BLIND-SPOT WARNING

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor arrangement (12), in particular for use for a driving assistance system of a vehicle (10), having a plurality of ultrasonic sensors (14) which are arranged along at least a front (20) and/or a rear (22) of the vehicle (10), wherein the ultrasonic sensors (14) are divided into a group (26) of right-hand ultrasonic sensors (14) and a group (24) of left-hand ultrasonic sensors (14), and the sensor arrangement (12) has asymmetric operation in which the ultrasonic sensors (14) in one group (24, 26) of ultrasonic sensors (14) at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors (14) in the other group (26, 24) of ultrasonic sensors (14). The invention also relates to a method for operating such a sensor arrangement (12).

Description

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement for use for a driving assistance system of a vehicle comprising a plurality of ultrasonic sensors which are arranged along at least a front and/or a rear of the vehiclewherein the ultrasonic sensors are divided into a group of right-hand ultrasonic sensors and a group of left-hand ultrasonic sensors, andwherein the sensor arrangement has asymmetric operation in which the ultrasonic sensors in one group of ultrasonic sensors at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors.

2. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein asymmetric operation has operation with a reduced sensitivity on the right-hand side and/or operation with a reduced sensitivity on the left-hand side, wherein, during operation with a reduced sensitivity on the right-hand side, the ultrasonic sensors in the group of right-hand ultrasonic sensors at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the group of left-hand ultrasonic sensors, and, during operation with a reduced sensitivity on the left-hand side, the ultrasonic sensors in the group of left-hand ultrasonic sensors at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the group of right-hand ultrasonic sensors.

3. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the group of ultrasonic sensors which, during asymmetric operation, at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors has at least one subgroup of front ultrasonic sensors and one subgroup of rear ultrasonic sensors, wherein, during asymmetric operation, at least the subgroup of rear ultrasonic sensors at least partially has a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors.

4. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic sensors in the group of ultrasonic sensors which, during asymmetric operation, at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors at least partially have a different degree of lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors, depending on their position on the vehicle.

5. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor arrangement has a control device which is connected to the plurality of ultrasonic sensors via a data connection, wherein the sensor arrangement is configured to change over the receiving sensitivity of at least one of the groups of ultrasonic sensors between normal operation, in which corresponding ultrasonic sensors in both groups have a substantially identical receiving sensitivity, and asymmetric operation, and/or to adapt asymmetric operation.

6. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to change over between normal operation and asymmetric operation and/or to adapt asymmetric operation, also taking into account a travel speed of the vehicle.

7. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to change over between normal operation and asymmetric operation and/or to adapt asymmetric operation, also taking into account a change in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

8. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to change over between normal operation and asymmetric operation and/or to adapt asymmetric operation, also taking into account a lane being used by the vehicle from a plurality of available directional lanes.

9. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control device is configured to change over asymmetric operation between operation with a reduced sensitivity on the right-hand side and operation with a reduced sensitivity on the left-hand side, depending on a lane being used by the vehicle from a plurality of available directional lanes.

10. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to change over asymmetric operation between operation with a reduced sensitivity on the right-hand side and operation with a reduced sensitivity on the left-hand side, depending on a traffic mode with right-hand traffic or left-hand traffic.

11. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to change over between normal operation and asymmetric operation and/or to adapt asymmetric operation, also taking into account at least one environmental condition.

12. The sensor arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to adjust the receiving sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensors in the group of ultrasonic sensors which, during asymmetric operation, at least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensors in the other group of ultrasonic sensors between different receiving sensitivities.

13. A method for operating a sensor arrangement for use for a driving assistance system of a vehicle, having a plurality of ultrasonic sensors which are arranged along at least a front and/or a rear of the vehicle, wherein the ultrasonic sensors are divided into a group of right-hand ultrasonic sensorsand a groupof left-hand ultrasonic sensors, the method comprising: capturing switch actuation and/or at least one parameter from a travel speed, a change in the direction of travel, a lane being used by the vehiclefrom a plurality of available directional lanes, a traffic mode with right-hand traffic or left-hand traffic and at least one environmental condition, andchanging over a receiving sensitivity of at least one of the groups of ultrasonic sensors between normal operation, in which corresponding ultrasonic sensorsin both groups have a substantially identical receiving sensitivity, and asymmetric operation, in which the ultrasonic sensors in one group of ultrasonic sensorsat least partially have a lower receiving sensitivity than corresponding ultrasonic sensorsin the other group of ultrasonic sensors, on the basis of the switch actuation and/or the at least one parameter.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, method further comprising: adapting asymmetric operation on the basis of the switch actuation and/or the at least one parameter.