WO2016030714A1

WO2016030714A1 - A method for optical position detection, optical position detection device and optical position detection system

Info

Publication number: WO2016030714A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/064046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carsten KAUSCH
Original assignee: Audi Ag
Priority date: 2014-08-25
Filing date: 2014-08-25
Publication date: 2016-03-03
Also published as: CN106796100A; CN106796100B

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for optical position detection using an optical position detection device (1) having: a mirror (3) that is rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis (2) and has at least one reflective surface (4); a light emitting system (5) with a plurality of light sources (7), each light source (7) having a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources (7), the light sources (7) being located around the longitudinal axis (2) and being directed towards the reflective surface (4); and a light receiving system (6) with at least a photosensitive sensor (9) that is located around the longitudinal axis (2) and is directed towards the reflective surface (10), wherein a first relative angle (α1) is determined from the angular position of a light signal (28) on the sensor (9) with respect to the longitudinal axis (2), the light signal (28) corresponding to light detected by the sensor (9), and wherein a second relative angle (α2) is determined from the wave length of the detected light. The invention further relates to an optical position detection device (1) as well as an optical position detection system.

Description

A method for optical position detection, optical position detection device and optical position detection system

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method for optical position detection using an optical position detection device. The invention further relates to an optical position detection device as well as an optical position detection system.

Background Art

Position detection is an important aspect for numerous applications, especially mobile applications. The position detection comprises for example the detection of the position of the position detection device itself and/or the position of another object, especially another position detection device. The latter may be identical to the first-mentioned position detection device. The position in general may comprise at least an angle and/or at least a distance. For example, the method offers the possibility of determining the angle between a direction of the position detection device and the direct line between a center point of the position detection device and the center point of the other object.

The method may be for example used for a motor vehicle, but can be put to use in numerous other cases. For the vehicle, it is important to determine its relative position to the at least one other object in its vicinity, which may be another traffic participant, especially another vehicle, or alternatively a traffic sign, a building or another stationary object. The relative position may be used for a driver assistance system. Such a driver assistance system can use the relative position to the at least one other object to assess the risk of collision, based on which it may initiate counter measures to avoid the collision.

Usually, methods for position detection use radio waves for the purpose of detecting the current position. One example for this is the determination of a position using the global positioning system (GPS). However, this enables only to determine the position of the position detection device itself and as such only of the vehicle bearing this position detection device. In order to obtain the position of the at least one other object, it is necessary to communicate with that other object, which may be also performed using radio waves. Over a communication link that is established via these radio waves, the other object may broadcast its current position. Based on this information and its own position, the position detection device may then calculate the relative position, i.e. an angle and/or a distance to the other object.

Summary of the Invention

Technical problem to be solved

This means that the availability of the relative position to the at least one other object is always relying on the operativeness and the accuracy of several systems, especially the two systems of determining the position of the position detection devices and of the vehicle on the one hand as well as the transmission system for establishing the data transmission between the position detection device and the at least one other object on the other hand.

Hence, it is the object of the invention to provide a method for position detection that is self-sufficient and simple in its operation as well as more reliable. Technical solution

This is achieved with the method for optical position detection with the features of claim 1. The method uses an optical position detection device having: a mirror that is rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis and has at least one reflective surface; a light emitting system with a plurality of light sources, each light source having a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources, the light sources being located around the longitudinal axis and being directed towards a reflective surface; and a light receiving system with at least a photosensitive sensor that is located around the longitudinal axis and is directed towards the reflective surface. It is intended that a first relative angle is determined from the angular positon of a light signal on the sensor with respect to the longitudinal axis, the light signal corresponding to light detected by the sensor, and wherein a second relative angle is determined from the wave length of the detected light.

