Vehicle range-based lane change assist system and method
First Claim
1. A system for assisting the driver of a vehicle to maneuver a lane change, said system comprising:
- a range sensor mounted on a vehicle for detecting an object in a side detection zone adjacent to one side of the vehicle and sensing range to the object;
a controller for determining when the side detection zone is clear for the vehicle to change lanes based on the sensed range, wherein the controller determines whether the side detection zone is sufficiently clear to initiate a lane change maneuver based on the sensed range and generates an output signal indicative thereof; and
an output for outputting the output signal indicative of the determined state for initiating the lane change maneuver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lane change assist system and method are provided for assisting the driver of the vehicle in maneuvering a lane change. The system includes a range sensor mounted on a vehicle for sensing range to an object in a side detection zone adjacent to one side of the vehicle. The system also includes a controller for determining when the side detection zone is clear for the vehicle to change lanes based on the sensed range signal. The controller determines whether there is sufficient space to initial a lane change maneuver based on the sensed range signal and generates an output signal indicative thereof. An output is provided to warning lights indicative of the determined state for initiating the lane change maneuver.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for assisting the driver of a vehicle to maneuver a lane change, said system comprising:
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a range sensor mounted on a vehicle for detecting an object in a side detection zone adjacent to one side of the vehicle and sensing range to the object;
a controller for determining when the side detection zone is clear for the vehicle to change lanes based on the sensed range, wherein the controller determines whether the side detection zone is sufficiently clear to initiate a lane change maneuver based on the sensed range and generates an output signal indicative thereof; and
an output for outputting the output signal indicative of the determined state for initiating the lane change maneuver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle in performing a lane change maneuver, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing presence of an object in a side region of a vehicle;
detecting range to the object detected in said side region of the vehicle;
comparing the determined range to at least one threshold range;
determining the object is within a side detection zone of the vehicle when the range is less than the at least one threshold range; and
generating an output signal indicative of the object being within the near detection zone when the determined range exceeds the threshold range. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification