Abstract: A safety device for at least one light source for preventing exceeding specified light energy limits in the emission of light using the at least one light source is disclosed. The device includes at least one electrical component for influencing an electrical energy supply of at least one light source, and at least one electrical capacitive component, which is connected to a light source current path of the at least one light source. The device also has at least one state of charge comparison means, which is connected to at least one capacitive component, using which a state of charge variable characterizing a state of charge of the capacitive component is compared to a specified limiting state of charge variable and at least one alarm status for influencing the electrical energy supply of the at least one light source is set depending on the result of the comparison.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one object information item of at least one target object (18) which is sensed with a radar system (12) of a vehicle (10), a radar system (12) and a driver assistance system (12) are described. Transmission signals (32a, 32b, 32c) are transmitted into a monitoring range (14) of the radar system (12) with three transmitters (Tx1, Tx2, Tx3). Echoes, which are reflected at the at least one target object (18), of the transmission signals (32a, 32b, 32c) are received as received signals (34a, 34b, 32c) with at least two receivers (RxA, RxB, RxC, RxD). The received signals (34a, 34b, 34c) are subjected to at least one multi-dimensional discrete Fourier transformation. At least one target signal is determined from the result of the Fourier transformation. An object information item is determined from the target signal.

Abstract: Proposed is an ultrasonic sensor system (1) for a motor vehicle (11), comprising an ultrasonic sensor (2) and a test control device (10). The ultrasonic sensor (2) comprises an electroacoustic converter arrangement (7) for generating and detecting ultrasonic waves and an electric test device (8), which is designed to output an electric test signal to the electroacoustic converter arrangement (7) and to detect an electric response signal of the electroacoustic converter arrangement (7) to the electric test signal. The test control device (10) is designed to detect a characteristic variable of the electric response signal at a plurality of measurement points (14, 15) by means of the electric test device (8) by varying a frequency and an amplitude of the electric test signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly (1) for a motor vehicle (16) comprises: an ultrasonic sensor (2) having a housing (4), an ultrasonic membrane (5) mechanically decoupled from the housing (5) and a sound transducer element (7) for exciting vibrations and detecting vibrations of the ultrasonic membrane (5); and a screen section (3) arranged in front of the ultrasonic membrane (5) and made of an acoustic metamaterial. The metamaterial is preferably a broadband metamaterial, which can be tunneled in a non-resonant manner in an angular range. The screen section (3) may preferably be formed in a shaped part (13), such as a bodywork metal sheet of the exterior skin or an interior paneling, of the motor vehicle (16).

Abstract: A method for operating a first vehicle (100) with a parking assistance system (110) is proposed, comprising: a) sensing an obstructing parked position (BP) of the first vehicle (100) by means of the parking assistance system (110), wherein the obstructing parked position (BP) is a parked position which adjoins a parking space (PP) occupied by a parked second vehicle (150), b) reception of a sensor signal, acquired by a sensor apparatus (120, 130) of the vehicle (100), by means of the parking assistance system (110), c) detecting a request to exit a parking space of the parked second vehicle (150) in accordance with the received sensor signal by means of the parking assistance system (110), and d) autonomously driving the first vehicle (100) from the obstructing parked position (BP) into a position which is different from the obstructing parked position (BP) in accordance with the detected request to exit a parking space by means of the parking assistance system (110).

Abstract: A method for operating a detection device for determining distance variables in which distances characterise objects detected by the detection device is disclosed. From at least one amplitude-modulated electrical send signal at least one scanning signal is generated, which is sent into at least one monitoring region of the detection device. From at least one echo signal of at least one scanning signal reflected in the at least one monitoring region at least one amplitude-modulated electrical receive signal is determined. From at least one electrical send signal and at least one electrical receive signal at least one distance variable is determined. When determining the at least one distance variable at least one adjustment is carried out. A temperature adjustment is carried out in which at least one temperature adjustment variable is applied to at least one distance variable.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transceiver (1) for a vehicle comprises a plastics housing (2), an ultrasonic diaphragm (3), a sound transducer element (4) for stimulating vibrations and detecting vibrations of the ultrasonic diaphragm (3), and an electrically conductive contact element (6), arranged in the interior (5) of the plastics housing (2), for making electrical contact with the sound transducer element (4), wherein the plastics housing (2) and the contact element (6) are directly and positively connected to one another by caulking of at least one plastics element (8) that is formed in one piece with the plastics housing (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to an emitter device (8) for an optical detection apparatus (3) of a motor vehicle (1), which is configured in order to scan a surrounding region (4) of the motor vehicle (1) by means of a light beam (10), and which comprises a light source (13) for emitting the light beam (10) and a guiding unit (15), the guiding unit (15) being configured in order to guide the light beam (10) emitted onto the guiding unit (15) by the light source (13) at different scanning angles (?). The light source (13) for emitting the light beam (10) comprises at least two separately driveable emitter elements (13a, 13b), which are configured in order to emit the light beam (10) onto the guiding unit (15) at angles of incidence (?1, ?2) corresponding to predetermined setpoint values (??3, ??2, ??1, ?0, +?1, +?2, +?3) of the scanning angle (?) in order to generate a predetermined setpoint field of view (16) of the emitter device (8).

