Control device, server system and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10705207-B2
Application number	US-201715430838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2017
Priority date	Aug 13, 2014
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A control device for a vehicle, with at least one environment sensor which is designed to detect the surroundings of the vehicle, with a computing device which is designed to detect the position of the vehicle and to operate the environment sensor on the basis of corresponding location-dependent operating parameters.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control device for a vehicle comprising:
at least one environment sensor to detect the surroundings of the vehicle; and
a computing device which detects a position of the vehicle, assigns a set of location-dependent operating parameters based on the position of the vehicle, and operates the environment sensor based on the corresponding location-dependent operating parameters,
wherein at least one operating parameter characterizes a functional parameter particularly for a linear conversion function for converting a signal-to-noise ratio into an occupation probability.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein a parameter memory stores the location-dependent operating parameters for the at least one environment sensor.

3. The control device according to claim 2 , wherein the computing device and the at least one environment sensor are arranged in the vehicle; and wherein the computing device is configured to retrieve data from the parameter memory via a network.

4. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one operating parameter is a time-dependent operating parameter and the computing device operates the environment sensor based on at least one of the corresponding location-dependent operating parameters and time-dependent operating parameters.

5. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein a map memory stores a map of the surroundings of the vehicle and, wherein the computing device is configured to update the map based on measured values from the environment sensor.

6. The control device according to claim 5 , wherein at least one operating parameter characterizes a minimum signal-to-noise ratio for the identification of an object.

7. The control device according to claim 5 , wherein at least one operating parameter characterizes at least one of a transmission power of the radar sensor and a range of the radar sensor.

8. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the environment sensor is a radar sensor.

9. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the environment sensor is a camera.

10. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein at least one operating parameter characterizes a functional parameter for a conversion function for calculating an occupation probability from a camera image.

11. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein at least one operating parameter comprises an exposure parameter for controlling the camera exposure.

12. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein at least one operating parameter comprises a threshold value for edge identification in a camera image.

13. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein at least one operating parameter characterizes a minimum number of object features, necessary for positive identification of an object type.

14. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein at least one operating parameter comprises position information on at least one of traffic lights and traffic signs.

15. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating parameters also comprise type-dependent operating parameters.

16. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the position of the vehicle is an absolute position of the vehicle.

17. The control device according to claim 16 , wherein the absolute position of the vehicle is one of a local area associated with the absolute position of the vehicle and an area of a specified size associated with the absolute position of the vehicle.

18. A server system comprising:
a parameter memory which is designed to store at least one of a location-dependent and a time-dependent operating parameter for at least one environment sensor, wherein the location-dependent parameter is associated with an absolute location; and
a first data interface, which is designed to couple the server system to a control device according to one of the above claims in a data communications link,
wherein one of the at least one location-dependent operating parameter and the time-dependent operating parameter comprises an exposure parameter for controlling camera exposure of a camera coupled to or forming part of the control device.

19. The server system according to claim 18 , wherein the parameter memory is configured as a decentralized memory, comprising a plurality of storage media.

20. The server system according to claim 18 , wherein the absolute position of the vehicle is one of a local area associated with the absolute position of the vehicle and an area of a specified size associated with the absolute position of the vehicle.

21. A vehicle comprising:
a control device having at least one environment sensor to detect surroundings of the vehicle and a computing device which detects an absolute position of the vehicle, assigns a set of location-dependent operating parameters based on the absolute position of the vehicle, and operates the environment sensor based on the corresponding location-dependent operating parameters; and
a driver assistance system which is designed to control the vehicle at least on the basis of a map provided by the control device,
wherein one location-dependent operating parameter characterizes a minimum number of object features, necessary for positive identification of an object type by the control device.

22. The vehicle according to claim 21 , further comprising:
a control device in communication with a server system;
a parameter memory for the server system which is designed to store at least one of a location-dependent and a time-dependent operating parameter for at least one environment sensor; and
a first data interface, which is designed to couple the server system to the control device in a data communications link.

23. The server system according to claim 22 , wherein the parameter memory is configured as a decentralized memory, comprising a plurality of storage media.

24. The vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein the absolute position of the vehicle is one of a local area associated with the absolute position of the vehicle and an area of a specified size associated with the absolute position of the vehicle.

25. The vehicle according to claim 21 , wherein
the at least one environment sensor comprises a camera, and
another location-dependent operating parameter 1) characterizes one of a functional parameter particularly for a linear conversion function for converting a signal-to-noise ratio into an occupation probability, or 2) comprises an exposure parameter for controlling exposure of the camera.

Assignees

• Conti Temic Microelectronic Gmbh
• Vitesco Technologies Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Grewe Ralph
• Hegemann Stefan
• Heinrich Stefan

Classifications

• G06V20/582

  of traffic signs · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G01S2013/9318

  Controlling the steering · CPC title

• G01S2013/93185

  Controlling the brakes · CPC title

• G01S2013/9322

  using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data · CPC title