Method for Supporting the Driver of a Road-Bound Vehicle in Guiding the Vehicle

• US 20120245832A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Klein, Wladimir, Zobel, Matthias, Meis, Urban, Wiedemann, Christoph, Roth, Axel, Hilario, Mari Joan, Kristensen, Steen
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/10 Recognition assisted with metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle, in which the vehicle environment, in particular the markings that delimit the lanes of a road and traffic signs, are detected by means of an environment sensor system (1) and evaluated by means of an image evaluation system. According to the invention, the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to lane-relevant information, wherein the detected lane-relevant information is evaluated by means of data that are stored in a memory device (2a) and that indicate country-specific lane markings, and a first country estimation signal (S1) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated, and/or the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to traffic-sign-relevant information, wherein the detected traffic-sign-relevant information is evaluated by means of data that are stored in a memory device (3a) and that indicate country-specific traffic signs, and a country estimation signal (S2) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated, and/or the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the recognition of license plates of motor vehicles (4) and a country estimation signal (S3) is generated by means of an analysis by frequency. A country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from one country estimation signal (S1, S2, S3) or from several country estimation signals (S1, S2, S3) by means of a microprocessor (5), wherein a driver information device (6) for outputting country-specific information regarding the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is activated by means of the country signal (L) and/or the country signal (L) is fed to at least one driver assistance system (7) that supports the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle. The invention further relates to a device for performing the inventive method.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. Method for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle, in which the vehicle environment, in particular the markings that delimit the lanes of a road and traffic signs, are detected by an environment sensor system (1) and evaluated by an image evaluation system, characterized in that

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the recognition of license plates of motor vehicles (4) and a country estimation signal (S3) is generated by an analysis by frequency,

a country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the country estimation signal (S3) by a microprocessor (5), and

a driver information device (6) for outputting country-specific information regarding the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is activated by the country signal (L) and/or the country signal (L) is fed to at least one driver assistance system (7) that supports the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the country signal (L) is fed to a traffic sign recognition system (3) and/or to a lane detection system (2) and/or to a license plate determination system (4).

7-17. -17. (canceled)

18. Device for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle, in which the vehicle environment, in particular the markings that delimit the lanes of a road and traffic signs, are detected by an environment sensor system (1) and evaluated by an image evaluation system, characterized in that

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the recognition of license plates of motor vehicles (4) and a country estimation signal (S3) is generated by an analysis by frequency,

a country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the country estimation signal (S3) by a microprocessor (5), and

a driver information device (6) for outputting country-specific information regarding the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is activated by the country signal (L) and/or the country signal is fed to at least one driver assistance system (7) that supports the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle.

19. (canceled)

20. Method for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle, in which the vehicle environment, in particular the markings that delimit the lanes of a road and traffic signs, are detected by an environment sensor system (1) and evaluated by an image evaluation system, characterized in that

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to detected relevant information selected from traffic-sign-relevant information and lane-relevant information,

the detected relevant information is evaluated relative to data that are stored in at least one memory device (2a, 3a) and that indicate country-specific traffic signs and/or lane markings, and at least one country estimation signal (S1, S2) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated,

a country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the at least one country estimation signal (S1, S2) by a microprocessor (5), and

a driver information device (6) for outputting country-specific information regarding the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is activated by the country signal (L) and/or the country signal (L) is fed to at least one driver assistance system (7) that supports the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle.

21. Method according to claim 20, wherein the detected relevant information comprises the lane-relevant information, and wherein the data indicate the country-specific lane markings.

22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the country signal (L) is fed to a traffic sign recognition system (3) and/or to a license plate determination system (4).

23. Method according to claim 20, wherein the detected relevant information comprises the traffic-sign-relevant information, and wherein the data indicate the country-specific traffic signs.

24. Method according to claim 23, characterized in that the country signal (L) is fed to a lane detection system (2) and/or to a license plate determination system (4).

25. Method according to claim 20, wherein:

the detected relevant information comprises the lane-relevant information and the traffic-sign-relevant information,

the detected lane-relevant information is evaluated relative to first said data that are stored in a first said memory device (2a) and that indicate the country-specific lane markings, and a first said country estimation signal (S1) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated,

the detected traffic-sign-relevant information is evaluated relative to second said data that are stored in a second said memory device (3a) and that indicate the country-specific traffic signs, and a second said country estimation signal (S2) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated, and

the country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the first country estimation signal (S1) and the second country estimation signal (S2) by the microprocessor (5) which comprises a merger module.

26. Method according to claim 25, characterized in that the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the recognition of license plates of motor vehicles (4) and a third country estimation signal (S3) is generated by an analysis based on frequency, which third country estimation signal (S3) is fed to the merger module (5).

27. Method according to claim 25, characterized in that the country signal (L) is fed to a traffic sign recognition system (3).

28. Method according to claim 25, characterized in that the country signal (L) is fed to a lane detection system (2) .

29. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the unit of measurement (km/h, mph) of the numerical data detected on the traffic signs is determined from the driving data of the vehicle, particularly from the traveling speed thereof and the detected traffic-sign-relevant information.

30. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the traffic-sign-relevant information comprises country-specific positions of the traffic signs lateral to the lane of the vehicle as well as relative to each other.

31. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the color of the road is detected as a piece of lane-relevant information and used for the generation of the country estimation signal.

32. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that when lane-relevant and/or traffic-sign-relevant pieces of information are the same for several countries, the country estimation signal or country signal that is generated indicates these countries or a corresponding group of countries.

33. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the country signal is stored in a non-volatile manner, particularly over a period of time between starting the vehicle engine and turning it off.

34. Device for supporting the driver of a road-bound vehicle in guiding the vehicle, in which the vehicle environment, in particular the markings that delimit the lanes of a road and traffic signs, are detected by an environment sensor system (1) and evaluated by an image evaluation system, characterized in that

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to detected relevant information selected from traffic-sign-relevant information and lane-relevant information by at least one image processing system (2, 3),

the detected relevant information is evaluated relative to data that are stored in at least one memory device (2a, 3a) of the at least one image processing system (2, 3) and that indicate country-specific traffic signs and/or lane markings, and at least one country estimation signal (S1, S2) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated,

a country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the at least one country estimation signal (S1, S2) by a microprocessor (5), and

a driver information device (6) for outputting country-specific information regarding the longitudinal and transverse guidance of the vehicle is activated by the country signal (L) and/or the country signal is fed to at least one driver assistance system (7) that supports the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle:

35. Device according to claim 34, wherein the detected relevant information comprises the lane-relevant information, and wherein the data indicate the country-specific lane markings.

36. Device according to claim 34, wherein the detected relevant information comprises the traffic-sign-relevant information, and wherein the data indicate the country-specific traffic signs.

37. Device according to claim 34, wherein:

the detected relevant information comprises the lane-relevant information and the traffic-sign-relevant information,

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the lane-relevant information by a first said image processing system (2),

the detected lane-relevant information is evaluated relative to first said data, that are stored in a first said memory device (2a) of the first image processing system (2) and that indicate the country-specific lane markings, and a first said country estimation signal (S1) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated,

the image data of the environment sensor system (1) are evaluated with regard to the traffic-sign-relevant information by a second said image processing system (3),

the detected traffic-sign-relevant information is evaluated relative to second said data that are stored in a second said memory device (3a) of the second image processing system (3) and that indicate the country-specific traffic signs, and a second said country estimation signal (S2) corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is generated, and

the country signal (L) that indicates the current location of the vehicle is generated from the first country estimation signal (S1) and the second country estimation signal (S2) by said microprocessor comprising a merger module (5).