Driver assistant system using influence mapping for conflict avoidance path determination

• US 9,761,142 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pflug, Goerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBERSON, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US14/016,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle and operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the vehicle and sideward of the vehicle. The driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by the sensors to determine the presence of objects ahead and/or sideward of the vehicle. Responsive to the data processing, the driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects. The driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects. Responsive to the respective determined speeds and/or directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system, wherein said plurality of sensors comprise at least one vehicle-based camera and at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor, and wherein said plurality of sensors are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle-based radar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle and a vehicle-based lidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by said at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor and said at least one vehicle-based camera to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects and wherein determined respective influence values are based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the determined objects;

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, a plurality of paths for the equipped vehicle is determined;

wherein the determined plurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm that ranks each of the determined paths based on likelihood of collision along the respective determined path with one or more determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system ranks the determined paths based on (i) the determined speeds of the respective objects relative to the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (ii) determined distances to the respective objects from the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (iii) a level of steering intervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, (iv) a level of braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, and (v) a level of acceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path;

wherein said data processor processes data captured by said at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor and said at least one vehicle-based camera to determine a respective type of object for the determined objects;

wherein a selected path of travel is selected from the plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to the rankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to the determined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths; and

wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path of travel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative consideration and (ii) an ethical consideration.

2. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of vehicle-based cameras each having an exterior field of view.

3. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of respective speed vectors of the determined objects.

4. The driver assistance system of claim 3, wherein the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to magnitudes of the respective speed vectors.

5. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds.

6. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked according to their hazardous potential and the path of travel is selected responsive to the rankings of the determined respective influence values.

7. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driver that is indicative of the determined path of travel.

8. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said decision algorithm ranks the determined paths based at least in part on lengths of the determined paths.

9. The driver assistance system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the determined objects comprises a vehicle.

10. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system is operable to at least in part control at least one of a brake system of the equipped vehicle, a steering system of the equipped vehicle and an accelerator system of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel.

11. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined objects.

12. The driver assistance system of claim 11, wherein the selected path of travel or the at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow is selected by iterating an influence map current condition into a future map condition in time steps.

13. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system determines the selected path of travel based at least in part on a driving condition at the road being traveled by the equipped vehicle.

14. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle-based cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system;

at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle, wherein said at least one non-camera sensor is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle-based radar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle and a vehicle-based lidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by said vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects and wherein determined respective influence values are based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the determined objects;

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, a plurality of paths of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined;

wherein the determined plurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm that ranks each of the determined paths based on likelihood of collision along the respective determined path with one or more determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system ranks the determined paths based on (i) the determined speeds of the respective objects relative to the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (ii) determined distances to the respective objects from the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (iii) a level of steering intervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, (iv) a level of braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, and (v) a level of acceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path;

wherein said data processor processes data captured by said plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor to determine a respective type of object for the determined objects;

wherein a selected path of travel is selected from the plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to the rankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to the determined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths;

wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path of travel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative consideration and (ii) an ethical consideration; and

wherein at least one of (i) said driver assistance system is operable to at least in part control at least one of a brake system of the equipped vehicle, a steering system of the equipped vehicle and an accelerator system of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel and (ii) said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driver that is indicative of the selected path of travel.

15. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein at least one of (i) the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of respective speed vectors of the determined objects, (ii) the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to magnitudes of the respective speed vectors and (iii) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds.

16. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked according to their hazardous potential and the path of travel is determined responsive to the rankings of the determined respective influence values.

17. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein said decision algorithm ranks the determined paths based at least in part on lengths of the determined paths.

18. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein said driver assistance system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined objects.

19. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of vehicle-based cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system;

at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle, wherein said at least one vehicle-based non-camera sensor is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle-based radar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle and a vehicle-based lidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by said vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects and wherein determined respective influence values are based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the determined objects;

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, a plurality of paths of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined;

wherein at least one of (i) the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of respective speed vectors of the determined objects, (ii) the respective influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to magnitudes of the respective speed vectors, (iii) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds and (iv) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked according to their hazardous potential and the plurality of paths of travel are determined responsive to the rankings of the determined respective influence values; and

wherein the determined plurality of paths is assessed by a decision algorithm that ranks each of the determined paths based on likelihood of collision along the respective determined path with one or more determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system ranks the determined paths based on (i) the determined speeds of the respective objects relative to the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (ii) determined distances to the respective objects from the equipped vehicle for the respective determined path, (iii) a level of steering intervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, (iv) a level of braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path, and (v) a level of acceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined path;

wherein said data processor processes data captured by said plurality of vehicle-based cameras and said vehicle-based non-camera sensor to determine respective types of objects for the determined objects;

wherein a selected path of travel is selected from the plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to the rankings of the ranked paths and responsive at least in part to the determined types of objects along one or more of the determined paths; and

wherein said driver assistance system selects the selected path of travel based in part on at least one of (i) a legislative consideration and (ii) an ethical consideration.

20. The driver assistance system of claim 19, wherein said decision algorithm ranks the determined paths based at least in part on lengths of the determined paths.