Vehicle control system with traffic driving control

• US 9,988,047 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Nathaniel S., Van Dan Elzen, Christopher L., Klas, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US14/568,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20150166062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/803 Relative lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0027 using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• 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 control system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera to at least detect objects or other vehicles. The control system, responsive to determination of a traffic condition, is operable to control a steering system of the vehicle. Responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, the control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent to the vehicle. With the vehicle traveling in an occupied traffic lane and responsive to detection of the lane splitting vehicle approaching the vehicle, the control system controls the steering system of the vehicle to move the vehicle in a direction away from a side region of the occupied lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle, said control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said control system, said camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to detect at least one of (i) an object in the field of view of said camera and (ii) another vehicle in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a traffic condition that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic condition, said control system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data by said image processor, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in a traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle and responsive to detection, via image processing of captured image data by said image processor, of the lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle in a direction away from a side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected while keeping the equipped vehicle in the occupied traffic lane;

wherein, after moving the equipped vehicle in the direction away from the side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected, and responsive to determination, via image processing by said image processor of captured image data, that the lane splitting vehicle has passed the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle back towards a center region of the occupied traffic lane;

wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a moving pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, reduces the forward speed of the equipped vehicle to allow the pedestrian time to move out of the path of travel of the moving equipped vehicle;

wherein said control system provides at least one of (i) lateral control based on a state space controller and (ii) longitudinal control based on a sliding mode controller; and

wherein said control is operable to control the equipped vehicle based at least in part on a five element state vector comprising (i) a yaw rate vector, (ii) a slip angle vector, (iii) a front wheel steering angle vector, (iv) a heading angle vector of the angle between the equipped vehicle and (v) a target path and a lateral deviation vector of the deviation from the target path.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data by said image processor, determines lane markings on the road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling and controls the steering system to move the equipped vehicle in the direction away from the side region of the occupied lane and at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected while keeping the equipped vehicle in the occupied traffic lane.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein said camera is disposed at the equipped vehicle so as to have at least a sideward and rearward field of view.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from behind the equipped vehicle and is operable to control the steering system to move the equipped vehicle away from a path of travel of the detected rearward-approaching lane splitting vehicle.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein said camera is part of a surround view vision system that includes cameras at respective front, rear and sides of the equipped vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system is operable to determine a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said control system is operable to control the steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined leading vehicle irrespective of determined lane markings on the road being traveled.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a gap between a leading vehicle and a following vehicle in a lane adjacent to the occupied lane, is operable to control the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle towards and into the gap.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein said control system is operable to steer the equipped vehicle towards and into the gap in a manner that allows the following vehicle to slow to allow the equipped vehicle to enter the gap.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of another vehicle indicating an intent to change lanes into the occupied lane and ahead of the equipped vehicle, is operable to control a braking system of the equipped vehicle to decelerate the equipped vehicle to allow for the lane change by the other vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a stationary pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, is operable to stop the equipped vehicle.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of the moving pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, determines a predicted path of the moving pedestrian and maneuvers the slowly moving equipped vehicle to avoid collision with the moving pedestrian.

12. A control system for a vehicle, said control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said control system, said camera having a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to detect at least one of (i) an object in the field of view of said camera and (ii) another vehicle in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a traffic condition that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic condition, said control system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in a traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle and responsive to detection of the lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle in a direction away from a side region of the occupied lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected; and

wherein said control is operable to control the equipped vehicle based at least in part on a five element state vector comprising (i) a yaw rate vector, (ii) a slip angle vector, (iii) a front wheel steering angle vector, (iv) a heading angle vector of the angle between the equipped vehicle and (v) a target path and a lateral deviation vector of the deviation from the target path.

