Method and device for avoiding a collision in a lane change maneuver of a vehicle

• US 7,893,819 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Lüke, Stefan, Arbitmann, Maxim, Fröhlich, Dirk, Pfeiffer, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Application Number:
  US11/885,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/438, 340/425.5, 701/209, 701/301, 701/1, 701/36, 701/41
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01265 Seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for avoiding a collision in a lane change maneuver of a vehicle to a target lane, where objects in a lateral rearward space of the vehicle are detected by an ambience monitoring device and measures are taken to influence the vehicle. The method is characterized in that graded measures are provided that depending on their stage, involve warning the driver and/or intervening into a steering system of the vehicle and/or influencing safety devices. The measures of a selected stage are initiated, with the stage being determined depending on a relative position of a detected object with regard to the vehicle and/or a relative speed between the vehicle and the detected object as well as depending on the fulfillment of a lane change condition. Also disclosed is a device that is well suited to implement the method.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding a collision in a lane change maneuver of a vehicle from an instantaneous lane to a target lane, the method comprising:

detecting objects in a lateral rearward space of the vehicle; and

taking measures are to influence the vehicle, wherein the measures, depending on their stage, involve at least one of warning a driver, intervening into a steering system of the vehicle, and influencing a safety device, and measures of a selected stage are initiated, with the stage being determined depending on at least one of a relative position of a detected object (4) with regard to the vehicle (1) and a relative speed between the vehicle (1) and the detected object (4) as well as depending on fulfillment of a lane change condition, and wherein a steering torque that is invariable in terms of direction is applied to a steering handle in order to return the vehicle (1) completely into the instantaneous lane or to keep it in the lane when, on account of a lane change to the target lane, the longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and the object (4) detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance, when a second lane change condition is satisfied, and when the danger potential exceeds a first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing a rearward space of the vehicle to determine a shape of the road in the rearward space of the vehicle (1).

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

predicting a path of the detected object (4) depending on the position of the detected object (4) with regard to the vehicle (1), the relative speed between the detected object (4) and the vehicle (1), and the shape of the road.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

allocating a detected object (4) is allocated to the target lane based on a relative position of the object (4) with regard to the vehicle (1) and based on the shape of the road.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing a road marking (9;

10) separating the instantaneous lane of the vehicle (1) from the target lane.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a second lane change condition is satisfied when a distance between the vehicle (1) and the road marking (9;

10) decreases during a predetermined period or below a predetermined minimum distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering an alarm signal when, on account of a lane change to the target lane, a longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and an object (4) detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lane change condition is satisfied when a driver activates a direction sign on the vehicle side directed towards the target lane.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

triggering a haptic alarm signal when, due to a lane change to the target lane, a longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and the object (4) detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance and when a second lane change condition is satisfied.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the haptic alarm signal is triggered because a steering torque that changes the direction is applied to a steering handle of the vehicle (1).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a second lane change condition is satisfied when a lateral distance between the vehicle (1) and a detected object (4) that is allocated to the target lane decreases during a predetermined period and/or below a predetermined minimum distance.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a danger potential depending on the longitudinal distance, which would develop due to a lane change to the target lane between the vehicle (1) and the object (4) detected within the target lane, and depending on a relative speed between the vehicle (1) and the detected object (4).

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a position of the vehicle within a lane based on a shape of a road, and determining a danger potential depending on the position of the vehicle (1) in the lane.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the danger potential is determined based on at least one of the speed of the vehicle, a yaw rate of the vehicle, a steering angle of steerable wheels of the vehicle, a steering angle velocity, or a steering torque generated by a driver of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a distance between the vehicle (1) and an object in a space in front of the vehicle (1), and applying a direction-constant torque to a steering handle only when no object is detected in front of the vehicle, whose distance from the vehicle (1) is shorter than a predetermined minimum distance.

16. The method claim 1, wherein the minimum distance is determined depending on a relative speed between the vehicle (1) and an object detected in the space in front of the vehicle (1).

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

influencing at least one reversible safety element of the vehicle (1) when, on account of a lane change to the target lane, the longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and an object (4) detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance, when a second lane change condition is satisfied and when the danger potential exceeds a second threshold value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second threshold value is higher than the first threshold value.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

influencing at least one reversible safety element of the vehicle (1) is influenced when it is found out on account of the predicted path of the object that the object is on a collision course with the vehicle (1) and a collision with the vehicle (1) has to be expected within a first time to collision.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the reversible safety element is at least one actuator serving to change a seat position of a driver or passenger of the vehicle (1).

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the reversible safety element is at least one actuator serving to close a sliding roof or a window of the vehicle (1).

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

influencing at least one irreversible safety element of the vehicle (1) when, on account of a lane change to the target lane, the longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and the object detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance, when a second lane change condition is satisfied and when the danger potential exceeds a third threshold value.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

influencing at least one irreversible safety element of the vehicle (1) when it is detected on account of the predicted path of the object that the object is on a collision course with the vehicle (1) and a collision with the vehicle (1) has to be expected within a second time to collision.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second collision period is shorter than the first time to collision.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the irreversible safety element is influenced by changing activation criteria of the irreversible safety element.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the irreversible safety element is an air bag.

20. The method of 19, wherein the reversible safety element is a reversible seat-belt pretensioning system.

28. A device for avoiding a collision in a lane change maneuver of a vehicle to a target lane, the device comprising:

an ambience monitoring device that is used to sense objects in a rearward space of the vehicle;

a danger computer that initiates graded measures to influence the vehicle (1), with the graded measures, corresponding to a respective stages, including at least one of warning a driver, intervening into a steering system of the vehicle (1), and influencing a safety element, wherein the danger computer initiates measures of a stage, which can be determined depending on at least one of a relative position of a detected object (4) with regard to the vehicle (1) or a relative speed between the vehicle (1) and the detected object (4), and also depends on a fulfillment of a lane change condition, and wherein a steering torque that is invariable in terms of direction is applied to a steering handle in order to return the vehicle (1) completely into the instantaneous lane or to keep it in the lane when, on account of a lane change to the target lane, the longitudinal distance between the vehicle (1) and the object (4) detected within the target lane would become shorter than a predetermined minimum distance, when a second lane change condition is satisfied, and when the danger potential exceeds a first threshold value.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the ambience monitoring device (5;

6) is a camera system having two camera sensors (5, 6).

30. The device of claim 29, wherein one camera sensor (5;

6) is arranged at a vehicle side.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the camera sensors (5, 6) are integrated into the exterior rearview mirrors (7, 8) of the vehicle (1).

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the ambience monitoring device includes a camera sensor directed to a rearward space of the vehicle (1) and a short-range sensor on each vehicle side, and objects in a lateral area of the vehicle can be detected by the short-range sensors.

33. The device of claim 28, wherein the ambience monitoring device can be employed to measure a parking gap.

34. The device of claim 28, wherein the danger computer determines a size of a parking gap.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the danger computer determines a path of the vehicle (1) for negotiating the parking gap starting from a start position by way of signals from the monitoring device.