DE102017218075A1 - Method for identifying a lane - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for identifying a traffic lane (1) of a vehicle (2), wherein the vehicle (2) has a camera system (3) of a digital rearview mirror replacement system, wherein at least one boundary (5) of the traffic lane is based on the camera system (3) (1) is determined and based on the at least one boundary (5) the lane (1) is identified.

Description

State of the art

Vehicles are known from the prior art, which usually have to have mirrors due to legal regulations. The exterior mirrors are rearview mirrors and show a driver of the vehicle a rear space behind the vehicle. This applies to both trucks and passenger cars.

As an alternative to rearview mirrors, digital rearview mirror replacement systems are known. Such mirror replacement systems include one or more cameras which are mounted in the vehicle exterior and optically detect the rear traffic. About a display, which is located in the vehicle interior, the outside information is presented to the driver. Such mirror replacement systems are also called DMS (Digital Mirror System). Depending on the system characteristics, the transmission from camera to display can take place analog or digital.

Disclosure of the invention

The method according to the invention makes it possible to realize a functional extension of the digital rearview mirror replacement system. Thus, such digital rearview mirror replacement systems can be an integral part of driver assistance systems.

The inventive method is used to identify a lane of a vehicle. It is provided that the vehicle has a camera system, and in particular a display device, a digital rearview mirror replacement system. The camera system thus serves in particular for detecting a rear environment of the vehicle, which would also be visible through rearview mirror. On the basis of the camera system, at least one limit of the lane is to be determined. Based on this limitation, the lane is identified. Thus, there is no need to provide an additional camera that detects a rear area of the vehicle. Rather, the already existing camera system of the rearview mirror replacement system can be used. Thus, identifying the traffic lane is made simple and requires little effort, in particular no additional hardware is needed in the vehicle. Particularly advantageously, two boundaries are identified, each boundary representing either a left boundary or a right boundary of the lane. The identification of the lane is thus made easy and little effort because the lane extends between the two boundaries.

The dependent claims have preferred developments of the invention to the content.

It is preferably provided that road users who follow the vehicle are detected on the basis of the camera system. Based on the following road users, the limit is assessable and / or plausibilizable. This makes it possible to estimate the limit and / or to make it plausible even if the limitation is interrupted. This can be the case, for example, at construction sites or new road surfaces. The lane is thus reliably identifiable even if the boundary, at least locally, is interrupted.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is additionally provided that the plausibility of a lane identified by means of data from a front camera of the vehicle is based on the limitation. This means that the vehicle has an additional front camera. The front camera detects an area in front of the vehicle and is used in particular for determining a lane on which the vehicle is moving. In particular, the detection of lanes by front cameras is known from the prior art. Such a result can thus be made plausible on the basis of the digital rearview mirror replacement system. Should the front camera fail, this is also recognizable by the procedure. Thus, the identification of the lane is secured on the one hand, on the other hand allows redundant.

Advantageously, at least one trailer of the vehicle is detected on the basis of the camera system. Furthermore, it is provided that a distance of the trailer is determined to the limit. Thus, it can be seen in particular whether the trailer has the same distance to the boundary as the vehicle pulling the trailer. Also, an oscillation movement of the trailer, which can lead to a rocking and thus to a dangerous situation during operation of the vehicle can be detected. The driver of the vehicle can thus intervene accordingly.

It is particularly advantageous that a time profile of the distance between trailer and limit is determined. With oscillating change of the distance, an engagement signal based on said oscillating change of the distance is generated. The engagement signal is used to perform a brake engagement and / or acceleration engagement and / or steering engagement in the guidance of the vehicle. Thus, it can be ensured by a targeted intervention in the guidance of the vehicle that said oscillating movement of the trailer is terminated. This leads to increased safety in the operation of the vehicle, as a rocking of the trailer and thus a dangerous situation during operation of the vehicle is avoided.

It is also particularly advantageous that the vehicle is part of a Platooningsteuerung. Such platooning controls are known in the art. It is a controller that runs a large number of narrow-pitched vehicles along a road to increase the capacity of the road. On the basis of the camera system, a distance of other vehicles of the Platooningsteuerung is determined to the limit. Thus, not only a rocking of the own trailer, but also a rocking of the following vehicles can be detected. The following vehicles may advantageously also have their own trailer. Again, an engagement signal is generated based on the distance and / or a time course of the distance of the other vehicles to the boundary. The intervention signal can intervene in particular in a guide of the own vehicle and / or in a guidance of the other vehicles. Thus, the entire vehicle row of the platooning controller can be safely and reliably kept within the identified lane. The Platooningsteuerung is thus optimized.