In summary, the method does not rely on radio waves, but is based on light and - accordingly - optical means instead. The optical position detection device on which the method is based has a light emitting system for emitting light as well as a light receiving system for receiving light. The light emitting system provides a plurality of light sources which differ from each other with respect to their wave length. This means that each light source has a wave length that is unique with respect to the light emitting system. The light sources are located around the longitudinal axis of the mirror or the optical position detection device respectively. Preferably each light source has the same radial distance to the longitudinal axis as each of the other light sources. It is also preferred that the light sources are distributed evenly around the longitudinal axis resulting in equal circumferential distance between all light sources in direct neighbourhood. The light sources are directed towards the reflective surface. This means that the light that is emitted from each light source is directed to the mirror and is reflected by it.

As the mirror is rotational symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis the light is reflected by the mirror for each light source in an identical manner. The mirror may have a protrusion that is directed along the longitudinal axis in direction of the light emitting system and/or the light receiving system, especially the sensor of the light receiving system. This means that in longitudinal-section the mirror is defined by a curve which most favourably is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the center of the mirror and/or at the outer edge of the mirror. The mirror is a body of revolution, i.e. a rotational solid, with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Because of the protrusion of the mirror, the angle of reflection changes with respect to the point in which the light of each light source intersects with the mirror, i.e. its reflective surface. For example the light sources are directed in a way that the light intersects with the mirror such that it is reflected outwardly in radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis. Most favourably the thus reflected light runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. To achieve this, the light sources may be directed towards an imaginary line on the reflective surface which forms a circle around the longitudinal axis. The circle is placed on the mirror in a location in which the curve defining the mirror has a slope of, for example, 20° to 65°, 30° to 55° or 35° to 50°, especially 36° to 45°, most favourably 36° or 45°, with respect to the longitudinal axis. In other words, in a longitudinal-sectional view a tangent on the curve in the point in which the circle intersects with the curve encloses an angle within said ranges or with one of said values with the longitudinal axis. Of course the angle may be differently chosen for different purposes.

The mirror and its reflective surface are most favourably configured to reflect the light of each light source in a different direction, especially in a different radial outward direction with respect to the longitudinal axis. As such, the wave length of the light is an indicator for the orientation of the position detection device.

The optical position detection device further comprises the light receiving system with the at least one photosensitive sensor. The sensor is located around the longitudinal axis, for example its center is positioned on the longitudinal axis. The sensor is directed towards the reflective surface, such that light that is reflected by the surface may be redirected towards the sensor. If, for example, light reaches the optical position detection device from the outside in radial direction and falls on the mirror, that light is redirected by the mirror to fall on the photosensitive sensor in order to be further assessed.

If several of these optical position detection devices are present, one of the position detection devices, which acts as a sender, emits light via its light emitting system, while another one of the position detection devices, acting as a receiver, receives the emitted light using its light receiving system. Both position detection devices have an orientation, i.e. an angular position, in regard to their respective longitudinal axis. The receiver may now calculate at least one of the first relative angle and the second relative angle, preferably both relative angles, based on information that is extracted from the light that has been emitted by the sensor and received by the receiver. In this regard the first relative angle is determined from the angular position of the light signal on the sensor with respect to the longitudinal axis. This means that the angular position of the light signal is evaluated and the first relative angle, i.e. the angular position, is deducted from it. The light signal in this context corresponds to the light detected by the sensor and as such to light emitted by the sender. Using the sensor of the light receiving system not only the angular position but also the wave length of the detected light, i.e. the light signal, is assessed. From the wave length the second relative angle can be determined which corresponds to the orientation of the sender with respect to the sender's longitudinal axis.

As already explained, the light emitting system, in this case the sender's light emitting system, has a plurality of light sources which may be differentiated using their wave length, because each light source has a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources of the sender's light emitting system. It is thus possible to deduce the orientation of the sender relative to the receiver. In a favourite embodiment of the invention, a relative position of the sender is determined using the first relative angle and a distance between the sender and the receiver and/or the first relative angle corresponds to an orientation of the receiver and/or the second relative angle corresponds to an orientation of the sender.

The optical position detection device can be part of an optical position detection system which may comprise at least two optical position detection devices. Using such a configuration allows for an increase in the area of sight and thus a higher sensibility of the optical position detection system in comparison with a single optical position detection device.

Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention are characterized in the subsidiary claims.

In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the light signal is selected from several light signals to have the highest light intensity. If the number of light sources in the sender's light emitting system is high enough, there is the possibility that several light signals, corresponding to different light sources of the sender, are received by the photosensitive sensor of the receiver. As the distance between the sender's light sources and the photosensitive sensor of the receiver differs according to the first relative angle and/or the second relative angle, only the light signal with the highest light intensity on the receiver's sensor is used as the light signal from which the first relative angle and/or the second relative angle is determined. This means that several light signals are detected by the sensor. However, only the light signal with the highest intensity is further considered for determining the first relative angle and/or the second relative angle.

In still another embodiment of the invention a center of the light signal is used to determine the angular position of the light signal. The light signal will usually not be received by the photosensitive sensor as single light point, i.e. activating only a single cell of the sensor, from which the angular position may be instantly deduced. Instead, the light signal will cover a certain area of the sensor. This is for example due to a widening of the light beam on its way from the sender's light emitting system towards the receiver's light receiving system.

Because of this, the center of the light signal is interpolated from the signal that is provided by the sensor. For example, the sensor has a plurality of photosensitive areas or cells which are activated by the light signal. For example, the interpolation can be performed by determining a minimum angular position of the light signal and a maximum angular position. The center of the light signal or the angular position from which the first relative angle is determined can now be calculated from the minimum angular position and the maximum angular position, for example by calculating the average of both values. Another possibility is to determine the light intensity of the light signal for different angular positions which are covered by the light signal. The center of the light signal is in this case assumed to have the highest light intensity within the light signal. Both methods described above may be combined in order to improve accuracy.

In another favourable embodiment of the invention a sending time information is transmitted using the light emitting system, or the sending time information is extracted from the light signal. This means that the light that is emitted using the light emitting system or received via the light receiving system contains the sending time information. As such the optical position detection device in general may be well suited for transmitting data using the light emitting system and/or for extracting the data from the light signal that is received via the light receiving system. The data transmission using the optical position detection device is optional and may be used in the favourable embodiment for transmitting and/or extracting the sending time information.

The sending time information relates to the point in time at which the light is emitted using the light emitting system, i.e. the plurality of light sources. With respect to the aforementioned description this means that the sender encodes the sending time information and transmits it using the light emitting system. It is especially favourable to transmit the sending time information using each light source, so that regardless of the position of the receiver with respect to the sender, the sending time information may be extracted from the light that is received via the receiver's light receiving system. As already mentioned the data does not need to be or contain the sending time information, but may be general data that is transmitted between the sender and the receiver. Most favourably, the sender and the receiver are identical optical position detection devices and as such each have a light emitting system as well as a light receiving system. The data transmission may be bidirectional between the position detection devices.

In a further favourable embodiment of the invention a distance from a sending device is determined using the sending time information and the time of receiving the sending time information. This means that in addition to the orientation in the shape of the first relative angle and the second relative angle, the distance between the sender, i.e. the sending device, and the receiver is calculated. For this, the sending time information is extracted from the light signal, according to the previous description. In addition, a receiving time is obtained which corresponds to the time at which the light signal and the sending time information is or was received. The sending time information contains or corresponds to the actual sending time at which the light signal has been emitted using the light emitting system.

From the time difference between the sending time and the receiving time, the distance, especially the distance between sender and receiver is calculated. Most favourably in this process, a correction is used, so that the distance that is calculated corresponds to the distance between the receiver's longitudinal axis and the sender's longitudinal axis.

It may also be the case that distance values are determined for at least two of the several light signals by extracting the corresponding sending time information, wherein an angle is calculated from the distance values and the position of the at least two of the light signals of the sensor. As previously described it may be the case that several light signals are detected by the sensor. While the first relative angle and/or the second relative angle are determined from the angular position and/or the wave length of the detected light, i.e. the light signal, the sending time information may be extracted from several of these light signals. This means that several distance values are obtained, each distance value corresponding to one of the light signals. The distance values can be used to verify the distance that is calculated according to the previous description.

