SENSOR PRODUCT, SIMULATOR AND METHOD FOR SIMULATING SENSOR MEASUREMENTS, FOR MERGING SENSOR MEASUREMENTS, FOR VALIDATING A SENSOR MODEL AND FOR DESIGNING A DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

摘要

A calculation rule which, by means of sensor data (4, 40), permits suitable modifications to be determined in an environment representation (6), i.e., in the internal evaluation of the environment perceived by a driver-assist application, is introduced as a fusion model (8). The fusion model (8) is thus, for example, a calculation rule which indicates how the sensor data (4, 40) are to be interpreted in relation to an environment representation type (for example, a grid chart or object list) and according to which the sensor data (4, 40) can be converted into the environment representation (6). The actual modifications in the environment representation (6), however, are made by a modularly separate inference engine (80) which interprets the fusion model (8) for that purpose. The modular separation of the sensor fusion into fusion model (8) and inference engine (80) reduces dependencies during the development of driver-assist systems and thus enables the work to be divided more flexibly. In addition, expenditure and effort during design and test cycles are reduced. As a result of modularization, design tasks can be divided between suppliers to a greater extent. Furthermore, the fusion model (8) can now be developed by machine leaning in that it can be formulated as a factor graph, for example, and parameterized by solving a mixed discrete-continuous optimization problem.