Lane departure warning system and method

• US 20070179697A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Holler, Gusztav
• Application Number:
  US11/343,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20070179697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• 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 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/005 Emergency systems using brakes for steering
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A vehicle lane departure warning system and method uses the vehicle braking system to provide tactile feedback to the driver. In one embodiment, one of the steerable road wheels of the vehicle is braked, to cause force to be transmitted back to the vehicle steering wheel, resulting in the driver receiving tactile feedback through the steering wheel.

Claims

1. A method of providing a lane departure warning to a vehicle driver, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a lane departure of the vehicle; and

in response to the sensing step, applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vehicle has two steerable road wheels and the step of applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises applying braking force to only one of the two steerable road wheels of the vehicle.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the step of sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle comprises sensing a direction of lane departure; and

the step of applying braking force to only one of the two steerable road wheels of the vehicle comprises applying braking force to a selected steerable road wheel to counter the direction of lane departure.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises alternately applying braking force to one and then to the other of two steerable road wheels of the vehicle.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises applying braking force in an amount that is not sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises applying braking force in an amount that is sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of applying braking force in an amount that is sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle comprises applying braking force in a manner to counter the lane departure.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises transmitting force from the steerable road wheel to the vehicle steering wheel thereby to provide tactile feedback through the steering wheel.

9. Apparatus for providing tactile feedback to a driver of a vehicle having left and right steerable road wheels and a steering wheel for controlling the steerable road wheels, the braking system comprising:

a left brake associated with the left steerable road wheel;

a right brake associated with the right steerable road wheel;

a lane departure sensor; and

an electronic control unit operatively connected with the lane departure sensor, the electronic control unit being operable to apply one of the left and right brakes in response to sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle without driver input.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein:

the lane departure sensor is operative to sense the direction of lane departure; and

the ECU is operative to apply braking force to a selected steerable road wheel to counter the direction of lane departure.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the ECU is operative to apply braking force alternately to one and then to the other of the two steerable road wheels of the vehicle.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the ECU is operative to apply braking force in an amount that is not sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the ECU is operative to apply braking force in an amount that is sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the ECU is operative to apply braking force in an amount that is sufficient to cause a significant departure from the path of the vehicle so as to counter the lane departure.

15. Apparatus usable in a vehicle braking system for providing tactile feedback to a driver of a vehicle having a steering wheel and left and right steerable road wheels, the apparatus comprising:

a lane departure sensor; and

an electronic control unit operatively connected with the lane departure sensor, the electronic control unit providing a control signal for controlling the vehicle brakes in response to sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle without driver input.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the vehicle has a left brake associated with the left steerable road wheel and a right brake associated with the right steerable road wheel and a brake pedal operable by a driver of the vehicle for applying the left and right brakes;

the electronic control unit being operable to apply a selected one of the left and right brakes in response to sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the lane departure sensor is operative to sense the direction of lane departure and the ECU is operative to apply braking force to a selected steerable road wheel to counter the direction of lane departure.

18. Apparatus for providing a lane departure warning to a vehicle driver through tactile feedback in the vehicle steering wheel, the apparatus comprising:

means for sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle; and

means responsive to the means for sensing for applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle, thereby to provide tactile feedback through the steering wheel.

19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the means for sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle comprises a lane departure sensor.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein the means for applying braking force to a steerable road wheel of the vehicle comprises an electronic control unit that is operative to provide a control signal to the vehicle braking system

21. Apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein the vehicle has a left brake associated with a left steerable road wheel and a right brake associated with a right steerable road wheel and a brake pedal operable by a driver of the vehicle for applying the left and right brakes;

the electronic control unit being operable to apply a selected one of the left and right brakes in response to sensing an unintended lane departure of the vehicle.