Method for operating a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12576871-B2
Application number	US-202218716452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2022
Priority date	Dec 7, 2021
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle, wherein input data concerning the motor vehicle and/or surroundings and/or a user of the motor vehicle are ascertained, wherein at least one trigger condition dependent on the input data is evaluated, wherein, in the event of the respective trigger condition being met, an indication of an activatable vehicle function ( 28, 32, 44, 51 ) associated with the respective trigger condition is output to the user, following which, after detection of a predefined control action performed by the user, this vehicle function is activated immediately or after an additional condition has been met.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for operating a motor vehicle comprising:
determining input data, wherein the input data relates to the motor vehicle, an environment of the motor vehicle, and/or a user of the motor vehicle; determining if a trigger condition is fulfilled, the determining including evaluating at least one trigger condition based on the input data; outputting a notification when the trigger condition is fulfilled, wherein the notification is assigned to the trigger condition; detecting a pre-specified operating action; based on detecting the pre-specified operating action, activating a vehicle function, wherein the vehicle function is activated at least immediately or after an additional condition is met, and wherein, if the additional condition is not met, the vehicle function is activated temporarily beginning with the pre-specified operating action being detected and ending upon a further additional condition being met; and automatically guiding the motor vehicle based on the activated vehicle function.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
repeatedly outputting the vehicle function,
wherein the input data is a route portion, the route portion being currently travelled or potentially travelled, and
wherein the repeatedly outputting the vehicle function includes guiding the motor vehicle to a starting point and/or outputting instructions to the user for an optimal driving behavior with respect to at least one target variable within the route portion.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle function is
a braking point and/or, a target driving line and/or, a target speed and/or, a target acceleration and/or, a target regeneration for at least one part of the route portion is specified for at least one curve in the route portion, and wherein at least one of the instructions relates to the braking point and/or the target driving line and/or the target speed and/or the target acceleration and/or the target regeneration.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the outputting of the instructions further comprises permanently activating a further vehicle function, or activating the further vehicle function when a further additional condition is met, or implementing, based on the pre-specified operating action and/or the input data, a driver assistance system and/or implementing a change in a configuration of a drivetrain and/or of a chassis and/or of an assistance system of the motor vehicle before or when the route portion is reached.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the trigger condition includes a route portion condition that is fulfilled when the route portion of a route of the motor vehicle is within a determined distance and/or a travel time, each of which is less than a pre-specified distance threshold.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the route portion condition is fulfilled when an average curvature and/or an angle between tangents of a corresponding curve at its end points, for one or more curves of the route portion, and/or a mean slope or mean absolute slope in the route portion, exceed a corresponding pre-specified threshold, and/or if a distance between successive curves in the route portion falls below a pre-specified threshold.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein content of the notification depends on whether an activation condition for the vehicle function assigned to the trigger condition is fulfilled.

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vehicle function and/or a further vehicle function are activated if an activation condition assigned to the vehicle function is fulfilled, regardless of the trigger condition being fulfilled, or wherein, if the activation condition is not fulfilled, the vehicle function and/or the further vehicle function are activated exclusively if the trigger condition is fulfilled; or wherein, if the activation condition is not fulfilled, the vehicle function and/or the further vehicle function are temporarily activated after a detection of a pre-specified operating action, wherein a temporary activation lasts until an end condition is met.

9 . The method according to claim 8 ,
wherein the activation condition is fulfilled depends on whether a message is received from a vehicle-external device, and/or wherein the activation condition is fulfilled depends on a detection of a pre-specified further operating action of the user, wherein the pre-specified further operating action triggers a transmission of a confirmation message to the vehicle-external device.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the input data comprises at least one of the following:
a route profile and/or map data relating to a roadway condition; position information relating to a position of the motor vehicle; occupant information related to the user, the occupant information relating to a mood and/or a state and/or a driving ability of the user; sensor data from sensors of the motor vehicle; weather conditions of surroundings of the motor vehicle; information on traffic and/or dangerous situations in the surroundings; and/or information received from other motor vehicles and/or infrastructure devices.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a degree of fatigue and/or an attentiveness state of the user based on the input data relating to the user of the motor vehicle, wherein the fulfillment of the trigger condition or one of the trigger conditions depends on a degree of fatigue and/or attentiveness state, and wherein, if the trigger condition is fulfilled, a notification is output to the user to indicate that an at least partially automated driving operation is available as an activatable vehicle function.

12 . A motor vehicle comprising:
a controller configured to:
determine input data, wherein the input data relates to the motor vehicle, an environment of the motor vehicle, and/or a user of the motor vehicle;
determine if a trigger condition is fulfilled, the determining including evaluating at least one trigger condition based on the input data;
output a notification when the trigger condition is fulfilled, wherein the notification is assigned to the trigger condition;
detect a pre-specified operating action;
based on detecting the pre-specified operating action, activate a vehicle function, wherein the vehicle function is activated at least immediately or after an additional condition is met, and wherein, if the additional condition is not met, the vehicle function is activated temporarily beginning with the pre-specified operating action being detected and ending upon a further additional condition being met; and
automatically guiding the motor vehicle based on the activated vehicle function.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Gronau Hendrik
• Michael Jörg
• Schmutz Christoph
• Schrader Thorsten
• Wilding Werner

Classifications

• B60W2540/30

  Driving style · CPC title

• B60W30/18109

  Braking · CPC title

• B60W30/143

  Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W30/10

  Path keeping {(cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165)} · CPC title

• B60W2540/221

  Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs · CPC title