Method for operating a sensor device, and sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10290209-B2
Application number	US-201615544269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Feb 17, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A method for operating a sensor device for detecting an object. including measuring a magnetic field using a magnetic field sensor to ascertain a measured value, the sensor unit being deactivated during the measurement, computing a first distance of the measured value from a first reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when a measuring range is free of an object, computing a second distance of the measured value from a second reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when an object is situated in the measuring range, activating the deactivated sensor unit as a function of the computed distances, carrying out a propagation time measurement using the activated sensor unit to ascertain sensor data that correspond to the propagation time measurement, and ascertaining, based on the sensor data, whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a sensor device for detecting an object, the sensor device including a magnetic field sensor, and a sensor unit that is designed for a propagation time measurement, the method comprising:
measuring a magnetic field in surroundings of the sensor device using the magnetic field sensor to ascertain a measured value that corresponds to the measured magnetic field, the sensor unit being deactivated during the measurement of the magnetic field;
computing a first distance of the measured value from a first reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when a measuring range of the magnetic field sensor is free of an object;
computing a second distance of the measured value from a second reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when an object is situated in the measuring range of the magnetic field sensor;
activating the deactivated sensor unit as a function of the computed first distance and the computed second distance;
carrying out a propagation time measurement in the surroundings of the sensor device using the activated sensor unit to ascertain sensor data that correspond to the propagation time measurement; and
ascertaining, based on the sensor data, whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a first magnetic field measurement is carried out using the magnetic field sensor while a measuring range of the magnetic field sensor is free of an object to ascertain the first reference measured value, and a second magnetic field measurement is carried out using the magnetic field sensor while an object is situated in the measuring range of the magnetic field sensor to ascertain the second reference measured value.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computed distances are normalized, a difference between the two normalized distances is computed, the difference between the two normalized distances is compared to a sensor unit activation threshold value, and the deactivated sensor unit is activated based on the comparison to the sensor unit activation threshold value.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the normalized distances are compared to a threshold value, it being ascertained, based on the comparison to the threshold value, whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein when it is ascertained, based on the sensor data, that an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device, a magnetic field measurement is carried out with the aid of the magnetic field sensor in order to update the second reference measured value, and when it is ascertained, based on the sensor data, that the surroundings of the sensor device are free of an object, a magnetic field measurement is carried out with the aid of the magnetic field sensor in order to update the first reference measured value.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a result of ascertaining whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device is transmitted via a communications network.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is situated in surroundings of a parking position so that, based on a result of ascertaining whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device, it is ascertained whether the parking position is available or occupied.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor unit includes at least one of a radar unit and an ultrasonic unit.

9. A sensor device for detecting an object, comprising:
a magnetic field sensor;
a sensor unit designed for a propagation time measurement;
a control device for controlling the magnetic field sensor and the sensor unit; and
a processor;
wherein the control device is designed for controlling the magnetic field sensor in such a way that a magnetic field in surroundings of the sensor device is measured using the magnetic field sensor to ascertain a measured value that corresponds to the measured magnetic field, the sensor unit being deactivated during the measurement of the magnetic field;
wherein the processor is designed for computing a first distance of the measured value from a first reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when a measuring range of the magnetic field sensor is free of an object;
wherein the processor is designed for computing a second distance of the measured value from a second reference measured value that corresponds to a magnetic field when an object is situated in the measuring range of the magnetic field sensor;
wherein the control device is designed for activating the deactivated sensor unit as a function of the computed distances, and controlling it in such a way that a propagation time measurement is carried out in the surroundings of the sensor device with the aid of the activated sensor unit to ascertain sensor data that correspond to the propagation time measurement; and
wherein the processor is designed for ascertaining, based on the sensor data, whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

10. The sensor device as recited in claim 9 , wherein the control device is designed for controlling the magnetic field sensor in such a way that a first magnetic field measurement is carried out using the magnetic field sensor while a measuring range of the magnetic field sensor is free of an object to ascertain the first reference measured value, and the control device is designed for controlling the magnetic field sensor in such a way that a second magnetic field measurement is carried out using the magnetic field sensor while an object is situated in the measuring range of the magnetic field sensor to ascertain the second reference measured value.

11. The sensor device as recited in claim 9 , wherein the processor is designed to normalize the computed distances, compute a difference between the two normalized distances, and compare the difference between the two normalized distances to a sensor unit activation threshold value, the control device being designed to activate the deactivated sensor unit based on the comparison to the sensor unit activation threshold value.

12. The sensor device as recited in claim 11 , wherein the processor is designed to compare the normalized distances to a threshold value, and by the comparison to the threshold value, ascertain whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

13. The sensor device as recited in claim 9 , wherein the control device is designed to control the magnetic field sensor in such a way that a magnetic field measurement is carried out use the magnetic field sensor to update the second reference measured value when it is ascertained, based on the sensor data, that an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device, and the control device is designed to control the magnetic field sensor in such a way that a magnetic field measurement is carried out using the magnetic field sensor to update the first reference measured value when it is ascertained, based on the sensor data, that the surroundings of the sensor device are free of an object.

14. The sensor device as recited in claim 9 , wherein a communication interface is provided which is designed to transmit via a communications network a result of ascertaining whether an object is situated in the surroundings of the sensor device.

15. The sensor device as recited in claim 9 , wherein an electrical energy supply is provided for supplying electronic elements of the sensor device with electr

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Larcher Nils
• Suarez Lainez Fernando
• Wolf Hannes

Classifications

• G08G1/146

  where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space · CPC title

• G08G1/147

  where the parking area is within an open public zone, e.g. city centre · CPC title

• G08G1/042 Primary

  using inductive or magnetic detectors · CPC title

• G08G1/017

  identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) · CPC title

• G08G1/14

  indicating individual free spaces in parking areas · CPC title