In addition, the above-mentioned angle may be calculated from the distance values and the position of the light signals corresponding to these distance values on the sender. This means that differences in the run time of the light emitted using the different light sources are used to determine the angle. Using the angle the first relative angle and/or the second relative angle may be verified.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the wave length of the light source is changed according to a predetermined or dynamically established pattern. Under certain circumstances it may be useful to conceal or obscure the information that maybe deduced from the light that is emitted using the light emitting system. In this case, the wave length of the light sources is changed, for example rotated between the plurality of light sources. The change may be performed according to the predetermined pattern, in which the different wave lengths of the light sources are stored for different points in time.

Alternatively, the change may be based on the dynamically established pattern. In this case, the wave length for each light source is for example calculated using a mathematical expression which depends on the actual point in time. In each case, it is important that the sender as well as the receiver, and favourably every optical position detection device in the optical position detection system, uses the same predetermined dynamically established pattern. Only in this case the first relative angle, the second relative angle and/or the distance may be determined correctly.

The invention additionally relates to an optical position detection device, in particular for carrying out the method according to this description, the device comprising: a mirror that is rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis and has at least one reflective surface; a light emitting system with a plurality of light sources, each light source having a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources, the light sources being directed towards the reflective surface; and a light receiving system with at least a photosensitive sensor, the sensor being directed towards the reflective surface. The optical position detection device is configured to determine a first relative angle from the angular position of a light signal on the sensor with respect to the longitudinal axis, the light signal corresponding to light detected by the sensor, and to determine a second relative angle from the wave length of the detected light. The advantages of such a practice and such an optical position detection device have already been explained. The optical position detection device and the corresponding method for optical position detection may be embodied and/or improved according to the antecedent description to which is expressly referred.

In a further embodiment of the invention the mirror has a central protrusion directed towards the sensor of the light receiving system. This means that the mirror or more precisely its reflective surface has a distance in longitudinal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis to the light emitting system and/or the light receiving system that is lesser at its centre than at its outer edge. As already explained, the mirror is rotationally symmetric. In this it is a body of revolution or a rotational solid, respectively.

In this regard for the optical position detection device a curve defining the rotational symmetric mirror is generally S-shaped. If seen in longitudinal-section, the mirror is defined by the curve starting at the center of the mirror and ending at its outer edge. The curved may have any shape; especially it may be a straight line or curved with a constant curvature. However, it is favourably if the mirror is S-shaped. This means that the curvature of the curve changes its sign between the center of the mirror and the outer edge, preferably in the middle. It may be the case the curve is point- symmetric with regard to the point in which the coverture changes its sign, for example the mid-point of the curve.

It may also be the case that the curve is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at the center of the mirror and/or at its outer edge. This means that an imaginary tangent to the curve at the centre or at the outer edge encloses an angle of 90° with the longitudinal axis.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the mirror, the light emitting system and the light receiving system are located in an at least partially transparent housing. For example, the housing has a transparent area which encompasses in longitudinal direction the mirror or its reflective surface, respectively. With such an embodiment the light may leave and enter the housing through the transparent area undisturbed. However, because other areas of the housing, especially all other areas of the housing, are non-transparent or opaque, negative influences on the light emitting system and the light receiving system may be avoided.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the mirror and/or the light receiving system delimit the chamber of the housing. If seen in longitudinal-section the mirror and the light receiving system conclude the chamber in longitudinal direction. If the mirror has the protrusion, said protrusion is directed inwardly into the chamber of the housing. It is especially preferably if the housing is generally cylindrical, for example cylindrical with a constant radius.

In order to obtain desired optical characteristics and/or for cooling purposes, the housing, in particular the chamber, may be at least partially filled with a fluid, especially a cooling fluid. The fluid may be used to provide desired optical characteristics, for example a desired value for light reflection and/or refraction. If the fluid is used as a cooling fluid, especially for cooling the light emitting system and/or the light receiving system, the optical position detection device, for example its housing, it provided with connections for delivering fluid into the housing as well as for extracting the fluid from the housing. The connections may be associated with a cooling circuit for the optical position detection device.

