WARNING SYSTEM FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20080211645A1
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Mathes, Joachim
• Application Number:
  US12/119,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211645A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

The invention relates to a warning system for a motor vehicle, having a sensor system for sensing the position of the motor vehicle relative to a carriageway delimitation which is marked on a carriageway, and having an evaluation unit which is coupled to the sensor system, the evaluation unit being connected to at least one output unit and/or to at least one actuator for outputting warning signals to the driver, warning signals of different types and/or intensities being assigned to different positions of the motor vehicle relative to a carriageway delimitation.

Claims

1. A warning system for a motor vehicle, the warning system comprising:

a sensor system configured to sense a plurality of relative positions of the motor vehicle relative to at least one highway delimitation which is marked on a highway;

an evaluation unit coupled to the sensor system; and

at least one of an output unit and an actuator, the at least one of the output unit and the actuator being connected to the evaluation unit and being configured to output warning signals to a driver, the warning signals having at least one of different types and different intensities assigned to different relative positions of the plurality of relative positions of the motor vehicle relative to the at least one highway delimitation.

2. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein a relative position of the plurality of relative positions of the motor vehicle to be sensed includes a condition in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle completely crosses the highway delimitation.

3. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein a relative position of the plurality of relative positions of the motor vehicle to be sensed includes a condition in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle crosses the highway delimitation at least in sections.

4. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system and the evaluation unit are configured to evaluate the degree of overlap of the highway delimitation and a wheel of the motor vehicle.

5. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relative positions includes at least a first relative position in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle crosses the highway delimitation at least in sections and a second relative position in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle completely crosses the highway delimitation, the first relative position being assigned a warning signal of lower intensity than the second relative position.

6. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relative positions includes at least a first relative position in which a wheel of the motor vehicle covers the highway delimitation with a first, lesser degree of overlap at least in sections and a second relative position in which a wheel of the motor vehicle covers the highway delimitation with a second, higher degree of overlap at least in sections, the first relative position being assigned a warning signal of lower intensity than the second relative position.

7. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the warning signals have different intensities assigned to different relative positions, the assignment of different intensities of warning signals to different relative positions being proportional.

8. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relative positions includes at least a first relative position in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle crosses the highway delimitation at least in sections and a second relative position in which at least one wheel of the motor vehicle completely crosses the highway delimitation, the first relative position being assigned a warning signal of a first type and the second relative position being assigned a warning signal of a second type.

9. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of relative positions includes at least a first relative position in which a wheel of the motor vehicle covers the highway delimitation with a first, lesser degree of overlap at least in sections and a second relative position in which a wheel of the motor vehicle covers the highway delimitation with a second, higher degree of overlap at least in sections, the first relative position being assigned a warning signal of a first type and the second relative position being assigned a warning signal of a second type.

10. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein at least one warning signal is acoustic.

11. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein at least one warning signal is optical.

12. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein at least one warning signal is haptic.

13. A method for the operation of a warning system of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing at least one relative position of the motor vehicle relative to a highway delimitation which is marked on a highway;

assigning a warning signal to the relative position of the motor vehicle relative to the highway delimitation;

outputting the warning signal to a driver; and

diminishing the intensity of the warning signal if at least one predetermined reference condition is achieved.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reference condition corresponds to the complete crossing of the highway delimitation by at least one wheel of the motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reference condition corresponds to the complete crossing of the highway delimitation by all operational wheels of the motor vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reference condition corresponds to the lapse of a time period.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reference condition corresponds to a minimum traveled distance.

18. A method for the operation of a warning system of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing at least one relative position of the motor vehicle relative to a highway delimitation which is marked on a highway;

assigning a warning signal to the relative position of the motor vehicle relative to the highway delimitation;

outputting the warning signal to a driver; and

terminating the intensity of the warning signal if at least one predetermined reference condition is achieved.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the reference condition corresponds to the complete crossing of the highway delimitation by at least one wheel of the motor vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the reference condition corresponds to at least one of the lapse of a time period and a minimum traveled distance.