Vision-based method and system for automotive parking aid, reversing aid, and pre-collision sensing application

• US 7,158,015 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Rao, Manoharprasad K., Strumolo, Gary Steven, Ebenstein, Samuel Edward, Smith, Gregory H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/604,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/932.2, 340/428, 340435-438, 348/148, 348/149, 701/36, 701/41, 701 53- 71
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/081 using distance control
• 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: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system

Abstract

A vision-based object detection decision-making system (10) for a vehicle (12) includes multiple vision sensing systems (14) that have vision receivers (20) and that generate an object detection signal. A controller (16) includes a plurality of sensing system aid modules (18) that correspond to each of the vision sensing systems (14). The controller (16) operates the sensing system aid modules (18) in response to a vehicle parameter and generates a safety system signal in response to the object detection signal. The sensing system aid modules (18) have associated operating modes and operate the vision sensing systems (14) in the operating modes in response to the vehicle parameter.

Claims

1. A vision-based object detection system for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of vision sensing systems comprising a frontal collision sensing system and having at least one vision receiver and generating an object detection signal; and

a controller comprising a plurality of sensing system aid modules corresponding to each of said plurality of vision sensing systems, selecting and operating at least one of said plurality of sensing system aid modules in response to at least one vehicle parameter, and generating at least one safety system signal in response to said object detection signal;

said plurality of sensing system aid modules and each of said at least one receiver having a plurality of associated active operating modes, said plurality of sensing system aid modules operating at least one of said plurality of vision sensing systems in at least one of said operating modes in response to said at least one vehicle parameter.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of vision sensing systems are selected from at least one of a frontal and rear collision vision sensing system, a rearward collision vision sensing system, and a side collision vision sensing system.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein said controller operates said plurality of vision sensing systems in at least one mode selected from a reversing-aid mode, a parking-aid mode, a pre-collision sensing mode, an adaptive cruise control mode, a lane departure aid mode, and a lane-keeping aid mode.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensing system aid modules comprises a plurality of collision avoidance and countermeasure modules.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein said plurality of collision avoidance and countermeasure modules comprises at least one module selected from a pre-collision sensing module, an adaptive cruise control module, a lane departure aid module and a lane-keeping aid module.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensing system aid modules comprise a plurality of comfort and convenience modules.

7. A system as in claim 6 wherein said plurality of comfort and convenience modules comprises at least one module selected from a reversing-aid module and a parking-aid module.

8. A system as in claim 1 further comprising a transmission gear sensor generating a transmission gear signal, wherein said controller operates said plurality of sensing system aid modules in response to said transmission gear signal.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensing systems comprise a side collision sensing system and said controller continuously operates said side collision sensing system in a pre-collision sensing mode.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of vision sensing systems comprises at least one frontal collision sensing system and said controller operating said at least one frontal collision sensing system in at least one mode selected from a parking-aid mode, a pre-collision sensing mode, an adaptive cruise control mode, a lane departure aid mode, and a lane-keeping aid mode.

11. A system as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of vision sensing systems comprises at least one rearward collision sensing system and said controller operating said at least one rearward collision sensing system in at least one mode selected from a parking-aid mode, a reversing-aid mode, and a pre-collision sensing mode.

12. A system as in claim 1 wherein said controller is a single vision processor.

13. A system as in claim 1 further comprising an indicator electrically coupled to said controller and wherein said controller indicates said safety system signal via said indicator.

14. A method of performing a plurality of sensing system aids for a vehicle comprising:

generating an object detection signal via a plurality of vision sensing systems comprising a forward vision sensor;

operating a plurality of sensing system aid modules, which comprise a parking-aid module that is used for both forward and rearward object detection simultaneously, via a single controller, said plurality of sensing system aid modules corresponding with each of said plurality of vision sensing systems; and

generating at least one safety system signal in response to said object detection signal.

15. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

generating a transmission gear signal; and

operating said plurality of sensing system aid modules in response to said transmission gear signal.

16. A method as in claim 14 further comprising continuously operating a side collision vision sensing system in a pre-collision sensing mode.

17. A method as in claim 14 further comprising operating at least one frontal collision sensing system in at least one mode selected from a parking-aid mode, a pre-collision sensing mode, an adaptive cruise control mode, a lane departure aid mode, and a lane-keeping aid mode.

18. A method as in claim 14 further comprising operating at least one rearward collision sensing system in at least one mode selected from a parking-aid mode, a reversing-aid mode, and a pre-collision sensing mode.

19. A method as in claim 14 further comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is traveling below a predetermined velocity; and

operating said plurality of sensing system aid modules in response to said determination.

20. A vision-based object detection system for a vehicle comprising:

a transmission gear sensor generating a transmission gear signal;

a plurality of vision sensing systems having at least one vision receiver, generating an object detection signal, and operating simultaneously in a plurality of modes selected from a reversing-aid mode, a parking-aid mode corresponding to both frotal and rearward detection, a lane departure aid mode, and a lane-keeping aid mode; and

a single vision processor comprising a plurality of sensing system aid modules corresponding with each of said plurality of vision sensing systems, operating said plurality of sensing system aid modules in response to said transmission gear signal, and generating at least one warning signal or one countermeasure signal in response to said object detection signal.