DRIVER ASSISTANT SYSTEM USING INFLUENCE MAPPING FOR CONFLICT AVOIDANCE PATH DETERMINATION

• US 20140067206A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pflug, Goerg
• Granted Patent: US 9,761,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• 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 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/42 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle and operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the vehicle and sideward of the vehicle. The driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by the sensors to determine the presence of objects ahead and/or sideward of the vehicle. Responsive to the data processing, the driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects. The driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects. Responsive to the respective determined speeds and/or directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system, wherein said plurality of sensors are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process data captured by said sensors to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects; and

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects.

2. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of cameras each having an exterior field of view.

3. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of the objects'"'"' speed vectors.

4. The driver assistance system of claim 3, wherein the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to the length of the objects'"'"' speed vectors.

5. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds.

6. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked and the at least one path of travel is determined responsive to the rankings of the determined influence values.

7. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driver that is indicative of the determined at least one path of travel.

8. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system determines the at least one path of travel based at least in part on the types of determined objects.

9. The driver assistance system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the determined objects comprises a vehicle.

10. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system is operable to at least in part control at least one of a brake system of the equipped vehicle, a steering system of the equipped vehicle and an accelerator system of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along a selected path of travel.

11. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined objects.

12. The driver assistance system of claim 11, wherein said at least one path or said at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow is selected by iterating the influence map current condition into a future map condition in time steps.

13. The driver assistance system of claim 12, wherein said at least one path or said at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow is generated by iteration by adding artificial random noise to at least one of the influence map parameters for altering the future outcome of the influence map.

14. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system, wherein said plurality of cameras are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process image data captured by said cameras to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said image data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects;

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects; and

wherein at least one of (i) said driver assistance system is operable to at least in part control at least one of a brake system of the equipped vehicle, a steering system of the equipped vehicle and an accelerator system of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along a selected path of travel and (ii) said driver assistance system generates an alert to the driver that is indicative of the determined at least one path of travel.

15. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein at least one of (i) the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of the objects'"'"' speed vectors, (ii) the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to the length of the objects'"'"' speed vectors and (iii) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds.

16. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked and the at least one path of travel is determined responsive to the rankings of the determined influence values.

17. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein said driver assistance system determines the at least one path of travel based at least in part on the types of determined objects, and wherein at least one of the determined objects comprises a vehicle.

18. The driver assistance system of claim 14, wherein said driver assistance system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined objects.

19. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system, wherein said plurality of cameras are operable to detect objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said driver assistance system includes a data processor operable to process image data captured by said cameras to determine the presence of objects at least one of ahead of the equipped vehicle and sideward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to said image data processing, said driver assistance system is operable to determine at least one of respective speeds of the determined objects and respective directions of travel of the determined objects;

wherein said driver assistance system is operable to determine respective influence values for the determined objects;

wherein, responsive to the at least one of respective speeds and respective directions of travel of the determined objects and responsive to the determined respective influence values, at least one path of travel for the equipped vehicle is determined that limits conflict with the determined objects; and

wherein at least one of (i) the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in the directions of the objects'"'"' speed vectors, (ii) the influence values for the detected objects are weighted in relation to the length of the objects'"'"' speed vectors, (iii) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects comprise weighted values with increased weighting for objects with greater speeds and (iv) the determined respective influence values for the determined objects are ranked and the at least one path of travel is determined responsive to the rankings of the determined influence values.

20. The driver assistance system of claim 19, wherein said driver assistance system determines the at least one path of travel based at least in part on the types of determined objects, and wherein at least one of the determined objects comprises a vehicle.