Highway detection systems and methods

• US 10,409,286 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Zwicky, Timothy D, Carey, Kyle J, Ray, Surjya Sarathi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US15/656,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20190025840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• 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

Abstract

Example highway detection systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a method receives data from a vehicle data bus in a first vehicle and detects a speed of the first vehicle based on the received data. The method also determines a speed of an oncoming vehicle and a lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle based on the received data. One or more processors determine whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway based on the speed of the first vehicle, the speed of the oncoming vehicle, and the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving received data from a vehicle data bus in a first vehicle, the received data including data from at least one of a camera and a radar sensor;

detecting a speed of the first vehicle based on the received data;

determining a speed of an oncoming vehicle based on the received data;

determining a lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle based on the received data; and

determining, by one or more processors, whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway is based on the speed of the first vehicle, the speed of the oncoming vehicle, and the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of other vehicles near the first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway is based on the speed of the first vehicle, the speed of the oncoming vehicle, the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and the number of other vehicles near the first vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether any pedestrians or bicyclists are near the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway is based on the speed of the first vehicle, the speed of the oncoming vehicle, the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and whether any pedestrians or bicyclists are near the first vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising classifying a road on which the first vehicle is driving based on the speed of the first vehicle, the speed of the oncoming vehicle, and the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein classifying the road includes assigning a classification of a divided highway, a non-divided highway, not a highway, or unclassified.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a driving assistance system in the first vehicle whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data bus is a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus that allows a plurality of vehicle components to communicate with one another.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a distance to the oncoming vehicle and an angle to the oncoming vehicle based on the received data;

determining the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle based on the distance and the angle; and

determining, by one or more processors, that the first vehicle is driving on a highway in response to the speed of the oncoming vehicle being above a speed threshold and the lateral distance being greater than a distance threshold.

12. A method comprising:

receiving data associated with a first vehicle;

detecting a speed of the first vehicle based on the received data;

determining, using one or more processors, a lateral distance between the first vehicle and an oncoming vehicle based on the received data;

determining, using the one or more processors, a number of other vehicles near the first vehicle; and

determining, using the one or more processors, whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway based on the speed of the first vehicle, the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, and the number of other vehicles near the first vehicle.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving data associated with the first vehicle includes receiving data from a vehicle data bus in the first vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the vehicle data bus is a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus that allows a plurality of vehicle components to communicate with one another.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining whether any pedestrians or bicyclists are near the first vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway is further based on whether any pedestrians or bicyclists are near the first vehicle.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising notifying a driving assistance system in the first vehicle whether the first vehicle is driving on a highway.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a communication manager configured to receive data from a vehicle data bus in a first vehicle, the data being sensor data from a speed sensor of the first vehicle and at least one of a camera and a radar sensor;

a speed detection module configured to detect a speed of the first vehicle based on the received data;

an lateral distance detection module configured to determine a lateral distance between the first vehicle and an oncoming vehicle based on the received data; and

a highway classification module configured to determine whether the first vehicle is performing highway driving based on the speed of the first vehicle and the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the oncoming vehicle, wherein the highway classification module is programmed to;

if the speed of the first vehicle meets a host vehicle threshold, determine that the first vehicle is performing highway driving;

if the speed of the vehicle does not meet the host vehicle threshold and the lateral distance meets a lateral distance threshold, determine that the first vehicle is performing highway driving.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a proximate vehicle detection module configured to determine a number of other vehicles near the first vehicle;

wherein the highway classification module is further programmed to;

if the speed of the first vehicle does not meet the host vehicle threshold, the lateral distance does not meet the lateral distance threshold, and the number of other vehicles meets a number threshold, determine that the first vehicle is performing highway driving.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a pedestrian and bicyclist detection module configured to determine whether any pedestrians or bicyclists are near the first vehicle.