Method for obtaining information about objects in a vehicular blind spot

• US 20050195383A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1994
• 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 7,209,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/20 Radar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/26 Ultrasonic, e.g. sonar
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/30 using a neural network
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/42 extending primarily along the sides of, or completely encircling, a vehicle ornamental or guard strips B60R13/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26058 using a combination of inflators
• 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: B60R 21/23138 : specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 : comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 : secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/321 : using electric means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 : using biometry
• 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 13/88 : Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• 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 15/87 : Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 : Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 : Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/87 : Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 : Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• 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 7/417 : involving the use of neural networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/48 : of systems according to group G01S17/00
• 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: G01S 7/487 : Extracting wanted echo signals , e.g. pulse detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/08 : Detecting or categorising vehicles

Abstract

Method for obtaining information about objects in an environment around a vehicle in which infrared light is emitted into a portion of the environment and received and the distance between the vehicle and objects from which the infrared light is reflected is measured. An identification of each object from which light is reflected is determined and a three-dimensional representation of the portion of the environment is created based on the measured distance and the determined identification of the object. Icons representative of the objects and their position relative to the vehicle are displayed on a display visible to the driver based on the three-dimensional representation. Additionally or alternatively to the display of icons, a vehicular system can be controlled or adjusted based on the relative position and optionally velocity of the vehicle and objects in the environment around the vehicle to avoid collisions.

Claims

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

emitting infrared light from the vehicle into a portion of the environment around the vehicle;

receiving infrared light from the portion of environment around the vehicle;

measuring distance between the vehicle and an object from which the infrared light is reflected based on the emission of the infrared light and reception of the infrared light;

determining an identification of the object from which light is reflected based at least in part on the received infrared light;

creating a three-dimensional representation of the portion of the environment around the vehicle from which infrared light is received based on the measured distance and the determined identification of the object; and

displaying on a display visible to the driver icons representative of the objects and their position relative to the vehicle based on the three-dimensional representation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance is measured by one of the following procedures:

using structured light, measuring time of flight of the infrared light, modulating the infrared light and measuring the phase shift between the modulated and received infrared light, emitting noise, pseudonoise or code modulated infrared light in combination with a correlation technique, focusing the received infrared light, receiving infrared light at multiple locations or stereographically, range-gating the emitted and received infrared light and using triangulation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein infrared light is emitted by a continuous laser beam directing infrared light to scan in a line, further comprising controlling the scanning laser beam of infrared light such that the infrared light traverses a volume of space near the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising arranging a single pixel receptor on the vehicle to receive the reflected infrared light.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an HDRC camera, a dynamic pixel camera and an active pixel camera on the vehicle to receive the reflected infrared light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of each object is determined using a trained pattern recognition technique or a neural network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming at least one image of the environment around the vehicle, the determination of the identification of each object being based on analysis of the at least one image and on the measured distance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing the at least one image in combination with the distance between the vehicle and the object from which the infrared light is reflected to determine the identification of the object.

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

emitting infrared light from the vehicle into a portion of the environment around the vehicle;

receiving infrared light from the portion of environment around the vehicle;

measuring distance between the vehicle and an object from which the infrared light is reflected based on the emission of the infrared light and reception of the infrared light;

determining the presence of and an identification of the object from which light is reflected based at least in part on the received infrared light; and

controlling or adjusting a vehicular system based on the determination of the presence of an object in the environment around the vehicle and the identification of the object and the distance between the object and the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining velocity of the object; and

controlling or adjusting the vehicular system based on the determination of the presence of an object in the environment around the vehicle, the identification of the object, the distance between the object and the vehicle and the velocity of the object.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

monitoring the expected future path of the vehicle based on multiple position measurements; and

providing a warning when the expected future path of the vehicle approaches within a threshold distance of an identified object.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the distance is measured by one of the following procedures:

using structured light, measuring time of flight of the infrared light, modulating the infrared light and measuring the phase shift between the modulated and received infrared light, emitting noise, pseudonoise or code modulated infrared light in combination with a correlation technique, focusing the received infrared light, receiving infrared light at multiple locations or stereographically, range-gating the emitted and received infrared light and using triangulation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein infrared light is emitted by a continuous laser beam directing infrared light to scan in a line, further comprising controlling the scanning laser beam of infrared light such that the infrared light traverses a volume of space near the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising arranging a single pixel receptor on the vehicle to receive the reflected infrared light.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising arranging at least one of a CCD array, a CMOS array and an HDRC camera, a dynamic pixel camera and an active pixel camera on the vehicle to receive the reflected infrared light.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the identification of each object is determined using a trained pattern recognition technique or a neural network.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming at least one image of the environment around the vehicle, the determination of the identification of each object being based on analysis of the at least one image and on the measured distance.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising processing the at least one image in combination with the distance between the vehicle and the object from which the infrared light is reflected to determine the identification of the object.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicular system is a display visible to a driver of the vehicle, further comprising:

creating a three-dimensional representation of the portion of the environment around the vehicle from which infrared light is received based on the measured time and the determined identification of the object; and

displaying on the display icons representative of the objects and their position relative to the vehicle based on the three-dimensional representation.

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

emitting infrared light from the vehicle into a portion of the environment around the vehicle;

receiving infrared light from the portion of environment around the vehicle;

determining the position and velocity of an object in the environment around the vehicle and from which infrared light is reflected based on the emission of the infrared light and reception of the infrared light;

classifying the object from which light is reflected based on the reception of the infrared light; and

controlling or adjusting a vehicular system based on the classification of the object and the position and velocity of the object.