Vehicular blind spot identification and monitoring system

• US 20020005778A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 01/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,049,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track G01S13/64 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/481 Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Arrangement for obtaining information about objects in an environment around a vehicle, e.g., in blind spots of the driver of the vehicle, including one or more light emitting components arranged on the vehicle for emitting infrared light into the environment around the vehicle and receivers arranged on the vehicle for receiving infrared light from the environment around the vehicle. The information about the objects is obtained based on analysis of the received infrared light by a processor, e.g., the distance between the vehicle and the object, the velocity of the object and the identity of the object. Pattern recognition techniques are preferably used to obtain the desired information. Control of the vehicle can be effected based on the detection of particular objects and their position and velocity, e.g., an audio or visual warning device or a steering wheel control device.

Claims

1. An arrangement for obtaining information about objects in an environment around a vehicle, comprising:

light emitting means arranged on the vehicle for emitting infrared light into the environment around the vehicle;

receiver means arranged on the vehicle for receiving infrared light from the environment around the vehicle; and

measurement means coupled to said light emitting means and said receiver means for measuring time between emission of the infrared light by said light emitting means and reception of the infrared light by said receiver means whereby the measured time correlates to distance between the vehicle and an object from which the infrared light is reflected.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said light emitting means comprise an array of laser diodes.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said light emitting means comprise a pulsed laser.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said light emitting means comprise a continuous laser beam directing infrared light to scan in a line and means for controlling said scanning laser beam of infrared light such that the infrared light traverses a volume of space near the vehicle.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein said receiver means comprise a single pixel receptor.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said receiver means comprise at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an HDRC camera, a dynamic pixel camera and an active pixel camera.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to said receiver means for providing an identification of the object from which light is reflected.

8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said processor utilizes pattern recognition techniques.

9. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said processor utilizes a modular neural network to identify the object from which light is reflected.

10. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein said processor is arranged to create a three-dimensional map of a portion of the environment surrounding the vehicle.

11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said processor is arranged to extract features from the three-dimensional map.

12. The arrangement of claim 11, further comprising a display visible to a driver of the vehicle for displaying features or representations derived from features extracted from the three-dimensional map.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said light emitting means and said receiver means are collocated.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said light emitting means comprise a plurality of light emitting elements and said receiver means comprise at least one light receiving element.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein said associated light emitting elements and said at least one receiving element are spaced apart from one another.

16. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said receiver means comprise a notch filter for filtering light other than infrared light emitted by said light emitting means.

17. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said receiver means comprise a light valve.

18. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a processor coupled to said measurement means for determining distance between the vehicle and the object from which infrared light is reflected and velocity of the object based on a plurality of position measurements.

19. A system for controlling a vehicular system based on the presence of an object in an environment around a vehicle, comprising:

an arrangement for obtaining information about the object, said arrangement comprising

light emitting means arranged on the vehicle for emitting infrared light into the environment around the vehicle, and

receiver means arranged on the vehicle for receiving infrared light from the environment around the vehicle;

a vehicular system adapted to be controlled or adjusted upon the determination of the presence of an object in the environment around the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to said arrangement and said vehicular system for obtaining information about the object based at least on the infrared light received by said receiver means and controlling the vehicular system based on the obtained information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is arranged to measure time between emission of the infrared light by said light emitting means and reception of the infrared light by said receiver means whereby the measured time correlates to distance between the vehicle and the object from which the infrared light is reflected.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said receiver means are arranged to obtain at least one image of the environment around the vehicle, said processor being arranged to process said at least one image and identify any objects in said at least one image.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said processor utilizes pattern recognition techniques.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said processor utilizes a modular neural network to identify any objects in said at least one image.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said receiver means comprise at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an HDRC camera, a dynamic pixel camera and an active pixel camera.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is arranged to create a three-dimensional map of a portion of the environment surrounding the vehicle based on the infrared light received by said receiver means.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said processor is arranged to extract features from the three-dimensional map.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said vehicular system is a display visible to a driver of the vehicle for displaying features or representations derived from features extracted from the three-dimensional map.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein said vehicular system is a steering wheel having an adjustable turning resistance.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein said vehicular system is at least one of an audio alarm and a visual warning viewable by a driver of the vehicle.