In addition or in place of the fluid a lens may be placed between the mirror and the sensor of the light receiving system. The lens can in this case be used to focus the light that is redirected by the mirror towards the sensor. However, the lens may also be used to influence the light that is emitted by the light emitting system. For example, the lens may widen light beams that are emitted from the light sources of the light emitting system.

It is especially favourable if the light sources of the light emitting system are placed on a circumference of the photosensitive sensor of the light receiving system. This means that the photosensitive sensor is for example circular in cross-section and is encircled by the light sources. The light sources are favourable distributed evenly around the sensor.

The invention still further relates to an optical position detection system comprising at least two optical position detection devices according to this description. By combining two, three, four or more optical position detection devices in different fixed orientation to each other, a more precise determination of the relative angle and/or more robust data transmission is possible as the angle of view is enlarged with each additional optical position detection device. In an advantageous embodiment, several optical position detection devices may be arranged around a sphere, i.e. in spherical arrangement to each other. For example two optical position detection devices are placed at opposite sides of an imaginary sphere and sharing the same axis. If this is done for each main axis of a sphere, the optical position detection device has at least six optical position detection devices with a view angle that covers its complete environment.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present teachings are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. The figures do not limit the scope of the invention per se but serve to explain some of its facets. Wherever practical, like reference numbers refer to like features. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of an optical position detection device,

Figure 2 reveals a plan view on a light emitting system and a light receiving system of the optical position detection device, Figure 3 depicts two optical position detection devices and their relative position to each other,

Figure 4 shows a photosensitive sensor of the light receiving system for an exemplary situation, and

Figure 5 depicts a plurality of optical position detection devices as well as exemplary sensor images from each of the devices.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, representative embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present teachings. The description of known devices may be omitted so as to avoid obscuring the description of the example embodiments. Nonetheless, such devices, as well as materials and methods that are within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art may be used in accordance with the representative embodiments.

Figure 1 depicts a longitudinal section through an optical position detection device 1 along a longitudinal axis 2 of the device 1. The device 1 comprises a mirror 3 with a reflective surface 4, a light emitting system 5 and a light receiving system 6. The light emitting system 5 has a plurality of light sources 7, of which two are shown here exemplary. The light emitting system 5 may have any number of light sources 7, preferably at least four light sources 7. A higher number of light sources 7 is of course possible, for example the light emitting system 5 has at least six, at least eight, at least 10, at least twelve, at least sixteen, at least twenty-four, at least thirty-six, at least forty-eight or at least seventy-two light sources 7.

Each light source 7 is configured to emit light having a wave length that is different of the wave length of light that is emitted by the other light sources 7. In short, each light source 7 has a wave length that is different from the wave lengths of all of the other light sources 7. The light sources 7 are located around the longitudinal axis 2, preferably each having the same distance to said axis 2. Most favourably the light sources 7 are spread evenly around the longitudinal axis 2. At least one of the light sources 7, preferably every light source 7, may have a lens 8 in order to focus the emitted light in the direction of the mirror 3 and its reflective surface 4.

The light receiving system has at least a photosensitive sensor 9. The sensor 9 may be centred around the longitudinal axis 2. A surface 10 of the sensor 9 is most favourably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2. The sensor 9 is positioned to face the mirror 3 and its reflective surface 4. The mirror 3 is rotationally symmetric with regard to the longitudinal axis 2. In its center it has a protrusion that is directed towards the sensor 9. In general, the mirror 3 is a body of rotation that is defined by a curve 11 that begins at a center 12 of the mirror 3 and ends at its outer edge 13. In this exemplary embodiment the curve 11 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 at the center 12 and at its outer edge 13. However, this does not need to be the case.

