raw data 16, 17 of the ultrasonic sensors - the raw data 16, 17 represent the acquired information - are shown schematically in FIG. From the raw data 16, 17, the sensors generate sensor data, namely on the basis of triangulation, filtering and the like. The sensor data are combined, and from the sensor data, map data 18, 19 are formed for the first display plane 6 (FIG. 4). As is apparent from Fig. 4, include

Map data 18, 19 of the first display plane 6 information about individual points 20 of the wall 12, as well as a contour 21 of the wall 12. This map data also includes free spaces 22. The free space points 22 provide the information that no object to the right of the vehicle located.

While driving, a camera of the driver assistance system 1 also detects

Information about the environment and generates sensor data - namely image data. These image data are also used to form the first display plane 6 - map data (not shown in FIG. 4) for the first display plane 6 are also calculated from these image data.

Map data 23 for the second representation plane 7 are then calculated from the map data 18, 19 of the first representation plane 6. These map data 23 now contain information about actual objects, namely the wall 12, as well as the marking lines 14, 15 (from the image data of the camera). In the second

Representation level 7 so the wall 12 is uniquely determined; their relative position with respect to the vehicle 9, as well as their spatial dimensions and properties are known. The marking lines 14, 15 are also clearly marked in the second display plane 7; their respective positions with respect to the vehicle 9 are known. The parking space 13 is also clearly designated in the second display plane 7.

Now the map is 5 including the first and the second

Display level 6, 7 for all functionalities 2a to 2x available. The information about the wall 12 and the marking lines 14, 15 shown in FIG. 5, as well as about the parking space 13, is now accessed by a control unit, by means of which the functionality of the driver's assistance in performing parking operations is provided. This controller sets - as shown in Fig. 6 - a region 24 around the

Vehicle 9 around, as well as a parking area 25. The control unit can now intervene, for example, on the steering of the vehicle 9 in order to park the vehicle 9 in the parking space 13, namely along the calculated parking path 25th In Fig. 7, another road scenario is shown. Shown is the vehicle 9, which is parked along a calculated parking track 25 in a parking space 13. The parking space 13 is limited by two vehicles 26, 27. In Fig. 7, individual points of the vehicles 26, 27 are shown, as they are shown in the first display level 6 of the area map 5. Points 28 are shown by a

Ultrasonic sensor were detected during a passage of the vehicle 9 along the parking space 13 in the direction of arrow 29. In the prior art, only the points 28 are used to measure the parking space 13. In Fig. 7 also further points 30 are shown, which were detected by another sensor - this is for example arranged in the rear of the vehicle 9. This sensor has in the prior art only the function of warning the driver when falling below a predetermined distance value to an object. All points 28, 30 are now combined in the first representation level 6 of the environment map 5, and also the second representation level 7 builds on this information. The

Driver assistance system 1 can thus access all information of the area map 5 when performing the parking operation, and not as in the prior art about only about the information about the points 28. Thus, for all functionalities 2a to 2x information of all sensors 3a to 3y available ,

FIG. 8 shows a possible structure of the driver assistance system 1 in the vehicle 9. The driver assistance system 1 can include, for example, the following sensors 3a to 3y: a camera 3a, which can detect an area in front of the vehicle 9, four further cameras 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, which are arranged on the outer surface of the vehicle 9, namely the camera 3b on a front bumper, the camera 3c on a rear bumper, the camera 3d on the left side flank - it can also be integrated into the left exterior mirror - and the camera 3e on the right side flank - it can also be in the right Exterior mirrors be integrated -, two ultrasonic sensors 3f, 3g, namely an ultrasonic sensor 3f on the left side edge and an ultrasonic sensor 3g on the right side edge, and two radars 3h, 3i, which are each arranged in a corner region of the rear bumper. The number and arrangement of the sensors are shown in FIG. 8 by way of example only; it is also possible to provide further sensors or the existing sensors can be arranged at respectively different locations of the vehicle 9.

The driver assistance system 1 also includes control units which provide the aforementioned functionalities 2a to 2x. And that includes the driver assistance system 1, a control unit 31, which is designed to assist the driver in performing parking operations, a control unit 32, which the driver when

Presence of objects in the area of the blind spot can warn a control unit 33, which displays various images of the surroundings of the vehicle 9 on one

Display device can display as well as a control unit 34, which is designed to warn the driver when leaving a lane and / or for holding the vehicle 9 on a lane. The functionalities as well as the number of control devices 31 to 34 are also shown only schematically. The control units 31 to 34

communicate with each other via a communication bus 35.

In the control unit 34 is a memory 36, in which the environment map 5 is provided. Namely, all the controllers 31 to 34 access the memory 36 to store there new map data and read the existing map data to provide the respective functionality. The administration of

Surrounding map 5 is thus carried out by all control units 31 to 34. The map data mentioned can be transmitted via the communication bus 35.

Additionally or alternatively, a separate and shared memory device 37 may be connected to the communication bus 35, in which the

Map 5 is provided. In this embodiment as well, all the controllers 31 to 34 can manage the common environment map 5, namely store new map data and read out existing map data.

In still another embodiment, an environment map 5 may be provided in each of the controllers 31 to 34, respectively; the environment maps 5 can then be aligned or synchronized with each other.

