VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH YAW RATE DETERMINATION

• US 20150025747A1
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marc Wimmershoff, Nathaniel Johnson, William J. Chundrlik, Jr.
• Original Assignee: William J. Chundrlik, Jr.
• Inventors: Chundrlik, William J. Jr., Johnson, Nathaniel, Wimmershoff, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,346,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• 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: B60W 2050/0049 Signal offset
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 Yaw movement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/024 Special manufacturing steps or sacrificial layers or layer structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/34 using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• 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: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 : Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 : Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera having a forward field of view to the exterior of the vehicle through the vehicle windshield. A control includes an image processor that is operable to process captured image data to determine lane delimiters present in the field of view of the camera. The control connects to and receives vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus. The vehicle data includes a yaw rate sensed by a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by the image processor and to vehicle data received via the vehicle communication bus, the control determines a corrected yaw rate at least one of (i) when the vehicle is stationary and (ii) when the vehicle is moving straight. The control provides the corrected yaw rate to a driver assistance system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera comprising a lens and a photosensor array;

said photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a matrix that comprises multiple columns of photosensor elements and multiple rows of photosensor elements;

wherein said camera is disposed at or proximate to an in-cabin portion of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera has a forward field of view to the exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera is operable to capture image data;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to determine lane delimiters present in the field of view of said camera;

said control connecting to a vehicle communication bus of the equipped vehicle;

said control receiving vehicle data via said vehicle communication bus;

wherein said vehicle data is provided by at least one of (i) an accelerometer of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a transmission sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a steering angle sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a speed sensor of the equipped vehicle and (v) a brake sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said vehicle data comprises a yaw rate sensed by a yaw rate sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and to vehicle data received via said vehicle communication bus, said control determines a corrected yaw rate at least one of (i) when the equipped vehicle is stationary and (ii) when the equipped vehicle is moving straight; and

wherein said control provides the corrected yaw rate to a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least one of (i) a collision avoidance system, (ii) a collision mitigation system and (iii) a stability control system.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said camera is part of at least one of (i) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a lane keeping system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) an object detection system of the equipped vehicle, (v) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (vi) a distance measurement system of the equipped vehicle and (vii) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor, the heading of the equipped vehicle is determined.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein at least one brake of the equipped vehicle is controlled, at least in part, responsive to the corrected yaw rate.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the number of rows of photosensor elements of said photosensor array is at least about 480 rows and wherein the number of columns of photosensor elements of said photosensor array is at least about 640 columns.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said control determines the corrected yaw rate when the equipped vehicle is moving straight.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 7, wherein that the equipped vehicle is moving straight is determined, at least in part, responsive to processing of captured image data by said image processor determining that lane delimiters present in the field of view of said camera are straight.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said system, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor, detects colored lane markers present in the field of view of said camera.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle communication bus comprises a controller-area network.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle communication bus comprises a local interconnect network.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said image processor comprises one of (i) an EyeQ2 image processing chip and (ii) an EyeQ3 image processing chip.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said control provides the corrected yaw rate to said driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle via said vehicle communication bus.

14. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera comprising a lens and a CMOS photosensor array;

said photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a matrix that comprises multiple columns of photosensor elements and multiple rows of photosensor elements;

wherein said array of a plurality of photosensor elements is arranged in at least about 640 columns and 480 rows;

wherein said camera is disposed at or proximate to an in-cabin portion of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera has a forward field of view to the exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera is operable to capture image data;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to determine lane delimiters present in the field of view of said camera;

said control connecting to a vehicle communication bus of the equipped vehicle;

said control receiving vehicle data via said vehicle communication bus;

wherein said vehicle data is provided by at least one of (i) an accelerometer of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a transmission sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a steering angle sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a speed sensor of the equipped vehicle and (v) a brake sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said vehicle data comprises a yaw rate sensed by a yaw rate sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and to vehicle data received via said vehicle communication bus, said control determines a corrected yaw rate at least one of (i) when the equipped vehicle is stationary and (ii) when the equipped vehicle is moving straight; and

wherein said control provides the corrected yaw rate to a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least one of (i) a collision avoidance system, (ii) a collision mitigation system and (iii) a stability control system.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 15, wherein said vehicle data is provided by at least one of (i) an accelerometer of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a transmission sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a steering angle sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a speed sensor of the equipped vehicle and (v) a brake sensor of the equipped vehicle.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 16, wherein said vehicle communication bus comprises a controller-area network and wherein said photosensor array comprises a CMOS photosensor array.

18. A vision system for a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera comprising a lens and a photosensor array;

said photosensor array comprising a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a matrix that comprises multiple columns of photosensor elements and multiple rows of photosensor elements;

wherein said array of a plurality of photosensor elements is arranged in at least about 640 columns and 480 rows;

wherein said camera is disposed at or proximate to an in-cabin portion of a windshield of a vehicle equipped with said vision system;

wherein said camera has a forward field of view to the exterior of the equipped vehicle through the windshield of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera is operable to capture image data;

a control comprising an image processor;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to determine lane delimiters present in the field of view of said camera;

said control connecting to a vehicle communication bus of the equipped vehicle;

said control receiving vehicle data via said vehicle communication bus;

wherein said vehicle data is provided by at least one of (i) an accelerometer of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a transmission sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a steering angle sensor of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a speed sensor of the equipped vehicle and (v) a brake sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said vehicle data comprises a yaw rate sensed by a yaw rate sensor of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and to vehicle data received via said vehicle communication bus, said control determines a corrected yaw rate (i) when the equipped vehicle is stationary and (ii) when the equipped vehicle is moving straight; and

wherein said control provides the corrected yaw rate to a driver assistance system of the equipped vehicle.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 18, wherein said camera is part of at least one of (i) a lane keeping system of the equipped vehicle, (ii) a vehicle detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iii) an object detection system of the equipped vehicle, (iv) a traffic sign recognition system of the equipped vehicle, (v) a distance measurement system of the equipped vehicle and (vi) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle.

20. The vehicular vision system of claim 19, wherein said vehicle communication bus comprises a controller-area network and wherein said photosensor array comprises a CMOS photosensor array.