WO2023233088A1

WO2023233088A1 - Method and device for controlling a driver assist system assisting with driving a vehicle on the basis of a speed limit

Info

Publication number: WO2023233088A1
Application number: PCT/FR2023/050546
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hamza El Hanbali; Zoubida LAHLOU; Yassine Et-Thaqfy
Original assignee: Stellantis Auto Sas
Priority date: 2022-06-01
Filing date: 2023-04-17
Publication date: 2023-12-07
Also published as: FR3136305A1; FR3136305B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a driver assist system, referred to as ADAS system, of a first vehicle (11) travelling in a current lane of a stretch of road having multiple lanes (101 to 104). In order to do this, a speed limit road sign (100) is detected. A longitudinal distance between the first vehicle (11) and the end of an exit or entry lane (101) is determined. The acceleration of one or more vehicles (12) travelling in front of the first vehicle (11) is determined. A lateral distance between the first vehicle (11) and the road sign (100) is determined. The longitudinal and lateral distances as well as the acceleration are used to determine whether or not the speed limit associated with the road sign (100) is to be assigned to the current lane. The ADAS system is controlled on the basis of the result of the assignment.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Title: Method and device for controlling a vehicle driving assistance system based on a speed limit

The present invention claims the priority of French application 2205277 filed on 01.06.2022, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is here incorporated by reference.

Technical area

The present invention relates to methods and devices for controlling one or more driving assistance systems embedded in a vehicle. The present invention also relates to a method and a device for determining information representative of the speed limit for a vehicle, for example an automobile. The present invention also relates to a method and a device for controlling a vehicle, in particular an autonomous vehicle.

Technology background

Some of contemporary vehicles include at least one or more systems configured to determine the regulatory speed that applies to the portion of road taken. The regulatory speed corresponds, for example, to the maximum speed authorized on this section of road or to the recommended speed.

A system for determining the regulatory speed is in the form of an ISA system (from the English “Intelligent Speed Adaptation” or in French “adaptation Intelligente de laspeed”) or an SLI system (from the English “Speed Limitation Indication” or in French “Indication of the speed limit”) which each correspond to an ADAS system (from the English “Advanced Driver-Assistance System” or in French “Advanced Driving Assistance System”) comprising means for assisting the driver of the vehicle to avoid exceeding a limited speed. ISA or SLI systems are thus configured to detect or warn the driver when the vehicle is subject to a speed limit or enters a limited speed zone, or when different speed limits may apply depending on the context (type of vehicle, time, night, rain, work, etc.).

To determine this regulatory speed and deduce a speed instruction, ISA or SLI systems conventionally use information concerning the road and/or the road environment. For this purpose, ISA systems most often include at least one front-facing camera on board the vehicle, said on-board camera having the road in front of the vehicle in its field of vision. The ISA or SLI systems also include image processing means configured to recognize road signs from the image data received from the camera, the regulatory speed applicable to the portion of road taken being determined from the one or more recognized signs.

However, when the vehicle is traveling on a road with several lanes, certain signs indicating a speed limit installed on the side of the road only apply to one of the lanes for example, which does not always correspond to the lane on where the vehicle is located.

The detection of such a sign can then lead to the generation of erroneous information on the speed limit applicable to the vehicle.

Summary of the present invention

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the control of an ADAS system of the vehicle, in particular a system using information on the applicable speed limit, for example the SLI or ISA system.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the automatic recognition of a speed limit applicable to a vehicle. According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a driving assistance system, called the ADAS system, embedded in a first vehicle, the first vehicle traveling on a current lane of a portion of road comprising a plurality of lanes having the same direction of traffic, one lane of the plurality corresponding to an exit or insertion lane of said portion of road, the method comprising the following steps:

- detection of a speed limit sign from image data received from a first camera on board the first vehicle;

- determination of a first piece of information representative of a longitudinal distance between the first vehicle and an end of the exit or insertion lane, the end being determined from data representative of ground marking lines obtained from a second in-vehicle camera;

- determination of second information representative of acceleration of at least one second vehicle traveling in front of the first vehicle, the at least one second vehicle traveling on a lane different from the exit or insertion lane and corresponding to the current lane or to a lane adjacent to the current lane;

- determination of a third piece of information representative of a lateral distance between the first vehicle and the speed limit sign from the image data received from the first camera;

- determining the assignment of a speed limit associated with the speed limit sign to the current lane based on the first information, the second information and the third information;

- control of the ADAS system based on a result of the assignment determination.

