Method for optically monitoring the environment of a moving vehicle to determine an inclination angle
First Claim
1. A method of rollover detection in a vehicle, comprising the following steps:
- a) moving said vehicle in a forward travel direction in an environment outside of said vehicle;
b) using at least one optical detector device arranged in or on said vehicle, to optically acquire image information representing an image of said environment outside of said vehicle;
c) analyzing said image information to determine therefrom a first value of an inclination angle of said vehicle relative to a horizontal plane;
d) using a rotational rate sensor that is arranged in or on said vehicle and that includes a mass element which is mechanically deflectable responsive to a rotational acceleration, to generate a signal;
e) analyzing said signal to determine therefrom a second value of said inclination angle; and
f) comparing said second value with said first value to determine a difference value therebetween.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The environment outside of a moving vehicle is optically monitored to acquire image information including a number of image points representing image objects or features of the outside environment. The time variation of the respective positions of the image points is analyzed to determine an inclination angle of the vehicle relative to a level horizontal plane. The optical information can be acquired by an optical camera or detector with which the vehicle has already been equipped for obstacle recognition or spacing distance control. The optically determined inclination angle is used to verify the plausibility of a rotation angle signal provided by a gyroscopic rotation rate sensor. An occupant protection device is triggered only if the two separately determined values of the inclination angle are at least approximately equal to each other and exceed a prescribed threshold.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of rollover detection in a vehicle, comprising the following steps:
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a) moving said vehicle in a forward travel direction in an environment outside of said vehicle;
b) using at least one optical detector device arranged in or on said vehicle, to optically acquire image information representing an image of said environment outside of said vehicle;
c) analyzing said image information to determine therefrom a first value of an inclination angle of said vehicle relative to a horizontal plane;
d) using a rotational rate sensor that is arranged in or on said vehicle and that includes a mass element which is mechanically deflectable responsive to a rotational acceleration, to generate a signal;
e) analyzing said signal to determine therefrom a second value of said inclination angle; and
f) comparing said second value with said first value to determine a difference value therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for rollover detection and occupant protection in a vehicle, comprising:
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an optical detector device adapted to acquire optical image information from an environment outside of said vehicle and to determine therefrom a first value of an inclination angle of said vehicle relative to a horizontal plane;
a rotation rate sensor that includes a movable mass adapted to be mechanically deflected responsive to a rotational acceleration, and that is adapted to determine therefrom a second value of said inclination angle;
a plausibility verification unit that is connected to receive said first value from said optical detector device and said second value from said rotation rate sensor, and that includes a comparator arranged and adapted to compare said first value with said second value; and
an occupant protection device connected to an output of said plausibility verification unit.
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12. A method of determining an inclination angle of a vehicle relative to a horizontal plane, comprising the following steps:
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a) moving said vehicle in a forward travel direction along a roadway in an environment including environmental objects and/or environmental features outside of said vehicle;
b) using an optical imaging device arranged in or on said vehicle, to optically acquire image information representing an image of said environment and including plural image points representing said environmental objects and/or environmental features of said environment; and
c) analyzing a variation over time of respective positions of said image points in said image, to determine therefrom an inclination angle of said vehicle relative to a horizontal plane. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of determining an inclination angle of a vehicle relative to a horizontal plane, comprising the following steps:
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a) moving said vehicle in a forward travel direction along a roadway;
b) using at least one optical detector device arranged on or in said vehicle, to measure respective distances from said at least one optical detector device to plural points on said roadway in front of said vehicle in said forward travel direction; and
c) analyzing said respective distances to determine therefrom said inclination angle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of optically monitoring an environment outside of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:
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a) moving said vehicle in a forward travel direction on a roadway in said environment;
b) using an optical detector device arranged in or on said vehicle, to optically acquire image information representing an image of said environment outside of said vehicle;
c) carrying out at least one of a first analyzing of said image information acquired using said optical detector device to recognize an obstacle on said roadway in front of said vehicle in said forward travel direction, and a second analyzing of said image information acquired using said optical detector device to measure a spacing distance between said vehicle and another vehicle traveling ahead of said vehicle in said forward travel direction on said roadway; and
d) carrying out a third analyzing of said image information acquired using said optical detector device to determine therefrom an inclination angle of said vehicle relative to a horizontal plane.
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Specification