Stop marker recognition apparatus of vehicle drive assist system

• US 7,068,154 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Kudo, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/236,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/435, 340/903, 340/904, 340/928, 340/575, 340/576, 382/103, 382/104, 382/154, 382/106, 382/270, 382/190, 382/224, 382/181, 348/148, 348/149, 348/135, 180/271, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition

Abstract

A particular area extending in a widthwise direction of a vehicle is established in a lower part of a picture image taken by CCD cameras and the area is divided into six small areas. It is judged that a stop marker exists when an average brightness of respective three successive small areas of the six small areas rises from a low level to a high level and then descends from the high level. As a result of recognition of a stop marker, in case where a stop marker exists and there is a solid object immediately ahead of the stop marker, a drive assist system gives a warning to a vehicle operator or a congestion follow-up mode is turned off. Further, in case where a stop marker exists and there is a solid object immediately ahead of the stop marker, while the vehicle is in a standstill, the drive assist system prohibits the vehicle operator from starting the vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive assist system of a vehicle having a solid object recognizing means for recognizing a solid object ahead of said vehicle, comprising:

a stop marker recognition apparatus for recognizing a stop marker ahead of said vehicle; and

a warning control means for raising an alarm when said stop marker recognition apparatus recognizes said stop marker and when said stop marker recognition apparatus recognizes said solid object immediately ahead of said stop marker.

2. The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein said stop marker recognition apparatus includes an area brightness detecting means for detecting a brightness of an area established ahead of said vehicle in a widthwise direction of said vehicle on a picture image, a brightness change comparing means for comparing a time-versus brightness change of said area;

and a stop marker judging means for judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on said time-versus brightness change of said area.

3. The drive assist system according to claim 2, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging an existence of said stop marker when said brightness of said area rises to a level higher than a specified value and then descends.

4. The drive assist system according to claim 2, wherein said area is constituted by a plurality of small areas successively connected in a widthwise direction of said vehicle.

5. The drive assist system according to claim 2, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on an averaged brightness change of successive several numbers of said small areas.

6. The drive assist system according to claim 2, wherein said brightness change comparing means compares said brightness change based on a threshold value variable in accordance with a running circumstance.

7. A drive assist system of a vehicle having a solid object recognizing means for recognizing a solid object ahead of said vehicle and a follow-up traveling means for following up a preceding vehicle while an intervehicle distance between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle is kept constant, comprising:

a stop marker recognition apparatus for recognizing a stop marker ahead of said vehicle; and

a follow-up traveling canceling means for canceling to follow up said preceding vehicle when said stop marker recognition apparatus recognizes said stop marker.

8. The drive assist system according to claim 7, wherein said stop marker recognition apparatus includes an area brightness detecting means for detecting a brightness of an area established ahead of said vehicle in a widthwise direction of said vehicle on a picture image, a brightness change comparing means for comparing a time-versus brightness change of said area;

and a stop marker judging means for judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on said time-versus brightness change of said area.

9. The drive assist system according to claim 7, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging an existence of said stop marker when said brightness of said area rises to a level higher than a specified value and then descends from said level.

10. The drive assist system according to claim 8, wherein said area is constituted by a plurality of small areas successively connected in a widthwise direction of said vehicle.

11. The drive assist system according to claim 8, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on an averaged brightness change of successive several numbers of said small areas.

12. The drive assist system according to claim 8, wherein said brightness change comparing means compares said brightness change based on a threshold value variable in accordance with a running circumstance.

13. A drive assist system of a vehicle having a solid object recognizing means for recognizing a solid object ahead of said vehicle and a follow-up traveling means for following up a preceding vehicle while an intervehicle distance between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle is kept constant, comprising:

a stop marker recognition apparatus for recognizing a stop marker ahead of said vehicle; and

a start prohibiting means for prohibiting said vehicle from starting when said stop marker recognition apparatus recognizes said stop marker and when said stop marker recognition apparatus recognizes said solid object immediately ahead of said stop marker while said vehicle is in a standstill.

14. The drive assist system according to claim 13, wherein said stop marker recognition apparatus includes an area brightness detecting means for detecting a brightness of an area established ahead of said vehicle in a widthwise direction of said vehicle on a picture image, a brightness change comparing means for comparing a time-versus brightness change of said area;

and a stop marker judging means for judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on said time-versus brightness change of said area.

15. The drive assist system according to claim 14, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging an existence of said stop marker when said brightness of said area rises to a level higher than a specified value and then descends from said level.

16. The drive assist system according to claim 14, wherein said area is constituted by a plurality of small areas successively connected in a widthwise direction of said vehicle.

17. The drive assist system according to claim 14, wherein said stop marker judging means is characterized in judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on an averaged brightness change of successive several numbers of said small areas.

18. The drive assist system according to claim 14, wherein said brightness change comparing means compares said brightness change based on a threshold value variable in accordance with a running circumstance.

19. A drive assist system of a vehicle for recognizing a stop marker ahead of said vehicle, comprising:

an area brightness detecting means for detecting a brightness of an area established ahead of said vehicle in a widthwise direction of said vehicle on a picture image;

a brightness change comparing means for comparing a time-versus-brightness change of said area; and

a stop marker judging means for judging whether or not said stop marker exists based on said time-versus-brightness change of said area.

20. The drive assist system according to claim 19, wherein said stop marker judging means judges an existence of said stop marker when said brightness of said area rises to a higher level than a specified value and then descends from said value.

21. The drive assist system according to claim 19, wherein said area is constituted by a plurality of small areas successively connected in a widthwise direction of said vehicle.

22. The drive assist system according to claim 19, wherein said stop marker judging means judges whether or not said stop marker exists based on an averaged brightness change of successive several numbers of said small areas.

23. The drive assist system according to claim 19, wherein said brightness change comparing means compares said brightness change based on a threshold value variable in accordance with a running circumference.