Driver assistance system for a road vehicle

• US 7,684,907 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Simon, Julien, Kopf, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US11/075,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 701/34, 701/39, 701/45, 701/48, 701/96, 701/301, 701/29, 701/31, 701/36, 701/43, 701/97, 340/438, 340/439, 340/903, 180/272, 180/275, 180/280
• US Class Current: 701/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/18 including a device to audibly, visibly, or otherwise signal the existence of unusual or unintended speed to the driver of the vehicle devices primarily intended for indicating speed to other traffic B60Q1/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/086 using driver related features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/007 adjustable by the driver, e.g. sport mode
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00

Abstract

The invention relates to a driver assistance system provided with an auxiliary system. The driver assistance system comprises detecting means for detecting information about a vehicle and influencing means for influencing a direction of movement and/or the speed of the vehicle according to information about said environment. The auxiliary system is used for issuing assistance information to the driver of the vehicle. The auxiliary system comprises recognition means for recognizing whether the driver assistance system can be operated in a reliable manner in a momentary environment state and/or in a future environment state and/or an operational state of the vehicle. The auxiliary system is connected to the recognition means and is embodied in such a manner that information can be given to the driver during operation of the vehicle if the driver assistance system cannot be operated in a reliable manner.

Claims

1. A method for operating a driver assistance system for a road vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

capturing environment information about an environment of the vehicle, the environment information including at least one of the current position of the vehicle, the type of road on which the vehicle is located, and the current weather in the location of the vehicle;

outputting, during operation of the vehicle, help information regarding the driver assistance system to a driver of the vehicle;

detecting, based on the captured environment information, whether the driver assistance system can be operated within a particular operating range in at least one of an instantaneous condition of the environment, future expected condition of the environment, instantaneous operating condition of the vehicle, and future expected condition of the vehicle; and

notifying the driver via the help information if the driver assistance system cannot be operated within the particular operating range.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is detected which driver is driving the vehicle, and it is decided as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein it is decided based upon the history of help information already output to the driver thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

4. The method according to one of the claim 2, wherein a reaction of the driver to already output help information is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a usage of at least one of the driver assistance system and at least one other device of the vehicle by the driver is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is decided based upon the history of help information already output to the driver thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

7. The method according to one of the claim 6, wherein a reaction of the driver to already output help information is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein a usage of at least one of the driver assistance system and at least one other device of the vehicle by the driver is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

9. The method according to one of the claim 1, wherein a reaction of the driver to already output help information is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a usage of at least one of the driver assistance system and at least one other device of the vehicle by the driver is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a usage of at least one of the driver assistance system and at least one other device of the vehicle by the driver is evaluated, and wherein it is determined as a function thereof at least one of whether help information is output to the driver and which help information is output to the driver.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a moving direction and a speed of the vehicle are influenced as a function of the environment information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting is based on the captured environment information and an operating condition of the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

determining whether a predetermined limit is reached; and

automatically turning off the driver assistance system when the predetermined limit is reached.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined limit is a minimum speed of another vehicle located in front of the road vehicle.

16. A driver assistance system for a road vehicle, the driver assistance system comprising:

an acquisition device for capturing environment information about an environment of the vehicle, the environment information including at least one of the current position of the vehicle, the type of road on which the vehicle is located, and the current weather in the location of the vehicle;

a help system for the output of help information to the driver of the vehicle; and

detection instruments for detecting, based on the captured environment information, whether the driver assistance system can be operated within a particular operating range in at least one of an instantaneous condition of the environment, future expected condition of the environment, instantaneous operating condition of the vehicle, and future expected condition of the vehicle, wherein the help system is connected with the detection instruments, and is designed to notify the driver during an operation of the vehicle if the driver assistance system cannot be operated within the particular operating range.

17. The driver assistance system according to claim 16, further comprising an influencing unit for influencing at least one of a movement direction and a speed of the vehicle as a function of the environment information.