IP Library Granted Patent US 11,482,101
Granted Patent B2
US 11,482,101 · App. 16/754,000 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Method for generating a visual range collection and visual range collecting device

Inventors: Martin Beiderbeck (Schwalbach a. Ts., DE); Franz Pellkofer (Schwalbach a. Ts., DE); Friedrich Graf (Schwalbach a. Ts., DE)
Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
G08G1/0141G08G1/0112
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,482,101
App. No.
16/754,000
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for generating a visual range collection includes determining a current position of at least one motor vehicle, determining a current visual range which describes how far a driver of the motor vehicle can see from the current position, transmitting the visual range from the motor vehicle to a visual range collecting device, generating the visual range collection based on the transmitted visual range, predetermining an expected change in visual obstruction at the position, and adjusting the visual range from the visual range collection based on the predetermined change in visual obstruction.

Claims (50)

1. A method for generating a visual range collection, comprising:

determining a current position of at least one motor vehicle;

determining a current visual range that describes how far a driver of the at least one motor vehicle can see ahead along a roadway from the current position;

transmitting the current visual range from the at least one motor vehicle to a visual range collecting device;

generating the visual range collection based at least in part on the transmitted current visual range;

predetermining an expected change in visual obstruction at the current position due to a vegetation-cycle-dependent change in visual obstruction; and

adjusting a visual range from the visual range collection based at least in part on the predetermined change in visual obstruction.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

a change in vegetation at the current position is predetermined as the change in visual obstruction, and the current visual range in the visual range collection is adjusted based at least in part on the change in vegetation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a quality value for the current visual range,

wherein the quality value describes a current environmental status of the at least one motor vehicle while the current visual range has been determined, and the quality value is stored with the current visual range in the visual range collection.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:

replacing the current visual range in the visual range collection by a further visual range in accordance with the quality value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a current adjusted visual range from the visual range collection to a further motor vehicle.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein

the further motor vehicle performs an overtaking maneuver in accordance with the visual range.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the visual range collection with respective visual ranges is generated by a swarm of vehicles with a plurality of motor vehicles.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the visual range in the visual range collection is adjusted by machine learning.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the visual range in the visual range collection is adjusted based at least in part on rules that use data from weather databases.

10. A method for generating a visual range collection, comprising:

determining a current position of at least one motor vehicle;

determining a current visual range which describes how far ahead a driver of the at least one motor vehicle can see on a roadway from the current position;

transmitting the current visual range from the at least one motor vehicle to a visual range collecting device;

generating the visual range collection based at least in part on the transmitted current visual range;

predetermining an expected change in visual obstruction at the current position based at least in part on a change in building density; and

adjusting a visual range from the visual range collection based at least in part on the predetermined change in visual obstruction.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

a change in building density at the current position is predetermined as the change in visual obstruction, and the current visual range in the visual range collection is adjusted based at least in part on the change in building density.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising

determining a quality value for the current visual range,

wherein the quality value describes a current environmental status of the at least one motor vehicle while the current visual range has been determined, and the quality value is stored with the current visual range in the visual range collection.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

the visual range collection with respective visual ranges is generated by a swarm of vehicles with a plurality of motor vehicles.

14. A visual range collecting device with a visual range collection, comprising:

a server;

a receiver; and

a transmitter,

the visual range collection, stored as a database on the server, is generated by:

determining a current position of at least one motor vehicle by a global navigation satellite system;

determining a current visual range by at least one environment sensor, which describes how far ahead a driver of the at least one motor vehicle can see on a roadway from the current position;

transmitting the current visual range from the at least one motor vehicle to the receiver of the visual range collecting device;

generating the visual range collection based at least in part on the transmitted current visual range;

predetermining an expected change in visual obstruction at the current position based at least in part on a change in the building density; and

adjusting a visual range from the visual range collection based at least in part on the predetermined change in visual obstruction.

15. The visual range collecting device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one environment sensor is one or more of a camera, a radar sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a LiDAR, and a laser scanner.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2025
From: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: CONTINENTAL AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 070438/0643 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2020
From: BEIDERBECK, MARTIN; PELLKOFER, FRANZ; GRAF, FRIEDRICH
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 052321/0866 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2017 218 726.3 · Oct 19, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200242923A1 · Jul 30, 2020