# US 12,214,805 B2 · Method and device for locating a vehicle in a surrounding area

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- Number: US 12,214,805 B2
- Document ID: US12214805B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/630,646
- Filed: 2020-07-27
- Published: 2022-08-25
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-08-01
- Assignees: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
- Applicants: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH
- Inventors: Sebastian Zuther; Rolf Dubitzky
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214805B2

## CPC

- B60W 60/0016: {of the vehicle or its occupants}
- G01C 21/3602: {Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera}
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 30/146: {Speed limiting}
- B60W 40/02: related to ambient conditions
- B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models}
- B60W 50/023: Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
- B60W 60/005: {Handover processes (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227)}
- B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant}
- G01C 21/30: Map- or contour-matching
- G01C 21/3804: {Creation or updating of map data}
- G01C 21/3885: {Transmission of map data to client devices; Reception of map data by client devices}
- G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
- G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging
- G01S 17/931: of land vehicles
- G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means}
- G05D 1/0274: {using mapping information stored in a memory device (navigation using map-matching G01C21/30)}
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- H04W 4/48: for in-vehicle communication
- B60W 2050/0006: {Digital architecture hierarchy}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
- B60W 2556/35: Data fusion
- B60W 2556/40: High definition maps
- B60W 2556/45: External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for locating a vehicle (1) in a surrounding area, comprising the following steps: providing a primary sensor system (2, 34, 41, 52); providing a secondary sensor system (4, 35, 44, 56), the secondary system being configured in such a manner as to provide a backup to the primary system, the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system being configured in such a manner as to completely control the vehicle; detecting environment data by means of the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system; creating maps of the surroundings from the environment data from the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system by means of a computer system; transferring the maps of the surroundings created from the primary sensor system and the maps of the surroundings created from the secondary sensor system to the computer system; generating at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system sub-map and at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system sub-map by means of the computer system; transferring the plausibility-checked primary sensor system sub-map to the primary sensor system and transferring the plausibility-checked secondary sensor system sub-map to the secondary sensor system; locating the vehicle in the surrounding area by matching the environment data from the primary sensor system with the plausibility-checked primary sensor system sub-map and by matching the environment data from the secondary sensor system with the plausibility-checked secondary sensor system sub-map; comparing the location of the vehicle determined by the primary sensor system with the location of the vehicle determined by the secondary sensor system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for locating a vehicle in an environment, the method comprising steps performed in the following order:
providing a primary sensor system;
providing a secondary sensor system, wherein the secondary sensor system is configured to provide protection for the primary sensor system, wherein the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system are configured to completely control the vehicle;
detecting environment data by way of the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system;
creating, by a computer system, environment maps from the environment data of the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system;
transmitting, from the computer system, the created environment maps of the primary sensor system and the created environment maps of the secondary sensor system to a different computer system;
generating, by the different computer system, at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map based on the transmitted environment maps;
transmitting, from the different computer system, the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map to the primary sensor system and transmitting, from the different computer system, the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map to the secondary sensor system;
locating, by the primary sensor system, the vehicle in the environment by comparing the environment data of the primary sensor system with the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and locating, by the secondary sensor system, the vehicle in the environment by comparing the environment data of the secondary sensor system with the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map;
comparing the locating of the vehicle by the primary sensor system with the locating of the vehicle by the secondary sensor system, wherein the comparing is based on an amount of compatibility between the locating of the vehicle;
granting clearance to continue automated driving of the vehicle by way of the primary sensor system and by way of the secondary sensor system, wherein the clearance is granted based on the amount of compatibility being within predefined limits; and
performing a driving procedure as soon as the clearance of one of the two sensor systems has not been granted and the locating of the vehicle from one of the two sensor systems does not lie within the predefined limits.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein generating the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map further comprises:
creating a fusion map on the basis of the environment maps of the primary sensor system and the environment maps of the secondary sensor system; and
using the fusion map to create the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and to create the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the computer system comprises a primary computing unit and a secondary computing unit,
wherein the environment maps are created from the environment data of the primary sensor system by way of the primary computing unit, and
wherein the environment maps are created from the environment data of the secondary sensor system by way of the secondary computing unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the different computer system comprises a third computing unit, and wherein generating the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map are performed on the third computing unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the third computing unit is part of a backend, wherein the backend is located outside the vehicle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein transmitting the created environment maps of the primary sensor system and the created environment maps of the secondary sensor system to the different computer system is carried out by way of a wireless data link.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary sensor system is a camera-based sensor system.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondary sensor system is a lidar-based sensor system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein performing the driving procedure comprises an emergency braking procedure or a stopping procedure within a lane or slow coasting within the lane or a request to a driver to completely take over the vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A device for locating a vehicle in an environment, wherein the device is configured to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A driver assistance system at least having a module configured to carry out the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary sensor system is connected to a primary actuator and the secondary sensor system is connected to a secondary actuator, wherein the primary sensor system and the primary actuator are connected to a primary voltage source and the secondary sensor system and the secondary actuator are connected to a secondary voltage source that is different from the primary voltage source.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:
overtaking control of the vehicle from the primary sensor system, the primary actuator, and the primary voltage source by the secondary sensor system, the secondary actuator, and the secondary voltage source, wherein the secondary sensor system is configured to perform the driving procedure.

### Claim 14

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions executed by one or more processors, the plurality of machine-readable instructions causing the one or more processors to perform operations for locating a vehicle in an environment, the operations comprising steps in the following order:
providing a primary sensor system;
providing a secondary sensor system, wherein the secondary sensor system is configured to provide protection for the primary sensor system, wherein the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system are configured to completely control the vehicle;
detecting environment data by way of the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system;
creating, by a computer system, environment maps from the environment data of the primary sensor system and the secondary sensor system;
transmitting, from the computer system, the created environment maps of the primary sensor system and the created environment maps of the secondary sensor system to a different computer system;
generating, by the different computer system, at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map based on the transmitted environment maps;
transmitting, from the different computer system, the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map to the primary sensor system and transmitting, from the different computer system, the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map to the secondary sensor system;
locating, by the primary sensor system, the vehicle in the environment by comparing the environment data of the primary sensor system with the at least one plausibility-checked primary sensor system partial map and locating, by the secondary sensor system, the vehicle in the environment by comparing the environment data of the secondary sensor system with the at least one plausibility-checked secondary sensor system partial map;
comparing the locating of the vehicle by the primary sensor system with the locating of the vehicle by the secondary sensor system, wherein the comparing is based on an amount of compatibility between the locating;
granting clearance to continue automated driving of the vehicle by way of the primary sensor system and by way of the secondary sensor system, wherein the clearance is granted based on the amount of compatibility being within predefined limits; and
performing a driving procedure as soon as the clearance of one of the two sensor systems has not been granted and the locating of the vehicle from one of the two sensor systems does not lie within the predefined limits.