Abstract: A torque sensor device for detecting a torque applied to a shaft, includes a magnetic arrangement, a stator arrangement and a magnetic sensor arrangement. The magnetic arrangement is configured for generating at least one magnetic field. A magnetic flux can be generated in the stator arrangement. The magnetic arrangement and the stator arrangement are movable relative to each other in the circumferential direction. The magnetic arrangement and the stator arrangement are arranged relative to each other so that, by a relative movement between the magnetic arrangement and the stator arrangement in the circumferential direction about a center axis of the torque sensor device, a first magnetic flux with a first magnetic flux direction and a second magnetic flux with a second flux direction opposite to the first flux direction can be generated in the stator arrangement.

Abstract: A receiving device of a detection device for monitoring a monitoring region for objects using electromagnetic scanning signals is disclosed. The device has a signal converting means for converting electromagnetic signals originating from electromagnetic scanning signals into electric signals and a frequency analyzing means for analyzing the frequency of signals. The frequency analyzing means has at least one spectral analyzing means, by which magnetic signals are analyzed to form at least one electromagnetic spectrum that is output in a spectrum output range of the at least one spectral analyzing means. At least two signal converting means, by which separate electric signals are ascertained, are assigned to different sections of a spectrum output range of the spectral analyzing means. The different sections of the spectrum output range correspond to different frequency ranges of an electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A method for operating a parking assistance system for a vehicle involves a) receiving an optical image of an environment of the vehicle and a digital environment map representing the environment of the vehicle, the digital environment map including at least one designated parking area, b) selecting, for each designated parking area, a region of interest in the received optical image corresponding to the respective designated parking area, c) detecting, in each selected region of interest, lines and/or symbols provided on the ground, d) assigning one of many parking slot classes to each selected region of interest based on the detected lines and/or symbols, and e) determining, for each designated parking area, if the respective designated parking area corresponding to the selected region of interest is a potential parking slot based on the parking slot class assigned to the corresponding region of interest.

Abstract: A method for providing a digital sensor signal (DS) from an ultrasonic sensor (16) for signal transmission to a signal receiver (28) is disclosed, in which a digital output signal (OS) from the ultrasonic sensor (16) is processed to form the digital sensor signal for signal transmission. Provision is made for the processing to comprise the following steps: (i) determining a signal change (SC) of successive values of the output signal (OS), (ii) scaling this signal change (SC) by means of a variable scaling factor (SF) which is specified by a scaling scheme known to the ultrasonic sensor (16) and the signal receiver (28), and (iii) outputting the scaled signal change (SC) as the digital sensor signal (DS).

Abstract: A received-signal processing apparatus of a detection device for monitoring at least one monitoring region for objects by means of electromagnetic scanning signals is disclosed. The received-signal processing apparatus has at least one frequency analysis means for the frequency analysis of electromagnetic received signals, which are determined from echo signals of electromagnetic scanning signals reflected in at least one monitoring region. The received-signal processing apparatus has a plurality of functionally parallel frequency filters having at least partially different frequency passbands. At least one frequency filter has at least one frequency labeling means, by which the passed received signal can be labeled with a frequency characteristic which characterizes the frequency passband of the at least one passage-allowing frequency filter.

