VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH CURVATURE ESTIMATION

• US 20150266422A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chundrlik, William J. Jr., Wimmershoff, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 10,406,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• 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

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view forward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data. A vehicle-based GPS system is operable to determine a geographical location of the vehicle. A control includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by the image processor to determine lane markings and responsive at least in part to the GPS system and responsive at least in part to map data mapping the road along which the vehicle is traveling, the control is operable to determine an enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the vehicle. The enhanced estimation may be based on reliability levels or weighting factors of the determined lane markings and the map data.

Claims

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

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, wherein said camera has a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;

a vehicle-based GPS system operable to determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

a control including an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, said control is operable to determine (i) left lane markings along the left side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and (ii) right lane markings along the right side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and responsive at least in part to said GPS system and responsive at least in part to map data mapping the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, said control is operable to determine an enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, responsive to a determination that a reliability level is below a threshold level for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle based more on at least one other of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data and GPS system.

2. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to determined reliability levels, said control determines weighting factors for (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data.

3. The vision system of claim 2, wherein, responsive at least in part to determined weighting factors, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle.

4. The vision system of claim 3, wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the determined right lane markings.

5. The vision system of claim 4, wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of map data.

6. The vision system of claim 3, wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined right lane markings and (ii) the map data.

7. The vision system of claim 6, wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a left lane markings determination.

8. The vision system of claim 3, wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the map data.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a right lane markings determination.

10. The vision system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that a reliability level is below a threshold level for all of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines an estimated path of travel of the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to (i) a speed sensor of the vehicle and (ii) a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle.

11. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, wherein said camera has a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;

a vehicle-based GPS system operable to determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

a control including an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, said control is operable to determine (i) left lane markings along the left side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and (ii) right lane markings along the right side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and responsive at least in part to said GPS system and responsive at least in part to map data mapping the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, said control is operable to determine an enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determined reliability levels of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines weighting factors for (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to determined weighting factors, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle based on the weighted (i) determined left lane markings, (ii) determined right lane markings and (iii) map data.

12. The vision system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the determined right lane markings.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of map data.

14. The vision system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined right lane markings and (ii) the map data.

15. The vision system of claim 14, wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a left lane markings determination.

16. The vision system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the map data.

17. The vision system of claim 16, wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a right lane markings determination.

18. The vision system of claim 11, wherein, responsive to a determination that a reliability level is below a threshold level for all of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines an estimated path of travel of the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to (i) a speed sensor of the vehicle and (ii) a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle.

19. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system, wherein said camera has a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle and is operable to capture image data;

a vehicle-based GPS system operable to determine a geographical location of the equipped vehicle;

a control including an image processor;

wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said camera;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data, said control is operable to determine (i) left lane markings along the left side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and (ii) right lane markings along the right side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling;

wherein, responsive at least in part to processing of captured image data by said image processor and responsive at least in part to said GPS system and responsive at least in part to map data mapping the road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling, said control is operable to determine an enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determined reliability levels of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines weighting factors for (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data;

wherein, responsive at least in part to determined weighting factors, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle based on the weighted (i) determined left lane markings, (ii) determined right lane markings and (iii) map data;

wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of map data;

wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a left lane markings determination;

wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is invalid, said control determines the enhanced estimation of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle without use of a right lane markings determination; and

wherein, responsive to a determination that the reliability level is below a threshold level for all of (i) the determined left lane markings, (ii) the determined right lane markings and (iii) the map data, said control determines an estimated path of travel of the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to (i) a speed sensor of the vehicle and (ii) a yaw rate sensor of the vehicle.

20. The vision system of claim 19, wherein, responsive to a determination that map data is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the determined right lane markings, and wherein, responsive to a determination that a left lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined right lane markings and (ii) the map data, and wherein, responsive to a determination that a right lane markings determination is compromised, said control determines a higher weighting factor for at least one of (i) the determined left lane markings and (ii) the map data.