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EP-4737251-A1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROTECTING A WHEEL OF A VEHICLE FROM BEING DAMAGED BY A ROADWAY BOUNDARY, DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMPUTER PROGRAM, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

EP4737251A1EP 4737251 A1EP4737251 A1EP 4737251A1EP-4737251-A1

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for protecting a wheel (12, 14) of a vehicle from being damaged by a roadway boundary (20). The method comprises obtaining first data (D1) indicative of the roadway boundary (20). The method further comprises obtaining second data (D2) indicative of a likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary (20) and the wheel (12, 14) based on the first data (D1). Moreover, the method comprises causing a notification (N) for a user of the vehicle (10) if the likelihood exceeds a predefined first likelihood threshold. The notification (N) is indicative of at least one of a specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) risking collision with the roadway boundary (20), a distance (D) between the specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) and the roadway boundary (20), and a difference between the likelihood of a collision and the predefined first likelihood threshold. The disclosure is also directed to a data processing apparatus (58), to a computer program (66) and to a computer-readable storage medium (64). Finally, the disclosure is directed to a system (36) for protecting a wheel (12, 14) of a vehicle (10) from being damaged by a roadway boundary (20).

Inventors

  • NILSSON, JAN

Assignees

  • Volvo Car Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20241029

Claims (15)

  1. A method for protecting a wheel (12, 14) of a vehicle (10) from being damaged by a roadway boundary (20), the method comprising: - obtaining first data (D1) indicative of the roadway boundary (20) in the vicinity of the vehicle (10), - obtaining second data (D2) indicative of a likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary (20) and the wheel (12, 14) based on the first data (D1), and - causing a notification (N) for a user of the vehicle (10) if the likelihood exceeds a predefined first likelihood threshold, wherein the notification (N) is indicative of at least one of a specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) risking collision with the roadway boundary (20), a distance (D) between the specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) risking collision with the roadway boundary (20) and the roadway boundary (20), and a difference between the likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary (20) and the wheel (12, 14) and the predefined first likelihood threshold.
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification (N) comprises at least one of an acoustic notification (N), an optical notification (N), and a haptic notification (N).
  3. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification comprises the acoustic notification (N) and wherein the acoustic notification (N) comprises an onomatopoeic representation of a collision between the wheel (12, 14) and the roadway boundary (20).
  4. The method of claim 3, wherein the onomatopoeic representation of the collision comprises at least one of a recorded real-world sound, a simulated sound recreating or imitating a real-world sound, and an artificial sound.
  5. The method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the onomatopoeic representation comprises at least one of a noise of a rolling tire (16), a noise of a squeaking tire (16) and a noise of metal scratching.
  6. The method of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the notification (N) comprises the acoustic notification (N) and wherein the acoustic notification (N) comprises a spatial audio signal having a virtual or effective origin associated with the specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) risking collision with the roadway boundary (20).
  7. The method of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the notification (N) comprises the acoustic notification (N) and wherein the distance (D) between the specific wheel (12, 14) of the vehicle (10) risking collision with the roadway boundary (20) and the roadway boundary (20) is indicated by an intensity and/or a repetition rate of at least one element of the acoustic notification (N).
  8. The method of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the notification (N) comprises the acoustic notification (N) and wherein the difference between the likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary (20) and the wheel (12, 14) and the predefined first likelihood threshold is indicated by an intensity and/or a repetition rate of the at least one element of the acoustic notification (N).
  9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising causing a collision mitigation maneuver if the likelihood exceeds a predefined second likelihood threshold.
  10. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first data (D1) comprises Lidar data.
  11. A data processing apparatus (58) comprising means (68) for carrying out the method of any one of the preceding claims.
  12. A computer program (66) comprising instructions which, when the computer program (66) is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of claims 1 to 10.
  13. A computer-readable storage medium (64) comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method of claims 1 to 10.
  14. A system (36) for protecting a wheel (12, 14) of a vehicle (10) from being damaged by a roadway boundary (20), comprising - a sensor unit (38) configured for providing first data (D1) indicative of the roadway boundary (20) in the vicinity of the vehicle (10), - a data processing apparatus (58) according to claim 11, and - a notification interface (46), wherein the sensor unit (38) and the notification interface (46) are communicatively connected to the data processing apparatus (58).
  15. The system (36) according to the preceding claim, wherein the sensor unit (38) comprises a lidar unit (40).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a method for protecting a wheel of a vehicle from being damaged by a roadway boundary. Moreover, the present disclosure relates to a data processing apparatus, to a computer program and to a computer-readable storage medium for carrying out said method. Furthermore, the present disclosure is directed to a system for protecting a wheel of a vehicle from being damaged by a roadway boundary. BACKGROUND ART When a vehicle hits a roadway boundary, for example a curbstone, with one of its wheels, the wheel may get damaged. This may involve damage to the tire and/or damage to the rim. A damaged tire may be at risk to deflate while driving. A rim of a wheel is often a design feature of a vehicle. Thus, when damaged, the rim may comprise optically unpleasant scratches or dents. SUMMARY Hence, there may be a need for protecting a wheel of a vehicle from being damaged by a roadway boundary. The problem is at least partially solved or alleviated by the subject matter of the independent claims of the present disclosure, wherein further examples are incorporated in the dependent claims. According to a first aspect, there is provided a method for protecting a wheel of a vehicle from being damaged by a roadway boundary. The method comprises: obtaining first data indicative of the roadway boundary in the vicinity of the vehicle,obtaining second data indicative of a likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary and the wheel based on the first data, andcausing a notification for a user of the vehicle if the likelihood exceeds a predefined first likelihood threshold, wherein the notification is indicative of at least one of a specific wheel of the vehicle risking collision with the roadway boundary, a distance between the specific wheel of the vehicle risking collision with the roadway boundary and the roadway boundary, and a difference between the likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary and the wheel and the predefined first likelihood threshold. The wheel of the vehicle may comprise a tire, particularly an inflatable tire, and a rim carrying the tire. The roadway boundary by which the wheel may be damaged may be a curbstone, a crash barrier, and/or an edge, particularly a sharp edge, of a drivable surface of the roadway on which the vehicle is travelling. Obtaining the first data is to be understood as receiving or determining the first data indicative of the roadway boundary that is in the vicinity of the vehicle. The vicinity of the vehicle may be understood as a zone lying within a predefined proximal radius around the vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the vicinity of the vehicle may be understood as a zone within a predefined distance in a driving direction of the vehicle and/or within a predefined lateral distance. Thus, the roadway boundary being in the vicinity of the vehicle may mean that the roadway boundary is within the predefined proximal radius around the vehicle and/or within the predefined distance in a driving direction and/or the lateral distance of the vehicle. Obtaining the second data is to be understood as receiving or determining the second data indicative of a likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary and the wheel based on the first data. This means that the first data is taken into account when obtaining the second data indicative of said likelihood. In other words, the second data is a function of the first data. It is emphasized that this does not necessarily mean that the second data is an exclusive function of the first data. The notification for a user of the vehicle may be understood as a warning to a user, particularly to a driver, of the vehicle. The notification is provided to the user of the vehicle if the likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary and the wheel of the vehicle exceeds a predefined first likelihood threshold. In other words, if the second data indicative of said likelihood indicates that said likelihood is higher than the predefined first likelihood threshold, the notification is provided to the user of the vehicle. In simplified words, the notification is caused if the likelihood of a collision between the roadway boundary and the wheel is found to be sufficiently high. If the notification is indicative of the specific wheel of the vehicle risking collision with the roadway boundary, the notification conveys information to the user which wheel of a plurality of wheels of the vehicle is at risk of colliding with the roadway boundary. If the notification is indicative of the distance between the specific wheel of the vehicle being at risk of colliding with the roadway boundary and the roadway boundary, the user is provided with an indication on how far the wheel of the vehicle that is at risk of colliding with the roadway boundary is located away from said roadway boundary. In other words, the notification for the user may comprise an information on an imminence of a coll