Motor vehicle trajectory measurement

• US 6,745,110 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Cars Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Hoare, Edward George, Richardson, Michael Julian, Barber, Philip Alexander, Clarke, Nigel John
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/208, 701/300, 701/301, 701/220, 340/435, 348/118, 348/119, 342/70, 342/72
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention relates to measurement of the trajectory of a motor vehicle with respect to a roadway. A trajectory measurement system for a motor vehicle (1), comprises a sensing system (20, 21) for sensing the positions of roadway edges (5), a memory (24) that stores data relating to the width, and optionally lane width, of different types of road (4) on which the vehicle (1) may travel, and a data processor means (2) linked (26, 29) to the sensing system (20, 21) and memory (24). The processor means (2) compares the sensed positions of roadway edges (5) with the road width data in order to deduce the type of road (4) on which the vehicle (1) travels, and optionally also the lane in which the vehicle travels. The system may also include a vehicle speed sensor (13, 15) linked (33, 35) to the data processor means (2). The memory (24) then stores road speed data relating to different type of road (4) on which the vehicle (1) may travel, so that the processor means (2) can compare also the sensed vehicle speed with the road speed data in order to help deduce the type of road (4) on which the vehicle (1) travels.

Claims

1. A measurement system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a sensing system for sensing the positions of roadway edges,

a memory that stores road width data relating to different types of road on which a vehicle may travel; and

a data processor means linked to the sensing system and memory, in which the processor means is adapted to compare the sensed positions of roadway edges with the road width data in order to deduce the type of road on which a vehicle may travel.

2. The measurement system according to claim 1, comprising a speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed, the speed sensor being linked to the data processor means, in which the memory stores road speed data relating to different types of road on which a vehicle may travel, in which the processor means is adapted to compare also the sensed vehicle speed with the road speed data in order to deduce the type of road on which a vehicle may travel.

3. The measurement system according to claim 1, in which the memory stores road lane data relating to different types of road lane in which a vehicle may travel, in which the processor means is adapted to compare the sensed positions of the roadway edges with the road lane data to deduce the location of road lanes with respect the sensed edges of the road.

4. A motor vehicle, comprising an inertial sensor system for measuring the movement of the vehicle and a measurement system as claimed in claim 1, the inertial sensor system being linked to the processor means, in which the processor means is adapted to predict from the measured movement of the vehicle a future trajectory of the vehicle with respect at least to the sensed positions of roadway edges, and to calculate therefrom a danger level associated with the predicted future trajectory.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, in which the processor means is adapted to predict from the measured movement of the vehicle the future trajectory of the vehicle with respect to a deduced location of road lanes, and to calculate therefrom a danger level associated with the predicted future trajectory.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, comprising a collision warning system, the collision warning system being linked to the processor means, in which the collision warning system provides to a driver of the vehicle a collision warning signal when the calculated danger level is above a predetermined threshold.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, in which the memory includes different sets of roadway related data for different geographical areas or countries in which the vehicle may travel.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7, in which means are provided by which a driver of the vehicle may select from amongst the different sets of data.

9. A measurement method for a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle comprising a sensing system for sensing the positions of roadway edges, a memory that stores road width data relating to different types of road on which a vehicle may travel, and a data processor means linked to the sensing system and memory, in which the method comprises the steps of:

a) using the sensing system to sense the positions of roadway edges as the vehicle travels on a road;

b) using the processor means to compare the sensed positions of roadway edges with the road width data, and from this to deduce the type of road on which the vehicle is traveling.