DE102017213774A1 - Method for operating a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for operating a motor vehicle (1), wherein at least one lighting means (5, 6) is detected by a control device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) as a function of an operating input detected via a mobile communication device (3) formed separately from the motor vehicle (1) a trailer (15) coupled to the motor vehicle (1) is activated and / or deactivated and / or a trailer hitch (7) of the motor vehicle (1) is adjusted, and / or that by the communication device (3) one of the control device (2) provided, the illuminant (5, 6) and / or a coupling state and / or a vertical load of the trailer (15) information is output.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a motor vehicle. In addition, the invention relates to a motor vehicle.

Motor vehicles, particularly passenger cars, can be coupled with a trailer to carry additional loads. Since taillights of the motor vehicle are often obscured by a trailer for subsequent traffic, trailers typically have light sources which are controlled by a motor vehicle-side control device, typically together with corresponding taillights of the motor vehicle.

Driving with a trailer is unusual for many drivers. Therefore, assistance systems are known which assist a driver when driving with a trailer. For example, the document discloses DE 10 2014 000 978 A1 a method for controlling a team, in which a mobile display unit is used to display at least a part of the team. The mobile display unit is in contact with the vehicle via a wireless connection and is used to control driving functions.

The publication DE 10 2014 114 812 A1 suggests to determine a kink angle between a towing vehicle and a trailer and display on a smartphone or tablet computer.

There are thus various approaches known to assist a driver when maneuvering with a trailer. However, this support does not apply until the combination of motor vehicle and trailer is assembled and ready for operation.

The invention is therefore based on the object to support a user in other operating situations of a team, especially in the preparation of a driving operation.

The object is achieved by a method for operating a motor vehicle, activated by a control device of the motor vehicle in response to a detected via a separately formed by the motor vehicle, mobile communication device operating input at least one light source of a trailer coupled to the motor vehicle and / or disabled and / / or a trailer hitch of the motor vehicle is adjusted, and / or wherein by the communication device provided by the control device, the light emitting means and / or a coupling state and / or a trailer load of the trailer information is output.

The invention is based on the idea to support the preparatory steps required before the start of a journey of a motor vehicle and trailer in such a way that they can be carried out at least largely outside the motor vehicle. This is advantageous because the corresponding preparation steps have hitherto often not been possible without the help of other persons or at least not without considerable effort. By using the mobile communication device for at least parts of the tasks mentioned, a corresponding preparation phase can be significantly shortened and / or performed by a user alone.

For example, it is appropriate and in some countries also prescribed to check the lighting functions of the trailer before driving with a suitable team. Usually, corresponding lighting functions can only be switched within the vehicle so that a user must repeatedly move between the vehicle and a position behind the trailer in order to check the function of the lighting means. In addition, some of the lighting functions, in particular the brake light, typically can not be activated permanently, so that several persons are required for the lighting test. In the method according to the invention, however, it is possible for a user to be positioned behind the trailer and to selectively activate individual lamps of the trailer from a position outside the motor vehicle in order to check their function. In addition or as an alternative, information about the type of lighting means and their functionality or occurring errors can be made known to him while he is in the area of the lighting means, so that potential errors can be corrected quickly and easily.

Additionally or alternatively, further information and functions can be provided via the communication device in the method according to the invention. By providing information available outside the vehicle about a trailer load currently supported by the trailer hitch, it is easily possible to consider the limits of that trailer load when loading the trailer. By a particular sensory examination of the coupling state between the motor vehicle and trailer can be easily detected if the coupling was not performed correctly. Since this information can be provided to the user outside the motor vehicle, additional ways are avoided.

Some modern motor vehicles have no fixed trailer hitch, but use a trailer hitch that moves between a use position and another position can be. The other position may be to conceal the towbar when not in use, for example, to achieve a more consistent design of the motor vehicle, and / or to protect the towbar when not in use. An adjustment of the trailer hitch is typically via an operating means which is arranged in the trunk of the motor vehicle. Is the trunk fully loaded or is the trailer already close to the motor vehicle, it is possible that this operating means can be achieved only poorly. Therefore, it is advantageous if the adjustment of the trailer hitch is made possible in addition to or as an alternative to the possibilities explained above via the mobile communication device.

The operator input can also lead to the lighting means being activated and / or deactivated alternately once or several times. For example, the light source may flash once or several times.

The control device can already provide information to be output by the communication device as graphics and / or text that are output and / or output directly by the communication device. However, it is also possible for the information provided to be processed before the representation on the side of the communication device, that is to say for example formatted in a specific manner or converted into a graphic.

