Method for recognising a change in lane of a vehicle

• US 20030156015A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Winner, Hermann, Lueder, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/081 using distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/805 Azimuth angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

A method of detecting a lane change of a subject vehicle (20), having a locating device (10) which uses angular resolution for locating vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front, and a device (44) for determining the yaw rate (ω₀) of the subject vehicle. The angular velocity (ω_i) of at least one vehicle traveling in front relative to the subject vehicle (20) is measured using the locating device (10), and a lane change signal (LC) indicating the lane change is formed by comparing the measured angular velocity (ω_i) to the yaw rate (ω₀) of the subject vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a lane change of a subject vehicle (20) having a locating device (10) which uses angular resolution for locating vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front, and a device (44) for determining the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle,

wherein the angular velocity (ω

_i) of at least one vehicle traveling in front relative to the subject vehicle (20) is measured using the locating device (10), and a lane change signal (LC) indicating the lane change is formed by comparing the measured angular velocity (ω

_i) to the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle.

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein, before a comparison to the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle is made, the measured relative angular velocity (ω

_i) of the vehicle traveling in front is corrected, resulting in a relative angular velocity (ω

′

_i) which is independent of the relative speed (v_i) of the vehicle traveling in front.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein from the corrected or uncorrected relative angular velocities (ω

_i, ω

′

_i) of multiple vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front a composite angular velocity (ω

_e) is formed which represents a relative change in the angle of the combination of vehicles traveling in front, and the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle is compared to this composite angular velocity (ω

_e).

4. The method as recited in claim 3,

wherein the composite angular velocity (ω

_e) is a weighted or unweighted average of the corrected or uncorrected relative angular velocities (ω

_i, ω

′

_i) of the vehicles traveling in front.

5. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the signal from a yaw rate sensor (44) is evaluated as the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle (20).

6. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the lane change signal (LC) is calculated according to a formula which gives a high positive value when the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle and the relative or composite angular velocity (ω

_i, ω

_e) are different from zero in terms of actual amount and have opposite algebraic signs.

7. The method as recited in claim 6,

wherein to calculate the lane change signal (LC) the cross-correlation of the yaw rate (ω

₀) of the subject vehicle is calculated using the relative or composite angular velocity (ω

_i, ω

_e).

8. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein the beginning of a lane change is detected by the fact that the lane change signal (LC) exceeds a specified threshold value (TH).

9. The method as recited in claim 8,

wherein the threshold value (TH) is reduced when a turn indicator of the subject vehicle (20) is actuated.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 or 9,

wherein the completion of the lane change is detected when the lane change signal (LC) falls below the threshold value (TH) for the second time after the beginning of the lane change is detected.