System and method for controlling an object detection system of a vehicle

• US 20030093220A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Andersson, Hans, Apelryd, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A system is disclosed for controlling an object detection system of a land based vehicle, having at least one detection device with a limited geometrical operating area. The system comprises a computing device using information regarding the current or upcoming road situation from an on-board map database as input for computing an attention plan for optimizing the use of the at least one detection device in the object detection system, said attention plan being outputted to the object detection system for control of said detection device. Further, a method is disclosed which relates to controlling an object detection system.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an object detection system of a vehicle comprising:

at least one detection device [with a limited geometrical operating area],

a positioning device, said positioning device being capable of determining an approximate position of said vehicle,

a map database, said map database being capable of determining a road situation related to said approximate position of said vehicle, and

a computing device, said computing device being capable of generating an attention plan based on said road situation, wherein said attention plan is utilized by said object detection system in order to direct said at least one detection device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said attention plan is generated to optimize the direction of said at least one detection device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional detection device, wherein said attention plan is utilized by said object detection system in order to direct said at least one additional detection device.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional detection device, wherein said at least one detection device and said at least one additional detection device are of different types.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said attention plan is further based on an output from said at least one detection device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one on-board vehicle motion sensor, wherein said attention plan is further based on an output from said at least one on-board vehicle motion sensor.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said map database is provided on-board said vehicle.

8. A method for controlling an object detection system of a vehicle comprising:

determining an approximate position of said vehicle,

determining a road situation from a map database related to said approximate position of said vehicle,

generating an attention plan based on said road situation, and

directing at least one detection device of said object detection system based on said attention plan.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said attention plan is generated to optimize said directing of said at least one detection device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of directing at least one additional detection device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of retrieving an object situation from said object detection system, and presenting said object situation to at least a driver of said vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving an object situation from said object detection system, wherein said directing said at least one detection device of said object detection system is further based on said object situation.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of retrieving a vehicle motion situation from at least one vehicle motion sensor, wherein said directing said at least one detection device of said object detection system is further based on said motion situation.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said map database is provided on-board said vehicle.