IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,187,306
Granted Patent B2
US 12,187,306 · App. 17/616,860 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Method for operating a motor vehicle, computer program product and motor vehicle

Inventor: John Newman (Ingolstadt, DE)
Assignee: AUDI AG
B60W50/14B60Q9/00B60T7/22B60W40/09B60W2420/40B60W2420/403B60W2540/12B60W2540/18B60W2540/215B60W2540/30B60W2555/20
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 12,187,306
App. No.
17/616,860
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

For the operation of a motor vehicle, according to the present disclosure, situation variables are detected using a number of environment sensors, a current driving situation is derived from the number of situation variables using a controller and a number of control inputs used to control the motor vehicle are detected, and a behavior pattern for a specific driver is determined using the controller on the basis of the control inputs, is assigned to the current driving situation, and is stored in a memory unit of the controller. Should it be concluded on the basis of the situation variables that the view is limited, the lack of certainty of the behavior pattern determined for the current driving situation is compared with that of a behavior pattern for the same driver determined for a driving situation with an unrestricted view, and the use of a system to improve the view is recommended to the driver if a lack of certainty on the part of the driver is identified on the basis of the comparison.

Claims (49)

1. A method for an operation of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of situation variables using a plurality of environment sensors;

deriving a current driving situation from the plurality of situation variables using a controller;

detecting a plurality of control inputs to control the motor vehicle;

determining a behavior pattern for a specific driver using the controller on the basis of the plurality of control inputs;

assigning the behavior pattern for the specific driver to the current driving situation;

storing the behavior pattern for the specific driver to a memory of the controller;

determining based on the plurality of situation variables that a view is limited;

based on determining that the view is limited, comparing a lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the current driving situation to the behavior pattern for the specific driver in another driving situation with another view that is not limited; and

recommending that the specific driver use a system to improve the view that is limited based on determining, using the comparing, that the lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the specific driver is present, wherein the recommending includes using personal information of the specific driver, and

wherein the personal information of the specific driver comprises at least one of the specific driver being an earlier adopter to using technical innovations, or a reaction of the specific driver to a previous recommendation by the system to improve the view that is limited.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining the behavior pattern is based on routes frequently used by the specific driver.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of control inputs includes at least one of a driver-side actuation of a brake, a driver-side specification of a driving speed, or a driver-side actuation of a steering device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

comparing the one of the plurality of control inputs used to determine the behavior pattern with a boundary condition specified by a current route taken by the specific driver.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of control inputs includes an intervention by an active driving safety assistance system, and wherein the active driving safety assistance system including at least one of a lane departure warning system or a braking assistant system.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining the lack of certainty includes determining a presence of the lack of certainty in a dark environment, the method further comprising:

recommending that the specific driver use a night vision system to improve the view that is limited.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of environment sensors includes a sensor, and wherein at least one of the plurality of situation variables is a detected brightness range.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the sensor is a camera.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the sensor is a light sensor.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program code with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a plurality of situation variables using a plurality of environment sensors;

deriving a current driving situation from the plurality of situation variables using a controller;

detecting a plurality of control inputs to control a motor vehicle;

determining a behavior pattern for a specific driver using the controller on the basis of the plurality of control inputs;

assigning the behavior pattern for the specific driver to the current driving situation;

storing the behavior pattern for the specific driver to a memory of the controller;

determining based on the plurality of situation variables that a view is limited;

based on determining that the view is limited, comparing a lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the current driving situation to the behavior pattern for the specific driver in another driving situation with another view that is not limited; and

recommending that the specific driver use a system to improve the view that is limited based on determining, using the comparing, that the lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the specific driver is present, wherein the recommending includes using personal information of the specific driver, and

wherein the personal information of the specific driver comprises at least one of the specific driver being an earlier adopter to using technical innovations, or a reaction of the specific driver to a previous recommendation by the system to improve the view that is limited.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of environmental sensors; and

a processor configured to execute a method comprising:

detecting a plurality of situation variables using a plurality of environment sensors;

deriving a current driving situation from the plurality of situation variables using a controller;

detecting a plurality of control inputs to control the motor vehicle;

determining a behavior pattern for a specific driver using the controller on the basis of the plurality of control inputs;

assigning the behavior pattern for the specific driver to the current driving situation;

storing the behavior pattern for the specific driver to a memory of the controller;

determining based on the plurality of situation variables that a view is limited;

based on determining that the view is limited, comparing a lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the current driving situation to the behavior pattern for the specific driver in another driving situation with another view that is not limited; and

recommending that the specific driver use a system to improve the view that is limited based on determining, using the comparing, that the lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the specific driver is present, wherein the recommending includes using personal information of the specific driver, and

wherein the personal information of the specific driver comprises at least one of the specific driver being an earlier adopter to using technical innovations, or a reaction of the specific driver to a previous recommendation by the system to improve the view that is limited.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein recommending that the specific driver use a system to improve the view comprises providing the specific driver a free test phase of the system.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a presence of the lack of certainty of the behavior pattern for the current driving situation in a highly bright environment; and

recommending that the specific driver use a darkening system to improve the view that is limited, wherein the darkening system is a transparent sun visor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2021
From: NEWMAN, JOHN
To: AUDI AG
Reel/Frame 058310/0651 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 208 212.2 · Jun 5, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220306140A1 · Sep 29, 2022
References Cited (40)
US 6449572B1 · Kurz · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 7684907B2 · Kopf · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 8896465B2 · Raz · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9193314B1 · Graham · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9574888B1 · Hu · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10202127B2 · Shiraishi · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10915100B2 · Matsushita et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11113961B2 · Julian · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20070013495A1 · Suzuki · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070124027A1 · Betzitza · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20110118929A1 · Takae et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110169984A1 · Noguchi · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20150353037A1 · Graham · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150353097A1 · Graham · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160026182A1 · Boroditsky · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170168504A1 · Darms · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170168505A1 · Meinecke · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170200061A1 · Julian · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170369073A1 · Huber · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20200111350A1 · Julian · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 102089795A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
CN 107176165A · 2017 [cited by examiner]
CN 108556848A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 109591826A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
DE 10241922A1 · 2004 [cited by applicant]
DE 10343683A1 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
DE 102010047411A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
DE 102010063792A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
DE 102011084589A1 · 2013 [cited by examiner]
DE 102011087043A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
DE 102012105285A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
DE 202013010566U1 · 2015 [cited by examiner]
DE 102014203138A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017006589A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017201222A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102018111887A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2014097347A1 · 2014 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2020235518A1 · 2020 [cited by examiner]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability directed to related International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2020/065334, mailed Dec. 7, 2021, with attached English-language translation; 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report of the International Searching Authority directed to related International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2020/065334 (including translation), mailed Sep. 2, 2020; 6 pages. [cited by applicant]