The use of criteria such as the longitudinal distance between the first vehicle and the speed limit sign, the lateral distance between the first vehicle and the speed limit sign and the acceleration value of one or more vehicles traveling in front the first vehicle makes it possible to determine whether the speed limit associated with the detected sign applies to the first vehicle, that is to say whether the speed limit is assigned to the lane of the first vehicle. Such information on assignment or non-assignment of the speed limit makes it possible to control more reliably the ADAS system, for example an ISA or SLI system, which therefore makes it possible to improve the control and safety of the first vehicle.

According to a variant, the speed limit is assigned to the current lane when:

- the first information is representative of a longitudinal distance greater than a threshold longitudinal distance; Or

- the first information is representative of a longitudinal distance less than the threshold longitudinal distance, the second information is representative of an acceleration value greater than a threshold deceleration and the third information is representative of a lateral distance less than a distance lateral threshold.

According to another variant, the threshold longitudinal distance is equal to 100 m or 150 m, the threshold deceleration is equal to - 1.2 m.s' ² or -1.5 m.s' ² and the threshold lateral distance is equal to 3.3 m or 3.5m.

According to yet another variant, when the speed limit is assigned to the current lane, the control of the ADAS system includes a display of the speed limit on a display screen on board the first vehicle.

According to another variant, the method further comprises the following steps:

- determination of a fourth piece of information representative of the lateral distance between the speed limit sign and each third vehicle of a set of third vehicles traveling in front of the first vehicle from the image data;

- selection of at least one second vehicle from the set of third vehicles based on the fourth information and the third information.

According to an additional variant, the second information is determined from data received from at least one radar and/or one lidar on board the first vehicle.

According to yet another variant, the ADAS system corresponds to an intelligent speed adaptation system, called the ISA system, or to a speed limit indication system, called the SLI system.

According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for controlling a driving assistance system embedded in a vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of a source code, an object code, or an intermediate code between a source code and an object code, such as in partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a ROM memory of the microelectronic circuit type, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or terrestrial radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the present invention can in particular be downloaded onto an Internet type network. Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in executing the method in question.

Brief description of the figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment of the present invention below, with reference to the appended Figures 1 to 4, in which:

[Fig. 1] schematically illustrates an environment of a first vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[Fig. 2] schematically illustrates a process for controlling an ADAS system of the first vehicle of FIG. 1, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[Fig. 3] schematically illustrates a device configured to control an ADAS system of the first vehicle of FIG. 1, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[Fig. 4] illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method of controlling an ADAS system of the first vehicle of FIG. 1, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the implementation examples

A method and a device for controlling a driving assistance system, called the ADAS system, of a vehicle will now be described in what follows with reference jointly to Figures 1 to 4. The same elements are identified with of the same reference signs throughout the description which follows.

According to a particular and non-limiting example of an embodiment of the present invention, the control of a driving assistance system, called the ADAS system, of a first vehicle traveling on a current lane of a portion of a multi-lane road (one of the ways corresponding to an exit lane or an insertion lane) comprises the detection and recognition, for example by a computer of the first vehicle, of a speed limit sign from image data received from a first on-board camera in the first vehicle. First information representative of a longitudinal distance between the first vehicle and an end of the exit or insertion lane is determined. The end of the exit or insertion lane is for example determined from data representative of ground marking lines obtained from a second camera on board the first vehicle. Second information representative of acceleration of one or more vehicles traveling in front of the first vehicle on a lane different from the exit or insertion lane and which corresponds to the current lane or to a lane adjacent to the current lane is determined. Third information representative of a lateral distance between the vehicle and the speed limit sign is determined from the image data received from the first camera. The first information, the second information and the third information are used to determine whether or not the speed limit associated with the sign should be assigned to the current traffic lane, that is to say whether the speed limit applies or not to the first vehicle. The ADAS system, for example the ISA or SLI system, is controlled based on the assignment result.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates an environment 1 in which a first vehicle 11 operates, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a road environment 1 comprising a portion of road on which the first vehicle 11 travels.

