Apparatus and method for improving accuracy of an automatic travelling apparatus

• US 5,367,457 A
• Filed: 06/01/1993
• Issued: 11/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ishida, Shinnosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Trans, Vincent N.
• Application Number:
  US08/071,222
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.02, 364/443, 364/449, 364/456, 180/167, 180/169, 358/103, 318/587, 382/1, 395/905, 395/94
• US Class Current: 701/28
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic travelling apparatus which is capable of taking an image of an area ahead of a vehicle by an image pick-up means attached to the vehicle; sampling and processing the image data to extract therefrom continuous line segments; determining a permissible travelling area ahead of the vehicle on the basis of the continuous line segments extracted; setting a target course in the permissible travelling area thus determined; detecting the instantaneous running condition of the vehicle; estimating, on the basis of the instantaneous running condition, a steering amount to permit the vehicle to follow the target course; and steering the vehicle with reference to the steering amount, and furthermore of renewing, on the basis of the instantaneous running condition during a period of image sampling, the preceding position of the vehicle in the permissible travelling area and reset a target course in the permissible travelling area in relation to the renewed position.

Claims

1. A machine implemented process for controlling a vehicle, said process comprising the steps of:

generating image data representative of an area ahead of a vehicle in a direction of travel of said vehicle;

sampling and processing said generated image data at repeated intervals to extract therefrom continuous line segments indicative of a permissible travel path in said area ahead of said vehicle;

detecting an instantaneous running condition of said vehicle;

repeatedly calculating a present position of said vehicle and repeatedly setting a target course in said permissible travel path between each of said sampling and processing intervals;

determining, based on said instantaneous running condition of said vehicle, a steering correction necessary to permit said vehicle to follow each of said target course settings; and

steering said vehicle in response to each determined steering correction.

2. An automatic vehicle control system comprising:

means for generating image data representative of an area ahead of a vehicle in a direction of travel of said vehicle, said means for generating said image data being adapted to be attached to said vehicle;

means for sampling said processing said generated image data at repeated intervals to extract therefrom continuous line segments indicative of a permissible travel path in said area ahead of said vehicle;

means for detecting an instantaneous running condition of said vehicle;

means for repeatedly calculating a present position of said vehicle and repeatedly setting a target course in said permissible travel path between each of said sampling and processing intervals;

means for determining, based on said instantaneous running condition of said vehicle, a steering correction necessary to permit said vehicle to follow each of said target course settings; and

means adapted for steering said vehicle in response to each determined steering correction.

3. The automatic vehicle control system of claim 2 wherein said instantaneous running condition of said vehicle is determined as a function of a running speed of said vehicle and a yaw rate of said vehicle.