Method for identifying obstacles for a motor vehicle, using at least three distance sensors for identifying the laterla extension of an object

• US 20040117115A1
• Filed: 01/14/2004
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Uwe, Pruksch, Achim
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

In order to refine a method, as well as a system (100) for detecting at least one object (210; 220, 222; 230), in particular for detecting its specific parameters such as the relative position of the object (210; 220, 222; 230) or the relative speed of the object (210; 220, 222; 230), such that the objects (210; 220, 222; 230) to be detected may be classified with respect to their spatial dimensioning, in particular with respect to their lateral extension, the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of the object (210; 220, 222; 230) is detected using at least three distance-resolving units (10; 12; 14), mounted in particular on a means of transportation.

Claims

1. A method for detecting at least one object (210;

220, 222;

230), in particular for detecting its specific parameters such as the relative position of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) or the relative speed of the object (210;

220, 222;

230), wherein the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) is detected using at least three distance-resolving units (10;

12;

14) mounted in particular on a means of transportation.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein

at least one distance value (d1;

d2;

d3) between object (210;

220, 222;

230) and associated sensor unit (10;

12;

14) is measured by at least one, preferably each, sensor unit (10;

12;

14),

the measured distance values (d1;

d2;

d3), in particular the measured minimum distance values (d1min;

d2min;

d3min) are assigned coefficients (a;

b;

c) of at least one polynomial (f(z)=a^•

zⁿ+b^•

z^n-1+. . . +c) of the n^th order, n being a natural number greater than 1, and

the coefficients (a;

b;

c) are assigned to model coefficients that characterize the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of objects;

in particular the coefficients (a;

b;

c) are correlated with model coefficients characterizing the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of objects.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein, by assigning the coefficients (a;

b;

c) to the model coefficients, the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) in the form of

at least one individual point-shaped object (210) or

at least two symmetrically positioned point-shaped objects (220, 222) or

at least one extended object (230)

is recognized and differentiated.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein

the particular measured distance values (d1;

d2;

d3) are combined in the form of distance lists (20;

22;

24), and

the reflex clusters (30) in the distance lists (20;

22;

24) are recognized.

5. The method as recited in at least one of claims 2 through 4, wherein for tracking the coefficients (a;

b;

c),

the particular distance values (d1;

d2;

d3) between object (210;

220, 222;

230) and the particular sensor unit (10;

12;

14) are measured continuously and/or as function of time (t); and

the coefficients (a;

b;

c) assigned to the measured distance values (d1;

d2;

d3), as well as their derivations based on time (t), are filtered with respect to whether results fall below the particular defined lower threshold values and/or exceed the particular defined upper threshold values.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the relative position of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) or the relative speed of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) is calculated from the filtered coefficients (a;

b;

c) or their time (t)-based derivations with regard to at least one reference point defined by the particular location of the sensor units (10;

12;

14).

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein

the model coefficients for point-shaped objects (210;

220, 222)

are calculated at the calculated relative positions; and

are compared with the filtered coefficients (a;

b;

c); and

subsequently a measurement is generated for the deviation of the target object (210;

220, 222;

230) from the point shape.

9. A device for the adaptive regulation of the distance and/or speed of travel of a means of transportation with regard to at least one object (210;

220, 222;

230), operating according to a method as recited in at least one of claims 1 through 7 and/or having at least one system (100) as recited in claim 8.

10. Use of a method as recited in at least one of claims 1 through 7 and/or at least one system (100) as recited in claim 8 and/or at least one device as recited in claim 9

as a parking assistance or parking aid,

as a Stop&

Go system in expansion of a device for automatically regulating the distance and/or the speed of travel such as ACC (=Adaptive Cruise Control),

in Pre-Crash sensing and/or

in blind-spot detection

in a means of transportation, in particular a motor vehicle.

8. A system (100) for detecting at least one object (210;

220, 222;

230), in particular for detecting its specific parameters such as the relative position of the object (210;

220, 222;

230) or the relative speed of the object (210;

220, 222;

230), wherein at least three distance-resolving units (10;

12;

14), mounted in particular on a means of transportation, are provided for detecting the spatial, in particular the lateral, extension of the object (210;

220, 222;

230).