Method and device for estimating the number of lanes and/or the lane width on a roadway
First Claim
1. A method for a driver assistance system for a subject vehicle that drives on a roadway and that is equipped with a sensor system arranged to monitor a detection area along the roadway, wherein the method comprises the steps:
- a) in a processing circuit of the driver assistance system, obtaining a lane width value of a lane width of a lane of the roadway;
b) in the processing circuit, evaluating sensor data from the sensor system and thereby attempting to recognize, from the sensor data, at least one roadway edge of the roadway; and
if the step b) recognizes the at least one roadway edge, then further performing the following steps in the processing circuit;
c) determining an edge distance of the at least one roadway edge;
d) comparing the edge distance with the lane width value to produce a comparison result; and
e) from the comparison result, determining an estimated number of lanes on the roadway.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for estimating the lane width and/or the number of lanes on a roadway includes environmental sensors mounted on a vehicle to monitor respective detection areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle. The sensors detect a roadway edge and the system determines a distance to the roadway edge. The system further determines a value or accesses a predefined nominal value of a lane width, and then estimates the number of lanes by evaluating the roadway edge distance with reference to the lane width value.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for a driver assistance system for a subject vehicle that drives on a roadway and that is equipped with a sensor system arranged to monitor a detection area along the roadway, wherein the method comprises the steps:
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a) in a processing circuit of the driver assistance system, obtaining a lane width value of a lane width of a lane of the roadway; b) in the processing circuit, evaluating sensor data from the sensor system and thereby attempting to recognize, from the sensor data, at least one roadway edge of the roadway; and if the step b) recognizes the at least one roadway edge, then further performing the following steps in the processing circuit; c) determining an edge distance of the at least one roadway edge; d) comparing the edge distance with the lane width value to produce a comparison result; and e) from the comparison result, determining an estimated number of lanes on the roadway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18)
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15. A method for a driver assistance system for a subject vehicle that drives on a roadway and that is equipped with a speed sensor and an environmental sensor system, wherein the method comprises the steps:
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a) using the speed sensor, determining the driving speed of the subject vehicle; b) determining a valid lane width range dependent on the driving speed; c) using the environmental sensor system, detecting at least one roadway edge of the roadway; d) determining an edge distance of the at least one roadway edge; e) obtaining hypothetical values of a number of lanes on the roadway; f) forming respective quotients of the edge distance respectively divided by the respective hypothetical values of the number of lanes; g) comparing the quotients to the valid lane width range; and h) determining an estimated lane width of a lane on the roadway as one of the quotients that falls within the valid lane width range. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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19. A method for a driver assistance system for a subject vehicle that drives on a roadway and that is equipped with a sensor system arranged to monitor a detection area along the roadway, wherein the method comprises the steps:
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a) in a processing circuit of the driver assistance system, obtaining a lane width value of a lane width of a lane of the roadway; b) in the processing circuit, evaluating sensor data from the sensor system and from the sensor data determining at least one lateral spacing distance relative to the subject vehicle, said at least one lateral spacing distance being selected from a lateral spacing distance of another vehicle that is overtaking the subject vehicle, a lateral spacing distance of another vehicle that ,is being overtaken by the subject vehicle, a lateral spacing distance of an oncoming vehicle that is approaching the subject vehicle, and a lateral spacing distance of a following vehicle that is following behind and laterally offset from the subject vehicle; c) in the processing circuit, comparing the at least one lateral spacing distance with the lane width value to produce a comparison result; and d) in the processing circuit, from the comparison result, determining an estimated number of lanes on the roadway. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification