Vehicle turn signal system

• US 6,972,675 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mills, Aaron L., Engelman, Gerald H., Xu, Liwen, Beydoun, Samir Mohamad
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/762,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 340/476, 340463-465, 340/468, 340/475
• US Class Current: 340/476
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/40 having mechanical, electric or electronic automatic return to inoperative position

Abstract

A turn signal system includes at least one sensor detecting road markers and generating therefrom road marker signals. A turn signal deactivates in response to a control command generated by a controller. The controller receives the road marker signals, and determines at least one of whether the system is undergoing a turning condition or has completed the turning condition from the road marker signals. The controller generates the control command when the system has completed the turning condition. A redundancy system verifies the control command.

Claims

1. A turn signal system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one sensor detecting road markers and generating therefrom road marker signals;

a turn signal deactivating in response to a control command;

a controller receiving said road marker signals, said controller determining at least one of whether the system is undergoing a turning condition or has completed said turning condition from said road marker signals, said controller generating said control command when the system has completed said turning condition; and

a redundancy system verifying said control command;

wherein said redundancy system comprises a GPS system comprising a GPS receiver receiving signals from a staellite indicating a position of the system relative to said road markers.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an array of sensors detecting a position and a velocity of the system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said turning condition comprises a turn or a lane change.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said controller further generates a determination as to whether the system is at rest and at a traffic light, a stop sign, or other traffic regulating medium, said controller generating a turn signal wait signal as a function of said determination.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said turn signal is activated in response to a driver input or an activation signal from said controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said road marker signals comprise road landscapes, lane marks, signs, fences, and traffic lights.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said redundancy system further comprises a secondary vision system, or an accelerometer system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a vision system, a radar sensor, or a lidar sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a vision system comprising a camera and a vision system processor, wherein one of said processor or said controller process image signal data and classify said road markers, thereby generating said road marker signals.

10. A control method for a vehicle having a turn signal comprising:

receiving road marker data;

analyzing said road marker data as a function of predetermined road conditions;

generating a control command to turn off the turn signal in response to said predetermined road conditions indicating one of a turn is completed or a lane change is completed;

verifying occurrence of said at least one of said turn is completed or said lane change is completed as a redundancy check;

wherein verifying comprises receiving satellite tracking information for the vehicle and generating a verified turn completed signal as a function of a determination that the vehicle has completed said turn or generating a verified lane change signal as a function of a determination that the vehicle has completed said lane change; and

switching off the turn signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing further comprises analyzing whether said road marker data indicates that the vehicle is stopped, is turning, has completed a turn, is changing lanes, or has completed a lane change.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein verifying further comprises determining whether the vehicle is in motion or stopped for longer than a threshold amount of time.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein generating further comprises checking whether the vehicle is traveling above a threshold speed for the vehicle making a lane change and below said threshold speed for the vehicle turning at an intersection.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a warning signal when the turn signal is activated while a blind spot vehicle prohibits lane changing.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein switching of the turn signal further comprises switching off the turn signal when the turn signal has been activated for a threshold length of time wherein no turning or lane changing operation has occurred.

16. A control method for a vehicle having a turn signal comprising:

activating the turn signal;

receiving road marker data;

analyzing said road marker data as a function of predetermined road conditions, thereby determining whether said road marker data indicates that the vehicle is stopped, is turning, has completed a turn, is changing lanes, or has completed a lane change;

generating a control command to turn off the turn signal in response to said predetermined road conditions indicating one of a turn is completed or a lane change is completed;

verifying occurrence of said at least one of said turn is completed or said lane change is completed through a GPS system as a redundancy check;

generating a verified turn completed signal as a function of a determination that the vehicle has completed said turn or generating a verified lane change signal as a function of a determination that the vehicle has completed said lane change; and

switching off the turn signal in response to at least one of;

said verified turn completed signal, said turn is completed, said a lane change is completed, or a signal indicating the turn signal has been activated for a threshold length of time wherein no turning or lane changing operation has occurred.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising generating a warning signal when the turn signal is activated while a blind spot vehicle prohibits lane changing.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein verifying further comprises determining whether the vehicle is in motion or stopped for longer than a threshold amount of time.