ALERT SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING REAL-TIME LANE INFORMATION

• US 20140071282A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: WILLIAMS, PAUL R., MURAD, MOHANNAD
• Application Number:
  US13/614,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071282A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for alerting a driver of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving sensor data that is generated by an image sensor that senses conditions in proximity of the vehicle; determining real-time lane information from the sensor data, wherein the real-time lane information includes at least one of a lane width, a lane type, and a lane curvature; selectively performing an alert method that evaluates the presence of objects in proximity to the vehicle based on the real-time lane information; and selectively generating an alert signal to alert the driver based on the alert method.

Claims

1. A method of alerting a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving sensor data that is generated by an image sensor that senses conditions in proximity of the vehicle;

determining real-time lane information from the sensor data, wherein the real-time lane information includes at least one of a lane width, a lane type, and a lane curvature;

selectively performing an alert method that evaluates the presence of objects in proximity to the vehicle based on the real-time lane information; and

selectively generating an alert signal to alert the driver based on the alert method.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively generating the alert signal is based on a lane change alert method that evaluates the real-time lane information.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising performing the lane change alert method based on the lane type.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising performing the lane change alert method based on the lane width.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising performing the lane change alert method based on the lane curvature.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively generating the alert signal is based on a side blind zone alert method that evaluates the real-time lane information.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising performing the side blind zone alert method based on the lane type.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising performing the side blind zone alert method based on the lane width.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising performing the side blind zone alert method based on the lane curvature.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the real-time lane information comprises determining the lane type, the lane width and the lane curvature.

11. A system for alerting a driver of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first module that receives sensor data that is generated by an image sensor of the vehicle, and that determines real-time lane information from the sensor data, wherein the real-time lane information includes at least one of a lane width, a lane type, and a lane curvature; and

a second module that selectively performs an alert method that evaluates the presence of objects in proximity to the vehicle based on the real-time lane information and that selectively generates an alert signal to alert the driver based on the alert method.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the second module selectively generates the alert signal based on a lane change alert method that evaluates the real-time lane information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the second module performs the lane change alert method based on the lane type.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the second module performs the lane change alert method based on the lane width.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the second module performs the lane change alert method based on the lane curvature.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the second module selectively generates the alert signal based on a side blind zone alert method that evaluates the real-time lane information.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the second module performs the side blind zone alert method based on the lane type.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the second module performs the side blind zone alert method based on the lane width.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the second module performs the side blind zone alert method based on the lane curvature.

20. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one image sensor that generates a sensor signal; and

a control module that receives the sensor signal, that determines real-time lane information from the sensor signal, that performs an alert method that evaluates the presence of objects in proximity to the vehicle based on the real-time lane information, and that selectively generates an alert signal to alert a driver based on the alert method, wherein the real-time lane information includes at least one of a lane width, a lane type, and a lane curvature.