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DE-102024210770-A1 - Methods for communication in road traffic and vehicles

DE102024210770A1DE 102024210770 A1DE102024210770 A1DE 102024210770A1DE-102024210770-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for communication, in particular with motor vehicles. In a procedure where the number of transmitted messages can be optimized to a minimum, the following steps are provided: Detection of at least one traffic sign (10) by a sending vehicle (12), wherein the traffic sign (10) contains information about a speed limit (14); Determining whether the information about the speed limit (14) meets predetermined relevance criteria; Sending a message containing at least information about the current speed limit (14) and location data where the speed limit (14) applies, if the information about the speed limit (14) meets the predetermined relevance criteria; Receiving the message by at least one receiving vehicle (22).

Inventors

  • Joost Luscher
  • Ugur Kekec
  • Jannis Fritz
  • Jochen Hesse

Assignees

  • VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (11)

  1. A method for communication in road traffic, comprising the steps of: - Detecting at least one traffic sign (10) by a transmitting vehicle (12), wherein the traffic sign (10) contains information about a speed limit (14); - Determining whether the information about the speed limit (14) meets predetermined relevance criteria; - Sending a message containing at least information about the current speed limit (14) and location data where the speed limit (14) applies, if the information about the speed limit (14) meets the predetermined relevance criteria.
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , where a relevance criterion is that there is a contradiction between the recorded information about the speed limit (14) and information about the speed limit from at least one data set.
  3. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein a relevance criterion is that a speed limit (14) applies in a restricted area of application and wherein the message is transmitted when criteria of the restricted area of application are met.
  4. Procedure according to Claim 3 , wherein the transmitter vehicle (12) uses suitable sensors and/or actuators to check whether there is a weather condition on which the scope of the speed limit (14) depends.
  5. Procedure according to Claim 3 or 4 , wherein the transmitter vehicle (12) performs a comparison with the current time of day if the restricted area of validity depends on the time of day.
  6. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the message contains information about the lane (24) being traveled by the sending vehicle (12) and/or wherein the message contains information about the direction of travel of the sending vehicle (12) and/or wherein the message contains vehicle-specific information about the sending vehicle (12).
  7. Methods for communication in road traffic wherein a receiver vehicle (22) transmits a message according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 is received.
  8. Procedure according to Claim 7 , wherein the receiving vehicle (22) only takes the message into account if it is on the same lane (24) as the sending vehicle (12) and/or wherein the receiving vehicle (22) only takes the message into account if it is traveling in the same direction as the sending vehicle (12) and/or wherein the receiving vehicle (22) checks whether a vehicle-specific information of the sending vehicle (22) matches a corresponding vehicle-specific information of the receiving vehicle (22).
  9. Procedure according to Claim 7 or 8 , wherein the receiving vehicle (22) performs a predictive adjustment of the settings of a cruise control system depending on the message.
  10. Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, with at least one detection device (16) for detecting traffic signs (10), with at least one evaluation device (18) for evaluating the detected signals and with at least one communication module (20) for transmitting messages, wherein the evaluation device (18) is set up and configured to perform a procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 to carry out.
  11. Vehicle, in particular motor vehicle, with at least one evaluation unit (18) and with at least one communication module (20) for receiving messages, wherein the evaluation unit (18) is configured and designed to perform a procedure according to one of the Claims 7 until 9 to carry out.

Description

The invention relates to a method for communication in road traffic. Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, with at least one detection device for detecting traffic signs, with at least one evaluation device for evaluating the detected signals and with at least one communication module for sending messages. Modern vehicles are now equipped with C2X radio modules to exchange standardized messages with each other and with the infrastructure. By transmitting information between C2X-enabled vehicles and other infrastructure components, such as traffic lights, speeds, positions, and general information about road conditions can be exchanged and processed by other road users. These processed signals can then be used, for example, to improve the functionality of driver assistance systems. Basically, C2X communication can be divided into three categories. Firstly, active safety involves sharing information about the positions and changes of neighboring or nearby vehicles. Secondly, traffic flow optimization uses C2X data to optimize traffic flow in a decentralized manner, for example, by suggesting detours around traffic jams, based on the data provided. The third category describes comfort and infotainment applications that can be updated using C2X data. Regarding security, for example, the DE 20 2019 005 664 U1 A process in which a vehicle ahead detects a (traffic) situation on the road and transmits the information to a following vehicle via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system. The receiving vehicle filters the received information according to relevance. The DE 10 2016 109 395 A1 shows a method in which a vehicle ahead recognizes the speed limit on a sign and transmits the information to a following vehicle via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system. The large number of C2X messages leads to unwieldy data streams, or data channels can be almost completely blocked. The present invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a method for communication between vehicles and a vehicle in which the number of transmitted messages can be optimized to a minimum. The aforementioned problem is solved in the present invention by the features of claim 1, in that the method comprises the following steps: detecting at least one traffic sign by a transmitting vehicle, wherein the traffic sign contains information about a speed limit; determining whether the information about the speed limit meets predetermined relevance criteria; sending a message that includes at least information about the current speed limit and location data where the speed limit applies, if the information about the speed limit meets the predetermined relevance criteria. Traffic signs are ideally detected using appropriate detection equipment, such as cameras or other suitable sensors. These traffic signs include, in particular, metal signs, overhead sign gantries (e.g., on highways), and lettering on the road surface. In this application, a relevance criterion is understood to be a predefined checkpoint that must be fulfilled before the message is transmitted. This may include, in particular, points where the recognized traffic sign or speed limit deviates from the expected norm. For example, if the speeds are otherwise stored in navigation systems and the following traffic is highly likely to be prepared for this speed limit, the message does not need to be transmitted. The message itself is advantageously transmitted via Car2X. Car2X data is a technology in which vehicles communicate with their environment, i.e., "X". In a special Car2Car variant of the Car2X system, vehicles can also communicate with each other. Transmission is bidirectional with Car2X. Consequently, the vehicle can communicate with its surroundings and/or the surroundings with the vehicle. Sensor data is preferably transmitted during communication. It is conceivable that Car2X communication is implemented via a WLAN connection. For the purposes of this application, Car2X is to be considered equivalent to V2X when Car2X is used in relation to the vehicle, whereas The V2X is used from the perspective of another vehicle. Examples include the CAM (Cooperative Awareness Message) and DENM (Decentralized Environmental Notification Message) of the ETSI standard for Car2X communication. Vehicles can communicate with each other using Car2X communication. Through this communication, vehicles can share their positions. By linking this with environmental sensors, for example, the vehicle's position can be determined more precisely. Furthermore, the vehicle can communicate with the infrastructure via Car2X communication. The position data includes, in particular, coordinates and directions. It is also conceivable that the position data describes not only specific points in coordinates, but entire areas where the recorded speed limit applies. The receiving vehicle is in particular other traffic, but especially vehicles following the sendi