An optical and / or acoustic and / or haptic warning is advantageously output when the vehicle falls below a predefined distance from the boundary. Thus, the digital rearview mirror replacement system can also be used to implement a lane departure warning system. As soon as the vehicle threatens to leave the traffic lane without this being indicated, in particular by a turn signal, it is to be assumed that leaving the traffic lane happens unintentionally. The driver of the vehicle can thus be warned, whereby the safety of the vehicle on the one hand and the safety of other road users on the road on the other hand is increased.

The invention also relates to a computer program. The computer program is set up to carry out the method as described above. In particular, the computer program is a computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method as described above. The computing device is in particular a control device of a vehicle.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program, in particular the computer program product, as described above, is stored. The machine-readable storage medium may in particular be a flash memory and / or an optical and / or magnetic data storage medium.

Finally, the invention relates to a control device for carrying out the method, as described above. Alternatively, the controller may be configured to execute the computer program as described above.

list of figures

• 1 eine schematische Abbildung eines Fahrzeugs auf einer Fahrspur während des Ausführens des Verfahrens gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,
• 2 eine schematische Abbildung eines Fahrzeugs auf einer Fahrspur während des Ausführens des Verfahrens gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und
• 3 eine schematische Abbildung eines Fahrzeugs auf einer Fahrspur während des Ausführens des Verfahrens gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing is:

• 1 a schematic illustration of a vehicle on a lane during execution of the method according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• 2 a schematic illustration of a vehicle on a lane during the execution of the method according to a second embodiment of the invention, and
• 3 a schematic illustration of a vehicle on a lane during execution of the method according to a third embodiment of the invention,

Embodiments of the invention

1 schematically shows a vehicle 2 that on a lane 1 moves. The vehicle 2 includes a camera system 3 and a display device 4 a digital rear view mirror replacement system. The camera system 3 In the embodiment shown, two cameras comprise a rear area behind the vehicle 2 to capture. The display device 4 In particular, a display is located in a cockpit area of the vehicle 2 is appropriate. In addition, the vehicle includes 2 a control unit 10 for carrying out the method according to the invention according to the described embodiments.

The vehicle is driving on a lane 1 , each from a neighboring lane 11 is framed. Thus, limitations are 5 present the lane 1 from the adjacent lane 11 delimit. At the limits 5 in particular, they are solid or broken lines on the road, indicating the individual lanes. There are also other road users 6 on the lane 1 or the neighboring lanes 11 available.

Based on the camera system 3 of the digital rearview mirror replacement system takes place a detection of the boundaries 5 , The limits 5 thus show the lane 1 at. This is the vehicle 2 allows, by means of the camera system 3 of the rearview mirror replacement system the lane 1 to identify on which the vehicle is 2 emotional. Thus, there is no additional hardware in the vehicle 2 necessary to capture the limit 5 the lane 1 to enable.

At the same time, the other road users become the camera system 6 detected. Should one of the limits 5 or both limits 5 be interrupted, for example, due to a lack of marking on the road, it can be based on the flow of traffic of the vehicle 2 and the following road user 6 guess where the limits are 5 would have to be. Thus, it is still possible, the lane 1 of the vehicle 2 to identify. Estimating the limits 5 takes place in particular on the basis of the directions of travel, along which the other road users 6 move. As well as the other road users 6 within the lane 1 or the neighboring lanes 11 driving, can thus be estimated, where between the individual road users 6 the limits 5 have to go.

Estimating the limits 5 based on the other road users 6 can in particular also take place when the boundaries 5 still visible and thus clearly recognizable. In this case, determining the limits 5 plausibilizable by determining whether the following road users 6 Movement directions, with the determined limitations 5 the lane 1 sum up. If this is not the case, then it can be assumed that the limitations 5 were determined incorrectly.

The vehicle 2 especially a front camera 7 exhibit. The front camera 7 serves to detect the area in front of the vehicle. This serves in particular to realize a lane departure warning. The lane departure warning includes determining the boundaries 5 the lane 1 to the driver of the vehicle 2 while holding the vehicle 2 on the lane 1 to support. The result of determining the limit 5 through pictures of the front camera 7 is thus through the camera system 3 of the rear view mirror replacement system plausibilizable. The control unit 10 is thus preferably set up, based on the camera system 3 the determination of the limits 5 the lane 1 through the front camera 7 to make it plausible. Thus, the functionality of the front camera 7 of the vehicle 2 be monitored. At the same time stands by the rear view mirror replacement system, a camera system 3 available, which is redundant to the front camera 7 identifying the lane 1 allows.

