Driver assistance system

• US 8,681,016 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Lee, Charles, Camhi, Jaime, Lien, Annie, Lobato, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US13/035,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20120218124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 340/904, 340/903
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A method for assisting a driver driving a vehicle, and a driver assistance system for assisting a driver driving a vehicle are described, wherein detection of a blind spot situation wherein another vehicle is located in a blind spot area of the driver'"'"'s vehicle is performed, and information indicating that a blind spot situation is present is output to the driver.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a driver driving a first vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring to detect if one vehicle of the first vehicle and a second vehicle is located in a blind spot area of the other vehicle of the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and

if it is detected that the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle,

outputting an information to the driver of the first vehicle indicating that a blind spot situation is present,

detecting an amount of time the blind spot situation has existed, and

automatically varying the speed of the first vehicle only, if the detected amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting information to the driver of the first vehicle indicating that the blind spot is present if the one vehicle is detected as being located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically varying the speed of the first vehicle further comprises:

detecting a speed difference between a speed of the one vehicle and a speed of the other vehicle, and

automatically varying the speed of the first vehicle only, if the detected speed difference is below a predetermined threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically varying the speed of the first vehicle comprises accelerating the first vehicle with a predetermined amount of acceleration, or decelerating the first vehicle with a predetermined amount of deceleration, wherein the amount of acceleration and the amount of deceleration are different.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one vehicle is the first vehicle and the a other vehicle is the second vehicle, and wherein;

detecting if the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle comprises;

monitoring an area on a neighboring lane beside and in front of the first vehicle, and

detecting, if a driver position of the second vehicle resides in a predetermined area on the neighboring lane beside and in front of the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the other vehicle is the first vehicle and the one vehicle is the second vehicle, and wherein detecting if the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle comprises:

monitoring an area on a neighboring lane beside and behind the first vehicle, and detecting, if the second vehicle resides in a predetermined area on the neighboring lane beside and behind the first vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a distance between a current position of the first vehicle and a blind spot position in which the first vehicle is located in the blind spot situation, and

outputting to the driver of the first vehicle an information indicating the distance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the information indicating that the blind spot situation is present comprises outputting an information selected from an audio signal, an optical signal and a tactile signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting if the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle comprises:

detecting objects in a surrounding of the first vehicle with a detecting unit, and

detecting if the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle depending on the detected objects in the surrounding of the first vehicle.

10. The method claim 9, wherein the detecting unit comprises at least one of a camera, a distance sensor, a radar device, a laser range finder, an ultra sound distance sensor, and an infra red distance finder.

11. A driver assistance system for assisting a driver driving a first vehicle, the system comprising:

a detecting unit to detect objects in a surrounding of the first vehicle,

an output unit to output information to the driver of the first vehicle,

a speed control unit to control a speed of the first vehicle, and

a processing unit coupled to the detecting unit, the output unit, and the speed control unit, the processing unit being provided to;

detect if one vehicle of the first vehicle and a second vehicle is located in a blind spot area of the other vehicle of the first vehicle and the second vehicle depending on the detected objects in the surrounding of the first vehicle, and, if it is detected that the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle, to output an information to the driver of the first vehicle indicating that a blind spot situation is present,

detect an amount of time the blind spot situation has existed, and

vary the speed of the first vehicle if the detected amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further provided to output an information indicating that the blind spot situation is present.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further provided to detect an amount of time the blind spot situation has existed, and to vary the speed of the first vehicle only, if the detected amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further provided to detect a speed difference between a speed of the one vehicle and a speed of the other vehicle, and to vary the speed of the first vehicle only, if the detected speed difference is below a predetermined threshold value.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further provided to accelerate the first vehicle with a predetermined amount of acceleration, or to decelerate the first vehicle with a predetermined amount of deceleration, wherein the amount of acceleration and the amount of deceleration are different.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the one vehicle is the first vehicle and the other vehicle is the second vehicle, and wherein the processing unit is further provided to monitor an area on a neighboring lane beside and in front of the first vehicle, and to detect, if a driver position of the second vehicle resides in a predetermined area on the neighboring lane beside and in front of the first vehicle.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the other vehicle is the first vehicle and the one vehicle is the second vehicle, and wherein the processing unit is further provided to:

monitor an area on a neighboring lane beside and behind the first vehicle, and

detect if the second vehicle resides in a predetermined area on the neighboring lane beside and behind the first vehicle.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further provided to detect a distance between a current position of the first vehicle and a blind spot position in which the first vehicle is located in the blind spot situation, and to output an information indicating the distance.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the information indicating that the blind spot situation is present comprises an audio signal, an optical signal and a tactile signal.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the detecting unit comprises at least one of a camera, a distance sensor, a radar device, a laser range finder, an ultra sound distance sensor, and an infra red distance finder.

21. A vehicle comprising the driver assistance system, comprising:

a detecting unit to detect objects in a surrounding of the first vehicle,

an output unit to output information to the driver of the first vehicle,

a speed control unit to control a speed of the first vehicle, and

a processing unit coupled to the detecting unit, the output unit, and the speed control unit, the processing unit being provided to;

detect if one vehicle of the first vehicle and a second vehicle is located in a blind spot area of the other vehicle of the first vehicle and the second vehicle depending on the detected objects in the surrounding of the first vehicle, and, if it is detected that the one vehicle is located in the blind spot area of the other vehicle, to output an information to the driver of the first vehicle indicating that a blind spot situation is present,

detect an amount of time the blind spot situation has existed, and

vary the speed of the first vehicle if the detected amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time.