SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A SPEED OF A VEHICLE

• US 20130124061A1
• Filed: 11/07/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wagner, Nikolas, Khanafer, Ali, Ferber, Christoph
• Application Number:
  US13/670,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124061A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/60 wherein the transmitter and receiver are mounted on the moving object, e.g. for determining ground speed, drift angle, ground track G01S13/64 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/352 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method for determining a speed of a vehicle, is provided. The method includes determining if at least one object is sensed by at least one sensor of the vehicle. In the case that at least one object is sensed by the at least one sensor, the method includes determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed by means of data determined by at least one optical camera of the vehicle. In the case that it is determined that the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, the method includes determining a speed of the at least one sensed object relative to the vehicle by means of data determined by the at least one sensor and classifying the determined speed as individual speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for determining a speed of a vehicle, comprising:

determining if at least one object is sensed by at least one sensor of the vehicle;

in the case that at least one object is sensed by the at least one sensor, determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, by means of data determined by at least one optical camera of the vehicle; and

in the case that it is determined that the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, determining a speed of the at least one sensed object relative to the vehicle by means of data determined by the at least one sensor and classifying of the determined speed as individual speed of the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group comprising a radar sensor, a lidar sensor and an ultrasound sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, further comprises:

evaluating images taken by means of the at least one optical camera.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein evaluating images further comprises:

determining at least one of a size and a change of the size of the at least one object in the images taken by the at least one optical camera.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined speed is provided for at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one driver assistance system is selected from the group comprising a tire pressure monitoring system, a park assist system, a brake assist, an emergency braking, a speed control system and a distance control system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one driver assistance system is designed as tire pressure monitoring system and the method further comprises:

determining of a speed of the vehicle based on data determined by at least one rotational speed sensor of a tire of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

outputting a warning message in the case that a deviation between the speed determined by means of the at least one sensor and the speed determined by means of the at least one rotational speed sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining at least one of a direction and a distance of the at least one sensed object relative to the vehicle by means of data determined by the at least one sensor and the at least one optical camera; and

auditing the determined data for plausibility.

10. The method according claim 1, wherein the determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, further comprises:

determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed on data received from at least one of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication device and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device.

11. A vehicle, comprising:

a first determining device that determines if at least one object is sensed by at least one sensor of the vehicle;

at least one optical camera;

a second determining device that determines if a sensed object is locationally fixed, by means of data determined by means of the at least one optical camera, in the case that at least one object is sensed by the at least one sensor;

a third determining device that determines a speed of the at least one sensed object relative to the vehicle by means of data determined by the at least one sensor; and

a classifying device that classifies the determined speed as individual speed of the vehicle in the case that it is determined that the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is selected from the group comprising a radar sensor, a lidar sensor and an ultrasound sensor.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

at least one driver assistance system selected from the group comprising a tire pressure monitoring system, a park assist system, a brake assist, an emergency braking system, a speed control system and a distance control system,

wherein the at least one driver assistance system operates based on the determined speed.

14. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium readable by a computer unit of a vehicle and storing instructions for execution by the computer unit for performing a method comprising;

determining if at least one object is sensed by at least one sensor of the vehicle;

in the case that at least one object is sensed by the at least one sensor, determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed by means of data determined by at least one optical camera of the vehicle; and

in the case that it is determined that the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, determining a speed of the at least one sensed object relative to the vehicle by means of data determined by the at least one sensor and classifying of the determined speed as individual speed of the vehicle.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the determining if the at least one sensed object is locationally fixed, further comprises:

evaluating images taken by means of the at least one optical camera.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein evaluating images further comprises:

determining at least one of a size and a change of the size of the at least one object in the images taken by the at least one optical camera.

17. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the determined speed is provided for at least one driver assistance system of the vehicle.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the at least one driver assistance system is designed as tire pressure monitoring system and the method further comprises:

determining of a speed of the vehicle based on data determined by at least one rotational speed sensor of a tire of the vehicle.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, further comprising:

outputting a warning message in the case that a deviation between the speed determined by means of the at least one sensor and the speed determined by means of the at least one rotational speed sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.