Detection method for a motor vehicle

• US 8,738,235 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Robert, Caroline, Laliron, Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US13/009,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20110184610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/301, 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 318/77, 318/82, 362/37, 362/464, 362/466, 362/467, 362/469, 348/118
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A detection method, system and device for a motor vehicle (V1). The method, system and device uses at least one camera which has a predetermined field of vision. The method includes the following steps:

• receiving information which is representative of a driving state associated with the vehicle; and
• modifying the field of vision of the camera, and in particular its orientation, according to the information.

Claims

1. A detection method for a motor vehicle (V1), said method using at least one camera which has a predetermined field of vision, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving information which is representative of a driving state associated with said vehicle; and

modifying a field of vision of said at least one camera and its orientation in response to said information;

wherein said vehicle comprises a headlight which can emit a light beam, an orientation of which can be modified in order to follow a bend;

wherein said at least one camera is mobile simultaneously with displacement of the said headlight;

wherein said headlight is associated with a single mechanism that simultaneously displaces or moves said headlight and said camera to displace said light beam, and wherein said at least one camera is coupled to said mechanism by being at least one of fitted on said mechanism or directly coupled to said mechanism so that an orientation of said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified in response to a modification of said orientation of said light beam of said headlight.

2. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein said information which is representative of said driving state associated with said vehicle is selected from at least one of a vehicle cornering information, information on an environment of said vehicle, or control information about control of a flashing light of said vehicle.

3. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein said information which is representative of said driving state associated with said vehicle is cornering information about said vehicle, selected from an angle on said vehicle steering wheel, or location data of said vehicle, such as GPS data.

4. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one camera is fitted on an independent platform of said vehicle headlights, said independent platform being designed to permit movement of said at least one camera relative to said vehicle.

5. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein said information which is representative of said driving state associated with said vehicle is information about the speed of said vehicle, information about the brightness of the environment, or information about the location of said vehicle, such as navigation data.

6. The detection method according to claim 5, wherein said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified when the speed of said vehicle is below a predetermined threshold, in particular in order to widen visibility on at least one side of the road.

8. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified when the vehicle location information indicates the presence of a complex urban environment around said vehicle, in particular in order to widen visibility on at least one side of the road.

9. The detection method according to claim 1, wherein an angular clearance of said at least one camera is between 0 and 15°

or between 0 and 30°

.

7. A detection method for a motor vehicle (V1), said method using at least one camera which has a predetermined field of vision, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving information which is representative of a driving state associated with said vehicle; and

modifying a field of vision of said at least one camera and its orientation in response to said information;

wherein said information which is representative of said driving state associated with said vehicle is information about the speed of said vehicle, information about the brightness of the environment, or information about the location of said vehicle, such as navigation data;

wherein said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified when the speed of said vehicle is below a predetermined threshold, in particular in order to widen visibility on at least one side of the road;

wherein at least two cameras are provided, and, when the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined threshold, the orientation of said at least two cameras is modified so that the respective fields of vision move apart from one another in order to widen visibility on both sides of said vehicle.

10. A detection device for a motor vehicle, said device comprising at least one camera which has a field of vision, said device being designed to:

receive information which is representative of a driving state associated with said vehicle; and

modify the field of vision of said at least one camera, in particular its orientation, according to said information and in direct response to and simultaneously with movement of a headlamp;

wherein said headlamp is associated with a single mechanism that simultaneously displaces or moves said headlamp and said camera to displace a light beam, and wherein said at least one camera is coupled to said mechanism by being at least one of fitted on said mechanism or directly coupled to said mechanism so that an orientation of said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified in response to a modification of said orientation of said light beam of said headlamp;

wherein said vehicle comprises said headlamp which can emit a light beam, an orientation of which can be modified in order to follow a bend, and said orientation of the field of vision of said at least one camera is modified according to or in response to the modification of said orientation of said light beam of said headlamp.

11. The detection device according to claim 10, wherein said detection device comprises a DBL device which is associated with said headlamp of said vehicle, said at least one camera being coupled kinematically to the DBL device.

12. A device for a motor vehicle having at least one dynamic bending light that is coupled to and under the control of a dynamic bending light control, said device comprising:

at least one camera that has a field of vision;

a single mechanism that displaces or moves said dynamic bending light and said camera to displace a light beam, wherein said at least one camera is coupled to said mechanism by being at least one of fitted on said mechanism or directly coupled to said mechanism so that an orientation of said field of vision of said at least one camera is modified in response to a modification of said orientation of said light beam of said dynamic bending light.

13. The device as recited in claim 12 wherein said field of vision moves to follow an orientation of a beam emitted by said at least one dynamic bending light.