In this embodiment, the light sources 7 are configured such that the emitted light intersects with the mirror 3 at a point 14 at which a tangent to the curve 11 encloses an angle a=36° with the longitudinal axis 2. However, said angle is merely exemplary; other values may be adopted. The light that is emitted by the light sources 7 and is here depicted by a line 16 reflects on the mirror 3 and its reflective surface 4 outwardly in radial direction according to a line 17. This line 17 is preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2. Points 18 in which the light of the light sources 7 intersects with the mirror 3 are exemplarily depicted as well as a mirror image 19 of the sensor 9.

The mirror 3, the light emitting system 5 and the light receiving system 6 are contained within a housing 20 which is preferably cylindrical- shaped and round in cross-section. The longitudinal axis 2 is preferably a centre line of the housing 20. The housing 20 is at least partially transparent, especially in an area 21 which encompasses the mirror 3 completely in circumferential direction. Outside of the area 21 the housing 20 may be opaque to avoid influences of diffused light or scattered light.

Figure 2 shows a top view on the light emitting system 5 and the light receiving system 6. Only some of the light sources 7 are exemplarily labelled. It is obvious that the light sources 7 are arranged evenly around the longitudinal axis 2 and around the sensor 9. This means that if seen in cross-section or in top view the light sources 7 are provided around an outer circumference 22 of the sensor 9 and with equal distance to the longitudinal axis 2.

Figure 3 depicts the optical position detection device 1 which acts as a receiver 23 as well as another optical position detection device 1 that acts as a sender 24. The optical position detection devices 1 may be identical. However, the sender 24 may alternatively be a simpler device having only the light emitting system 5. An imaginary direct line 25 connects the longitudinal axis 2 of the receiver 23 with the sender's 24 longitudinal axis 2. The orientation of the receiver 23 is indicated by line 26, the orientation of the sender 24 by line 27. The lines 26 and 27 as such indicate an angle of 0° with regard to the respective longitudinal axis 2.

Between the orientation of the receiver 23, i.e. the line 26, and the direct line 25, there is a first relative angle al, while between the sender's orientation, i.e. the line 27, and the direct line 25 there is a second relative angle a2. The distance between the axis 2 of the receiver 23 on the one hand and the axis 2 of the sender 24 on the other hand is depicted as distance d. Using the optical position detection devices 1 in the form of the receiver 23 and the sender 24, it is now possible to determine the first angle al and the second angle a2. Optionally, also the distance d may be determined.

The determination of the angles al and a2 is explained with reference to figure 4 which depicts an exemplary situation on the sensor 9. In this situation several light signals 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 are received by the sensor 9. These light signals 28 to 32 originate from the sender 24 and are received by the sensor 9 of the receiver 23. From the light signals 28 to 32 the one with the highest light intensity is selected, which is the light signal 28 in this case. After this selection the angular position of the light signal 28 with respect to the longitudinal axis 2 is determined. For this, a center 33 of the light signal 28 is defined, for example by interpolation. The angular position defines the first relative angle al . This means that the orientation of the receiver 23 with respect to the direct line 25 between the receiver 23 and the sender 24 is now known. In another step, the wave length of the light signal 28 is assessed. As the light sources 7 of the sender 24 each emit light having a different wave length, the wave length of light signal 28 indicates another angle, namely the second relative angle a2.

If in addition, the optical position detection device 1 is configured for transmitting data via the light emitting system 5 and the light receiving system 6, a sending time information may be transmitted by the sender 24 and received by the receiver 23. The receiver 23 additionally records the receiving time, i.e. the time at which the sending time information has been received. From the difference between the sending time and the receiving time, the distance d between the sender 24 and the receiver 23 may be calculated.

Figure 5 shows an exemplary situation with a plurality of optical position detection devices 1 , each with an exemplary situation of the sensor 9 which only serves for illustrational purposes. Every position detection device 1 serves as receiver and as sender, so as to establish a network between the plurality of the position detection devices 1. In such a configuration it is possible that the light emitted by one of the detection devices 1 is not received by every other detection device 1. In order to enable each detection device 1 to determine the relative position of all relevant detection devices 1, each detection device 1 collects the first relative angle al , the second relative angle a2 and the distance d of as many of the other detection devices 1 as possible. It then transmits this information via its light emitting system 5 or the light sources 7 respectively.

