Vehicle Driver Assistance Apparatus for Assisting a Vehicle Driver in Maneuvering the Vehicle Relative to an Object

• US 20150294166A1
• Filed: 04/14/2014
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Kuehnle, Andreas U., Charnock, Robert G., Guzman, Arturo M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• 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: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• 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 20/586 of parking space
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A vehicle driver assistance apparatus is provided for a vehicle. The vehicle driver assistance apparatus comprises an image capture device arranged to capture image data which is representative of an object in vicinity of the vehicle. The vehicle driver assistance apparatus further comprises an electronic controller arranged to (i) process the captured image data to identify an edge line associated with the object, and (ii) process the captured image data further based upon the identified edge line to identify a distance between the vehicle and the edge line of the object.

Claims

1. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle driver assistance apparatus comprising:

an image capture device arranged to capture image data which is representative of an object in vicinity of the vehicle; and

an electronic controller arranged to (i) process the captured image data to identify an edge line associated with the object, and (ii) process the captured image data further based upon the identified edge line to identify a distance between the vehicle and the edge line of the object.

2. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driver display device, wherein the electronic controller is further arranged to present on the driver display device a representation of the distance between the vehicle and the edge line of the object.

3. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller arranged to process the captured image data further based upon the identified edge line includes the electronic controller arranged to (a) determine an angle which is defined between a horizontal extension line extending horizontally from the image capture device and a sight line extending from the image capture device to the identified edge line, and (b) determine a horizontal distance which is defined between the vehicle and the identified edge line of the object based upon the determined angle and a value which is representative of a vertical distance between the image capture device and the identified edge line of the object.

4. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vertical distance between the image capture device and the identified edge line of the object lies in the range of about 1000 cm to 2000 cm.

5. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller arranged to process the captured image data further based upon the identified edge line includes the electronic controller arranged to (a) determine a first angle which is defined between an optical axis line extending from the image capture device and a first sight line extending from the image capture device to the identified edge line, (b) determine a second angle which is defined between the optical axis line of the image capture device and a second sight line extending from the image capture device to the identified edge line after the vehicle has moved a distance towards the identified edge line of the object, (c) determine an angular difference between the first and second angles, and (d) determine a remaining distance the vehicle is away from the identified edge line of the object based upon the calculated angular difference and the distance the vehicle has moved towards the identified edge line of the object.

6. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vertical distance between the image capture device and the identified edge line of the object lies in the range of about 1000 cm to 2000 cm.

7. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identified edge line associated with the object comprises a straight horizontal line which is representative of a horizontal dock edge line associated with a truck loading dock.

8. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driver audio alert device which activates when the distance between the vehicle and the identified edge line of the object is less than a predetermined distance value.

9. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device is arranged to capture image data which is representative of a fixed object in back of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture device includes a dedicated controller which communicates with the electronic controller.

11. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is further arranged to provide a signal to indicate absence of an edge line of the object when the electronic controller is unable to process image data from the image capture device to identify an edge line of the object.

12. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a visible light source arranged to illuminate the vicinity of the object to increase contrast of edge lines of the object for when the image capture device captures image data which is representative of the object.

13. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is further arranged to activate vehicle brakes when the identified distance between the vehicle and the edge line of the object is less than a predetermined distance value.

14. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus for a vehicle having an image capture device which captures successive images of an object in vicinity of the vehicle, the vehicle driver assistance apparatus comprising:

a driver display device; and

means for presenting on the driver display device the distance between the vehicle and an edge line of the object based upon mathematical calculations involving at least one edge line contained in the captured successive images of the object in vicinity of the vehicle.

15. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a driver alert device including at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a haptic indicator located in the vehicle and for, when activated, alerting driver of the vehicle that the distance between the vehicle and the edge line of the object is less than a predetermined distance value.

16. A vehicle driver assistance apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the means includes (i) a video imaging camera for capturing video image data which is representative of the object in vicinity of the vehicle, and (ii) an electronic controller for processing the captured video image data successively to present on the driver display device the distance between the vehicle and the object, and for activating the driver alert device to alert driver of the vehicle that the distance between the vehicle and the object is less than the predetermined distance value.

17. A method of processing images having a first edge line of an object in vicinity of a vehicle to determine a distance between the vehicle and the object, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first image containing the first edge line of the object in vicinity of the vehicle at a first time;

receiving a second image containing the first edge line in vicinity of the vehicle at a second time which is after the first time; and

determining the distance between the vehicle and the object based upon a comparison of the relative positions of the first edge line in the first image and the first edge line in the second image.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing a signal to alert driver of the vehicle when a determination is made that the distance between the vehicle and the object is less than a predetermined distance value based upon the comparison of the relative positions of the first edge line in the first image and the first edge line in the second image.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein (i) each of the first and second images contains a second edge line of the object, and (ii) the determining of the vehicle distance between the vehicle and the object is also based upon the relative positions of the second edge line in the first image and the second edge line in the second image.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the providing a signal to alert driver of the vehicle device occurs when a determination is made that the distance between the vehicle and the object is less than the predetermined distance value based upon the comparison of the relative positions of the first edge lines in the first and second images and the comparison of the relative positions of the second edge lines in the first and second images.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein (i) receiving a first image containing the first edge line of the object in vicinity of the vehicle at a first time includes receiving the first image containing the first edge line of the object in back of the vehicle at the first time, and (ii) receiving a second image containing the first edge line of the object in vicinity of the vehicle at a second time includes receiving the second image containing the first edge line in back of the vehicle at the second time.

22. A method according to claim 17, wherein the method is performed by a computer having a memory executing one or more programs of instructions which are tangibly embodied in a program storage medium readable by the computer.