Vehicles changing lanes based on trailing vehicles

• US 10,372,131 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2017
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Alvarez Rodriguez, Emma Itxel, Espiritu Santo Rincon, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Mahmoud S
• Application Number:
  US15/643,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20190011916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 701 28, 340436, 340540, 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for vehicles changing lanes based on trailing vehicles. An example vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor to measure a vehicle speed, a rearview camera to capture images when the vehicle speed is greater than a threshold, and a lane controller. The lane controller is to detect whether there is a trailing vehicle based on the images and determine, responsive to detecting the trailing vehicle, whether the trailing vehicle is providing a message to change lanes. The lane controller also is to send a lane-changing signal responsive to identifying the message.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor to measure a vehicle speed;

a rearview camera to capture images when the vehicle speed is greater than a threshold; and

a lane controller to;

detect whether there is a trailing vehicle based on the images;

determine, responsive to detecting the trailing vehicle, whether the trailing vehicle is providing a message to change lanes, wherein, to determine whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message, the lane controller is to;

identify whether the trailing vehicle is within a predetermined distance corresponding to the vehicle speed;

identify whether the trailing vehicle is flashing its high beams;

identify whether a turn signal of the trailing vehicle that corresponds to a direction opposite to an adjacent lane is activated; and

determine that the trailing vehicle is providing the message responsive to determining that at least one the trailing vehicle is within the predetermined distance, the trailing vehicle is flashing its high beams, and the turn signal is activated; and

send a lane-changing signal responsive to identifying the message.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lane-changing signal is an alert to a driver to change lanes.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further including a display, speakers, and a steering wheel, wherein the alert is at least one of a visual alert presented via the display, an audio alert emitted via the speakers, and a haptic alert provided via the steering wheel.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further including an autonomy unit to perform an autonomous motive function, wherein the lane-changing signal is an instruction for the autonomy unit to autonomously change lanes.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to determine whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message, the lane controller is to:

create grayscale images based on the images captured by the rearview camera;

set data of the grayscale images to a threshold;

count a number of white pixels of the grayscale images;

determine frame light intensities based on the number of white pixels for each of the grayscale images; and

determine whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message based on the frame light intensities of the grayscale images.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to identify whether the trailing vehicle is within the predetermined distance, the lane controller is to:

detect a distance to the trailing vehicle based on a size of headlights of the trailing vehicle within the images;

identify the predetermined distance that corresponds to a safe trailing distance based on the vehicle speed; and

compare the distance to the predetermined distance.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to identify the trailing vehicle is flashing its high beams, the lane controller compares an intensity of headlights of the trailing vehicle over time based on the images captured by the rearview camera.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to identify whether the trailing vehicle has activated the turn signal, the lane controller compares an intensity of a left headlight of the trailing vehicle to an intensity of a right headlight of the trailing vehicle over time based on the images captured by the rearview camera.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the lane controller identifies the direction to the adjacent lane based on the images captured by the rearview camera.

10. A method for changing lanes based on trailing vehicles, comprising:

capturing images via a rearview camera of a vehicle;

detecting, via a processor, whether there is a trailing vehicle based on the images;

determining, responsive to detecting the trailing vehicle, whether the trailing vehicle is providing a message to change lanes, wherein determining whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message includes determining whether the trailing vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle, the predetermined distance corresponding to a speed of the vehicle; and

sending a lane-changing signal responsive to identifying the message.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

measuring a speed of the vehicle a vehicle speed sensor; and

capturing the images via the rearview camera responsive to determining that the speed is greater than a threshold.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the lane-changing signal includes presenting at least one of a visual alert, an audio alert, and a haptic alert to a driver.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the lane-changing signal includes transmitting an instruction for an autonomy unit of the vehicle to autonomously change lanes for the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message includes determining whether the trailing vehicle is flashing its high beams.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the trailing vehicle is providing the message includes determining whether a turn signal of the trailing vehicle that corresponds to a direction opposite to an adjacent lane is activated.

16. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor configured to measure a vehicle speed;

a rearview camera configured to capture images when the vehicle speed is greater than a threshold; and

a lane controller configured to;

detect whether there is a trailing vehicle based on the images;

determine, responsive to detecting the trailing vehicle, whether the trailing vehicle is providing a message to change lanes, wherein the lane controller is configured to determine that the trailing vehicle is providing the message to change lanes responsive to determining that the trailing vehicle is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle, wherein the predetermined distance corresponds with a speed of the vehicle; and

send a lane-changing signal responsive to identifying the message.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the lane controller is configured to determine that the trailing vehicle is providing the message responsive to determining that the trailing vehicle is flashing its high beams.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the lane controller is configured to determine that the trailing vehicle is providing the message responsive to determining a turn signal of the trailing vehicle that corresponds to a direction opposite to an adjacent lane is activated.