Method and system for improving traffic safety

• US 7,782,184 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Lars, Wittorf, Marten
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/515,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/463, 340/815.45, 340/468, 701/35, 701/45, 701/301, 345/82, 362/464, 362/104, 362/283
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/145 Illumination specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. using gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and system for improving traffic safety when driving a vehicle on a roadway including detecting at least one object in the immediate surroundings of the vehicle, analyzing the at least one detected object, deciding whether the at least one analyzed object is relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle, and illuminating, via a light source, the roadway with a light pattern indicating the at least one object which is considered to be relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle, thereby improving traffic safety.

Claims

1. A method of improving traffic safety when driving a vehicle on a roadway, comprising:

detecting at least one object in the immediate surroundings of the vehicle;

analyzing said at least one detected object;

deciding whether said at least one analyzed object is relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle; and

illuminating, via a light source, the roadway with a light pattern indicating the at least one object which is considered to be relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle, thereby improving traffic safety.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of deciding whether said at least analyzed object is relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of said vehicle comprises the step of determining a traffic safety relevance index indicative of a relative danger to traffic safety of said at least one object.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of determining a traffic safety relevance index comprises the step of determining a motion vector of said at least one object.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of illuminating the roadway includes projecting a light pattern that corresponds to the determined traffic safety index.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light source emits light varying with a wavelength which depends on the traffic safety relevance index of said at least one object.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises retrieving data on the immediate surroundings of said vehicle.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the immediate surroundings of said vehicle includes an area in front of the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving data on the immediate surroundings of the vehicle occurs by use of at least one of a camera, a radar, and a device for retrieving position based navigation information.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of illuminating the roadway with a light pattern includes pulsing the light pattern to increase attention on the object.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roadway light indication is separate provided separate from the analyzed object.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the roadway light indication is a light pattern indication.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, illuminating the roadway with a light pattern includes illuminating the roadway in a direction of the analyzed object which the vehicle is approaching with a light pattern indicating a type of object involved.

13. A system for improving traffic safety when driving a vehicle on a roadway, comprising:

means for detecting at least one object in the immediate surroundings of the vehicle;

means for analyzing said at least one detected object;

means for deciding whether said at least one analyzed object is relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle; and

means for illuminating, via a light source, the roadway with a light pattern indicating the at least one object which is considered to be relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle, thereby improving traffic safety.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for deciding whether said at least analyzed object is relevant in terms of traffic safety to the driving of the vehicle comprises a means for determining a traffic safety relevance index indicative of a relative danger to traffic safety of said at least one object.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means which determines the traffic safety relevance index comprises a means for determining a motion vector of said at least one object.

16. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the means which determines a traffic safety relevance safety comprises a means for determining a motion vector of said at least one object.

17. A system as claimed in claim 13, further comprising means for retrieving data on the immediate surroundings of said vehicle.

18. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means which retrieves data on the immediate surroundings of said vehicle is one of a camera, a radar, and a device for retrieving position based navigation information.

19. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means which illuminates the roadway is one of a headlight and a laser light source.

20. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means which illuminates the roadway emits light varying with a wavelength which depends on the traffic safety relevance index of said at least one object.