Method for detecting an environment of a vehicle

• US 8,493,195 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Lee, Wei-Chia
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US12/444,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 340435-437, 340/943
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions

Abstract

A method is used for detecting the environment of a vehicle and utilizes a number of sensors, the sensors having different detection ranges, and a transition of an object between two detection ranges is bridged by prediction by using a handover algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an environment of a vehicle having a plurality of sensors, the sensors having different detection ranges, comprising:

activating a plurality of signal lights to alert a driver of a presence of an object in a transition between two detection ranges;

bridging the transition of the object between two detection ranges by prediction by utilizing a handover algorithm; and

terminating the activation of the signal lights if the object does not enter a range of one of the sensors by a predicted time value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a blind spot region of the vehicle is detected using at least one of the sensors.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the blind spot region of the vehicle is detected by an ultrasonic sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a sensor having a long range is used to detect a region in a rear of the vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a warning is output if a dangerous situation exists.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driver is alerted of the transition between two detection ranges by an interface.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is used to aid a lane change assistant.

8. A system for detecting an environment of a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of sensors having different detection ranges;

a plurality of signal lights;

wherein the system is adapted to detect a transition of an object between two detection ranges and to activate the signal lights to alert a driver of a presence of the object in the transition, bridging of the transition occurring through prediction by using a handover algorithm, and wherein activation of the signal lights is terminated if the object does not enter a range of one of the sensors by a predicted time value.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the blind spot region of the vehicle is detected using at least one of the sensors.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the blind spot region of the vehicle is detected by an ultrasonic sensor.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein a sensor having a long range is used to detect a region in a rear of the vehicle.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein a warning is output if a dangerous situation exists.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the driver is alerted of the transition between the two detection ranges through an interface.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the system is used to aid a lane change assistant.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program, which is executable on a computing unit, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for detecting an environment of a vehicle by performing the following;

activate a plurality of signal lights to alert a driver of a presence of an object in a transition between two detection ranges;

bridge the transition of the object between two detection ranges by prediction by utilizing a handover algorithm; and

terminate the activation of the signal lights if the object does not enter a range of one of the sensors by a predicted time value.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the blind spot region of the vehicle is detected using at least one of the sensors.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the blind spot region of the vehicle is detected by an ultrasonic sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a sensor having a long range is used to detect a region in a rear of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein a warning is output if a dangerous situation exists.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the driver is alerted of the transition between the two detection ranges through an interface.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the system is used to aid a lane change assistant.