The first vehicle 11 corresponds for example to a vehicle with a thermal engine, with an electric motor(s) or even a hybrid vehicle with a thermal engine and one or more electric motors. The first vehicle 11 thus corresponds for example to a land vehicle, for example an automobile, a truck, a coach, a motorcycle. Finally, the vehicle 10 corresponds to an autonomous vehicle or not, that is to say a vehicle traveling with a determined level of autonomy or under the total supervision of the driver.

The first vehicle 11 corresponds to a vehicle circulating under the total supervision of a driver or circulating in an autonomous or semi-autonomous mode. The first vehicle 11 circulates according to a level of autonomy equal to 0 or according to a level of autonomy ranging from 1 to 5 for example, according to the scale defined by the American federal agency which has established 5 levels of autonomy ranging from 1 to 5, level 0 corresponding to a vehicle with no autonomy, whose driving is under the total supervision of the driver, level 1 corresponding to a vehicle with a minimum level of autonomy, whose driving is under the supervision of the driver with minimal assistance from an ADAS system, and level 5 corresponding to a completely autonomous vehicle.

According to the example of Figure 1, the first vehicle 11 travels on a portion of road comprising several lanes 101, 102, 103 and 104. The first vehicle 11 travels on a current traffic lane 103 surrounded by two adjacent lanes 102 and 104 , the adjacent lane 102 being to the right of the current lane 101 (according to the direction of movement of the first vehicle 11) and the adjacent lane 104 being to the left of the current lane (according to the direction of movement of the first vehicle 11).

The notions of right and left are defined according to the direction of movement of the first vehicle 11.

The example in Figure 1 corresponds to an example in which vehicles travel on the right, as in France. The invention is, however, not limited to such an example and extends to all road configurations, including those where vehicles travel on the left.

A lane 101 to 104 of the road portion corresponds to a traffic lane, that is to say a lane provided for the circulation of vehicles, or to any type of lane, for example an exit lane of a restricted access road (also called expressway road) or a motorway exit lane. According to the example of Figure 1, the portion of road corresponds to a portion of motorway or to a portion of expressway road with several lanes of traffic for each direction of traffic. Lanes 102 to 104 correspond for example to traffic lanes while lane 101 corresponds to an exit lane.

The lane 101 corresponding to an exit lane widens until it reaches a maximum width at the point where the exit lane 101 ends, the portion of the road then only comprising the traffic lanes 102 to 104. separation zone between lanes 102 to 104 on the one hand and exit lane 101 on the other hand is for example materialized by a zone of ground markings including zebras (or hatching). The zebra zone is demarcated by continuous lines and corresponds to an area where it is prohibited to drive, stop and park.

Each of the routes 101 to 104 is marked or delimited by lateral boundaries 111 to 116 which correspond for example to ground marking lines, also called horizontal markings and corresponding to a set of lines drawn on the ground. The ground marking lines 111 to 116 can be of several types, for example edge lines or center lines, with different characteristics. The ground marking lines can thus be of the continuous line, discontinuous line or mixed line type (comprising a continuous line and a discontinuous line parallel to the continuous line). A dashed line may also have different characteristics, with line spacing lengths varying from one dashed line type to another and/or line length varying from one dashed line type to another.

According to a particular embodiment, the first vehicle 11 has a system for detecting road signs, and more particularly speed limit signs applicable on the roads. Such a sign 100 is illustrated in Figure 1 and corresponds to an example according to which the maximum speed authorized on the exit lane 101 is 50 km/h.

The speed limit applicable on a section of road is a function of several parameters and is indicated to road users by one or more signs such as sign 100. The sign recognition and detection system is for example coupled to or includes a speed limit indication system, called the SLI or ISA system.

The sign recognition and detection system advantageously comprises a first camera, for example a CVM (multi-function video camera), arranged to have in its field of vision the environment located in front of the first vehicle 11 when the latter is traveling. The CVM camera is for example arranged inside the first vehicle 11, in the passenger compartment, behind the windshield, for example at the level of the interior central rearview mirror. The first camera acquires a set of images of the environment passing in front of the first vehicle 11, the image data being processed by a processor of the on-board system to detect and recognize road signs.

