Information retrieval arrangement

• US 10,437,881 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Karlsson, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phong H
• Application Number:
  US14/962,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20160171015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 707769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• 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

An information retrieval arrangement for a host vehicle is configured to retrieve information of at least one surrounding vehicle, surrounding the host vehicle. The arrangement includes a registration plate reading arrangement configured to read registration plate information of a surrounding vehicle and an information retrieving unit configured to retrieve from a database at least one dimension of the surrounding vehicle, based on the read registration plate information. A method of retrieving information of at least one surrounding vehicle using an information retrieval arrangement is also disclosed, as well as a lane change assist arrangement including an information retrieval arrangement, and a vehicle including an information retrieval arrangement.

Claims

1. An information retrieval arrangement for a host road vehicle comprising a driving aid system, the arrangement configured to retrieve information of at least one surrounding road vehicle independent from the host vehicle, surrounding the host vehicle, the arrangement comprising:

a registration plate reading arrangement comprising a processor and configured to read registration plate information of the at least one surrounding vehicle;

an information retrieving unit comprising a processor and configured to retrieve from a database at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle, based on the read registration plate information, wherein the at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle is a physical dimension comprising at least one of a length, width or height of the at least one surrounding vehicle, wherein the at least one dimension is utilized by the driving aid system to perform and/or verify calculations of distance and/or relative speed to the at least one surrounding vehicle;

a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit configured to determine a perception angle of a surrounding vehicle, wherein the perception angle is determined from a perceived dimension of the surrounding vehicle; and

a calculating unit configured to calculate a distance to the surrounding vehicle using the perception angle of the surrounding vehicle and the at least one dimension of the surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database.

2. The information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit is configured to detect a presence of, and distance to, a first preceding vehicle and a presence of, and distance to, a second preceding vehicle, where the information retrieving unit is configured to retrieve from the database, a length of the first preceding vehicle based on read registration plate information of the first preceding vehicle; and

the calculating unit is configured to calculate a distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle by subtracting the distance to the first vehicle and the length of the first preceding vehicle from the distance to the second vehicle.

3. The information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit is configured to monitor dimensions of a driving environment external to the host vehicle; and

the calculating unit is configured to discern a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle by comparing at least one monitored dimension of the driving environment with at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database.

4. The information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit is configured to capture images of a driving environment external to the host vehicle; and

the calculating unit is configured to discern a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle by comparing at least one dimension of the captured images with at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database.

5. The information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1 wherein:

the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit configured to determine distinguishing information of the at least one surrounding vehicle comprising at least one of a color of the surrounding vehicle or a type of the surrounding vehicle;

wherein the information retrieving unit is further configured to retrieve corresponding distinguishing information of the at least one surrounding vehicle from the database based on the read registration plate information, and wherein the arrangement is arranged to determine validity of the read registration plate information by comparing the determined distinguishing information with the retrieved distinguishing information.

6. A lane change assist arrangement comprising an information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1.

7. A vehicle comprising an information retrieval arrangement according to claim 1.

8. A driving aid system comprising the information retrieval arrangement of claim 1.

9. The information retrieval arrangement according to claim 3 wherein to discern a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle, the calculating unit is configured to compare a monitored dimension from the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit estimated to represent a length of a cluster of surrounding vehicles with a length of a nearest surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database to discern between a single vehicle or a plurality of vehicles surrounding the host vehicle.

10. A method performed by an information retrieval arrangement of a host road vehicle for retrieving information of at least one surrounding road vehicle independent from the host vehicle, the host vehicle comprising a driving aid system, where the arrangement comprises a registration plate reading arrangement comprising a processor, an information retrieving unit comprising a processor, a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit, and a calculating unit, the method comprising:

reading registration plate information of the at least one surrounding vehicle, using the registration plate reading arrangement;

retrieving from a database at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle, based on the read registration plate information, using the information retrieving unit, wherein the at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle is a physical dimension comprising at least one of a length, width or height of the at least one surrounding vehicle;

utilizing the at least one dimension to perform and/or verify calculations of distance and/or relative speed to the at least one surrounding vehicle, using the driving aid system;

determining a perception angle of a surrounding vehicle, using the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit, wherein the perception angle is determined from a perceived dimension of the surrounding vehicle; and

calculating a distance to the surrounding vehicle, using the perception angle of the surrounding vehicle and at least one dimension of the surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database, using the calculating unit.

11. The method according to claim 10 where the information retrieval arrangement further comprises a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit and a calculating unit, the method further comprising:

detecting a presence of, and distance to, a first preceding vehicle and a presence of, and distance to, a second preceding vehicle, using the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit;

retrieving from the database, a length of the first preceding vehicle based on read registration plate information of the first preceding vehicle, using the information retrieving unit; and

calculating a distance between the first preceding vehicle and the second preceding vehicle by subtracting the distance to the first vehicle and the length of the first preceding vehicle from the distance to the second vehicle, using the calculating unit.

12. The method according to claim 10 where the information retrieval arrangement further comprises a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit and a calculating unit, the method further comprising:

monitoring dimensions of a driving environment external to the host vehicle, using the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit; and

discerning a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle by comparing at least one monitored dimension of the driving environment with at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database, using the calculating unit.

13. The method according to claim 10 where the information retrieval arrangement further comprises a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit and a calculating unit, the method further comprising:

capturing images of a driving environment external to the host vehicle using the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit; and

discerning a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle by comparing at least one dimension of the captured images with at least one dimension of the at least one surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database, using the calculating unit.

14. The method according to claim 10 where the information retrieval arrangement further comprises a surrounding vehicle monitoring unit, the method further comprising:

determining distinguishing information of the at least one surrounding vehicle comprising at least one of a color of the surrounding vehicle or a type of the surrounding vehicle, using the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit;

retrieving corresponding distinguishing information of the at least one surrounding vehicle from the database based on the read registration plate information, using the information retrieving unit; and

determining validity of the read registration plate information by comparing the determined distinguishing information with the retrieved distinguishing information, using the arrangement.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein discerning a presence of at least one surrounding vehicle comprises comparing, using the calculating unit, a monitored dimension from the surrounding vehicle monitoring unit estimated to represent a length of a cluster of surrounding vehicles with a length of a nearest surrounding vehicle retrieved from the database to discern between a single vehicle or a plurality of vehicles surrounding the host vehicle.