CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20170372151A1
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Divekar, Rohan J., VanOphem, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,049,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A vehicular control system includes a camera and a control having an image processor that processes captured image data to determine an object present in the forward field of view of the camera. The control is operable to determine an estimated time to arrival of another vehicle at a location that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle. Responsive to the received information being indicative of the state of a signal light at an intersection being green and responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is at least a threshold amount and (ii) determination that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, the control may determine that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel.

Claims

1. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle at an intersection;

wherein said control receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection; and

wherein, responsive to the received information being indicative of the state of the signal light being green and responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is at least a threshold amount and (ii) determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control determines that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel.

2. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

3. The vehicular control system of claim 2, wherein said control is responsive to data indicative of the location and trajectory of the other vehicle traveling on the road.

4. The vehicular control system of claim 3, wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the equipped vehicle.

5. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to the (i) determination that the estimated time to arrival is at least a threshold amount and (ii) determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

6. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the projected path of travel comprises a left turn by the equipped vehicle at the intersection onto the road being travelled by the other vehicle.

7. The vehicular control system of claim 6, wherein said control is responsive at least in part to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.

8. The vehicular control system of claim 7, wherein said control receives information pertaining to the state of the signal light at the intersection via at least one of (i) a vehicle to vehicle communication and (ii) a vehicle to infrastructure communication.

9. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said control receives information pertaining to the state of the signal light at the intersection via a vehicle to infrastructure communication.

10. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said control receives information pertaining to the state of the signal light at the intersection via a vehicle to vehicle communication.

11. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the other vehicle is travelling in a traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle entering that traffic lane to travel in the same direction of travel as the other vehicle.

12. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein the other vehicle is travelling in a first traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel, and wherein the equipped vehicle is travelling in a second traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel opposite to that of the other vehicle, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle crossing the first traffic lane.

13. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle at an intersection;

wherein the other vehicle is travelling in a first traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel, and wherein the equipped vehicle is travelling in a second traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel opposite to that of the other vehicle, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle crossing the first traffic lane; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is less than a threshold amount, said control engages a brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel.

14. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein, responsive at least in part to determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is less than the threshold amount, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

15. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein said control receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection, and wherein, responsive to the state of the signal light not being green, said control engages the brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel.

16. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a front portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system, said camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location on a road being travelled by the other vehicle that is in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle comprises a turn by the equipped vehicle at an intersection;

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is at least a threshold amount and (ii) determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control determines that it is safe for the equipped vehicle to proceed along the projected path of travel; and

wherein, responsive at least in part to determination that the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle is less than the threshold amount, said control engages a brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel.

17. The vehicular control system of claim 16, wherein the other vehicle is travelling in a first traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel, and wherein the equipped vehicle is travelling in a second traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel opposite to that of the other vehicle, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle crossing the first traffic lane.

18. The vehicular control system of claim 16, wherein the other vehicle is travelling in a traffic lane of the road in a direction of travel, and wherein the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle projects the equipped vehicle entering that traffic lane to travel in the same direction of travel as the other vehicle.

19. The vehicular control system of claim 18, wherein said control receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection, and wherein, responsive to the state of the signal light not being green, said control engages the brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel.

20. The vehicular control system of claim 19, wherein the projected path of travel comprises a left turn by the equipped vehicle at the intersection onto the road being travelled by the other vehicle.