When a speed limit sign is detected and recognized, the speed limit written on this sign is recognized by image processing. Such information is transmitted, for example to another computer of the vehicle's on-board system (for example the IVI computer (from English "In-Vehicle Infotainment" or in French "Infodivertissement onboard")), to display an icon representative of the panel and the associated maximum authorized speed or to display the maximum authorized speed value detected on a display screen for example arranged in the dashboard of the first vehicle 11, on the dashboard of the first vehicle 11 or on a display head-up display (also called Head Up Display, known as VTH or HUD (from the English “Head Up Display” or in French “Affichage Tête Haute”)).

One of the problems associated with such an operation is to succeed in determining to which lane(s) the speed limit indicated by the sign 100 applies, before for example displaying the maximum authorized speed indication which could prove to be erroneous if the traffic lane on which the first vehicle 11 is traveling is not affected by the speed limit.

According to a particular embodiment, the first vehicle 11 carries a ground marking detection system. Such a ground marking detection system receives data from a second camera on-board in the first vehicle 11 and configured for the acquisition of images of the portion of road located in front of the first vehicle 11, for example the portion of road located at the front and/or on the sides of the first vehicle 11. The second camera corresponds for example to the first camera or to a camera in addition to the first camera. The ground marking detection system is thus configured to detect the ground markings in the environment of the first vehicle 11. Image processing is applied to the images obtained from the second camera of the ground marking detection system to determine the presence of lines on the ground and to classify these lines into different categories, for example to determine whether the lines on the ground correspond to shore lines or center lines for example. An example of image processing to detect lines on the ground is for example described in document WO2017194890A1.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the first vehicle 11 carries one or more object detection sensors such as for example:

- one or more millimeter wave radars arranged on the first vehicle 11, for example at the front, at the rear, on each front/rear corner of the vehicle; each radar is adapted to emit electromagnetic waves and to receive the echoes of these waves returned by one or more objects (for example a second vehicle 12 traveling in front of the first vehicle 11), with the aim of detecting obstacles or other objects and their distances from the first vehicle 11; and or

- one or more LIDAR(s) (from the English “Light Detection And Ranging”, or

“Detection and estimation of distance by light” in French), a LIDAR sensor corresponding to an optoelectronic system composed of a laser emitting device, a receiving device comprising a light collector (to collect the part of the light radiation emitted by the transmitter and reflected by any object located in the path of the light rays emitted by the transmitter) and a photodetector which transforms the collected light into an electrical signal; a LIDAR sensor thus makes it possible to detect the presence of objects (for example a second vehicle 12 traveling in front of the first vehicle 11 or the panel 100) located in the light beam emitted and to measure the distance between the sensor and each object detected.

The exemplary embodiments described above are for example combined in all possible combinations, that is to say that the first vehicle comprises for example a or more of the devices or systems described with regard to each exemplary embodiment.

According to the particular example of Figure 1, a set of second vehicles 12 circulate in front of the first vehicle 11: a second vehicle 12 circulates in front of the first vehicle 11 on the current traffic lane 103 of the first vehicle 11, a second vehicle 12 circulates in front of the first vehicle 11 on the traffic lane 102 adjacent to the current traffic lane 103 and a second vehicle 12 travels in front of the first vehicle 11 on the traffic lane 104 adjacent to the current traffic lane 103.

Of course, the number of second vehicles 12 is not limited to 3 but extends to any number, for example 0, 1, 2, 4, 5 or more.

A third vehicle 13 circulates on the exit lane 101 according to the example of Figure 1. According to another example, several third vehicles 13 circulate on this exit lane 101.

According to a variant embodiment, lane 101 corresponds to an insertion lane or an entry lane on the portion of road comprising lanes 102 to 104.

Figure 2 illustrates a process for controlling a driving assistance system embedded in the first vehicle 11, for example a system using speed limit information applicable to the lane on which the first vehicle 11 is traveling. , according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Such a process is for example implemented by one or more processors of a device embedded in the first vehicle 11, such a device corresponding for example to a computer or to a combination of computers of the first vehicle 11.

The controlled ADAS system corresponds for example to an SLI system or an ISA system. According to yet another example, the ADAS system corresponds to an adaptive cruise control system, called the ACC system (from the English “Adaptive Cruise Control”). The computer implementing the invention belongs for example to the on-board system of the first vehicle 11, which is formed of the set of computers controlling the components of the first vehicle 11.

