Vehicle and method of controlling the same

• US 10,054,458 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Oh, Se Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kong, Sze-Hon
• Application Number:
  US14/958,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs

Abstract

A vehicle and a method of controlling the vehicle are provided. The vehicle includes an image capture unit that is configured to acquire image information by imaging a forward view of the vehicle and an imaging device controller that is configured to determine whether a traffic sign that indicates speed limit information of a road is recognized abnormally based on the acquired image information. A navigation controller is configured to display either speed limit information stored in an imaging device database or speed limit information of the road stored in a map database in response to determining that the traffic sign is recognized abnormally.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

an image capture unit configured to acquire image information by imaging a forward view of the vehicle;

an imaging device controller configured to determine whether a traffic sign that indicates speed limit information of a road is recognized abnormally based on the acquired image information; and

a navigation controller configured to display either speed limit information of the road stored in a imaging device database or speed limit information of the road stored in a map database in response to determining that the traffic sign is recognized abnormally,

wherein the imaging device controller is further configured to detect a cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition and determine whether to display the speed limit information of the road stored in the imaging device database based on the detected cause.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an operation of a windshield wiper, a sensing result of a rain sensor, and weather information received via a communication network.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

operation of a head lamp and time information when the traffic sign recognition is recognized abnormally.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to determine whether the abnormal traffic sign recognition is caused by at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an object located around the road and malfunction of an imaging device.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition based on a driving speed of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of:

position information, speed information, time information, and direction information of the vehicle at the time of acquiring speed limit information of the road is mapped to the speed limit information on a road basis and stored in the imaging device database.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition by comparing time information stored in the imaging device database and time information when the traffic sign is recognized abnormally.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the navigation controller is configured to determine whether the speed limit information of the road has changed by analyzing a cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition and display either the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database or the speed limit information stored in the map database through at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a head-up display, a display, and an instrument cluster based on results of the determination.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

an imaging device database in which speed limit information of a road is stored;

an imaging device controller configured to determine whether the speed limit information of the road stored in the imaging device database has changed when speed limit information is acquired abnormally from a traffic sign located around the road while driving; and

a display device configured to display either the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database or speed limit information stored in a map database based on results of the determination,

wherein the imaging device controller is further configured to detect a cause of the abnormal speed limit information acquisition and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on the detected cause.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of:

position information, speed information, time information, and direction information of the vehicle at the time of acquiring speed limit information of the road is mapped to the speed limit information on a road basis and stored in the imaging device database.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an operation of a windshield wiper, a sensing result of a rain sensor, and weather information received via a communication network and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on results of the analysis.

12. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an operation of a head lamp and time information when the acquisition of the speed limit information is acquired abnormally from the traffic sign located around the road and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on results of the analysis.

13. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an object located around the road and malfunction of an imaging device and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on results of the analysis.

14. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information based on a driving speed of the vehicle and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on results of the analysis.

15. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the imaging device controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information by comparing time information when the speed limit information is stored in the imaging device database with time information when the speed limit information is acquired abnormally and determine whether the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database has changed based on results of the analysis.

16. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the navigation controller is configured to analyze the cause of the abnormal acquisition of the speed limit information and display either the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database or the speed limit information stored in the map database through at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a head-up display, a display, and an instrument cluster based on results of the analysis.

17. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

acquiring, by an imaging device, image information by imaging a forward view of the vehicle;

determining, by a controller, whether a traffic sign that indicates speed limit information of a road is recognized abnormally from the acquired image information; and

operating, by the controller, a device installed within the vehicle to display either speed limit information stored in a imaging device database or speed limit information stored in a map database in response to determining that the traffic sign is recognized abnormally,

wherein the determination of whether the traffic sign is recognized abnormally is performed by detecting a cause of the abnormal traffic sign recognition and determining whether to display the speed limit information stored in the imaging device database based on the detected cause.