VEHICULAR IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING ROADWAY WIDTH

• US 20130261838A1
• Filed: 03/28/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HL Klemove Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Schut, Jeremy A., Falb, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,254 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

A vehicular imaging system for determining roadway width includes an image sensor for capturing images and an image processor for receiving the captured images. The image processor determines roadway width by identifying roadway marker signs and oncoming traffic in processed images captured by the image sensor and determining the number of lanes, vehicle location on the roadway based on the roadway size and/or width and location of oncoming traffic.

Claims

1. A vehicular imaging system for determining roadway width comprising:

an image sensor configured for capturing images;

an image processor configured for receiving captured images; and

wherein the image sensor configured to view substantially forward of a vehicle, such that a field of view of the image sensor includes the roadway and roadway marker signs on both the right side and left side of the roadway;

wherein the image processor is configured to determine roadway width by identifying roadway marker signs in processed images that are captured by the image sensor.

2. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the image processor is further configured to identify peaks in the captured image that are associated with the roadway marker signs.

3. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the roadway width is determined by calculating a distance from at least one roadway marker sign to a known vehicle location.

4. A vehicular imaging system in claim 1, wherein the roadway width is determined using a position identified as at least one of a left roadway edge and a right roadway edge.

5. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the image processor is configured to create a road width model for identifying the number of lanes in the road way.

6. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the image processor is configured to use a road width model for identifying the position of the vehicle on the roadway.

7. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein a roadway edge sign is tracked over a plurality of frames for triangulating its position in relation to a known location of the vehicle.

8. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to track at least one oncoming vehicle to determine the position of oncoming roadway lanes.

9. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to use the road width for controlling a driver assist function on the vehicle.

21. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 9, wherein the driver assist function is a headlamp control function.

22. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 9, wherein the driver assist function is at least one of a traffic sign recognition (TSR) function and a lane departure warning (LDW) function.

23. A vehicle imaging system as in claim 1, wherein the image processor is a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

10. An optical imagining system used for identifying the width of a vehicular roadway comprising:

at least one imager configured to capture images;

at least one imaging processor configured to receive images captured from the at least one imager for identifying roadway edge signs in the captured images; and

wherein the at least one imager is configured to view substantially forward of a vehicle, such that a field of view of the at least one imager includes the roadway and roadway marker signs on both the right side and left side of the roadway; and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a distance from a roadway edge sign for identifying the size and width of the roadway.

11. An optical imaging system as in claim 10, wherein the at least one image processor is configured to determine the position of the vehicle on the roadway.

12. An optical imaging system in claim 10, wherein the roadway width is determined using a position identified as a left roadway edge.

13. An optical imaging system as in claim 10, wherein the image processor is configured to create a road width model for identifying the number of lanes in the road way.

14. An optical imaging system as in claim 10, wherein at least one oncoming vehicle light is tracked to determine the position of oncoming roadway lanes.

24. A vehicle imaging system as in claim 10, wherein the image processor is a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

25. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to use the road width for controlling a driver assist function on the vehicle.

26. A vehicular imaging system as in claim 25, wherein the driver assist function is a headlamp control function, a traffic sign recognition (TSR) function, and a lane departure warning (LDW) function.

15. A method for determining roadway width in an imaging system comprising the steps of:

capturing at least one image;

processing the at least one image using an image processor; and

determining the width of the roadway by identifying at least one roadway marker sign in the at least one processed image.

16. A method for determining roadway width as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

determining the width of the roadway by calculating a distance from at least one roadway marker sign to the vehicle.

17. A method for determining roadway width as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

determining a left roadway edge by identifying a left roadway maker sign.

18. A method for determining roadway width as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

creating a road width model for identifying the number of lanes in the road way.

19. A method for determining roadway width as in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

utilizing the road width model to identify the position of the vehicle on the roadway.

20. A method for determining roadway width as in claim 15, wherein at least one oncoming vehicle is tracked to determine the position of oncoming roadway lanes.