DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM INCLUDING WARNING SENSING BY VEHICLE SENSOR MOUNTED ON OPPOSITE VEHICLE SIDE

• US 20150287324A1
• Filed: 04/02/2014
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schwindt, Oliver, Chakraborty, Bhavana, Buckner, Kevin, Kim, James
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driver assistance system senses and provides an indication of an approaching vehicle located sidewardly and rearwardly within an immediately adjacent driving lane to a host vehicle. The system includes left and right rear sensor units proximate rear corners of the host vehicle. The rear sensor units sense vehicles on respective sides and rearwardly of the host vehicle. When either rear sensor unit detects an approaching vehicle within the adjacent lane on the opposite side of the host vehicle therefrom, the rear sensor unit provides an opposite-lane warning signal to the other rear sensor unit. The system includes providing host vehicle driving path information to the rear sensor units for determining the path of the adjacent lanes adjacent to and rearward of the host vehicle. The path information accounts for curves in a roadway. Further, the rear sensor units detect the speed of a closing vehicle. When a left rear sensor unit senses a closing vehicle in the immediately adjacent left lane or obtains an opposite-lane warning signal from a right rear sensor unit, the left rear sensor unit provides a warning signal to an alarm unit for a vehicle approaching in the left lane. When the right rear sensor unit senses a closing vehicle in the immediately adjacent right lane, or receives an opposite-lane warning signal from the left rear sensor unit, the right rear sensor unit provides a warning signal to the alarm unit.

Claims

1. An assistance system for providing an approaching vehicle warning for a host vehicle, the system comprising:

A first rear sensor unit positionable proximate to a rear corner of the host vehicle, the first rear sensor unit including an electronic control unit and a sensor, the electronic control unit configured to;

obtain host vehicle driving path information;

determine, from the driving path information, an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from a left side of the host vehicle and an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from the right side of the host vehicle;

detect a closing object in the immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from a side of the host vehicle closest to the rear sensor unit and, in response to detecting the closing object, provide a near-lane warning signal; and

detect a closing object in the immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from a side of the host vehicle opposite the rear sensor unit and, in response to detecting the closing object, providing an opposite-lane warning signal to a second rear sensor unit positionable proximate to a rear corner of the host vehicle opposite the first rear sensor unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first rear sensor unit comprises a left rear sensor unit positionable proximate the left rear corner of the host vehicle, the electronic control unit comprises a left electronic control unit and the sensor comprises a left sensor, wherein the second rear sensor unit comprises a right rear sensor unit positionable proximate to the right rear corner of the host vehicle, the right rear sensor unit including a right electronic control unit and a right sensor, the right electronic control unit configured to:

obtain vehicle driving path information;

determine from the driving path information, an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from the left side of the host vehicle and an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from the right side of the host vehicle;

detect a closing object in the immediately adjacent right lane and providing a near-lane warning signal; and

detect a closing object in the immediately adjacent left lane and providing an opposite-lane warning signal to the left rear sensor unit.

3. The systems of claim 2, further comprising an alarm unit providing a visual alarm in response to the near-lane warning signal of the left rear sensor and the near-lane warning signal of the right rear sensor unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the alarm unit provides the visual alarm, and when a turn signal is activated for the host vehicle, an audible message for a closing object sensed in the immediately adjacent lane corresponding to the lane change selected by the turn signal of the host vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, including an alarm unit that, in response to a near lane warning signal, outputs at least one from a group of a distance to collision and a time to collision, wherein the distance to collision and the time to collision comprise audible messages.

6. The system of claim 1, including an electronic stability control unit of the host vehicle for providing the driving path information to the electronic control unit, the driving path information comprising a yaw-rate signal and host vehicle velocity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein when the electronic control unit of the first rear sensor unit is configured to receive an opposite-lane warning signal from the second rear sensor unit, and wherein when the first rear sensor unit is not providing a near-lane warning signal, the electronic control unit of the first rear sensor unit transmits a near-lane warning signal to a warning unit in response to the received opposite-lane warning signal from the second rear sensor unit.

8. A method of determining when a closing object in an adjacent lane is approaching a host vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining, by an electronic control unit, host vehicle driving path information;

determining from the driving path information, locations of immediately adjacent lanes to a left side, a right side and extending rearwardly of the host vehicle;

detecting, by a first rear sensor unit positioned proximate to a rear corner of the host vehicle, a closing object in the immediately adjacent lane on a side of the host vehicle closest to the first rear sensor unit and providing a near-lane warning signal; and

detecting, by the first rear sensor unit, a closing object in the immediately adjacent lane on a side of the host vehicle opposite the first rear sensor unit and providing an opposite-lane warning signal to a second rear sensor unit positioned proximate to a rear corner of the host vehicle opposite the first rear sensor unit.

