Driver assistance system for vehicle

• US 9,740,945 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Divekar, Rohan J., VanOphem, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US14/994,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 701 70, 701301, 701302, 701519, 701514, 701497, 701437, 701436, 701435, 701433, 701431, 701423, 701421, 701414, 701117-122, 701 93, 701 68
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A driver assistance system of an equipped vehicle includes a camera and a communication system operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle. A control is operable to process the vehicle information to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location in a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle. Responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than a threshold amount, the control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel. The alert may also be generated responsive to image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera when such image processing determines that an object is present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system of a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system so as to have a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera when disposed at the equipped vehicle to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than a threshold amount, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) a determination that the estimated time to arrival is greater than the threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein the projected path of travel is a turn at an intersection, and wherein said communication system receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection; and

wherein, responsive to the information being indicative of the signal light being green and responsive to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle being activated, said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the intersection.

2. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

3. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than an emergency threshold amount, said control engages the brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel.

4. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the projected path of travel is a turn onto a road with moving traffic.

5. The driver assistance system of claim 4, wherein said control is responsive to GPS data indicative of the location and trajectory of at least one other vehicle traveling on the road.

6. The driver assistance system of claim 4, wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the road near the current location of the equipped vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the current location of the equipped vehicle.

7. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that (i) the estimated time to arrival is greater than a threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

8. A driver assistance system of a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system so as to have a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera when disposed at the equipped vehicle to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle, wherein said communication system comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than a threshold amount, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) a determination that the estimated time to arrival is greater than the threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than an emergency threshold amount, said control engages the brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel;

wherein the projected path of travel is a turn at an intersection, and wherein said communication system receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection, and wherein said control is responsive at least in part to the information pertaining to the state of the signal light and a turn signal of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, responsive to the information being indicative of the signal light being green and responsive to the turn signal being activated, said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the intersection.

9. The driver assistance system of claim 8, wherein the projected path of travel is a turn onto a road with moving traffic, and wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the road near the current location of the equipped vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the current location of the equipped vehicle.

10. The driver assistance system of claim 8, wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that (i) the estimated time to arrival is greater than a threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.

11. A driver assistance system of a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:

a camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system so as to have a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera when disposed at the equipped vehicle to determine an object present in the forward field of view of said camera;

wherein a projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle is determined at least in part by processing of captured image data by said image processor;

a communication system of the equipped vehicle, wherein said communication system is operable to receive vehicle information pertaining to another vehicle;

wherein said control is operable to process vehicle information received by said communication system to determine an estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at a location in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than a threshold amount, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein, responsive at least in part to (i) a determination that the estimated time to arrival is greater than the threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is not safe to proceed along the projected path of travel;

wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that the estimated time to arrival is less than an emergency threshold amount, said control engages the brake system of the equipped vehicle to limit movement of the equipped vehicle along the projected path of travel;

wherein at least one of (i) the projected path of travel is a turn at an intersection, and wherein said communication system receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection, and (ii) the projected path of travel is a turn onto a road with moving traffic;

and wherein the projected path of travel is a turn at an intersection, and wherein said communication system receives information pertaining to a state of a signal light at the intersection, and wherein said control is responsive at least in part to the information pertaining to the state of the signal light, and wherein said control is responsive at least in part to a turn signal of the equipped vehicle, and wherein, responsive to the information being indicative of the signal light being green and responsive to the turn signal being activated, said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the intersection.

12. The driver assistance system of claim 11, wherein the projected path of travel is a turn onto a road with moving traffic, and wherein said control is responsive to GPS data indicative of the location and trajectory of at least one other vehicle traveling on the road, and wherein said control determines the estimated time to arrival of the other vehicle at the road near the current location of the equipped vehicle at least in part responsive to a determined speed of the other vehicle and a determined distance of the other vehicle from the current location of the equipped vehicle.

13. The driver assistance system of claim 11, wherein, responsive at least in part to a determination that (i) the estimated time to arrival is greater than a threshold amount and (ii) a determination via image processing of captured image data that an object is not present in the projected path of travel of the equipped vehicle, said control generates an indication to the driver of the equipped vehicle that it is safe to proceed along the projected path of travel.