METHOD FOR ASSISTING A USER OF A VEHICLE, CONTROL DEVICE FOR A DRIVER-ASSISTANCE SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE AND VEHICLE HAVING SUCH A CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20110010094A1
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Simon, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method for assisting a user of a vehicle, in which driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω, n) are sensed or ascertained via sensors of the vehicle, and a camera of the vehicle covers a coverage area of a road scene at least in front of the vehicle and outputs image signals. Based on the image signals, it is determined whether a further vehicle which is outputting blinking signals is in the coverage area. As a function of the ascertained driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω, n) of the vehicle and as a function of the determination as to whether other vehicles are indicating a change of direction, information signals, particularly warning signals, are able to be output to the user and/or an automatic driver-assistance control is able to be implemented in which control signals for interventions in a vehicle control for a longitudinal control and/or lateral control, especially a distance control, are output. In this context, in each case different possible control interventions are able to be ascertained and carried out. Furthermore, a corresponding control device and the vehicle thereby made possible are provided.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A method for assisting a user of a vehicle (2), comprising:

imaging a coverage area (14) of a road scene (1) at least in front of the vehicle (2) using a camera (12) of the vehicle (2) and outputting image signals (S12),

sensing driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) which describe a driving condition of the vehicle (2),

ascertaining a driving path (39) which represents an anticipated distance/time function of the host vehicle (2) in its present driving condition,

determining whether a further vehicle (7, 8, 9) which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) is in the coverage area (14), based on the image signals (S12),

if a vehicle (7, 8, 9) is ascertained which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35), determining from the blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) whether the signaling vehicle (7, 8, 9) is indicating a change of direction,

ascertaining whether a vehicle (8, 9) indicating a change of direction will enter the ascertained driving path (39) upon changing its direction,

further ascertaining whether a vehicle (2) presently in the ascertained driving path (39), which is indicating a change of direction, will leave the ascertained driving path (39) after the indicated change of direction, and

outputting at least one output signal (S1, S2, S3) as a function of the driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) of the vehicle (2), as a function of the determination as to whether further vehicles (7, 8, 9) are indicating a change of direction, as a function of the ascertainment of whether a vehicle (8, 9) will enter the ascertained driving path (39) upon changing its direction, and as a function of the ascertainment of whether a vehicle (2) presently in the ascertained driving path (39), which is indicating a change of direction, will leave the ascertained driving path (39) after the indicated change of direction.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein an automatic driver-assistance control is carried out, and control signals (S1) for interventions in a vehicle control for at least one of longitudinal and lateral control are output as output signals.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the vehicle (2) measures a distance (d) to at least one vehicle (7) in front, and the driver assistance control includes a distance control method for adjusting the distance (d).

33. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein information signals (S2) to at least one of a visual display device user interface and an acoustic or haptic output device user interface are output as output signals.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the information signals (S2) indicate at least one ascertained further possible intervention in the driving condition of the vehicle as an input prompt.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein warning signals are output as information signals (S2) in response to recognition of a dangerous situation.

36. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein external output signals (S3) to at least one of further vehicles (7, 8, 9, 10) and a traffic management system external receiver are output as output signals.

37. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein at least one of a control signal (S1) for an engine management to increase the acceleration and an information signal (S2) to indicate an acceleration to be carried out is output.

38. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein it is ascertained whether in the case of a detected vehicle (7, 8, 9), both lateral turn-signal lights (33, 34) are blinking synchronously or only one of the lateral turn-signal lights (33, 34) is blinking,

if synchronous blinking of both lateral turn-signal lights (33, 34) is ascertained, a hazard warning blinking is recognized and a hazard warning blinking light signal (S35) is output, and

if only one lateral turn-signal light (33, 34) is ascertained, a directional blinking indicating a change of direction is recognized and a directional blinking signal (S33, S34) is output, and the output signal (S1, S2, S3) is output as a function of the ascertainment of the blinking state.

39. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein at least one of brake signals and blinking signals are also ascertained from the image signals (S12) in image areas in which no vehicle is detected, and at least one further vehicle (7, 8, 9) is subsequently assigned to the ascertained brake signals or blinking signals.

40. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the at least one further vehicle (7, 8, 9) is ascertained from the image signals (S12) by a pattern-recognition method, with the aid of segmentation and edge extraction.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein the at least one further vehicle (7, 8, 9) in the recorded image (12) are ascertained as geometrical regions, particularly areas (K7, K8, K9), partial areas (K7-1, K7-2, K7-3, K7-4) to which a high probability for the presence of a brake light (32a, 32b) or a turn-signal light (33, 34) is assigned being formed in the geometrical regions (K7, K8, K9).

42. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein brake lights (32a, b), turn-signal lights (33, 34) and taillights (36) are differentiated in the recorded image based on their spectral composition or color.

43. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein light sources in the recorded image are differentiated as brake lights (32a, b), turn-signal lights (33, 34) and taillights (36) based on their signal behavior over time.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein a light source is recognized as turn-signal light (33, 34) if it exhibits a periodic signal behavior over time with constant pulse duration and pulse frequency within predefined values.

45. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein a light source is recognized as brake light (32a, 32b) if it exhibits a variable signal behavior over time with non-periodic signal change or a rapidly pulsed signal behavior with higher frequency than a predefined blinking-pulse frequency.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein a different braking action of the recognized vehicle (7, 8, 9) is assigned to a recognized braking-pulse frequency or a variable signal strength of the recognized brake light (32a, 32b).

47. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein in response to a detected direction-change blinking, at least one of map-data signals (S17) and position data (S18) are utilized to ascertain whether there is a high probability that the signaling vehicle will turn.

52. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein the driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) are sensed by sensors (16) of the vehicle (2) or are ascertained from the image signals (S12) of the camera (12).

53. A control device (26, 27, 28) for a driver-assistance system of a vehicle (2) that receives at least image signals (S12) from a camera (12) of the vehicle (2) and signals (S16) which describe driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) of the vehicle (2), the control device being capable of implementing the method as recited in claim 30.

54. The control device as recited in claim 53, wherein it receives the signals (S16), which describe driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) of the vehicle (2) from intrinsic-state sensors (16) of the vehicle (2).

55. The control device as recited in claim 53, wherein it also receives signals (S15) from driving-environment sensors (15) of the vehicle (2).

48. A method for assisting a user of a vehicle (2), comprising:

imaging a coverage area (14) of a road scene (1) at least in front of the vehicle (2) using a camera (12) of the vehicle (2) and outputting image signals (S12),

sensing driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) which describe a driving condition of the vehicle (2),

determining whether a further vehicle (7, 8, 9) which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) is in the coverage area (14), based on the image signals (S12),

if a vehicle (7, 8, 9) is ascertained which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35), determining from the blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) whether the signaling vehicle (7, 8, 9) is indicating a change of direction, and

outputting at least one output signal (S1, S2, S3) as a function of the driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) of the vehicle (2) and as a function of the determination as to whether further vehicles (7, 8, 9) are indicating a change of direction,

wherein when a brake light (32a, 32b) or a directional blinking of one turn-signal light (33, 34) of a further vehicle (8, 9) is detected and it is ascertained that there is a high probability of a collision with this further vehicle (8, 9), a braking procedure of the host vehicle (2) is ascertained and at least one of a control signal (S1) for an automatic brake intervention and an information signal (S2) for indication to the driver is output, and

wherein expected changes in operating behavior of sensed vehicles (7, 8, 9) in response to changes of direction or braking procedures of further sensed vehicles (7, 8, 9) are ascertained, and when a brake light (32a, 32b) or a directional blinking of one turn-signal light (33, 34) of a further vehicle (8, 9) is detected and it is ascertained that, because of the change in the driving condition of the further vehicle (8, 9), there is a high probability that a third vehicle (7) will alter its driving condition, and thus there is a high probability for a collision with the third vehicle (7) or another object, a braking procedure of the host vehicle (2) is ascertained and at least one of a control signal (S1) for an automatic brake intervention and an information signal (S2) for indication to the driver is output.

49. The method as recited in claim 48, wherein a braking is ascertained targeted to another vehicle (7, 8, 9) or another object, and the output signal (S1, S2, S3) is output for this targeted braking.

50. A method for assisting a user of a vehicle (2), comprising:

imaging a coverage area (14) of a road scene (1) at least in front of the vehicle (2) using a camera (12) of the vehicle (2) and outputting image signals (S12),

sensing driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n), which describe a driving condition of the vehicle (2),

determining whether a further vehicle (7, 8, 9) which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) is in the coverage area (14), based on the image signals (S12),

if a vehicle (7, 8, 9) is ascertained which is outputting blinking signals (S33, S34, S35), determining from the blinking signals (S33, S34, S35) whether the signaling vehicle (7, 8, 9) is indicating a change of direction,

outputting at least one output signal (S1, S2, S3) as a function of the driving-condition variables (v, a, q, ω

, n) of the vehicle (2) and as a function of the determination as to whether further vehicles (7, 8, 9) are indicating a change of direction,

wherein when a brake light (32a, 32b) or a directional blinking of one turn-signal light (33, 34) of a further vehicle (8, 9) is detected and it is ascertained that there is a high probability of a collision with this further vehicle (8, 9), an evasion possibility is ascertained for the vehicle (2) by changing from its lane (3b) to an adjacent lane (3a, 3c), and at least one of an information signal (S2) for indication to the driver and a control signal (S1) for an automatic lane change is output.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein expected changes in the operating behavior of sensed vehicles (7, 8, 9) in response to changes of direction or braking procedures of further sensed vehicles (7, 8, 9) are ascertained, and when a brake light (32a, 32b) or a directional blinking of one turn-signal light (33, 34) of a further vehicle (8, 9) is detected and it is ascertained that, because of the change in the driving condition of the further vehicle (8, 9), there is a high probability that a third vehicle (7) will alter its driving condition, and thus there is a high probability for a collision with the third vehicle (7) or another object, an evasion possibility for the vehicle (2) by changing from its lane (3b) to an adjacent lane (3a, 3c) is ascertained, and the output signal (S1, S2, S3) is output.