This means that other detection devices 1 may receive this information, even if they cannot calculate it directly from a light signal received by its sensor 9. Using such a network great distances between detection devices 1 may be covered. In addition, a compensation for blocked lines of sight between some of the detection devices 1 is provided. This enables the position detection device 1 to create and/or to update a map of its surroundings. It is expressly pointed out that the detection devices 1 may be assigned to a moving object, for example a vehicle, or alternatively to a stationary object, for example a building or a traffic sign. It is also possible that in addition to the at least one detection device 1 at least one sensing device is provided which consists only of the light emitting system 5 and as such does not possess a light receiving system 6. One of the latter is preferably assigned to the stationary object which does not necessarily need information about the moving object.

Preferably the information on the other detection devices 1 is obliterated over time in order not to store unnecessary and/or outdated information. For this, each information, for example consisting of the first relative angle, the second relative angle and/or the distance, is assigned with a time stamp. On evaluating the information, the time stamp is compared to the current time and if the information is too old, it is disregarded and/or removed from memory.

The recommended amount of light sources 7 for the optical position detecting device is 24. These are distributed evenly in distances of 15° around the axis 2. With such a configuration mathematical coding, norming and/or projecting methods using basically the prime number cross constellation can minimize transformation calculations. In this way surrounding object models and descriptions for relative navigation are recommended within four-dimensional mathematical description (sphere and/or surface) to use the logical order and variance of numbers and to get less calculation work for the object recognition, tracking and future actions prediction calculating unit. In this way, the signal coding and optical hiding can be completely valid for theoretically an unlimited amount of objects.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for optical position detection using an optical position detection device (1), having: a mirror (3) that is rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis (2) and has at least one reflective surface (4), a light emitting system (5) with a plurality of light sources (7), each light source (7) having a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources (7), the light sources (7) being located around the longitudinal axis (2) and being directed towards the reflective surface (4), and a light receiving system (6) with at least a photosensitive sensor (9) that is located around the longitudinal axis (2) and is directed towards the reflective surface (10),

wherein a first relative angle (al) is determined from the angular position of a light signal (28) on the sensor (9) with respect to the longitudinal axis (2), the light signal (28) corresponding to light detected by the sensor (9), and wherein a second relative angle (a2) is determined from the wave length of the detected light.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the light signal (28) is selected from several light signals (28,29,30,31,32) to have the highest light intensity.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein a center of the light signal (28) is used to determine the angular position of the light signal (28).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a sending time information is transmitted using the light emitting system (5), or wherein the sending time information is extracted from the light signal (28).

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a distance (d) from a sending device (24) is determined using the sending time information and the time of receiving the sending time information.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wave length of the light sources (7) is changed according to a predetermined or dynamically established pattern.

7. An optical position detection device (1), in particular for carrying out the method according to any one or several of the preceding claims, comprising:

a mirror (3) that is rotationally symmetric with respect to a longitudinal axis (2) and has at least one reflective surface (4), a light emitting system (5) with a plurality of light sources (7), each light source (7) having a wave length that is different from the wave length of the other light sources (7), the light sources (7) being directed towards the reflective surface (4),

a light receiving system (6) with at least a photosensitive sensor (9), the sensor (9) being directed towards a reflective surface (4), the optical position detection device (1) being configured to determine a first relative angle (al) from the angular position of a light signal (28) on the sensor (9) with respect to the longitudinal axis (2), the light signal (28) corresponding to light detected by the sensor (9), and to determine a second relative angle (a2) from the wave length of the detected light.

8. The optical position detection device according to claim 7, wherein the mirror (3) has a central protrusion directed towards the sensor (9) of the light receiving system (6).

9. The optical position detection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a mirror (3), the light emitting system (5) and the light receiving system (6) are located in an at least partially transparent housing (20).

10. An optical position detection system, comprising at least two optical position detection devices (1) according to any one of claims 7 to 9.