Apparatus and method for controlling lane keeping of vehicle

• US 9,620,018 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Won, Young Deok, Yang, Si U
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US14/717,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle. An apparatus for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle may include: a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of a vehicle; a control module configured to determine a hands off state based on the measured torque value and generate a warning alarm for the hands off state when the vehicle is in the hands off state and is in a predetermined specific state; and an output module configured to generate the warning alarm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of the vehicle;

a control module configured to determine a hands off state based on the measured torque value and generate a warning alarm for the hands off state when the vehicle is in the hands off state and in a predetermined specific state; and

an output module configured to output the warning alarm,

wherein the control module is configured to determine that the predetermined specific state occurs when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a lane on a driving road.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module includes a camera acquiring an image data for a lane on the driving road.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control module analyzes the image data to confirm a distance between a lane on the driving road and the vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module confirms the hands off state based on a torque value for a force applied to a steering handle which is equipped in the vehicle, a torque value which is lost due to a distance between the steering handle and a shaft driving a wheel equipped in the vehicle, and a torque value consumed by a friction force between the wheel and the driving road.

5. A method for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle, comprising:

calculating by a control module a torque value of a driving vehicle measured by a sensor module;

determining by the control module a hands off state based on the calculated torque value;

determining by the control module whether the vehicle is in the hands off state and is in a predetermined specific state;

determining by the control module whether a lane keeping assist system is unavailable; and

generating and outputting from the control module a warning alarm for the hands off state to an output module when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a lane on a driving road.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein whether the vehicle is within in the predetermined distance of the lane on the driving road is determined by:

acquiring an image data of the lane on the driving road on which the vehicle is driven; and

confirming a position of the vehicle and a position of the lane from the acquired image data.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein in determining whether the vehicle is in the hands off state, the hands off state is confirmed based on a torque value for a force applied to a steering handle which is equipped in the vehicle, a torque value which is lost due to a distance between the steering handle and a shaft driving a wheel equipped in the vehicle, and a torque value consumed by a friction force between the wheel and the driving road.

8. A lane keeping apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of the vehicle; and

a control module configured to determine when a hands off state occurs based on a calculated torque value and to receive a state signal of a lane keeping assist system, the control module further configured to calculate a distance between the vehicle and a lane on a road on which the vehicle is running,

wherein when the hands off state occurs for more than a predetermined amount of time, the control module is configured to send an alarm to an output module under at least one of a condition that the lane keeping assistant system is enabled or a condition that the calculated distance between the lane and the vehicle is shorter than a predetermined distance, and

wherein the control module is configured to determine whether to send the alarm when the lane keeping assist system is unavailable.