Arrangement and method for detecting objects from a motor vehicle

• US 6,166,628 A
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Andreas, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/969,225
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/933, 340/942, 340/943, 701/96, 701/223, 701/301, 180/169
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement includes a distance controller having a distance-sensing device for emitting and receiving object-reflected measuring beams in different directions and having an evaluation unit. The measuring beams received by the distance-sensing device are appraised as a function of the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is being driven. For this purpose an appraisal device receives information from the distance sensing device and from a transmitter unit which supplies information on the road geometry of the road. The appraisal device appraises the measuring beams reflected from different directions as a function of the information on the road geometry.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement comprising:

at least one distance-sensing device for emitting radiation beams in different directions with respect to a central axis and for receiving object-reflected measuring beams;

an evaluation system for determining object direction and object distance from the received measuring beams;

a transmitter for providing information relating to the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is being driven; and

an appraisal arrangement which receives information from the evaluation system and from the transmitter and appraises the information from the evaluation system as a function of the road geometry, wherein information relating to detected objects is stored in the evaluation system resulting from appraisal of measuring beams reflected from the objects.

7. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the appraisal of the object-reflected measuring beams in the appraisal device is carried out in accordance with a specific distance to the object from which the beam is reflected.

8. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the transmitter provides road geometry information based on at least one steering angle sensor, or at least one wheel speed sensor, or corresponding road information from a stored road map.

9. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement according to claim 1 including at least one of a distance controller and a distance-warning device.

10. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the distance controller and the distance-warning device takes account of or ignores detected objects as a function of information provided by reflected measuring beams.

2. A method for detecting objects from a motor vehicle comprising:

emitting measuring beams from a distance-sensing device in different directions with regard to a central beam;

receiving measuring beams reflected from detected objects;

evaluating the received measuring beams to determined an object direction and an object distance; and

appraising the reflected measuring beams received by the distance-sensing device as a function of the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is being driven, wherein information relating to the appraisal of reflected measuring beams from detected objects is stored in an evaluation device.

3. A method for detecting objects from a motor vehicle comprising:

emitting a plurality of measuring beams from a distance-sensing device in different fixed directions with regard to a central beam;

receiving a plurality of corresponding measuring beams reflected from detected objects;

evaluating the received measuring beams to determine an object direction and an object distance; and

appraising the reflected measuring beams received by the distance-sensing device as a function of stored information relating to the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is being driven including at least one of a road curvature, a road width and a lane width and rejecting information received from regions outside the geometry of the road.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the appraisal of the reflected measuring beams is carried out in accordance with a specific distance of an object from which a beam is reflected.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein information relating to appraisal of measuring beams reflected from an object is taken into account or ignored in at least one of a distance controller and a distance-warning device.

6. A motor vehicle object-detecting arrangement comprising:

at least one distance-sensing device for emitting a plurality of radiation beams in different fixed directions with respect to a central axis and for receiving a plurality of corresponding object-reflected measuring beams;

an evaluation system for determining object direction and object distance from the received measuring beams;

a transmitter for providing stored information relating to the geometry of the road on which the vehicle is being driven including at least one of a road curvature, a road width and a lane width; and

an appraisal arrangement which receives information from the evaluation system and from the transmitter and appraises the information from the evaluation system as a function of the road geometry and rejects information received from regions outside the geometry of the road.