Guidance system for assisting lane change of a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. A guidance system for assisting a driving lane change of a vehicle, comprising:
- an object detection unit for detecting objects in a monitored area which is rearward and laterally adjacent of the vehicle;
a warning indicating unit;
an analysis unit which determines by means of signals supplied to it by the object detection unit whether an object is situated in a dead angle section of the monitored rearward area, and whether an object in a section of the monitored rearward side space which is rearwardly beyond the dead angle section is moving forward at a higher speed than the vehicle, and activates the warning indicating unit for emitting a warning signal if, in addition, it detects a lane change request pertaining to the corresponding side area;
wherein a position detection device determines path data for the vehicle and road geometry data for a road on which the vehicle travels, as well as a position of the vehicle on the road;
an analysis unit stores said path data, road geometry, and position of the vehicle; and
when the object detection unit detects an object which is following in the rearward side space, corresponding to a road distance traveled by the vehicle, for which the position detection device has determined path data and road geometry that are stored by said analysis unit, a position assignment of the object relative to the road is determined by the analysis unit relative to the road, based on the stored path data and road geometry.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle guidance system for assisting a driving lane change includes an object detection unit for detecting objects in a laterally adjacent rearward side space area of the vehicle. An analysis unit receives signals from the object detection unit and determines whether an object is situated in a dead angle section (blind spot) of the monitored rearward side space, or whether any such object in a section of the monitored rearward side space which is rearward beyond a dead angle section is moving forward at a higher speed than the system vehicle. If so, and if, in addition, it detects at the same time a lane change request pertaining to the corresponding side area, it activates a warning indicating unit for emitting a warning signal. According to the invention, a position detection device is provided which determines path data of the obstacle vehicle and the road geometry data, as well as the position of the system vehicle on the road. When the object detection unit detects an obstacle vehicle which is following in the rearward side space, corresponding to the covered distance recorded by the position detection device and the road geometry, a position assignment of the vehicle which is following is determined relative to the road.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A guidance system for assisting a driving lane change of a vehicle, comprising:
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an object detection unit for detecting objects in a monitored area which is rearward and laterally adjacent of the vehicle;
a warning indicating unit;
an analysis unit which determines by means of signals supplied to it by the object detection unit whether an object is situated in a dead angle section of the monitored rearward area, and whether an object in a section of the monitored rearward side space which is rearwardly beyond the dead angle section is moving forward at a higher speed than the vehicle, and activates the warning indicating unit for emitting a warning signal if, in addition, it detects a lane change request pertaining to the corresponding side area;
whereina position detection device determines path data for the vehicle and road geometry data for a road on which the vehicle travels, as well as a position of the vehicle on the road;
an analysis unit stores said path data, road geometry, and position of the vehicle; and
when the object detection unit detects an object which is following in the rearward side space, corresponding to a road distance traveled by the vehicle, for which the position detection device has determined path data and road geometry that are stored by said analysis unit, a position assignment of the object relative to the road is determined by the analysis unit relative to the road, based on the stored path data and road geometry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
the guidance assistance system is activated only by the request for a driving direction indication; and
a requested driving direction indication takes place only when a possible lane change is signaled.
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8. The guidance system for assisting a lane change according to claim 1, wherein a detected object which follows is assigned to a corresponding adjacent lane when such object is offset to the left or right of the vehicle by a road width.
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9. The method for assisting a driving lane change by an operator of a vehicle, comprising:
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monitoring an area which is rearward and laterally adjacent of the vehicle by means of sensors to detect presence of an object within the monitored area, as well as distance and angular position of said object relative to the vehicle;
determining a position of the vehicle on a road traveled by the vehicle;
detecting vehicle navigational operating parameters for said vehicle;
determining road geometry of the road traveled by the vehicle based on said vehicle operating parameters;
determining a position of said object relative to the vehicle;
determining a position of said object relative to the road based on said road geometry, position of said vehicle on the road and position of said object relative to the vehicle; and
activating an alarm which said operator signals a lane change to a target lane at a time when an object is present in said target lane in said monitored area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for determining a lane position of an object which follows a vehicle, relative to a segment of roadway traversed by the vehicle, said method comprising:
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detecting motion parameters of said vehicle as it traverses a segment of roadway comprising a plurality of lanes;
detecting position of the vehicle relative to said traversed segment of roadway;
determining road geometry of said traversed segment of roadway based on said motion parameters and said position of the vehicle detected as said vehicle traverses said segment of roadway;
detecting position, relative to said vehicle, of said object which follows said vehicle; and
determining a lane position of said object relative to said traversed segment of roadway based on said road geometry, and said detected position of said object relative to said vehicle.
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Specification