METHODS FOR NOTIFYING A DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ABOUT A DANGER SPOT AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS USING SUCH METHODS

• US 20120268600A1
• Filed: 04/18/2012
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: WAGNER, Oliver
• Application Number:
  US13/449,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268600A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• 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: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and a driver assistance system for notifying the driver of a motor vehicle about a danger spot are provided. In an embodiment, the method includes providing informational data about the danger spot from a data storage device, providing current image data using a camera, and analyzing a current danger situation by comparing the current image data with the informational data using a central processing unit. A warning signal is outputted to the driver via an output unit depending on the current danger situation.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a driver of a motor vehicle about a danger spot, the method comprising the steps of:

providing informational data about the danger spot from a data storage device;

providing current image data using a camera;

analyzing a current danger situation by comparing the current image data with the informational data using a central processing unit; and

outputting a warning signal to the driver via an output unit depending on the current danger situation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the informational data comprises providing the informational data chosen from traffic sign data, a closed sign, a stop sign, an intersection, a railway crossing, road progression data, a merge sign, a curve, a bus bay, a traffic light, road inscription, and combinations thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the informational data comprises providing the informational data that encompass contour data for recognizing a “

special vehicle”

.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning signal is output once the current danger situation has been acquired.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the informational data comprises providing the informational data that further contains information for acquiring environmental data chosen from:

a “

special vehicle”

at the danger spot;

persons on a roadside;

persons crossing a road;

magnitude of traffic density;

weather conditions;

distance from adjacent vehicles;

road progression;

current speed of the motor vehicle; and

combinations thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current danger situation is weighted as a function of comparison data acquired by comparing the current image data with the informational data.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning signal changes as a function of weighting a danger situation, and/or as the motor vehicle is slowed down and/or diverted.

8. A driver assistance system for notifying a driver of a motor vehicle about a danger spot, the driver assistance system comprising:

a camera that acquires current image data of an environment ahead of the motor vehicle in a traveling direction;

a data storage device for storing informational data about the danger spot;

a central processing unit for comparing the current image data and the informational data and acquiring a danger situation; and

an output unit for outputting a warning signal based on the danger situation.

9. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the output unit is chosen from a light source, a display, a loudspeaker, a steering wheel and/or an engine management system, and wherein the warning signal is an optical, acoustic and/or haptic signal.

10. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the danger spot is a bus stop.

11. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the camera is configured to cyclically acquire the current image data.

12. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the informational data is chosen from traffic sign data, a closed sign, a stop sign, an intersection, a railway crossing, road progression data, a merge sign, a curve, a bus bay, a traffic light, road inscription, and combinations thereof.

13. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the informational data encompass contour data for recognizing a “

special vehicle”

.

14. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the informational data further contains information for acquiring environmental data chosen from:

a “

special vehicle”

at the danger spot;

persons on a roadside;

persons crossing a road;

magnitude of traffic density;

weather conditions;

distance from adjacent vehicles;

road progression;

current speed of the motor vehicle; and

combinations thereof.

15. The driver assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the output unit is provided in the interior of the motor vehicle.