Driver assistance apparatus and method for operating the same

• US 9,731,717 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2015
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Eung Seo, Lee, Sang Min, Sung, Dong Hyun, Min, Suk Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/716,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/42 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/52 Radar, Lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 : the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/114 : Yaw movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 : Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 : Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 : Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 : Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 : Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 : Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 : Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 : Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 : using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 : Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 : Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 : in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method for operating a driver assistance apparatus includes: recognizing a driving environment of a vehicle; determining a driving mode based on the driving environment; determining whether the vehicle is driven using at least one sensor based on the driving mode; and controlling steering and braking of the vehicle based on whether the vehicle is driven using the at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A method for operating a driver assistance apparatus, comprising the steps of:

recognizing a driving environment of a vehicle by using a sensor module including at least two different sensors, wherein the step of recognizing the driving environment includes recognizing the vehicle as entering a low-speed section when a vehicle speed measured by a vehicle sensor is a reference speed or less for a predetermined time;

determining a driving mode based on the driving environment when the vehicle enters the low-speed section, wherein the driving mode is determined to be one of a minor accident prevention mode or a pedestrian protection mode;

determining, based on the driving mode, whether a collision is possible using at least one sensor of the sensor module; and

controlling, using the at least one sensor, at least one of steering and braking of the vehicle based on whether the collision is possible,

wherein the step of determining whether the collision is possible using the at least one sensor comprises;

estimating a driving path of the vehicle based on vehicle information acquired by the vehicle sensor, when the driving mode is the minor accident prevention mode, and

measuring a position of a pedestrian in a driving path of the vehicle using at least one of a camera, radar, and an ultrasonic sensor, and determining whether the pedestrian will potentially collide with the vehicle, when the driving mode is the pedestrian protection mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the driving mode comprises determining the driving mode based on a vehicle speed, a pedestrian density, and at least one of an outer wall, a guard rail, and another vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the collision is possible using the at least one sensor comprises the steps of:

measuring a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle in the estimated driving path, when the driving mode is the minor accident prevention mode; and

determining whether the vehicle will potentially collide with the obstacle based on the estimated driving path and the measured distance.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of measuring the distance comprises measuring the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle using at least one of the camera, the radar, and the ultrasonic sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of estimating the driving path comprises estimating the driving path based on a steering angle of the vehicle and a yaw rate of the vehicle which are acquired by the at least one sensor.

6. A driver assistance apparatus, comprising:

a sensor module including at least two different sensors; and

a controller configured to recognize the vehicle as entering a low-speed section when a vehicle speed measured by a vehicle sensor is a reference speed or less for a predetermined time, to determine a driving mode based on data measured by the sensor module when the vehicle enters the low-speed section, to determine, based on the driving mode, whether a collision is possible using at least one sensor of the sensor module, and to control, using the at least one sensor of the sensor module, at least one of steering and braking of the vehicle based on whether the collision is possible,

wherein the driving mode is determined to be one of a minor accident prevention mode or a pedestrian protection mode,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

estimate a driving path of the vehicle based on vehicle information acquired by the vehicle sensor, when the driving mode is the minor accident prevention mode, and

measure a position of a pedestrian in a driving path of the vehicle using at least one of a camera, radar, and an ultrasonic sensor, and determine whether the pedestrian will potentially collide with the vehicle, when the driving mode is the pedestrian protection mode.

7. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sensor module includes the camera, the radar, the ultrasonic sensor, and the vehicle sensor.

8. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the driving mode based on a vehicle speed, a pedestrian density, and at least one of an outer wall, a guard rail, and another vehicle using the sensor module.

9. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to measure a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle in the driving path using at least one of the camera, the radar, and the ultrasonic sensor and to determine whether the vehicle will potentially collide with the obstacle, when the driving mode is the minor accident prevention mode.

10. The driver assistance apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a button configured to adjust the driving mode.