MANEUVERING AID AND METHOD FOR AIDING DRIVERS OF VEHICLES OR VEHICLE COMBINATIONS COMPRISING VEHICLE ELEMENTS BENDABLE RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER

• US 20110001825A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Hahn, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,223,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

When maneuvering a vehicle, due to the seated position of the driver, the problem arises that a large portion of the space to the rear of the vehicle to be observed is hidden by the vehicle body itself. Therefore, the vehicle driver is presented with a display of a camera image of the space to the rear of the vehicle with a perspective overlay of the driving path and/or the towing path of the vehicle (1). Said driver support system is configured such that it is also suitable for guiding a vehicle or vehicle combination (1) in which the trailer comprises a plurality of vehicle elements (2, 3) that are bendable relative to one another. In order to detect the steering angle (7) of at least one steerable axis (6) of the vehicle (1), and in order to determine the bending angle (5) between at least two vehicle elements (2, 3) bendable relative to one another, sensors are provided. Using the data regarding the steering and bending angles (5, 7) and taking into account at least the geometry of the vehicle (1), the future driving path of the vehicle (1) is predicted in the processor module for the limits of the driving path and/or towing path and is superimposed on the image data captured by the camera. The image data thus processed is then displayed to the driver of the vehicle (1) on a display as a maneuvering aid.

Claims

1. A device for aiding drivers when maneuvering a vehicle or vehicle combination (1), where this vehicle consists of a plurality of vehicle elements (2, 3) that are articulated relative to one another, comprising:

a camera (9) for sensing image data from the rear environment of the vehicle (1),

one or a plurality of sensors for sensing the arrangement condition of the vehicle and/or the vehicle elements,

a processor module which is connected to the camera (9) and to the sensor(s), wherein this processor module consists of at least one unit for image data processing, and at least one memory containing the measurements of the geometry, especially the circumferential geometry, of the vehicle (1), and

a display unit (10) for the display of image data processed in the processor module,

wherein the processor module comprises a determination module for determining a rectifiable condition of the vehicle for an updated position and/or for at least one predicted position of the vehicle, wherein the rectifiable condition of the vehicle is defined as a condition from which the vehicle can be aligned in a straight manner within a predetermined driving path preferably of less than four, three or two vehicle lengths.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the camera (9) is an omnidirectional camera.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor(s) comprise at least one sensor for sensing the steering angle (7) of at least one steerable axis (6) of the vehicle (1) and/or at least one sensor for sensing the articulation angle (5) between at least to vehicle elements (2, 3).

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor for sensing the bending angle (5) between at least two vehicle elements or the steering angle (7) is based on a sensor sensing the environment, especially a camera or a radar/lidar, and the updated articulation angle (5) or steering angle (7) is estimated starting from the environmental data sensed thereby.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the memory associated with the processor module is designed in such a manner that the geometries of a plurality of different possible geometries or constellations of the vehicle (1) are stored therein.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor module comprises a unit for recognizing objects reproduced in the image data.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display (10) is a head-up display.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the display (10) is installed in one or in the region of one of the rear view mirrors of the vehicle (1).

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor module is formed to depict indications (25, 35) of the rectifiable condition of the vehicle for the updated position and/or the predicted position on the display unit (10).

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor module is programmed to predict the future driving path (41, 43, 44, 45) of the vehicle (20) within the limits of its driving path (21, 31, 32) and/or its towing path (22, 33, 34), and to depict the image data captured by the camera in a superimposed manner on the display unit in a perspectively correct and/or symbolic manner.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor module is programmed to predict the future driving path (41, 43, 44, 45) while considering and/or weighting the rectifiable conditions.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor module is programmed to position the predicted driving path (41, 43, 44, 45) of the vehicle at least partially on trajectories, which are formed by points of rectifiable conditions of the vehicle.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor module is programmed to predict the future driving path in a first operating mode while using the updated steering angle and/or to extrapolate and to only depict it as a first driving path section (41) for rectifiable positions on the display unit.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor module is programmed to connect at least a second driving path section (43, 44, 45) to the first driving path section (41) in a second operating mode, wherein the second driving path section (43, 44, 45) is connected to a deviation point (46) where no rectifiable position can be predicted with the updated steering angle (5), and wherein the second driving path section (43, 44, 45) is predicted while using an optimized steering angle and/or is depicted on the display unit (10).

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the optimized steering angle is designed in such a manner that the second driving path section (43, 44, 45) proceeds along a trajectory of rectifiable positions.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein a band of second driving path sections (43, 44, 45) is predicted and/or depicted on the display unit, especially while using a plurality of optimized steering angles.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the driving path section or the second driving path sections (43, 44, 45) comprise trajectories for straightening the vehicle.

18. A method for aiding drivers when maneuvering a vehicle or a vehicle combination (1), where this vehicle consists of a plurality of vehicle elements (2, 3) that are articulated relative to one another, especially while using a device according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising:

sensing image data from the rear environment of the vehicle (1) with at least one camera (9),

supplying these image data, together with the data about the steering angle (7) of at least one steerable axis (6) of the vehicle, and about the articulation angle (5) at least between two vehicle elements (2, 3), to a processor module, which predicts the future driving path of the vehicle within the limits of its driving path (21, 31, 32) and/or its towing path (22, 33, 34) by means of the data about steering and articulation angles (5, 7) with knowledge of at least the geometry of the vehicle (1), and superimposes the image data received by the camera in a perspectively correct and/or symbolic manner, and

displaying the image data processed in this manner to the driver of the vehicle (1) on a display (10),

wherein rectifiable conditions of the vehicle are determined for an updated position and/or for at least one predicted position of the vehicle, wherein the rectifiable condition of the vehicle is defined as a condition from which the vehicle can be aligned in a straight manner within a predetermined driving path preferably of less than four, three or two vehicle lengths.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein all steering and/or articulation angles (5, 7) of the vehicle (1) are sensed.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein, within the scope of the superimposition of the image data captured by the camera, the vehicle paths (21, 31, 32) of all wheels of the vehicle are displayed.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein, within the scope of the superimposition of the image data captured by the camera (9), only the vehicle paths (21, 31, 32) of those wheels are displayed, which are spaced the furthest vertical to the updated predicted vehicle path.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the display of the vehicle path (21, 31, 32) and/or the towing path (22, 33, 34) takes place in a limited manner to a distance region.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the display of the vehicle path (21, 31, 32) and/or the towing path (22, 33, 34) takes place in a stepped manner in different design versions.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein parts of the vehicle (1) are reproduced in the image data.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein objects are recognized in the image data sensed by the camera (9), and are then accentuated during their display.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the accentuation takes place by symbolic superimposition of image data representing an object.

27. (canceled)