Method for identifying object constellations using distance signals

• US 20050177336A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Uwe, Uhler, Werner, Pruksch, Achim
• Application Number:
  US10/512,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177336A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• 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 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A method for the detection of object constellations in the light of distance signals from at least two sensors, wherein the distance signals of a plurality of the sensors are submitted to a pattern recognition by comparison to reference patterns which correspond to predefined model constellations.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method for detecting an object constellation based on distance signals of sensors, the method comprising:

providing distance signals of at least two sensors; and

submitting the distance signals of the sensors to a pattern recognition by comparison to reference patterns which correspond to a predefined model constellation, for detecting the object constellation based on the distance signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the distance values measured by the sensors are combined into clusters within which distance values of the distance signals differ only a little, and only a shortest distance value is evaluated within each of the clusters for each of the sensors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein for each of the clusters, coefficients of a polynomial function, which approximates a pattern of a boundary of the object on a side facing the sensors, are calculated from evaluated distance values.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the polynomial function is a parabolic function, and coordinates of a minimum of the parabola are calculated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein for each set of coefficients it is determined whether the coefficients lie within predetermined value ranges calculated with the model constellation.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein for each set of coefficients it is determined whether the coefficients lie within predetermined value ranges calculated with the model constellation.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein in each case the distance values are evaluated that were measured by at least three sensors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein it is determined based on the calculated coefficients whether the object constellation corresponds to one single object or to two objects which lie symmetrically about an axis which lies at right angles to a straight line connecting the sensors and goes through a center of a sensor system of the sensors.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein it is determined based on the calculated coefficients whether the object constellation corresponds to one single object or to two objects which lie symmetrically about an axis which lies at right angles to a straight line connecting the sensors and goes through a center of a sensor system of the sensors.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein in a tracking procedure, the object constellations represented by their patterns are tracked.

22. A device for detecting object constellations based on distance signals of at least two sensors, comprising:

an evaluation unit which submits the distance signals of the sensors to a pattern recognition by comparison to stored reference patterns which correspond to predefined model constellations.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the sensors include at least three sensors.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the sensors are positioned in the front region of a motor vehicle.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the sensors are positioned in a front region of a motor vehicle.