Method and assistance system for detecting objects in the surrounding area of a vehicle

• US 8,457,359 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Strauss, Mattias, Komar, Matthias, Swoboda, Adam, Yin, Xiuxun
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANSARI, TAHMINA N
• Application Number:
  US12/918,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20110044507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/32 Vehicle surroundings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method for determining relevant objects in a vehicle moving on a roadway An assistance function is executed in relation to a position of a relevant object, and the relevant objects are determined on the basis of an image evaluation of images of a surrounding area of the vehicle. The images are detected by way of camera sensors. By way of a radar sensor positions of stationary objects in the surrounding area of the vehicle are determined. A profile of a roadway edge is determined using the positions of the stationary objects and that the image evaluation is carried out in relation to the roadway edge profile determined. A driver assistance system suitable for carrying out the method is also described.

Claims

1. A method for determining relevant objects for a vehicle moving on a roadway, comprising:

carrying out an assistance function in relation to a position of a relevant object,

determining the relevant objects on the basis of an image evaluation of images of a surrounding area of the vehicle, said images being detected by way of camera sensors,

determining positions of stationary objects located in the surrounding area of the vehicle and outside of an edge of the roadway by way of a radar sensor,

determining a profile of the roadway edge using the positions of the stationary objects, and

carrying out the image evaluation in relation to the determined roadway edge profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein carrying out a first assistance function further comprises executing a safety measure, wherein the safety measure is executed, if a relevant object has been detected, with which the vehicle could probably collide.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein on the basis of the image evaluation an object is determined as a relevant object only in case it lies outside of a range, in which the determined roadway edge is located.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein on the basis of the image evaluation an object is determined as a relevant object only in case it lies outside of a range on a side facing away from the vehicle of the determined roadway edge.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a stationary object detected by way of the radar sensor, whose distance to the determined roadway edge exceeds a value, is classified as not belonging to the roadway edge.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein an object, which is classified as not belonging to the roadway edge, can be determined on the basis of the image evaluation as a relevant object, in case the object lies on a side facing the vehicle of the roadway edge.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the determination of the roadway edge profile objects are not taken into consideration, which are classified as not belonging to the roadway edge.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein on the basis of the camera images a lane marking is detected, and wherein a lane-keeping assistance function initiates a measure depending on a relative position of the vehicle with regard to the detected lane marking and depending on a comparison between the profile of the lane marking and the determined roadway edge profile.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a measure provided due to the relative position of the vehicle with regard to the lane marking is suppressed, if the profile of the lane marking and the determined roadway edge profile deviate from each other in predetermined manner.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the roadway edge profile is determined on the basis of a model-based description, by estimating parameters of the model.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the parameters are selected from the group comprising:

a lateral distance of the roadway edge to the vehicle, an angle of the roadway edge to the vehicle longitudinal direction, a curvature of the roadway edge and a change of the curvature of the roadway edge.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the model describes a linear profile of the roadway edge and the parameters comprise a lateral distance of the vehicle and/or an angle of the roadway edge towards the vehicle longitudinal direction.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera sensor comprises a first detection range and the radar sensor a second detection range, which at least partially overlaps with the first detection range.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radar sensor is a component of a system for adaptive speed control contained in the vehicle.

15. A driver assistance system for a vehicle moving on a roadway comprising:

a camera sensor for detecting camera images of a surrounding area of the vehicle,

an evaluation unit configured to determine relevant objects on the basis of the camera images,

an assistance device coupled with the evaluation unit and configured to execute an assistance function depending on a position of a relevant object,

a radar sensor for detecting objects located in the surrounding area of the vehicle and outside of an edge of the roadway, and

an estimator configured to determine a profile of the roadway edge on the basis of positions of the objects detected by the radar sensor and wherein the image evaluation in the evaluation unit is feasible depending on the determined roadway edge profile.