Models of the surroundings for vehicles

• US 10,198,951 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Vanholme, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): Hann, Jay
• Application Number:
  US15/010,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20160148510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• 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 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method for providing a model of surroundings for a vehicle includes providing a model of the surroundings based on sensor measurements by sensors of the vehicle, wherein the model of the surroundings provides information relating to an occupation of the surroundings by one or more objects, including information regarding a type of object in the surroundings of the vehicle. The method includes determining a region of the surroundings for which no information relating to occupation by objects is provided by the model of the surroundings, wherein the region is within a distance limit for which the sensors can provide sensor measurements relating to the occupation by objects, and checking whether a phantom object is to be added to the model of the surroundings in the region based on the type of object and predefined regulations, wherein the phantom object is an object which was not determined on the basis of sensor measurements. In the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further includes determining the occupation by the phantom object in the region of the surroundings, and generating an extended model of the surroundings by adding information relating to the occupation by the phantom object to the model of the surroundings, and then providing the extended model of the surroundings.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a driver assistance system of a vehicle, the driver assistance system configured to execute a driver assistance function based on a model of surroundings for a vehicle, comprising:

generating a model of the surroundings based on sensor measurements by sensors of the vehicle, wherein the model of the surroundings provides information relating to an occupation of the surroundings by one or more objects, including information regarding a type of object in the surroundings of the vehicle;

determining a region of the surroundings for which no information relating to occupation by objects is provided by the model of the surroundings, wherein the region is within a distance limit for which the sensors can provide sensor measurements relating to the occupation by objects;

checking whether a phantom object is to be added to the model of the surroundings in the region based on the type of object in the surroundings of the vehicle and predefined regulations, wherein the phantom object is an object which was not determined on the basis of sensor measurements,

wherein in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises;

determining the occupation by the phantom object in the region of the surroundings, and generating an extended model of the surroundings by adding information relating to the occupation by the phantom object to the model of the surroundings; and

controlling the function of a driver assistance system of the vehicle based on the extended model of the surroundings.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said checking is carried out according to predefined and stored rules.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises:

determining a direction of movement of the phantom object to be added based on an assignment; and

supplementing the extended model of the surroundings with information relating to the direction of movement.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said checking further takes into account whether applicable traffic rules or predefined further rules detected in the region in the model of the surroundings provide for other road users to be in the region.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises:

determining a direction of movement of the phantom object to be added based on an assignment; and

supplementing the extended model of the surroundings with information relating to the direction of movement.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein checking whether the phantom object is to be added to the model comprises determining whether an object in the surroundings is preventing sensor measurements by the sensors of the vehicle in the region such that no information can be provided by the model of the surroundings for this region.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said checking further takes into account whether applicable traffic rules or predefined further rules detected in the region in the model of the surroundings provide for other road users to be in the region.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises:

determining a direction of movement of the phantom object to be added based on an assignment; and

supplementing the extended model of the surroundings with information relating to the direction of movement.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said checking further takes into account a type of the object that is preventing sensor measurements by the sensors of the vehicle in the region using a predetermined list.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said checking further takes into account whether applicable traffic rules or predefined further rules detected in the region in the model of the surroundings provide for other road users to be in the region.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises:

determining a direction of movement of the phantom object to be added based on an assignment; and

supplementing the extended model of the surroundings with information relating to the direction of movement.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising determining a type of phantom object and its occupation of the surroundings based on the type of the object that is preventing sensor measurements by the sensors of the vehicle in the region, wherein said determining the type of phantom object is based on a predetermined assignment that comprises the predetermined list.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the predetermined assignment specifies a rule spatially relating the occupation to the region and/or to the object.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said checking further takes into account whether applicable traffic rules or predefined further rules detected in the region in the model of the surroundings provide for other road users to be in the region.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the method further comprises:

determining a direction of movement of the phantom object to be added based on an assignment; and

supplementing the extended model of the surroundings with information relating to the direction of movement.

16. A computing apparatus comprising electronic computing means configured to control a driver assistance system of a vehicle to execute a driver assistance function based on a model of the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings, the electronic computing means being configured to:

generate a model of the surroundings based on sensor measurements by sensors of the vehicle, wherein the model of the surroundings provides information relating to an occupation of the surroundings by one or more objects, including information regarding a type of object in the surroundings of the vehicle;

determine a region of the surroundings for which no information relating to occupation by objects is provided by the model of the surroundings, wherein the region is within a distance limit for which the sensors can provide sensor measurements relating to the occupation by objects;

check whether a phantom object is to be added to the model of the surroundings in the region based on the type of object in the surroundings of the vehicle and predefined regulations, wherein the phantom object is an object which was not determined on the basis of sensor measurements,

wherein in the event the phantom object is determined to be added, the electronic computing means is further configured to;

determine the occupation by the phantom object in the region of the surroundings, and generating an extended model of the surroundings by adding information relating to the occupation by the phantom object to the model of the surroundings; and

control the driver assistance function based on the extended model of the surroundings.

17. A motor vehicle comprising:

sensors for detecting objects in the surroundings of the vehicle, including a first sensor; and

the computing apparatus as claimed in claim 16.