9. The method of claim 8, including the step of visually indicating a closing object in the immediately adjacent lanes to the left side, the right side and extending rearwardly of the host vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first rear sensor unit comprises a left rear sensor unit positionable proximate the left corner of the host vehicle, the electronic control unit comprises a left electronic control unit and the first rear sensor unit comprises a left sensor, and wherein the second rear sensor unit comprises a right rear sensor unit positionable proximate the right rear corner of the host vehicle, the second rear sensor unit comprising a right electronic control unit and a right sensor, the method further comprising:

obtaining, by the right electronic control unit, driving path information;

determining from the driving path information, locations of immediately adjacent lanes to the left side, the right side and extending rearwardly of the host vehicle;

detecting, by the right rear sensor unit, a closing object in the immediately adjacent left lane and providing an opposite-lane warning signal to the left rear sensor unit; and

detecting, by the right rear sensor unit, a closing object in the immediately adjacent right lane and providing a near-lane warning signal.

11. The method of claim 10, including the steps of:

providing at least one of a visual and audible warning for a closing object in the immediately adjacent right lane to the host vehicle in response to the right electronic control unit providing the near-lane warning signal; and

providing at least one of a visual and audible warning for a closing object in the immediately adjacent left lane in response to the left electronic control unit providing the near-lane warning signal.

12. A driver assistance system for providing a closing object warning for a host vehicle, the system comprising:

a right rear sensor unit configured for positioning proximate a right rear corner of the host vehicle, the right rear sensor unit including a right electronic control unit and a right sensor;

a left rear sensor unit configured for positioning proximate a left rear corner of the host vehicle, the left rear sensor unit including a left electronic control unit and a left sensor, the left electronic control unit configured to;

obtain host vehicle driving path information;

determine, from the driving path information, an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from a left side of the host vehicle and an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from the right side of the host vehicle;

detect distance and speed of objects located rearwardly, leftwardly and rightwardly of the host vehicle with the left sensor;

determine a closing object in the adjacent left lane and providing a left lane warning signal; and

determine a closing object in the adjacent right lane and providing an opposite-lane warning signal to the right rear sensor unit.

13. The system of claim 12, including an electronic stability control unit of the host vehicle for providing the host vehicle driving path information to the left electronic control unit, the driving path information comprising a yaw-rate signal and host vehicle velocity.

14. The system of claim 12, including an alarm unit in communication with the left rear sensor unit for outputting an indication of a closing object in the immediately adjacent left lane in response to the left lane warning signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the right electronic control unit of the right rear sensor unit is configured to:

obtain the host vehicle driving path information;

determine, from the driving path information, an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from a right side of the host vehicle and an area corresponding to an immediately adjacent lane extending rearwardly from the left side of the host vehicle;

detect distance and speed of objects located rearwardly, rightwardly and leftwardly of the host vehicle with the right rear sensor to determine presence of a closing object;

determine a closing object in the adjacent right lane and providing a right lane warning signal; and

determine a closing object in the adjacent left lane and providing an opposite-lane warning signal to the left rear sensor unit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein when the left sensor is unable to sense a closing object as a turning amount of the host vehicle causes a sensor output of the left sensor to reflect from a guard rail or wall adjacent a roadway, and the right rear sensor unit detects a closing vehicle and provides the opposite-lane warning signal to the left rear sensor unit, and wherein the left rear sensor unit outputs a left lane warning signal to a warning unit.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the alarm unit provides a visual alarm in response to the left lane warning signal to indicate a closing object in the immediately adjacent left lane, and when a left turn signal is activated for the host vehicle, the alarm unit provides an audible message for a closing object sensed in the immediately adjacent left lane.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein a direct communication wire provides direct communication between the left rear sensor unit and the right rear sensor unit.

19. The system of claim 12, including an alarm unit that, in response to a left lane warning signal or a right lane warning signal, outputs at least one from a group of a distance to collision and a time to collision, wherein the distance to collision and the time to collision comprise audible messages.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the left sensor and the right sensor comprise radar sensors that sense distance and measure speed of a closing object to determine that the object is closing in distance to the host vehicle.