Overall, therefore, a driver assistance system 1 is provided, in which an environment map 5 is implemented independently of function. It can collect, store and manage the information about the vehicle environment, regardless of whether and which assistance functions are active. The information is stored in a common format known throughout the driver assistance system 1. Each assistance function can post new information in the area map 5 as it becomes available. At the same time, each assistance function can access the entire set of map data in the environment map 5, regardless of where they come from and how they originated. There are different ways of representing or processing information about the environment Defines abstraction levels, namely, for example, two levels of representation 6, 7. Thus, the data processing chain between the sensors and the

Assistance functions logically divided so that the environmental detection is separated from the application logic. Furthermore, this makes possible the data fusion of the measured values originating from different sources at several different points of the processing chain. During processing, the acquired data goes through one level of abstraction 6, 7 after another. In each level, the corresponding algorithms are executed which improve the information content of the data or convert it to new, more abstract data. In this way arise in the driver assistance system 1 more pictures of

Vehicle environment, for example, suspected contours of obstacles on the one hand and object descriptions that were detected from the contours, on the other hand. These images can be used together or separately, as needed, to provide the relevant driver assistance functionality. So all information is made available to all assistance functions. For example, the page protection feature can take the data previously found in a

Use this procedure to warn the driver of a possible collision after switching off the parking assistant if the driver strikes the steering wheel too hard. Similarly, the parking space measurement better

Provide accuracy if it can receive additional side protection information during a parking maneuver. The proposed sensor fusion allows continuous detection of the vehicle environment regardless of which

Assistance functions are active and which sensors are used. With the proposed solution, the card can even be built when performing individual functions on different co-operating vehicles.

Claims

claims 1 . Method for operating a driver assistance system (1) of a vehicle (9), wherein information (16, 17) about an environment of the vehicle (9) is detected by at least one sensor (3a to 3y) of the driver assistance system (1) and from this information (16 , 17) sensor data (4a to 4y) are provided, from the sensor data (4a to 4y) a digital area map (5) is calculated and on the basis of the area map (5) a functionality (2a to 2x) by the driver assistance system (1) in the vehicle (9) is assisted by which a driver is assisted in guiding the vehicle (9),  characterized in that  for at least two different functionalities (2a to 2x) of the  Driver assistance system (1) the area map (5) is calculated in a common format and based on the common area map (5) the at least two functionalities (2a to 2x) are provided by the driver assistance system (1). 2. The method according to claim 1,  characterized in that  to form the environment map (5) sensor data (4a to 4y) of at least two different sensors (3a to 3y) of the driver assistance system (1), in particular sensor data (4a to 4y) of all present in the vehicle (9) environmental sensors (4a to 4y) processed become. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the area map (5) forming map data (18, 19, 23) are divided into at least two different display levels (6, 7), which differ in a degree of abstraction of the representation of the environment from each other. 4. The method according to claim 3,  characterized in that  for the provision of the at least two functionalities (2a to 2x), map data (18, 19, 23) are retrieved on demand from at least two display levels (6, 7), in particular from all display levels (6, 7). 5. The method according to claim 3 or 4,  characterized in that  one of the display planes (6, 7) is formed by map data (18, 19) containing information (16, 17) about the relative position of individual points (20, 28, 30) and / or contours (21) of detected objects (12, 14, 15, 26, 27) with respect to the vehicle (9). 6. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5,  characterized in that  one of the display planes (6, 7) is formed by map data (18, 19) containing such information (16, 17) obtained by combining individual points (20, 28, 30) and / or individual contours (21) into objects (12, 14, 15, 26, 27) are abstracted. 7. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6,  characterized in that  from sensor data (4a to 4y) of at least two sensors (3a to 3y) of the driver assistance system (1), in particular from sensor data (4a to 4y) of each environmental sensor (3a, 3y) present in the vehicle (9), respectively map data for at least two of Representation levels (6, 7), in particular map data (18, 19) for each representation plane (6, 7) are calculated. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the environment map (5) is provided in a memory (36) of a control device (31 to 34) of the driver assistance system (1), by which at least one functionality (2a to 2x) is provided, and at least one further  Control unit (31 to 34), by which a further functionality (2a to 2x) is provided, depending on demand on the memory (36) accesses to  Map data (18, 19) of the environment map (5) to provide the associated functionality (2a to 2x) read and / or from own sensor data (4a to 4y) formed new map data (18, 19) for the area map (5)  provide. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that  an environment map (5) is respectively provided in respective memories of at least two control devices (31 to 34) of the driver assistance system (1) and the environment maps (5) are matched to one another. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims,  characterized in that  the environment map (5) is provided in a memory device (37) common to at least two control devices (31 to 34) of the driver assistance system (1) and the at least two control devices (31 to 34) access the memory device (37) as needed in order to generate map data ( 18, 19) of the environment map (5) to provide the associated functionality (2a to 2x) read and / or from their own sensor data (4a to 4y) formed new map data (18, 19) for the area map (5). 1 1. Driver assistance system (1) for a vehicle (9), having at least one sensor (3a to 3y) for acquiring information (16, 17) about an environment of the vehicle  Vehicle (9) and for providing sensor data (4a to 4y) from the detected information (16, 17), wherein the driver assistance system (1) is adapted to calculate from the sensor data (4a to 4y) a digital area map (5) and to provide functionality (2a to 2x) for driver assistance based on the environment map (5), characterized in that the driver assistance system (1) is designed to calculate the environment map (5) in a common format for at least two different functionalities (2a to 2x) of the driver assistance system (1), and to calculate the at least two functionalities (2a) based on the common environment map (5) to 2x). 12. Vehicle (9), in particular motor vehicle, with a driver assistance system (1) according to claim 1. 1