Driver assistance system for a vehicle, vehicle having a driver assistance system, and method for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle

• US 9,174,650 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2010
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Reilhac, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): BYTHROW, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US13/395,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 342 70- 72, 701/24, 701/36, 701/45, 701/70, 701116-122, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/33.2, 701/408, 701418-455, 701/537
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/91 for traffic control G01S13/93 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

The invention relates to a driver assistance system for a vehicle (1), wherein the driver assistance system has at least one controller (2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14) installed in the vehicle (1) and/or at least one sensor device (16, 17, 18, 19) installed in the vehicle (1), wherein the at least one controller (2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14) and/or the at least one sensor device (16, 17, 18, 19) has a communication interface (21) which can be used to transmit data directly between the controller (2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14) and/or the sensor device (16, 17, 18, 19) and a portable communication appliance (22) at least in one direction by bypassing a data transmission system (20) inside the vehicle, wherein the data transmission causes the portable communication appliance (22) and the controller (2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14) and/or the sensor device (16, 17, 18, 19) to interact such that at least one function can be performed which assists a driver in driving the vehicle (1). The invention also relates to a vehicle (1) and to a method for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle (1).

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one controller installed in the vehicle;

at least one sensor device installed in the vehicle; and

a portable communication appliance,

wherein the at least one controller, at least one sensor device, and the portable communication appliance are configured to communicate via a first communication interface of a data transmission system inside the vehicle,

wherein the at least one controller and/or the at least one sensor device has a second communication interface for transmitting data directly between the controller and/or the sensor device and a portable communication appliance at least in one direction by bypassing the first communication interface of the data transmission system,

wherein a data transmission via the second communication interface causes the portable communication appliance and the controller and/or the sensor device to interact to perform at least one function which assists a driver in driving the vehicle.

2. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one controller and/or the at least one sensor device is connected to the data transmission system,

wherein the at least one controller and/or the at least one sensor device provides a function for driver assistance on a basis of a second data transmission via the first communication interface of the data transmission system inside the vehicle, as a result of which an additional function is performed by virtue of the interaction of the portable communication appliance and the controller and/or the sensor device.

3. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the second communication interface transmits data directly between the controller and/or the sensor device and a portable communication appliance comprising one selected from a group consisting of a mobile telephone or a portable personal computer.

4. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the second communication interface is designed for wireless data transmission.

5. The driver assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the second communication interface is designed to send and receive the data on the basis of a standard from the IEEE-802.11 family and/or a standard from the IEEE-802.15 family.

6. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device installed in the vehicle is a front camera positioned in an interior of the vehicle behind a windscreen, wherein the front camera is for capturing image data pertaining to a surrounding area in front of the vehicle and for transmitting the image data to the portable communication appliance.

7. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device installed in the vehicle is a radar appliance for capturing radar data pertaining to a surrounding area of the vehicle and for transmitting the radar data to the portable communication appliance.

8. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device installed in the vehicle is an ultrasonic sensor for capturing ultrasonic data pertaining to a surrounding area of the vehicle and for transmitting the ultrasonic data to the portable communication appliance.

9. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device installed in the vehicle comprises a plurality of cameras arranged on an exterior surface of the vehicle for capturing image data pertaining to a surrounding area of the vehicle and for transmitting the image data to the portable communication appliance.

10. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller installed in the vehicle is a braking controller, wherein the braking controller communicates by the second communication interface and is used to receive control data directly from the portable communication appliance and to take the control data as a basis for actuating a braking system in the vehicle.

11. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller installed in the vehicle is a headlamp controller, wherein the headlamp controller communicates by the second communication interface and is used to receive control data directly from the portable communication appliance and to take the control data as a basis for actuating a headlamp on the vehicle.

12. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller installed in the vehicle is a steering controller, wherein the steering controller communicates by the second communication interface and is used to receive control data directly from the portable communication appliance and to take the control data as a basis for actuating a steering apparatus in the vehicle.

13. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the controller installed in the vehicle is a screen controller, wherein the screen controller communicates by the second communication interface and is used to receive image data directly from the portable communication appliance and to display images based on the received image data on a screen of the driver assistance system.

14. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication appliance receives image data pertaining to a surrounding area in front of the vehicle directly from a front camera and processes said data to take a result of the processing as a basis for performing a function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.

15. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance has a display device configured to display images based on the received image data.

16. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance recognizes a road sign by subjecting the image data to pattern recognition.

17. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance takes the image data from the front camera as a basis for recognizing road markings, to determine when the vehicle is about to or has already driven over a recognized road marking, and to output a warning signal which warns the driver about the recognized road marking when the road marking is about to be driven over.

18. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance takes the image data as a basis for recognizing an obstacle, and to output a signal which informs the driver about the recognized obstacle.

19. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance takes a result of the processing of the image data from the front camera as a basis for sending control data to a headlamp controller for actuating a headlamp on the vehicle.

20. The driver assistance system according to claim 14, wherein the portable communication appliance receives image data directly from a plurality of cameras arranged on an exterior surface of the vehicle, processes the image data from all cameras, and obtains a result of the processing as a basis for performing a function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.

21. The driver assistance system according to claim 20, wherein the portable communication appliance has a display device for displaying images based on the received image data from the cameras on the display device.

22. The driver assistance system according to claim 20, wherein the portable communication appliance comprises an acceleration sensor and/or a navigation system and is configured to obtain measured values from the acceleration sensor and/or data from the navigation system as a basis for selecting an area from an overall surrounding area captured by the plurality of cameras and to display images on the display device pertaining to the selected area.

23. The driver assistance system according to claim 20, wherein the portable communication appliance processes the image data from the plurality of cameras to calculate such image data as containing a presentation of a plan view of at least one area from an overall surrounding area captured by the plurality of cameras.

24. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication appliance receives radar data pertaining to a surrounding area of the vehicle directly from a radar appliance, processes said data, and obtains a result of the processing as a basis for performing a function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.

25. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication appliance receives ultrasonic data pertaining to a surrounding area of the vehicle directly from an ultrasonic sensor, processes said data, and obtains a result of the processing as a basis for performing a function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.

26. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication appliance comprises one selected from a group consisting of an acceleration sensor, a navigation system, and a compass, and is configured to take measured values from the acceleration sensor, data from the navigation system, or measured values from the compass as a basis for performing a function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.

27. The driver assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the portable communication appliance transmits data received from a sensor device to a data processing apparatus outside the vehicle.

28. A vehicle comprising a driver assistance system according to claim 1.

29. A method for assisting a driver in driving a vehicle using a driver assistance system which has at least one controller and at least one sensor device installed in the vehicle, the method comprising:

transmitting data using a second communication interface of the controller and/or of the sensor device,

wherein the data is transmitted by the second communication interface directly between the controller and/or the sensor device and a portable communication appliance at least in one direction by bypassing a first communication interface of a data transmission system inside the vehicle, and

wherein the data transmission via the second communication interface causes the portable communication appliance and the controller and/or the sensor device to interact to perform at least one function which assists the driver in driving the vehicle.