Detecting and determining relevant variables of an object by means of ultrasonic sensors

A device for determining relevant variables of an object in the environment of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• at least one ultrasonic sensor disposed laterally on the motor vehicle for cyclically determining sensor values that represent distances from an object;
• an apparatus for determining modeled sensor values as a function of relevant variables of the object;
• and
• an optimization apparatus for adapting the modeled sensor values to the real sensor values for each ultrasonic sensor for acquiring the relevant object variables;
• wherein
• the device is configured to:
• acquiring a measurement series of real sensor values for the at least one ultrasonic sensor, which sensor values represent the shortest distance between the object and the motor vehicle, wherein the sensor values of the at least one ultrasonic sensor are acquired cyclically with a specified time interval;
• model a series of sensor values for the at least one ultrasonic sensor by:
• modeling the object movement using a state vector {right arrow over (x)} and a parameter vector θ, wherein the state vector {right arrow over (x)} and the parameter vector θ are calculated from the relevant object variables, and
• modeling the distance sensing in accordance with the state vector {right arrow over (x)} and the parameter vector;
• θ and
• determining the state vector {right arrow over (x)} and the parameter vector θ by adapting the modeled sensor values to the measured real sensor values;
• of the at least one ultrasonic sensor using an optimization method.