13. A control system for a vehicle, said control system comprising:

a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said control system, said camera having a field of view exterior and at least partially sideward and rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said camera is part of a surround view vision system that includes other cameras at the equipped vehicle having respective exterior fields of view;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to detect at least one of (i) an object in the field of view of said camera and (ii) another vehicle in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a traffic condition that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic condition, said control system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing by said image processor of captured image data, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent to the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in a traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle and responsive to detection, via image processing of captured image data by said image processor, of the lane splitting vehicle approaching the equipped vehicle from behind the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle in a direction away from a side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected and away from a path of travel of the detected rearward-approaching lane splitting vehicle;

wherein, after moving the equipped vehicle in the direction away from the side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected, and responsive to determination, via image processing by said image processor of captured image data, that the lane splitting vehicle has passed the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle back towards a center region of the occupied traffic lane;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said control system is operable to control the steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined leading vehicle irrespective of determined lane markings on the road being traveled; and

wherein said control is operable to control the equipped vehicle based at least in part on a five element state vector comprising (i) a yaw rate vector, (ii) a slip angle vector, (iii) a front wheel steering angle vector, (iv) a heading angle vector of the angle between the equipped vehicle and (v) a target path and a lateral deviation vector of the deviation from the target path.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein said control system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, determines lane markings on the road on which the equipped vehicle is traveling and controls the steering system to move the equipped vehicle in the direction away from the side region of the occupied traffic lane and at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected while keeping the equipped vehicle in the occupied traffic lane.

15. The control system of claim 13, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a stationary pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, is operable to stop the equipped vehicle, and wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a moving pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, is operable to reduce the forward speed of the equipped vehicle to allow the pedestrian time to move out of the path of travel of the equipped vehicle.

16. A control system for a vehicle, said control system comprising:

a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said control system, said camera having respective fields of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

an image processor operable to process image data captured by said cameras;

wherein said image processor is operable to process captured image data to detect at least one of (i) an object in the field of view of said camera and (ii) another vehicle in the field of view of said camera;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a traffic condition that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic condition, said control system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in a traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle, said control system is operable to process captured image data via said image processor to determine other vehicles in a traffic lane adjacent to the occupied traffic lane;

wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of captured image data, said control system detects a leading vehicle in the traffic lane adjacent to the occupied traffic lane and detects a following vehicle in the traffic lane adjacent to the occupied traffic lane and determines a gap between the detected leading vehicle and the detected following vehicle;

wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to determination of the gap between the detected leading vehicle and the detected following vehicle in the traffic lane adjacent to the occupied traffic lane, is operable to control the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle towards and into the gap;

wherein said control system is operable to steer the equipped vehicle towards and into the gap in a manner that allows the following vehicle to slow to allow the equipped vehicle to enter the gap;

wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of another vehicle indicating an intent to change traffic lanes into the occupied traffic lane and ahead of the equipped vehicle, is operable to control a braking system of the equipped vehicle to decelerate the equipped vehicle to allow for the traffic lane change by the other vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent to the equipped vehicle, and wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in the traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle and responsive to detection, via image processing of captured image data by said image processor, of the lane splitting vehicle approaching or adjacent the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle in a direction away from a side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected;

wherein, after moving the equipped vehicle in the direction away from the side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected, and responsive to determination, via image processing by said image processor of captured image data, that the lane splitting vehicle has passed the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle back towards a center region of the occupied traffic lane;

wherein said control system is operable to determine a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle in the traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle, and wherein said control system is operable to control the steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined leading vehicle irrespective of determined lane markings on the road being traveled;

wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a moving pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, is operable to reduce the forward speed of the equipped vehicle to allow the pedestrian time to move out of the path of travel of the moving equipped vehicle; and

wherein said control is operable to control the equipped vehicle based at least in part on a five element state vector comprising (i) a yaw rate vector, (ii) a slip angle vector, (iii) a front wheel steering angle vector, (iv) a heading angle vector of the angle between the equipped vehicle and (v) a target path and a lateral deviation vector of the deviation from the target path.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, said control system is operable to detect a lane splitting vehicle rearward of and approaching the equipped vehicle, and wherein, with the equipped vehicle traveling in the traffic lane occupied by the equipped vehicle and responsive to detection of the lane splitting vehicle rearward of and approaching the equipped vehicle, said control system controls the steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle in the direction away from a side region of the occupied traffic lane at which the lane splitting vehicle is detected.

18. The control system of claim 16, wherein, when following the determined leading vehicle outside of lane markings on the road being traveled, said control system controls the equipped vehicle at least in part responsive to a navigation system of the equipped vehicle.

19. The control system of claim 16, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of a stationary pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, is operable to stop the equipped vehicle.

20. The control system of claim 16, wherein said control system, at least in part responsive to detection of the moving pedestrian in the path of travel of the equipped vehicle, determines a predicted path of the moving pedestrian and maneuvers the slowly moving equipped vehicle to avoid collision with the moving pedestrian.