In 2 a further example of the method according to the invention is shown. Again, a vehicle 2 as described above. For the vehicle 2 is not necessarily a front camera 7 as in 1 shown to provide. The vehicle points out 2 a trailer 8th on that with the vehicle 2 is coupled. Again, it is envisaged that the vehicle 2 , together with the trailer 8th on a lane 1 moved by boundaries 5 is limited.

Based on the camera system 3 is every limit 5 the lane 1 determined. In addition, the trailer is preferred 8th detectable. Thus, a distance between trailers 8th and limitation 5 the lane 1 be identified.

Detects the controller 10 an oscillating distance between trailers 8th and limitation 5 , so is the danger of a build up of the trailer 8th and thus a dangerous driving situation during operation of the vehicle 2 given. Therefore, it is provided that the control unit 10 is designed to generate an intervention signal. The generation of the intervention signal follows as a function of the oscillating change in the distance between trailers 8th and limitation 5 , The engagement signal is used to perform a brake engagement and / or acceleration engagement and / or steering engagement in the leadership of the vehicle. Thus, the vehicle can 2 together with the trailer 8th safe and reliable on the lane 1 being held. This is the safety when operating the vehicle 2 elevated. This is especially the case when it comes to the vehicle 2 is about a truck, a trailer 8th draws. In most cases, trucks and trailers of the truck on a high weight, while high weights are transported to loads. Should it come to a rocking of such large masses, then a danger is not only for the vehicle 2 itself, but also for the other road users 6 given. This danger can be reduced by the intervention signal according to the invention.

3 finally shows a third possibility of the method according to the invention. It is provided that the vehicle 2 Part of a platooning control is with which the vehicle 2 along with other vehicles 9 on a lane 1 to be led. A distance between the individual vehicles 2 . 9 is thereby minimized to a capacity of the lane 1 to maximize.

The camera system 3 of the vehicle 2 preferably also covers the other vehicles 9 and serves to determine a distance of the other vehicles 9 to the limit 5 , Will recognize that a distance of the other vehicles 9 the platooning control to one of the limits 5 falls below a predefined value or a time course of the distance shows an oscillating change, it is again preferred to generate an intervention signal. The intervention signal again serves to carry out a braking intervention and / or acceleration intervention and / or steering intervention in the guidance of the own vehicle 2 and / or in the leadership of other vehicles 9 , In this way is a safe and reliable hold of the entire platoon, that is the vehicle 2 and the other vehicles 9 on the lane 1 allows. Thus, an operation of the vehicles 2 . 9 optimized in the platooning control.

Claims (10)

Method for identifying a lane (1) of a vehicle (2), the vehicle (2) having a camera system (3) of a digital rearview mirror replacement system, wherein at least one boundary (5) of the lane (1) is determined on the basis of the camera system (3) , and wherein the lane (1) is identified on the basis of the at least one boundary (5). Method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that on the basis of the camera system (3) road users (6) are detected, which follow the vehicle (2), based on the road users (6) the limit (5) is estimated and / or made plausible. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that based on the boundary (5) a lane (1) identified by means of data from a front camera (7) of the vehicle (2) is made plausible. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the basis of the camera system (3) at least one trailer (8) of the vehicle (2) is detected to determine a distance of the trailer (8) to the boundary (5). Method according to Claim 4 characterized in that a time course of the distance between the trailer (8) and boundary (5) is determined, and with oscillating change of the distance based on the oscillating change of the distance based engagement signal for performing a brake engagement and / or acceleration engagement and / or steering engagement is generated in the leadership of the vehicle (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle (2) is part of a platooning control, wherein based on the camera system (3) a distance of other vehicles (9) of the platooning control to the boundary (5) is determined • wherein an engagement signal is generated based on the distance and / or a time course of the distance of the other vehicles (9) to the boundary (5), and wherein the engagement signal for performing a brake engagement and / or acceleration engagement and / or steering intervention in the guidance of the vehicle (2) and / or the other vehicles (9) is used. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an optical and / or acoustic and / or haptic warning is issued when the vehicle (1) falls below a predefined distance to the boundary (5). Computer program adapted to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is based Claim 8 is stored. Control device (10) for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 7 ,

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