Lane detection systems and methods

• US 9,988,048 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Song, Xiaofeng F., Yaldo, Valor
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/448,730
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/06 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0622 Air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• 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: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30256 Lane; Road marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/174 involving the use of two or more images
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/647 by matching two-dimensional images to three-dimensional objects

Abstract

A lane detection method includes: identifying locations of a lane line included in a first image captured using a first camera capturing images beside the vehicle, the first camera being mounted to a mirror that is movable; based on the locations of the lane line, determining a first linear equation corresponding to the lane line; determining a distance to the lane line based on the first linear equation; identifying locations of the lane line included in a second image captured using a second camera capturing images in front of the vehicle; based on the locations of the lane line, determining a second linear equation corresponding to the lane line; based on the first and second linear equations, determining an angle between first and second lines corresponding to the first and second linear equations, respectively; and determining a corrected distance to the lane line based on the distance and the angle.

Claims

1. A lane detection system of a vehicle, comprising:

a first line module configured to;

identify locations of a lane line included in a first image captured using a first camera capturing images outside of and beside the vehicle, wherein the first camera is mounted to an outside rear view mirror that is movable about a fixed pivot point;

based on the locations of the lane line included in the first image, determine a first linear equation corresponding to the lane line; and

determine a distance to the lane line based on the first linear equation;

a second line module configured to;

identify locations of the lane line included in a second image captured using a second camera capturing images outside of and in front of the vehicle; and

based on the locations of the lane line included in the second image, determine a second linear equation corresponding to the lane line;

an angle module configured to, based on the first and second linear equations, determine an angle between first and second lines corresponding to the first and second linear equations, respectively; and

a correction module configured to determine a corrected distance to the lane line based on the distance and the angle.

2. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

a third line module configured to;

identify locations of a second lane line included in a third image captured using a third camera capturing images outside of and beside the vehicle, wherein the third camera is mounted to an second outside rear view mirror that is movable about a second fixed pivot point;

based on the locations of the second lane line included in the third image, determine a third linear equation corresponding to the second lane line; and

determine a second distance to the second lane line based on the third linear equation,

wherein the second line module is further configured to;

identify locations of the second lane line included in the second image captured using the second camera; and

based on the locations of the second lane line included in the second image, determine a fourth linear equation corresponding to the second lane line;

a second angle module configured to, based on the third and fourth linear equations, determine a second angle between third and fourth lines corresponding to the third and fourth linear equations, respectively; and

a second correction module configured to determine a second corrected distance to the second lane line based on the second distance and the second angle.

3. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising a steering control module configured to selectively adjust a steering actuator of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

4. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising a mirror control module configured to selectively move the outside rear view mirror about the fixed pivot point based adjusting on the angle between first and second lines corresponding to the first and second linear equations, respectively, toward zero.

5. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising an engine control module configured to selectively adjust an engine actuator of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

6. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising a brake control module configured to selectively adjust application of friction brakes of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

7. The lane detection system of claim 1 wherein the second line module is configured to determine the second linear equation further based on an expected location of the first camera.

8. The lane detection system of claim 1 wherein the second line module is configured to determine the second linear equation further based on a delay period between when a portion of the lane line is included in the second image and when the portion of the lane line is included in the first image.

9. The lane detection system of claim 1 wherein first line module is configured to determine the distance to the lane line further based on a predetermined distance between a side of the vehicle and a location of the first camera.

10. The lane detection system of claim 1 further comprising a driver warning module configured to, based on the corrected distance, selectively generate at least one of an audible, a visual, and a tactile output.

11. A lane detection method for a vehicle, comprising:

identifying locations of a lane line included in a first image captured using a first camera capturing images outside of and beside the vehicle, wherein the first camera is mounted to an outside rear view mirror that is movable about a fixed pivot point;

based on the locations of the lane line included in the first image, determining a first linear equation corresponding to the lane line;

determining a distance to the lane line based on the first linear equation;

identifying locations of the lane line included in a second image captured using a second camera capturing images outside of and in front of the vehicle;

based on the locations of the lane line included in the second image, determining a second linear equation corresponding to the lane line;

based on the first and second linear equations, determining an angle between first and second lines corresponding to the first and second linear equations, respectively; and

determining a corrected distance to the lane line based on the distance and the angle.

12. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising:

identifying locations of a second lane line included in a third image captured using a third camera capturing images outside of and beside the vehicle, wherein the third camera is mounted to an second outside rear view mirror that is movable about a second fixed pivot point;

based on the locations of the second lane line included in the third image, determining a third linear equation corresponding to the second lane line;

determining a second distance to the second lane line based on the third linear equation;

identifying locations of the second lane line included in the second image captured using the second camera;

based on the locations of the second lane line included in the second image, determining a fourth linear equation corresponding to the second lane line;

based on the third and fourth linear equations, determining a second angle between third and fourth lines corresponding to the third and fourth linear equations, respectively; and

determining a second corrected distance to the second lane line based on the second distance and the second angle.

13. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising selectively adjusting a steering actuator of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

14. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising selectively moving the outside rear view mirror about the fixed pivot point based adjusting on the angle between first and second lines corresponding to the first and second linear equations, respectively, toward zero.

15. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising selectively adjusting an engine actuator of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

16. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising selectively adjusting application of friction brakes of the vehicle based on the corrected distance.

17. The lane detection method of claim 11 wherein determining the second linear equation includes determining the second linear equation further based on an expected location of the first camera.

18. The lane detection method of claim 11 wherein determining the second linear equation includes determining the second linear equation further based on a delay period between when a portion of the lane line is included in the second image and when the portion of the lane line is included in the first image.

19. The lane detection method of claim 11 wherein determining the distance to the lane line includes determining the distance to the lane line further based on a predetermined distance between a side of the vehicle and a location of the first camera.

20. The lane detection method of claim 11 further comprising, based on the corrected distance, selectively generating at least one of an audible, a visual, and a tactile output.