Lane assist functions for vehicles with a trailer

• US 9,428,188 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schwindt, Oliver, Zhu, Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, LUAT T
• Application Number:
  US14/567,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/70, 340/431, 340/901, 340/937
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/207 Steering angle of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/147 Trailers, e.g. full trailers or caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 13/06 for backing a normally drawn trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

A system is provided for supporting lane assist functions for a vehicle towing a trailer. The system includes performing lane departure warning and lane centering assist functions that operate differently when the presence of a trailer is detected. The system warns the driver if either the vehicle or trailer will depart the lane, using different warnings for the vehicle and trailer. The system further provides lane centering assist functions that operate to center the vehicle and trailer together. Corresponding methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A lane departure warning system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a camera configured to be positioned on the vehicle for capturing one or more images of a road;

a controller configured to

receive a trailer-presence signal indicating whether a trailer is attached to the vehicle,

process the one or more images,

detect a lane based on the one or more images,

detect a boundary of the lane based on the one or more images,

determine a first value, representing a distance from the vehicle to the boundary of the lane, determine a first threshold for the first value, subtract the first threshold from the first value, and generate a command to activate a vehicle-lane-departure warning mechanism if the result of the subtraction is negative;

determine a second value, representing the time it will take the vehicle to cross the boundary of the lane, determine a second threshold for the second value, subtract the second threshold from the second value, and generate a command to activate a vehicle-lane-departure warning mechanism if the result is negative;

and, if the trailer-presence signal indicates that a trailer is attached to the vehicle, receive a plurality of trailer-vehicle dimensions,

determine a third value, representing a distance from the trailer to the boundary of the lane, determine a third threshold for the third value;

subtract the third threshold from the third value, and generate a command to activate a trailer-lane-departure warning mechanism if the result is negative;

determine a fourth value, representing the time it will take the trailer to cross the boundary of the lane, determine a fourth threshold for the fourth value, subtract the fourth threshold from the fourth value, and generate a command to activate a trailer-lane-departure warning mechanism if the result is negative.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-lane-departure warning mechanism includes at least one of an audio warning, a visual warning, a visual warning on an instrument cluster, a haptic warning delivered through a steering wheel, and a haptic warning delivered through a driver'"'"'s seat;

and wherein the trailer-lane-departure-warning mechanism includes at least one of an audio warning, a visual warning, a visual warning on an instrument cluster, a haptic warning delivered through a steering wheel, and a haptic warning delivered through a driver'"'"'s seat.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer-presence signal is generated by a sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the trailer-presence signal is generated by a vehicle user making a selection on a human machine interface.

5. A lane centering assist system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a camera configured to be positioned on the vehicle for capturing one or more images of a road; and

a controller configured to

receive a trailer-presence signal indicating whether a trailer is attached to the vehicle,

process the one or more images,

detect a lane based on the one or more images,

detect an outer boundary of the lane based on the one or more images,

detect an inner boundary of the lane based on the one or more images, and, if the trailer-presence signal indicates that a trailer is attached to the vehicle,

determine an outer point, the outer point being located at the front of the vehicle,

adjacent to the side of the vehicle closest to the outer boundary of the lane;

determine an inner point, the inner point being located between the trailer'"'"'s wheels; and

control a steering system to steer the vehicle to keep the vehicle and the trailer centered in the lane.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to control a steering system to steer the vehicle to keep the vehicle and the trailer centered in the lane by regulating to a desired relation between the outer point and the inner point equidistant to the outer boundary and the inner boundary.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the trailer-presence signal is generated by a sensor.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the trailer-presence signal is generated by a vehicle user making a selection on a human machine interface.