Method and device for determining the speed of a vehicle

• US 8,140,214 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Fechner, Thomas, Riedel, Helmut, Grunleithner, Holger, Krökel, Dieter, Thiel, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, CE LI
• Application Number:
  US11/792,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,316 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/28, 701/29, 348/142, 348/148, 702/142, 702/149
• US Class Current: 701/32.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/806 in devices of the type to be classified in G01P3/68
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining a speed of a vehicle (1), whereby at least two images (A, B) of an area surrounding the vehicle are recorded in time succession using a camera on the vehicle (1), and between the images (A, B) changes (2) in a position and/or a size of at least one object (X) contained in the images (X) are determined, and from the changes, a speed of the vehicle (1) is determined relative to the object (X).

Claims

1. A method for determining a speed of a vehicle (1), the method comprising:

recording at least two images (A, B) of an area surrounding the vehicle in time succession using a mono-camera on the vehicle (1) wherein the mono-camera is at least partially horizontally aligned;

determining, between the images (A, B), changes (2) in a position and a size of at least one object (X) contained in the images, wherein the object (X) is fixed in relation to a sub-ground of the vehicle (1) and is at least one end of a middle line segment of a roadway marking; and

determining from the changes the speed of the vehicle (1) relative to the object (X).

2. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a longitudinal or a transverse speed of the vehicle (1) is determined.

3. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein if several objects (X) of the same type are contained in the images (A, B), errors in the changes (2) are determined for each of the objects (X) of the same type, and in order to determine the speed, the object (X) is used for which the change (2) shows the least severe error.

4. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein that in order to determine the speed, from the changes (2), a movement vector of the vehicle (1) is determined relative to the object (X).

5. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the movement vector is perspectively corrected and scaled based on a calibration of the camera.

6. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the images (A, B) are filtered.

7. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the images (A, B) are used from a series recorded continuously in succession.

8. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the changes are determined from two images (A, B) which follow immediately in succession.

9. The method for determining a speed of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the mono-camera is a camera of a tracking system, or a reverse drive camera, or a camera for a blind angle is used as a camera.

10. A device for determining a speed of vehicle, the device comprising:

a mono-camera on a vehicle (1) for recording two or more images (A,B) in time succession, wherein the mono-camera is aligned at least partially horizontally; and

an evaluation unit which is connected to the camera, wherein the evaluation unit determines, between the two or more images (A, B), changes in a position and a size of at least one object (X) contained in the images, and from the changes, the speed of the vehicle (1) relative to the object (X) can be determined;

wherein the at least one object (X) is at least one end of a middle line segment of a roadway marking.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the mono-camera is a camera of a tracking system, a reverse drive camera, or a camera for a blind angle.