The communication of the control device with the vehicle external communication device can be done for example via Bluetooth, a motor vehicle equipped WLAN or a mobile network. The control unit may be part of a conventional trailer control unit, which provides, for example, operating currents for lamps of a trailer. However, it can also be configured separately from a trailer control unit and, for example, be provided with status information via the CAN bus, which is evaluated by the control device to read out, for example, fault conditions indicative, generated by bulbs loads for the electrical system, to interpret them by a vehicle-side logic and to communicate the error conditions to the communication device.

Upon detection of an operating input for activating and / or deactivating the luminous means via the communication device, at least one additional condition can be checked, wherein the luminous means is activated and / or deactivated exclusively when the additional condition is fulfilled. It is possible that the additional condition is only checked if the activation or deactivation is to take place on the basis of an operator input at the communication device. Further activations and deactivations, for example due to actuations of operating means in the motor vehicle, can take place without checking the additional condition. The additional condition may serve primarily to allow a remote control of the lighting means only by authorized users or communication devices and / or only in operating states in which this is possible without influencing the driving operation.

The fulfillment of the additional condition may depend on a current driving speed of the motor vehicle and / or on a switching state of the transmission of the motor vehicle. For example, the additional condition can only be met if the transmission is decoupled or a parking gear of an automatic transmission is engaged and / or if the speed is less than a limit, preferably only when the motor vehicle is stationary. Alternatively or additionally, the additional condition can evaluate the operating state of a braking device, for example a parking brake.

The fulfillment of the additional condition may additionally or alternatively depend on identification information identifying the communication device and / or a user using the communication device. In particular, an authentication of the user or the communication device can take place here. For example, a password can be queried and / or a positive list or whitelist can be provided for communication devices, with only communication devices that are registered on this list, allowing activation or deactivation of the lighting means via the corresponding communication device or the like. A communication device can be added to the whitelist, thus allowing a remote control of the activation or deactivation of the lamps when it has been registered in the motor vehicle, in particular as part of a pairing, for example to use a hands-free system of the motor vehicle.

The information relating to the luminous means may relate to the type of the luminous means and / or a functionality or malfunction of the luminous means. In particular, a type of fault can be diagnosed, for which, as will be explained in more detail later, energization parameters of the luminous means can be evaluated. For example, in the case of a diagnosis of a malfunction, it can be distinguished whether there is a short circuit for a luminous means or whether the determined load for the luminous means is too low, that is to say in particular an open circuit is present.

The lighting means can be energized by the control device, wherein the lighting means relevant information and / or the coupling state information is determined as a function of a measured parameter of this energization. In particular, the resistance of at least one luminous means, a current flow through at least one of the luminous means and / or the voltage dropping across at least one of the luminous means can be measured and, depending on at least one of these variables, the information relating to the luminous means and / or the information relating to the coupling state , If, for example, none of the lamps is conductively connected, this indicates that there was no correct coupling of the trailer to the motor vehicle. Excessively high resistances, too low currents or too high falling voltages can indicate, for example, that a contact resistance of the luminous means is too high and / or that the luminous means or one of a plurality of luminous means connected in parallel has failed. On the other hand, currents that are too high, voltages that are too low or resistors that are too low can indicate a short circuit as a defect or leakage currents. By evaluating the variables mentioned for one or more lamps, different errors can thus be distinguished.

The evaluation of resistance, current flow and / or voltage for at least one light source can additionally or alternatively be used to differentiate different light sources used or connections of light sources. For example, it can be determined from the variables mentioned how much power a lighting device consumes at a given voltage. Since, for example, LED-based illuminants require much less power at the same brightness than incandescent lamps, it is possible to differentiate not only between different powers, but also between different types of illuminants.

The support load and / or the coupling state can be detected via a sensor on the vehicle side. This can be arranged in particular on the trailer hitch or the trailer hitch can be mounted on such a sensor. The vertical load can be output directly as information to the communication device. Preferably, however, a stored in the control device maximum value for the vertical load is taken into account, so that, for example, a difference between the actual value and the limit for the support load can be displayed and / or a warning can be issued when exceeding or falling below a limit for the allowable support load. Exceeding a limit value can lead to damage to the trailer hitch and / or excessive load on the front wheels of the motor vehicle. Too low, in particular negative, supporting loads can lead to a lifting of the vehicle rear. The coupling state can be determined depending on the vertical load, since the trailer hitch typically supports the trailer when correctly coupled

As a communication device, a smartphone, a smartwatch or a tablet PC can be used. Smartphones or smartwatches are programmable mobile phones or watches that can execute application programs developed for them, so-called apps. The described functionality as well as a user interface for providing this functionality can be realized by a corresponding application program. This makes it possible to use the described motor vehicle functionality by typically already existing communication devices, with only an additional software program is required, which can be provided for example by the vehicle manufacturer.

