Method for operating a driver support system for motor vehicles

• US 6,945,346 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: ADC GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Massen, Joachim
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Chis
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOTTORFF, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US10/363,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20030168271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 180/170, 180/333, 180/169, 701/93, 701/96, 340/435, 340/904
• US Class Current: 180/170
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes

Abstract

A support of the operator of the motor vehicle is to be provided in all traffic situations in a simple manner and with low costs, without overburdening the operator of the motor vehicle. In this context, in the following or tracking operation, in which a regulation of the speed of the motor vehicle dependent on the spacing distance to detected target objects that are classified as relevant is carried out, the relevant target objects used for the speed regulation are selected by the operation of an operating element to be operated by the operator of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. Method for the operation of a driver assistance system for motor vehicles (1),

in which, in a following operation (32) of a motor vehicle (1) following another vehicle, a speed regulation of the speed of the motor vehicle (1) dependent on the spacing distance (dz) to target objects (2) that have been detected and classified as relevant is carried out,

characterized in that the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation in the following operation (32) are selected by an operation of an operating element (16) by an operator of the motor vehicle (1), and

characterized in that, in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, only moving target objects are taken into account in a first operating condition, and both moving target objects and resting target objects are taken into account in a second operating condition, and switching between said first and second operating conditions is effectuated by the operation of the operating element (16) by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, all resting target objects (2) that are detected and classified as relevant are taken into consideration.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that resting target objects (2) are taken into consideration in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, only during the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that resting target objects (2) are taken into consideration in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, for a short time span after the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle (1).

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the resting target objects (2) that were detected already before the operation of the operating element (16) are classified as relevant target objects (2) by the operation of the operating element (16) carried out by the operator of the motor vehicle.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the resting target objects (2) that were detected already before the operation of the operating element (16) are indicated to the operator of the motor vehicle (1), and are acknowledged by the operator of the motor vehicle (1) by the operation of the operating element (16).

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that all target objects (2) classified as relevant are taken into account for the speed regulation until the deactivation of the driver assistance system.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, the regulation values of the driver assistance system upon which the following operation (32) is based are varied in such a manner that the regulation time and/or the reaction time of the speed regulation is shortened.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, at least one of the following features is provided:

faster changes of the regulation values in the speed regulation are permitted,

the regulation values are set to a critical threshold value, and

a redundancy for the speed regulation is reduced.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, at least one of the following features is provided:

a maximum spacing distance (dz) for the detection of target objects (2) is expanded,

a number of measuring cycles used for the classification of the target objects (2) is reduced,

a change of a deceleration of the motor vehicle (1) is increased, and

a maximum permissible deceleration of the motor vehicle (1) is increased.

11. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the consideration of resting target objects (2) in the selection of the relevant target objects (2) taken into account for the speed regulation, upon the detection of a resting target object (2), a return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

12. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, upon recognizing a collision danger with a relevant target object (2), a return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of an acoustical, optical, haptic or tactile return notification to the operator of the motor vehicle (1) takes place.

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that an activation of the driver assistance system is carried out by operation of the operating element (16) with a deactivated driver assistance system.

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the following operation (32) is released by operation of the operating element (16) after the standstill of the motor vehicle (1) behind a relevant target object (2).

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that the operating element (16) must be operated by the operator of the motor vehicle (1) directly after the removal of the relevant target object (2) for releasing the following operation (32).

17. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that, after the removal of the relevant target object (2), the motor vehicle (1) automatically transitions into a creeping driving with speed regulation, and in that the following operation (32) with normal speed is released by the operation of the operating element (16).

18. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the operation of the operating element (16) is carried out on a steering wheel of the motor vehicle (1).

19. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a button is operated as the operating element (16).

20. A method of operating a motor vehicle having a driver assistance system including an operating element to be operated by a driver of the motor vehicle, said method comprising:

a) driving said motor vehicle at a driving speed according to a following mode of said driver assistance system, in which said motor vehicle follows another vehicle located ahead of said motor vehicle;

b) detecting target objects located ahead of said motor vehicle, including substantially stationary target objects having a speed below a specified threshold and moving target objects having a speed at or above said specified threshold;

c) evaluating and respectively classifying at least some of said target objects as relevant target objects or non-relevant target objects;

d) determining a spacing distance between said motor vehicle and at least one of said relevant target objects;

e) regulating said driving speed dependent on said spacing distance; and

f) in response to and dependent on an operation of said operating element by said driver, selecting and activating a respective desired one of and switching between;

a first operating condition of said following mode in which only said moving target objects are considered for said classifying as said relevant target objects, and

a second operating condition of said following mode in which both said moving target objects and said substantially stationary target objects are considered for said classifying as said relevant target objects.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said specified threshold is a speed value not more than 5 km/h.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said second operating condition is activated only during an active operation of said operating element by said driver, and otherwise said first operating condition is activated.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said second operating condition is activated only during and for a predetermined limited time following an active operation of said operating element by said driver, and otherwise said first operating condition is activated.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein said driver assistance system further includes a switch element distinct from said operating element, and said method further comprises a preliminary step of actuating said following mode in response to and dependent on an actuation of said switch element by said driver.

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising a preliminary step of activating said driver assistance system from a switched-off state in response to and dependent on an operation of said operating element by said driver.

26. The method according to claim 20, further comprising, after a standstill of said motor vehicle with said driving speed being equal to zero, re-enabling and resuming said following mode with said driving speed being greater than zero in response to an operation of said operating element by said driver.