VEHICLE UNDERSIDE IMPACT AVOIDANCE

• US 20160144847A1
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2014
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,183,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/95 Measuring the same parameter at multiple locations of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions

Abstract

A camera is configured to be mounted facing a front of a vehicle. A computer is programmed to receive first and second images from the camera, determine a height of an obstacle located to the front of the vehicle using at least the first and second images, and, based at least in part on the height of the obstacle, send an instruction via a communications bus to a component controller to control a speed of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for installation in a vehicle, comprising:

a camera configured to be mounted facing a front of the vehicle; and

a computer that includes a processor and a memory, and that is programmed to;

receive first and second images from the camera;

determine a height of an obstacle located to the front of the vehicle using at least the first and second images; and

based at least in part on the height of the obstacle, send an instruction via a communications bus to a component controller to control a speed of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instruction to the component controller is an instruction to reduce vehicle speed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the component controller is one of a brake controller and an engine controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to generate a texture map recording heights of a plurality of points in a viewing area of the camera, wherein the obstacle height is included in the texture map.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the obstacle height is determined according to a highest point in the texture map.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to send the instruction based at least in part on a slope of the obstacle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is programmed to determine the height of the obstacle when the vehicle is moving at a speed below a predetermined threshold.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is programmed to determine the height of the obstacle at least in part by determining first and second distances of the vehicle from the obstacle in the first second images, respectively, and using a comparison of the images and the distances to determine the height of the obstacle.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-camera sensor, wherein the computer is further programmed to use data from the non-camera sensor in addition to the first and second images in determining the height of the obstacle.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one second camera, wherein the computer is further programmed to receive at least one third image from the at least one second camera, and to use the third image in determining the height of the obstacle.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving first and second images from a camera mounted in a vehicle;

determining a height of an obstacle located to the front of the vehicle using at least the first and second images; and

based at least in part on the height of the obstacle, sending an instruction via a communications bus to a component controller to control a speed of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instruction to the component controller is an instruction to reduce vehicle speed.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the component controller is one of a brake controller and an engine controller.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a texture map recording heights of a plurality of points in a viewing area of the camera, wherein the obstacle height is included in the texture map.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the obstacle height is determined according to a highest point in the texture map.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending the instruction based at least in part on a slope of the obstacle.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the height of the obstacle when the vehicle is moving at a speed below a predetermined threshold.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the height of the obstacle at least in part by determining first and second distances of the vehicle from the obstacle in the first second images, respectively, and using a comparison of the images and the distances to determine the height of the obstacle.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising further comprising receiving data from at least one non-camera sensor, and using data from the non-camera sensor in addition to the first and second images in determining the height of the obstacle.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving at least one third image from at least one second camera, and to using the third image in determining the height of the obstacle.