DETECTING LOW-SPEED CLOSE-RANGE VEHICLE CUT-IN

• US 20160103212A1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mills, Aaron L., Nath, Nitendra
• Granted Patent: US 9,746,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle system includes an input device interface and a processing device. The input device interface receives a radar signal. The processing device defines a region of interest between a host vehicle and a front vehicle, detects that a potential cut-in vehicle has entered the region of interest, and selects the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle. The vehicle system may be incorporated into an autonomous or partially autonomous vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

an input device interface configured to receive a radar signal; and

a processing device programmed to define a region of interest between a host vehicle and a front vehicle, detect that a potential cut-in vehicle in the region of interest, and select the potential cut-in vehicle as a new front vehicle.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to detect the front vehicle from the radar signal.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to define the region of interest based at least in part on a location of the front vehicle relative to the host vehicle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to detect the potential cut-in vehicle from the radar signal.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on a speed of the potential cut-in vehicle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on whether the potential cut-in vehicle is slowing down.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on whether the potential cut-in vehicle is moving or stationary.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a trigger module programmed to output a trigger signal, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle in accordance with the processing device receiving the trigger signal.

9. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the trigger module is programmed to output the trigger signal if a speed of the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.

10. The vehicle system of claim 8, wherein the trigger module is programmed to output the trigger signal if a distance between the front vehicle and the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.

11. A vehicle system comprising:

a radar system configured to output a radar signal representing a front vehicle and a potential cut-in vehicle;

an input device interface configured to receive the radar signal; and

a processing device programmed to detect the front vehicle and the potential cut-in vehicle from the radar signal, define a region of interest between a host vehicle and the front vehicle, detect that the potential cut-in vehicle has entered the region of interest, and select the potential cut-in vehicle as a new front vehicle.

12. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on a speed of the potential cut-in vehicle.

13. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on whether the potential cut-in vehicle is slowing down.

14. The vehicle system of claim 11, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle based on whether the potential cut-in vehicle is moving or stationary.

15. The vehicle system of claim 11, further comprising a trigger module programmed to output a trigger signal, wherein the processing device is programmed to select the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle in accordance with the processing device receiving the trigger signal.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15, wherein the trigger module is programmed to output the trigger signal if a speed of the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.

17. The vehicle system of claim 15, wherein the trigger module is programmed to output the trigger signal if a distance between the front vehicle and the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a radar signal representing a front vehicle and a potential cut-in vehicle;

defining a region of interest between a host vehicle and the front vehicle;

detect whether the potential cut-in vehicle has entered the region of interest; and

selecting the potential cut-in vehicle as a new front vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein selecting the potential cut-in vehicle as a new front vehicle includes determining whether the potential cut-in vehicle is slowing down, whether the potential cut-in vehicle is moving, and whether the potential cut-in vehicle is stationary.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving a trigger signal prior to selecting the potential cut-in vehicle as the new front vehicle, wherein the trigger signal is received if a speed of the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold and if a distance between the front vehicle and the host vehicle is below a predetermined threshold.