Lane deviation prevention apparatus

• US 20070100551A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikura, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17557 specially adapted for lane departure prevention road vehicle drive control systems for lane keeping otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

There is provided a lane deviation prevention apparatus which can make a lane deviation prediction judgment more accurately. The lane deviation prevention apparatus includes driving lane shape recognition means to detect a lane mark on a road included in a front image within a lane mark detection distance range and to recognize a shape of a driving lane boundary, and a deviation prediction judgment means that judges, based on the shape of the driving lane boundary, whether the vehicle deviates from a driving lane after a previously set deviation prediction time and outputs a deviation prevention output in a case where it is judged that the vehicle deviates, and the driving lane shape recognition means dynamically sets the position of the lane mark detection distance range in accordance with a vehicle speed of the vehicle and the deviation prediction time.

Claims

1. A lane deviation prevention apparatus mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

image pickup means for photographing a front image in front of the vehicle;

driving lane shape recognition means for detecting a lane mark on a road included in the front image within a lane mark detection distance range and for recognizing a shape of a driving lane boundary;

deviation prediction judgment means that judges, based on the shape of the driving lane boundary, whether the vehicle deviates from a driving lane after a deviation prediction time which is previously set and outputs a deviation prevention output in a case where it is judged that the vehicle deviates; and

deviation prevention output means that operates based on the deviation prevention output,

wherein a position of the lane mark detection distance range can be adjusted, and the driving lane shape recognition means dynamically sets the position of the lane mark detection distance range in accordance with a vehicle speed of the vehicle and the deviation prediction time.

2. The lane deviation prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving lane shape recognition means includes:

lane mark detection distance range setting means for setting the lane mark detection distance range;

lane mark position detection means for detecting a lane mark position within the lane mark detection distance range; and

driving lane shape identification means for identifying the shape of the driving lane boundary based on an output of the lane mark position detection means, and

the lane mark detection distance range setting means dynamically sets the position of the lane mark detection distance range in accordance with the vehicle speed and the deviation prediction time.

3. The lane deviation prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the deviation prediction judgment means judges whether the vehicle deviates from a boundary pattern of the driving lane on a deviation prediction judgment line corresponding to the vehicle speed and the deviation prediction time, and

the driving lane shape recognition means dynamically sets the position of the lane mark detection distance range so that the deviation prediction judgment line is included within the lane mark detection distance range.

4. The lane deviation prevention apparatus according to claim 3, wherein after the lane deviation judgment means judges that the vehicle deviates from the driving lane, the driving lane shape recognition means sets the position of the lane mark detection distance range to include the deviation prediction judgment line in front of the deviation prediction judgment line.

5. The lane deviation prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deviation prevention output means is alarm generation means for giving an alarm to a driver of the vehicle.

6. The lane deviation prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deviation prevention output means is lane deviation suppression control means for suppressing the vehicle from deviating from the lane.