Method and device for monitoring blind spots of a motor vehicle

• US 7,504,932 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Bartels, Arne
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeff
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US10/531,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20060070787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/435, 340/436, 340/439, 340/438, 340/463, 340/466
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/32 Vehicle surroundings
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93277 in the lights

Abstract

A method for monitoring the blind spot at the side of a motor vehicle, a warning function being activated which gives out a warning to the driver if an object is located in a warning region, includes the following steps: a) determining the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle, determining the travel direction of the object relative to the motor vehicle, and determining the position of the object relative to the motor vehicle within a sensor region; and b) giving out a warning to the driver if the travel direction of the object corresponds to that of the motor vehicle, the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range, defined by a lower range boundary and an upper range boundary, the predetermined region including the relative speed zero, and the position of the object being within the warning region.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a blind spot located at a side of a motor vehicle to warn a driver of the motor vehicle that an object is located in a predetermined warning region with respect to the motor vehicle corresponding to the blind spot, comprising:

determining a relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle;

determining a travel direction of the object relative to the motor vehicle;

determining a position of the object relative to the motor vehicle; and

warning the driver if;

(a) the travel direction of the object corresponds to a travel direction of the motor vehicle;

(b) the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range bounded by a lower range boundary and an upper range boundary, the predetermined range including a zero value; and

(c) the position of the object is within the predetermined warning region.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a warning if the relative speed is greater than the upper range boundary.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the upper range boundary and the lower range boundary are functions of an initial speed of the motor vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning is independent of a direction of entry of the object into the predetermined warning region and is independent of a direction of exit of the object from the predetermined warning region.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the warning is independent of a background of the object that enters the predetermined warning region and is independent of standing objects, an alignment of standing objects and a background of the standing objects.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

classifying driving situations, each classified driving situation including information as to whether the warning be performed if an object enters the predetermined warning region;

determining a current driving situation of the motor vehicle and the object;

ascertaining the classified driving situation that corresponds to the current driving situation; and

activating a warning function that corresponds to the classified driving situation ascertained in the ascertaining step.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the driving situations classified in the classifying step include information relating to two lanes lateral to a lane of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining steps are performed in relation to two sides of the motor vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising one of (a) recording and (b) calculating an angle as an input variable for the warning in a travel plane of the motor vehicle substantially corresponding to the travel direction of the motor vehicle and a straight line that spans a sensor apparatus adapted to monitor the predetermined warning region and the object.

10. A device for monitoring a blind spot located at a side of a motor vehicle to warn a driver of the motor vehicle that an object is located in a predetermined warning region relative to the motor vehicle corresponding to the blind spot, comprising:

a sensor device adapted to monitor the predetermined warning region, the sensor device defining a sensor region that includes the predetermined warning region, the sensor device adapted to determine a travel direction of the object relative to the motor vehicle, a relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle and a position of the object relative to the motor vehicle; and

a control unit adapted to evaluate determined data; and

a warning system configured to output a warning signal to the driver as a function of evaluation of the determined data;

wherein the warning system is configured to output the warning signal if;

(a) the travel direction of the object corresponds to a travel direction of the motor vehicle;

(b) the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range bounded by a lower range boundary and an upper range boundary, the predetermined range including a zero value; and

(c) the position of the object is within the predetermined warning region.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the control unit includes a memory adapted to store classified driving conditions and a comparator adapted to compare a current driving condition, ascertained by the control unit from the data of the sensor device, to the classified driving conditions.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the sensor device is arranged one of (a) in side mirror of the motor vehicle, (b) in a rear bumper of the motor vehicle, (c) in an outer mirror of the motor vehicle and (d) in a rear light of the motor vehicle.

13. The device according to claim 10, further comprising means for performing a method, including:

determining the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle;

determining the travel direction of the object relative to the motor vehicle;

determining the position of the object relative to the motor vehicle; and

warning the driver if;

(a) the travel direction of the object corresponds to a travel direction of the motor vehicle;

(b) the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range bounded by a lower range boundary and an upper range boundary, the predetermined range including a zero value; and

(c) the position of the object is within the warning region.

14. A device for monitoring a blind spot located at a side of a motor vehicle to warn a driver of the motor vehicle that an object is located in a predetermined warning region relative to the motor vehicle corresponding to the blind spot, comprising:

means for determining a relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle;

means for determining a travel direction of the object relative to the motor vehicle;

means for determining a position of the object relative to the motor vehicle; and

means for warning the driver if;

(a) the travel direction of the object corresponds to a travel direction of the motor vehicle;

(b) the relative speed between the object and the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range bounded by a lower range boundary and an upper range boundary, the predetermined range including a zero value; and

(c) the position of the object is within the predetermined warning region.