Method for detecting a traffic zone

• US 8,818,694 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Staempfle, Martin, Becker, Jan-Carsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US11/990,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20090326752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,958 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/118, 701/119
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4042 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4043 Lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/803 Relative lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method for detecting a traffic zone using an on-board sensor system. Objects from the surroundings of the host vehicle are detected using the sensor system. The course of the traffic lanes is derived from the performance characteristics of the objects detected by the sensors.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a traffic zone using an on-board sensor system, the method comprising:

detecting objects from surroundings of a host vehicle;

deriving a course of traffic lanes from performance characteristics of the objects detected by the sensors;

comparing the direction of travel of the host vehicle to a direction of travel of objects in adjacent traffic lanes; and

generating, in the event of a lane change of the host vehicle to a traffic lane carrying oncoming traffic, at least one warning;

wherein a number of objects traveling in a same direction on adjacent traffic lanes is detected, and a recommendation for a lane change to an adjacent lane is provided if a lower number of objects is detected there.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a direction of travel, a velocity, and a lateral offset with respect to the host vehicle are detected as the performance characteristics of the objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an average velocity is determined for each of the traffic lanes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the velocity of the host vehicle is compared with the average velocity of the objects traveling in the same direction on adjacent traffic lanes and a recommendation for a lane change to an adjacent lane occurs if a higher average velocity of the objects is detected there.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a lateral distance of an object to the host vehicle, as detected by a sensor, is weighted using a weighting factor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the weighting factor is between 0 and 1, the weighting factor of 1 being assigned to a lateral distance in an interval between q_r and q_l and the weighting factor of 0 being assigned to edges of a traffic lane predefined as a model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic lane information is shown on a display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a direction of travel, a velocity, and a lateral offset with respect to the host vehicle are detected as the performance characteristics of the objects, wherein an average velocity is determined for each of the traffic lanes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the velocity of the host vehicle is compared with the average velocity of the objects traveling in the same direction on adjacent traffic lanes and a recommendation for a lane change to an adjacent lane occurs if a higher average velocity of the objects is detected there.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a lateral distance of an object to the host vehicle, as detected by a sensor, is weighted using a weighting factor, and wherein the weighting factor is between 0 and 1, the weighting factor of 1 being assigned to a lateral distance in an interval between q_r and q_l and the weighting factor of 0 being assigned to edges of a traffic lane predefined as a model.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic lane information is shown on a display device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein output quantities are low-pass filtered by a low-pass filter function module, so that erroneous individual models are filtered out to obtain relatively stable traffic lane information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein stationary objects are filtered out.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein stationary objects are filtered out.

15. A driver assistance system, comprising:

a system arrangement including;

a time detection function module to provide time detection;

a performance characteristics function module to detect performance characteristics of the host vehicle;

an object data function module to detect object data from a traffic zone;

a modeled traffic lane function module to determine a modeled traffic lane; and

a traffic lane information function module to provide traffic lane information;

wherein the system arrangement is operable to;

detect a traffic zone using an on-board sensor system having sensors by deriving a course of the traffic lanes from the performance characteristics of the objects detected by the sensors,

compare the direction of travel of the host vehicle to a direction of travel of objects in adjacent traffic lanes,

generate at least one warning in the event that the host vehicle changes lanes to a traffic lane carrying oncoming traffic, and

detect a number of objects traveling in a same direction on adjacent traffic lanes and provide a recommendation for a lane change to an adjacent lane if a lower number of objects is detected there.

16. The driver assistance system of claim 15, wherein a direction of travel, a velocity, and a lateral offset with respect to the host vehicle are detected as the performance characteristics of the objects, wherein an average velocity is determined for each of the traffic lanes.

17. The driver assistance system of claim 16, wherein the velocity of the host vehicle is compared with the average velocity of the objects traveling in the same direction on adjacent traffic lanes and a recommendation for a lane change to an adjacent lane occurs if a higher average velocity of the objects is detected there.

18. The driver assistance system of claim 16, wherein a lateral distance of an object to the host vehicle, as detected by a sensor, is weighted using a weighting factor, and wherein the weighting factor is between 0 and 1, the weighting factor of 1 being assigned to a lateral distance in an interval between q_r and q_l and the weighting factor of 0 being assigned to edges of a traffic lane predefined as a model.

19. The driver assistance system of claim 16, wherein the traffic lane information is shown on a display device.