APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING LANE KEEPING OF VEHICLE

• US 20160107597A1
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: WON, Young Deok, YANG, Si U
• Granted Patent: US 9,620,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/00 Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/00 Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle. An apparatus for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle may include: a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of a vehicle; a control module configured to determine a hands off state based on the measured torque value and generate a warning alarm for the hands off state when the vehicle is in the hands off state and is in a predetermined specific state; and an output module configured to generate the warning alarm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of the vehicle;

a control module configured to determine a hands off state based on the measured torque value and generate a warning alarm for the hands off state when the vehicle is in the hands off state and a predetermined specific state; and

an output module configured to output the warning alarm.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined specific state is at least one of an enabling state of a lane keeping assist system (LKAS) and a state in which the vehicle approaches a lane on a road over a threshold value.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module includes a camera acquiring an image data for a lane on a driving road.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control module analyzes the image data to confirm a distance between a lane on the road and the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control module confirms the hands off state based on a torque value for a force applied to a steering handle which is equipped in the vehicle, a torque value which is lost due to a distance between the steering handle and a shaft driving a wheel equipped in the vehicle, and a torque value consumed by a friction force between the wheel and a road.

6. A method for controlling lane keeping of a vehicle, comprising:

calculating by a control module a torque value of a driving vehicle measured by a sensor module;

determining by the control module a hands off state based on the calculated torque value;

determining by the control module whether the vehicle is in the hands off state and is in a predetermined specific state; and

generating and outputting from the control module a warning alarm for the hands off state to an output module when the vehicle is in the predetermined specific state.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle is in the predetermined specific state when at least one of the following states is satisfied:

a lane keeping assist system (LKAS)being enabled, and a state in which the vehicle approaches to a lane on a road over a threshold value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the predetermined specific state of the vehicle comprises:

acquiring an image data of the lane on the road on which the vehicle is driven; and

confirming whether the vehicle is in the predetermined specific state to confirm whether the driving lane of the vehicle approaches the lane on the road over the threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein in determining whether the vehicle is in the hands off state, the hands off state is confirmed based on a torque value for a force applied to a steering handle which is equipped in the vehicle, a torque value which is lost due to a distance between the steering handle and a shaft driving a wheel equipped in the vehicle, and a torque value consumed by a friction force between the wheel and the road.

10. A lane keeping apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor module configured to measure a torque value of the vehicle; and

a control module configured to determine a hands off state based on the calculated torque value and to receive a state signal of a lane keeping assist system, the control module further calculating a distance between the vehicle and a lane on a road on which the vehicle is running,

wherein once the hands off state is kept more than a predetermined time, the control module sends an alarm to an output module under at least one of conditions that the lane keeping assistant system is enabled, and that the calculated distance between the lane and the vehicle is shorter than a predetermined distance.