Method for operating a driver support system for motor vehicles

• US 20030168271A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Massen, Joachim
• Granted Patent: US 6,945,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes

Abstract

A support of the operator of the motor vehicle is to be provided in all traffic situations in a simple manner and with low costs, without overburdening the operator of the motor vehicle. In this context, in the following or tracking operation, in which a regulation of the speed of the motor vehicle dependent on the spacing distance to detected target objects that are classified as relevant is carried out, the relevant target objects used for the speed regulation are selected by the operation of an operating element to be operated by the operator of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. Method for the operation of a driver assistance system for motor vehicles (1), in which, in the following operation (32), a regulation of the speed of the motor vehicle (1) dependent on the spacing distance (dz) to target objects (2) that have been detected and classified as relevant is carried out, characterized in that the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation in the following operation (32) are selected by the operation of an operating element (16) that is to be operated by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, moving target objects are always considered and resting target objects are considered by the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that, in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, all resting target objects (2) that are detected and classified as relevant are taken into consideration.

4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that resting target objects (2) are taken into consideration in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, only during the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

5. Method according to one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that resting target objects (2) are taken into consideration in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, for a short time span after the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

6. Method according to one of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the resting target objects (2) that were detected already before the operation of the operating element (16) are classified as relevant target objects (2) by the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the resting target objects (2) that were detected already before the operation of the operating element (16) are indicated to the operator of the motor vehicle (1), and are acknowledged by the operator of the motor vehicle (1) by the operation of the operating element (16).

8. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that all target objects (2) classified as relevant are taken into account for the speed regulation until the deactivation of the driver assistance system.

9. Method according to one of the claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, the regulation values of the driver assistance system upon which the following operation (32) is based are varied in such a manner that the regulation time and/or the reaction time of the speed regulation is shortened.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, faster changes of the regulation values in the speed regulation are permitted and/or regulation values are set to a critical threshold value and/or the redundancy for the speed regulation is reduced.

11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, the maximum spacing distance (dz) for the detection of target objects (2) is and/or the number of the measuring cycles for the classification of the target objects (2) is reduced and/or the change of the deceleration of the motor vehicle (1) is increased and/or the maximum permissible deceleration of the motor vehicle (1) is increased.

12. Method according to one of the claims 2 to 11, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, upon the detection of a resting target object (2), a return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

13. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, upon recognizing a collision danger with a relevant target object (2), a return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that an acoustical and/or optical and/or haptic or tactile return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

15. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that an activation of the driver assistance system is carried out by operation of the operating element (16) with a deactivated driver assistance system.

16. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the following operation (32) is released by operation of the operating element (16) after the standstill of the motor vehicle (1) behind a relevant target object (2).

17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the operating element (16) must be operated by the operator of the motor vehicle (1) directly after the removal of the relevant target object (2) for releasing the following operation (32).

18. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that, after the removal of the relevant target object (2), the motor vehicle (1) automatically transitions into a creeping driving with speed regulation, and in that the following operation (32) with normal speed is released by the operation of the operating element (16).

19. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the operation of the operating element (16) is carried out on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle (1).

20. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 19, characterized in that a button is operated as the operating element (16).