Driver Assistance System and Method for Assisting the Driver of a Motor Vehicle When Leaving a Determined Lane

• US 20150348418A1
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: PFEIFFER, Andreas, BURTSCHE, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US14/825,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20150348418A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/40 Dynamic objects, e.g. animals, windblown objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

In a driver assistance system for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle when leaving a determined lane by use of a lane departure warning system, which is connected to at least one lane detection unit and to a warning and/or transversal guidance unit, the lane departure warning system executes a warning and/or a transversal guidance intervention, if the motor vehicle moves too close to a defined boundary of the lane. The lane departure warning system records and uses information about a defined driving situation of the pertaining motor vehicle such that a currently determined lane may be changed by shifting at least one defined boundary depending on the driving situation.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle when leaving a predetermined lane, the driver assistance system comprising:

a lane departure prevention device equipped with at least one lane detection unit and a warning and/or transversal control unit, wherein

the lane departure prevention device performs a warning and/or a transverse intervention when the motor vehicle is too close to a defined boundary of the predetermined lane,

the lane departure prevention device captures information about a defined driving situation of the motor vehicle, and

the lane departure prevention device utilizes the captured information about the defined driving situation such that a currently predetermined lane is changed depending on the defined driving situation by shifting the defined boundary of the predetermined lane depending on the driving situation.

2. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a navigation system providing information about the defined driving situation, an actual type of road being traveled on, and/or a course of the road, wherein

the lane departure prevention device processes the information so as to allow driving on a relatively winding road according to an ideal trajectory by changing the currently predetermined lane to a widened lane which is widened on an inside of a curve relative to the currently predetermined lane.

3. The driver assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the lane departure prevention device processes the information such that the currently predetermined lane is used for warning and/or transverse intervention on relatively straight roads.

4. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the information about the defined driving situation, a type of driver, and/or a currently set vehicle driving mode is processed such that for a relatively sporty type of driver or a sporty drive mode, a wider lane will be provided verses the currently predetermined lane that would be specified for the type of driver or the drive mode providing a more comfortable drive or better fuel efficiency.

5. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an obstacle detection sensor that provides data concerning a collision risk generated by other road users, wherein

the lane departure prevention device takes the data into account when changing the currently predetermined lane and, if required, limits the currently predetermined lane to the own drivers lane.

6. A method of operating a lane departure prevention device equipped with at least one lane detection unit and a warning and/or transversal control unit, the method comprising the acts of:

determining a currently predetermined lane of a vehicle via the lane detection unit;

obtaining information about a defined driving situation of the vehicle;

using the obtained information about the defined driving situation of the vehicle to shift at least one defined boundary of the currently predetermined lane based upon the defined driving situation.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the shifting of the at least one defined boundary is carried out to widen the currently predetermined lane for use by the lane departure prevention device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when the defined driving situation indicates a relatively winding road is being driven upon, the currently predetermined lane is widened on an inside of a curve relative to the currently predetermined lane.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the acts of:

obtaining information concerning a collision risk generated by other road users; and

preventing the widening of the currently predetermined lane to minimize a collision risk based on the obtained information.