Device for classifying at least one object with the aid of an environmental sensor system

• US 7,636,625 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kuttenberger, Alfred, Weber, Dirk, Theisen, Marc, Bunse, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US10/541,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/1, 701/36, 701/65, 701/70, 701/79, 701/93, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301, 701/200, 180/167, 180/169, 180/271, 180/282, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 280/734, 280/735
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/72 for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/415 Identification of targets based on measurements of movement associated with the target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4804 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying lidar signals or the like, e.g. laser illuminators
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A device for classifying at least one object with the aid of an environmental sensor system. The device classifies the at least one object on the basis of its velocity and acceleration, the device determining the velocity and the acceleration from a signal of the environmental sensor system.

Claims

1. A device for classifying at least one object with the aid of an environmental sensor system of a vehicle, comprising:

a classifying arrangement to classify the at least one object based on its object velocity and object acceleration; and

a determining arrangement to determine the object velocity and the object acceleration from at least one signal of the environmental sensor system;

wherein the device is adapted to be coupled to a restraint system and is capable of controlling the restraint system as a function of the classification of the at least one object and a relative velocity of the at least one object relative to the vehicle, and

wherein the device classifies the at least one object into one of;

a first object class or a second object class, the first object class being a vehicle object class and the second object class being a pedestrian object class.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the object acceleration is determined based on at least one reference acceleration.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the object acceleration is determined based on a time characteristic of a reference velocity and of the object velocity.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the object velocity is determined with the aid of a relative velocity.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the object velocity is determined on the basis of a time characteristic of location information.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the environmental sensor system has at least one photonic mixer device.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the environmental sensor system has a LIDAR system.

8. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is configured for outputting information to the driver, the output taking place as a function of the classification.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the information is outputted haptically.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the restraint system is also as a function of at least one additional crash parameter.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to, after the classification of the at least one object has been performed, test the accuracy of the classification using a position of the at least one object.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the position of the at least one object can have a first value and a second value, the first value indicating that the at least one object is on the roadway, the second value indicating that the at least one object is next to the roadway.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to control the restraint system in a different manner for different object classifications.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to not classify objects having a substantially zero object velocity.

15. The device of claim 3, wherein the device is configured to determine the reference velocity based on at least one of:

a wheel velocity, an anti-lock braking (ABS) system, or a tachometer.

16. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is configured to determine the object velocity also based on a reference velocity, and the device is configured to receive the reference velocity from a controller area network (CAN).

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the object velocity is determined based on a relative velocity of the at least one object relative to the vehicle, a reference velocity of the vehicle, and a braking status of the vehicle.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the object acceleration is determined based on a time characteristic of a reference velocity and of the object velocity, wherein the object velocity is determined based on at least one of a relative velocity and a time characteristic of location information, wherein information is output to the driver as a function of the classification, wherein the object velocity is determined based on the relative velocity of the at least one object relative to the vehicle, a reference velocity of the vehicle, and a braking status of the vehicle, and wherein the reference velocity is determined based on at least one of a wheel velocity, an anti-lock braking (ABS) system, or a tachometer.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein after the classification of the at least one object has been performed, the accuracy of the classification is tested using a position of the at least one object, wherein the position of the at least one object can have a first value and a second value, the first value indicating that the at least one object is on the roadway, the second value indicating that the at least one object is next to the roadway, wherein the restraint system is controlled differently for different object classifications, and wherein objects having a substantially zero object velocity are not classified.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the environmental sensor system has a LIDAR system, wherein the information is outputted haptically, and wherein the controlling of the restraint system is also as a function of at least one additional crash parameter.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein objects having a velocity of zero are classified so as to be excluded, and wherein a plausibility of the classification of the excluded objects is confirmed based on a static position of the excluded objects.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein moving and pedestrians are classified based on their movement patterns, including their specific velocity and acceleration characteristics, wherein objects having a velocity of zero are classified so as to be excluded, and wherein a plausibility of the classification of the excluded objects is confirmed based on a static position of the excluded objects.

23. A method for classifying at least one object with the aid of an environmental sensor system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

classifying the at least one object based on an object velocity and an object acceleration of the at least one object, wherein the classifying classifies the at least one object into one of;

a first object class or a second object class, the first object class being a vehicle object class and the second object class being a pedestrian object class;

determining the object velocity and the object acceleration from at least one signal of the environmental sensor system; and

controlling a restraint system as a function of the classification of the at least one object and a relative velocity of the at least one object relative to the vehicle;

wherein the device classifies the at least one object into one of;

the first object class, the second object class or a third object class, the third object class being a securely-anchored object class.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the object acceleration is determined based on a time characteristic of a reference velocity and of the object velocity, wherein the object velocity is determined based on at least one of a relative velocity and a time characteristic of location information, wherein information is output to the driver as a function of the classification, wherein the object velocity is determined based on the relative velocity of the at least one object relative to the vehicle, a reference velocity of the vehicle, and a braking status of the vehicle, and wherein the reference velocity is determined based on at least one of a wheel velocity, an anti-lock braking (ABS) system, or a tachometer.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

testing, after the classification of the at least one object has been performed, the accuracy of the classification using a position of the at least one object;

wherein the position of the at least one object can have a first value and a second value, the first value indicating that the at least one object is on the roadway, the second value indicating that the at least one object is next to the roadway, wherein the device is configured to control the restraint system in a different manner for different object classifications, wherein objects having a substantially zero object velocity are not classified.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the environmental sensor system has a LIDAR system, wherein the information is outputted haptically, and wherein the controlling of the restraint system is also as a function of at least one additional crash parameter.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein objects having a velocity of zero are classified so as to be excluded, and wherein a plausibility of the classification of the excluded objects is confirmed based on a static position of the excluded objects.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein moving and pedestrians are classified based on their movement patterns, including their specific velocity and acceleration characteristics, wherein objects having a velocity of zero are classified so as to be excluded, and wherein a plausibility of the classification of the excluded objects is confirmed based on a static position of the excluded objects.