In addition to the method according to the invention, the invention relates to a motor vehicle with a control device which is set up for carrying out the method according to the invention. It is thus configured or programmed in such a way that it can carry out the method according to the invention. The control device can be used directly for analog control or energization of the lamps of the trailer. The motor vehicle may comprise a trailer hitch, which is preferably pivotable between at least two different positions and / or which comprises a support load sensor and / or other means for coupling detection.

The motor vehicle according to the invention can be further developed with the features described for the method according to the invention with the advantages mentioned there, and vice versa.

Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following embodiment and the accompanying figure. This shows schematically a usage situation in which an embodiment of the method according to the invention is carried out with the aid of an embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention.

The figure shows a team from a motor vehicle 1 and one with the motor vehicle 1 coupled trailer 15 , The trailer 15 is with the drawbar 16 to a trailer hitch 7 of the motor vehicle 1 coupled and also via a plurality of schematically illustrated electrical lines 12 - 14 coupled with the motor vehicle, which is used to energize bulbs 5 . 6 serve the trailer. The control of the bulbs 5 . 6 he follows in that a motor vehicle-side control device 2 the bulbs 5 . 6 over the wires 12 - 14 energized, the lines 12 . 13 are each current-carrying control lines and the line 14 a common mass.

Before the start of driving with such a team of motor vehicle 1 and followers 15 it is appropriate and in some countries also prescribed the correct coupling of the trailer 15 to the motor vehicle 1 and the correct function of the bulbs 5 . 6 to consider. To facilitate such testing, a mobile will be separate from the motor vehicle 1 trained communication device 3 used to the user 4 to provide relevant information or to enable an operation of certain functions outside the vehicle. For this purpose, the communication device communicates 3 via the motor vehicle-side communication device 10 with the control device 2 , The communication can be done for example via Bluetooth, a motor vehicle-side WLAN or a mobile network. As a communication device 3 is a smartphone shown. Alternatively, a smartwatch or a tablet PC could be used. On the communication device, a, for example, provided by the vehicle manufacturer software is executed, the operating options and information provided to the user 4 visualized.

Depending on one of the communication device 3 detected operator input of the user 4 can the controller 2 the bulbs 5 . 6 activate and / or deactivate separately or together. The bulbs 5 . 6 may be, for example, a tail light and a turn signal. For clarity, only two bulbs 5 . 6 shown, with the trailer 15 typically several bulbs 5 . 6 have, for example, turn signals, reverse lights, brake lights and / or rear fog lights can form. The possibility of the bulbs 5 . 6 via the communication device 3 enable the user 4 to inspect the bulb directly while being outside the vehicle 1 located. As a result, a constant reciprocating between the motor vehicle and the back of the trailer for testing the lamps is avoided. In addition, it can be costly, some of the bulbs 5 . 6 For example, brake lights, permanently activate, so that typically two people would be required for a corresponding test. This too can be achieved by using the communication device 3 for controlling the bulbs 5 . 6 be avoided.

It is advantageously avoided that the bulbs 5 . 6 can be controlled by third parties and that a remote control of the bulbs 5 . 6 occurs in the normal driving of the motor vehicle, since the bulbs 5 . 6 there should give information to the following motor vehicles. Therefore, it is possible that an activation or deactivation of the lighting means due to a via the communication device 3 entered operating input takes place only if an additional condition is met. This additional condition can on the one hand by the current driving speed of the motor vehicle and the switching state of the transmission 11 depend. In this way it can be ensured that a corresponding remote control takes place only when the motor vehicle is stationary. On the other hand, an identification, in particular an authentication, of the user and / or the communication device may be necessary for carrying out a corresponding activation or deactivation. For example, an operator can only communicate with a communication device 3 be possible for the preceding a pairing process with the motor vehicle 1 has been performed, for example, the communication device 3 together with a not-shown hands-free system of the motor vehicle 1 to use.

To check the functionality of the bulbs 5 . 6 to facilitate and the user 4 provide additional information, in case of malfunction, the communication device 3 one from the controller 2 via the motor vehicle-side communication device 10 provided, the bulbs 5 . 6 output relevant information. As the bulbs 5 . 6 by the control device 2 can be energized, currents flowing through the wires 12 - 14 be guided, voltages between the lines 12 - 14 and / or resistances between the lines 12 - 14 by the control device 2 be recorded. This makes it possible, on the one hand, different types of bulbs 5 . 6 to distinguish. For example, it can be determined on the basis of the resistance or the flowing currents, which power a light source 5 . 6 having. As a result, light sources with different power and also different types of lamps, such as incandescent lamps and LEDs, can be distinguished.

