Control system for vehicle

• US 10,157,322 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2018
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Divekar, Rohan J., VanOphem, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US16/059,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20180365505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 131 Days
• Field of Search: 701 70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A vehicular control system includes a sensor, a control, and a communication system. A projected path of travel of the vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured sensor data. The control determines an estimated time to arrival of another vehicle at a location that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle. The projected path of travel of the vehicle may include (i) a turn by the vehicle across a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling or (ii) a turn by the vehicle into a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling. Responsive at least in part to determination that the vehicle will arrive at the location at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses, the control determines that it is safe for the vehicle to proceed.

Claims

1. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a sensor disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said sensor having a field of sensing forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a processor operable to process sensor data captured by said sensor to determine an object present in the forward field of sensing of said sensor;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured sensor data by said processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process the vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle across a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses, and (ii) determination via processing of captured sensor data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control determines that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel.

2. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a camera having a field of view forward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data, and wherein said processor is operable to process image data captured by said camera.

3. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a radar sensor having a field of sensing forward of the vehicle and operable to capture radar sensor data, and wherein said processor is operable to process radar sensor data captured by said radar sensor.

4. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the determined location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle comprises an intersection, and wherein said control receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection.

5. The vehicular control system of claim 4, wherein said control receives information pertaining to the state of a signal light at the intersection via at least one of (i) a vehicle to vehicle communication and (ii) a vehicle to infrastructure communication.

6. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

7. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the location.

8. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to the (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses and (ii) determination via processing of captured sensor data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

9. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said control is responsive at least in part to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.

10. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a sensor disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said sensor having a field of sensing forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a processor operable to process sensor data captured by said sensor to determine an object present in the forward field of sensing of said sensor;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured sensor data by said processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process the vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle into a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling;

wherein the other vehicle is travelling in the traffic lane in a direction of travel, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle entering that traffic lane to travel in the same direction of travel as the other vehicle; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses, and (ii) determination via processing of captured sensor data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control determines that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel.

11. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein said sensor comprises a camera having a field of view forward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data, and wherein said processor is operable to process image data captured by said camera.

12. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein said sensor comprises a radar sensor having a field of sensing forward of the vehicle and operable to capture radar sensor data, and wherein said processor is operable to process radar sensor data captured by said radar sensor.

13. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein said communication system comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

14. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein said control is responsive to data indicative of the location and trajectory of the other vehicle traveling on the road.

15. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the location.

16. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein, responsive at least in part to the (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses and (ii) determination via processing of captured sensor data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

17. The vehicular control system of claim 10, wherein said control is responsive at least in part to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.

18. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a camera disposed at and behind a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said camera having a field of view through the windshield forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process the vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises (i) a turn by the equipped vehicle across a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling or (ii) a turn by the equipped vehicle into a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses, and (ii) determination via processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control determines that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel.

19. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle across a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling.

20. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein the determined location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle comprises an intersection, and wherein said control receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection.

21. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein said control receives information pertaining to the state of a signal light at the intersection via at least one of (i) a vehicle to vehicle communication and (ii) a vehicle to infrastructure communication.

22. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle into a traffic lane along which the other vehicle is traveling.

23. The vehicular control system of claim 22, wherein the other vehicle is travelling in the traffic lane in a direction of travel, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle entering that traffic lane to travel in the same direction of travel as the other vehicle.

24. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said control is responsive at least in part to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.

25. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein, responsive at least in part to the (i) determination that the equipped vehicle, following the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, will arrive at the location on the road being travelled by the other vehicle at least a threshold period of time before the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the location elapses and (ii) determination via processing of captured sensor data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.