CAMERA-ASSISTED BLIND SPOT DETECTION

• US 20130135089A1
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Sejalon, Frederic Marcel, Rottner, Gunter, Niehsen, Wolfgang, Bochenek, Jeffrev
• Granted Patent: US 9,586,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• 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 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A blind spot detection system. The system includes a camera mounted at the rear of a vehicle, a controller coupled to the camera, and an indicator coupled to the controller. The camera is configured to capture images in a field-of-view to the rear of the vehicle. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the camera indicative of the images, and controller determineg when a second vehicle in the images enters a blind spot of the vehicle. The controller activates the indicator when the second vehicle enters the blind spot of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A blind spot detection system, the system comprising:

a camera mounted at the rear of a vehicle and configured to capture images in a field-of-view to the rear of the vehicle;

a controller coupled to the camera and configured to receive a signal from the camera indicative of the images, the controller determining when a second vehicle in the images enters a blind spot of the vehicle; and

an indicator coupled to the controller, the indicator activated by the controller when the second vehicle enters the blind spot of the vehicle.

2. The blind spot detection system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect an object adjacent the vehicle, the controller further configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the presence of the object adjacent the vehicle, the controller determining that a second vehicle is in the blind spot based on the images and the signal from the sensor.

3. The blind spot detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is positioned on a rear side of the vehicle.

4. The blind spot detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is positioned on a side-view mirror of the vehicle.

5. The blind spot detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a second camera.

6. The blind spot detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a radar.

7. The blind spot detection system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

8. The blind spot detection system of claim 1, wherein the camera provides a video image to a driver when the vehicle is backing up.

9. The blind spot detection system of claim 1, wherein the controller tracks the second vehicle, determining whether the second vehicle is approaching the vehicle or moving away from the vehicle, and determining a speed at which the second vehicle is moving toward/away from the vehicle.

10. The blind spot detection system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the second vehicle is in the blind spot when the second vehicle leaves the field of view of the camera.

11. A method of detecting a vehicle in a blind spot of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of images from a camera to a controller of a field-of-view (FOV) behind the vehicle;

detecting, by the controller, a second vehicle in the plurality of images;

tracking, by the controller, the second vehicle;

determining that the second vehicle has entered one of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spots; and

issuing, by the controller, an indication of the second vehicle'"'"'s position to an operator of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting by a sensor configured to detect an object adjacent the vehicle, that the second vehicle is in the blind spot, the controller configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the presence of the object adjacent the vehicle, wherein determining that a second vehicle is in the blind spot is based on the plurality of images from the camera and the signal from the sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is positioned on a rear side of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is positioned on a side-view mirror of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a second camera.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor is a radar.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying the plurality of images on a display when the vehicle is backing up.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, by the controller, whether the second vehicle is approaching the vehicle or moving away from the vehicle, and determining a speed at which the second vehicle is moving toward/away from the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller determines that the second vehicle is in the blind spot when the second vehicle leaves the field of view of the camera.