Method and device for detecting objects in the surroundings of a vehicle

• US 20070182587A1
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Danz, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/34 Blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/101 Particularities of the measurement of distance G01S15/12, G01S15/14, and G01S15/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/933 for measuring the dimensions of the parking space when driving past

Abstract

A method and a device for detecting objects in the blind spot of a vehicle are provided, which make it possible, through an adaptively decreased measuring time, to achieve a shorter response time for alerting a driver in the event of an imminent collision with an object in the blind spot. Due to the fact that the frequency and/or the width of a measuring signal is/are set as a function of the previously determined distance between the vehicle and the object, it is possible to increase the sampling rate proportional to the decrease in the distance between the vehicle and the object. This makes it possible to detect the closest object more rapidly, i.e., for the most relevant object for a potential collision to be evaluated, thereby generating an adequately early collision alert. The frequency of a measuring signal is preferably set reciprocally proportional to the determined distance between the vehicle and the object.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method for detecting an object in the surrounding environment of a vehicle, comprising:

transmitting a measuring signal having a predefined frequency and a predefined width;

receiving, within a predefined time interval subsequent to the transmission of the measuring signal, the measuring signal that has been at least one of reflected and scattered by an object in the surrounding environment of the vehicle;

determining a distance between the vehicle and the object based on the received measuring signal; and

setting at least one of a frequency and a width of the measuring signal as a function of the determined distance between the vehicle and the object.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the frequency of the measuring signal is set inversely proportional to the determined distance between the vehicle and the object.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the object is at least partially positioned in a blind spot of the vehicle, wherein the blind spot includes immediate left and rear areas surrounding the driver side of the vehicle.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

determining a time of a potential collision between the vehicle and the object, based on at least an output signal of at least one steering angle sensor of the vehicle.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of the measuring signal, the output signal of the at least one steering angle sensor, and an output signal of at least one yaw angle sensor of the vehicle is analyzed by an on-board computer of the vehicle.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the measuring signal is one of an ultrasonic signal, a radar signal, and a light-wave signal.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein the measuring signal is transmitted and received by an ultrasonic sensor of a Park Pilot®

system.

20. A system for detecting an object in the surrounding environment of a vehicle, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a measuring signal having a predefined frequency and a predefined width;

a receiver for receiving, within a predefined time interval subsequent to the transmission of the measuring signal, the measuring signal that has been at least one of reflected and scattered by an object in the surrounding environment of the vehicle;

an analyzer for determining a distance between the vehicle and the object based on the received measuring signal, wherein the analyzing unit is operatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiver; and

a control unit for setting at least one of a frequency and a width of the measuring signal as a function of the determined distance between the vehicle and the object, wherein the control unit is operatively coupled to at least the analyzer and the transmitter.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the transmitter and the receiver each have at least one ultrasonic sensor.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the transmitter and the receiver each have at least one ultrasonic sensor of a rear-end Park Pilot®

system, and wherein the at least one ultrasonic sensor is one of angled to the left and angled to the right.

23. The device as recited in one of claims 21, wherein at least one of the analyzer and the control unit is incorporated as part of an on-board computer of the vehicle.

24. The device as recited in one of claims 21, wherein the analyzer is connected to at least one of a steering angle sensor and a yaw angle sensor.