Abstract: A method for determining soiling of a first ultrasonic sensor of a motor vehicle in which a first ultrasonic signal is emitted by means of the first ultrasonic sensor and the first reflected ultrasonic signal is received by means of the first ultrasonic sensor, and in which a second ultrasonic signal that differs from the first ultrasonic signal is emitted into the environment substantially at the same time as the first ultrasonic signal by a second ultrasonic sensor, wherein the second ultrasonic signal is received by means of the first ultrasonic sensor and the first received ultrasonic signal is compared with the second received ultrasonic signal by an electronic computing device, and the soiling is determined on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: A method for verifying the functionality of a laser scanner includes a housing with a light-permeable window, a transmission unit inside the housing, a deflection unit, and a detector unit inside the housing. At least one test signal is transmitted by the transmission unit during a test phase. The deflection unit is oriented so that the at least one test signal is not directed to the window. Components of the at least one test signal are detected by the detector unit, and based on this detection, at least two detector signals are generated. A pulse width is ascertained for each of the detector signals by a computing unit, and a ratio of the pulse width of a first detector signal to the pulse width of a second detector signal is ascertained. The operability of the transmitter unit and/or the detector unit is verified on the basis of said ratio.

Abstract: According to a method for verifying the functionality of a laser scanner (2b) comprising a housing (4) with a light-permeable window (5), a transmission unit (6) inside the housing (4), a deflection unit (10), and a detector unit (7) inside the housing (4), at least one test signal (15) is transmitted by the transmission unit (6) during a test phase. The deflection unit (10) is oriented in such a way that the at least one test signal (15) is not directed to the window (5). Components of the at least one test signal are detected by the detector unit, and based on said detection, at least two detector signals are generated. A computing unit ascertains a pulse width for each of the detector signals and calculates a sum of the pulse widths. The operability of the transmission unit and/or the detector unit is verified on the basis of said sum.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for detecting faults related to wheels of a motor vehicle in a driving situation, comprising: —a step (S1) of automatically determining a first series of corrective steering wheel angles applied successively to force the vehicle to follow a path parallel to a first rectilinear portion of a traffic lane; —a step (S2) of automatically detecting, from the corrective steering wheel angles of the first series, the presence of a fault affecting a pair of steering wheels of the vehicle; and, optionally: —a step (S3) of estimating a type of fault associated with the detected fault, a step (S4) of identifying the steering wheel of the pair of wheels affected by the fault; and —a step (S5) of generating a warning message for the attention of the driver of the motor vehicle, the message including the estimated type of fault and the wheel identified as having the fault.

Abstract: A method for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle in a manual parking procedure of the motor vehicle in a surroundings of the motor vehicle, is disclosed. At least one indicator characterizing the parking procedure is acquired and, depending on an evaluation of the indicator, a performance of a parking procedure is recognized and, depending thereon, at least one parking-procedure-specific function of the motor vehicle is activated to support the driver during the parking procedure, wherein a performance of the parking procedure is recognized when at least a first indicator that characterizes the parking procedure in a surroundings-specific manner is acquired and if, after the acquisition of the first indicator, at least one second indicator that characterizes the parking procedure in a motor-vehicle-specific manner is acquired.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control circuit (50) for pulsed control of a light-emitting means (52), in particular an LED or a laser diode (52), having a switched-mode power supply unit (54) with a first switch (64) arranged in a primary circuit of the switched-mode power supply unit (54), wherein the switched-mode power supply unit (54) has a primary-side connector (62) for connection to a supply voltage, a secondary-side connector (67) for supplying the light-emitting means (52) and a switching input (65) for operating the first switch (64), having a storage capacitor (68) arranged between the secondary-side connector (67) and a ground (66), having a second switch (70) arranged in a current path (71) in parallel with the storage capacitor (68), wherein the light-emitting means (52) is positionable in the current path (71), and having a control unit (72) to control the first and the second switch (64, 70), wherein the control unit (72) is designed to operate the first switch (64) in order to induce at least on

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for confirming a perceived position of a traffic light, by obtaining identifiers and results of a first perception of traffic lights associated with the identifiers, the results of the first perception including a first estimation of an ellipse encompassing each of the traffic lights, receiving results of a second perception of traffic lights associated with the identifiers, the results of the second perception including a second estimation of an ellipse encompassing each of the traffic lights, calculating, based on the first perception and the second perception, association parameters for each possible pair of estimated ellipses, selecting, based on the calculated association parameters for each possible pair of estimated ellipses, matching pairs of estimated ellipses, and fusing each matching pair of estimated ellipses.