In addition, a very high resistance between the lines 12 and 14 or the lines 13 and 14 point out that the appropriate bulb 5 . 6 damaged or missing. If, on the other hand, a very low resistance is measured between these line pairs, this indicates a short circuit and thus a different type of damage to the corresponding light source 5 . 6 or the associated wiring.

The corresponding measurements can be made in the control device 2 can be evaluated or the measured data can be sent to the communicator 3 be transmitted and evaluated there. The evaluation can be an easy-to-understand evaluation result for the user 4 provide, for example, the information whether the bulb is destroyed or damaged, when very high resistances are measured, that there is a short circuit, when very low resistances are measured, and optionally which loads the bulb 5 . 6 produced or what type the bulb 5 . 6 when measuring medium resistances.

The measurements mentioned can also be used to ensure a correct coupling state between the motor vehicle 1 and the trailer 15 to consider. For example, for all bulbs 5 . 6 too high a resistance, so essentially an open conductor loop, measured, this indicates that the electrical connection of the trailer 15 with the motor vehicle 1 not done correctly. This can also be done by the communication device 3 be issued.

Essential for a ride with a trailer 15 is it that on the trailer hitch 7 applied load is not too large. Even too low, in particular negative, supporting loads can have a negative effect on the driving operation and are fined in some countries by fines. For negative support loads, the rear of the vehicle, z. B. by a leverage effect of a uniaxial trailer, relieved or raised. This vertical load may depend on the amount of loaded goods in the trailer 15 as well as their distribution. For users 4 that only occasionally followers 15 It is often difficult to estimate the actual vertical load. In the motor vehicle 1 is therefore a sensor 9 at the trailer hitch 7 provided that detects the forces occurring there. This is done by the controller 2 read out and a the trailer's trailer load 15 relevant information is sent to the communication device 3 provided and spent there. Preferably, an allowable support load in the control device 2 stored, so that as a corresponding information, a difference between an allowable and an actual vertical load can be output and / or a warning message to the communication device 3 can be output when the allowable vertical load is exceeded.

To protect the trailer hitch 7 and for aesthetic reasons is the trailer hitch 7 of the motor vehicle 1 through the actor 8th displaceable or pivotable, so that they are in a recess of the motor vehicle 1 can be recorded if it is not needed. In the trunk of the vehicle 1 is an operating means 17 provided with the trailer hitch 7 can be adjusted between the positions mentioned. Is the trailer 15 but already close to the motor vehicle 1 or the trunk is fully loaded, it may be for the user 4 be difficult, the control 17 to reach. Therefore, the user can 4 Adjusting the trailer hitch 7 also by a corresponding operating input to the communication device 3 trigger, whereupon a corresponding control command via the communication device 10 of the motor vehicle 1 received and sent to the controller 2 is forwarded to the actor 8th drives to the trailer hitch 7 to adjust. This adjustment can be made as described above for controlling the bulbs only when certain additional conditions. In addition or as an alternative to the conditions already mentioned, a measured value of the support load sensor can also be used 9 be evaluated, as an adjustment of the trailer hitch 7 typically only should be possible if no vertical loads on the trailer hitch 7 issue.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014000978 A1 [0003]
• DE 102014114812 A1 [0004]

Claims (9)

Method for operating a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that at least one lighting means (5) is detected by a control device (2) of the motor vehicle (1) as a function of an operating input detected via a mobile communication device (3) formed separately from the motor vehicle (1) 6) of a trailer (15) coupled to the motor vehicle (1) is activated and / or deactivated and / or a trailer coupling (7) of the motor vehicle (1) is adjusted, and / or by the communication device (3) one of the control device (2) is provided, the illuminant (5, 6) and / or a coupling state and / or a vertical load of the trailer (15) information is issued. Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that upon detection of an operating input for activating and / or deactivating the lighting means (5, 6) via the communication device (3) at least one additional condition is checked, the lighting means (5, 6) activated only when the additional condition is met and / or disabled. Method according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the fulfillment of the additional condition of a current driving speed of the motor vehicle (1) and / or a switching state of a transmission (11) of the motor vehicle (1) depends. Method according to Claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the fulfillment of the additional condition depends on an identification information identifying the communication device (3) and / or a user (4) using the communication device (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information relating to the lighting means (5, 6) relates to the type of lighting means (5, 6) and / or a functioning or malfunction of the lighting means (5, 6). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lighting means (5, 6) is energized by the control device (2), wherein the information relating to the lighting means (5, 6) and / or the information concerning the coupling state in dependence of a measured Parameters of this energization is determined. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support load and / or the coupling state via a motor vehicle side sensor (9) are detected. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a smartphone, a smartwatch or a tablet PC is used as the communication device (3). Motor vehicle with a control device (2), characterized in that the control device (2) is arranged for carrying out the method according to the invention.

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