The sensors, cameras and computers form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the production of different services useful for the proper functioning of the first vehicle 11 and to assist the driver and/or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the first vehicle 11, for example to control of one or more ADAS systems. The TCU computers communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN data bus type communication bus (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Réseau de controllers"), CAN FD (from the English "Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate" or in French "Network of controllers with flexible data rate"), FlexRay (according to the ISO 17458 standard), LIN (from the English “Local Interconnect Network” or in French “Local Interconnected Network”) or Ethernet (according to the ISO/IEC 802-3 standard).

The process is described below with regard to an example where channel 101 corresponds to an output channel. The same process applies in the same way to an example according to which channel 101 corresponds to an insertion channel.

In a first operation 21, the sign 100 indicating a speed limit is detected and/or recognized from image data received from the first camera.

The detection of the sign 100 is for example determined from a traffic sign recognition system associated with or comprising an SLI or ISA system on board the first vehicle 11. According to this example, information representative of the indicated speed limit by the panel 100 is obtained by processing the image data acquired by the first camera, for example of the CVM type, having in its field of vision the space located in front of the first vehicle 11 according to the direction of movement of the first vehicle 11.

In a second operation 22, first information representative of a longitudinal distance between the first vehicle 11 and an end of the exit lane 101 is determined. The longitudinal distance corresponds to the distance between a reference point of the first vehicle 11 (for example the middle of the front axle of the first vehicle 11) and the end of the exit lane 101 along a longitudinal axis of an orthonormal reference ( X,Y) for example associated with the first vehicle 11. The longitudinal axis X corresponds to the axis of the direction in which the first vehicle 11 is traveling.

The end of track 101 is for example determined from data received from the second camera and from the ground marking detection and recognition system.

The exit lane 101 is for example identified via the detection of an increase in the width of the lane 101 as the first vehicle 11 moves, which increase is detected by determining the width of the lane 101 progressively. as the first vehicle 11 moves. This information is for example obtained from data received from the ground marking line detection system which makes it possible to obtain a representation by a polynomial of degree 3 in the form P(x) = Co + Ci * x + C2 * x ² + C3 * x ³ for lines 111, 112 and/or 113 for example, with Co, Ci, C2 and C3 the coefficients of the polynomial.

The coefficients Co, Ci, C2 and C3 come from the second or from the ground marking detection system using images from this second camera.

The coefficient Co represents for example a distance between the center of the first vehicle 11 and each boundary considered. The coefficient Ci represents an angle between the trajectory of the first vehicle 11 and a tangent to the traffic lane (the heading). The coefficient C2 represents a radius of curvature and the coefficient C3 represents a derivative of this radius of curvature.

Knowing the polynomial representation of lines 111 and 112, it is possible to determine the width of track 101 (from the Co coefficients of lines 111 and 112) at different times and to detect that the width increases as the movement progresses. of the first vehicle 11, which indicates that lane 101 is an exit lane. In the case of an insertion lane, the width of the lane decreases as the first vehicle 11 moves.

The end of the exit lane 101 is for example determined by looking for an intersection between the ground marking lines delimiting the lane 101. Such an intersection thus appears between the lines 112 and 113 which also delimit the zebra zone.

The first information representative of the longitudinal distance between the first vehicle 11 and the end of the exit lane 101 is for example obtained by any image processing method (obtained from the first and/or the second camera), knowing the end of exit route 101.

In a third operation 23, second information representative of acceleration of at least a second vehicle 12 traveling in front of the first vehicle 11 is determined.

Each second vehicle 12 corresponds for example to a vehicle traveling on a lane different from the exit lane 101 and corresponding to the current lane 103 or to an adjacent lane 102, 104 to the current lane 103.

For this purpose, the second vehicle(s) 12 are selected from a set of vehicles traveling in front of the first vehicle 11, all lanes combined. The vehicle(s) traveling on the exit lane 101 or on a lane not corresponding to the current lane 103 or to an adjacent lane 102, 104 of the current lane 103 are excluded from the set of second vehicles 12 taken into consideration in the third operation.

The second vehicle(s) 12 are for example selected by determining for each vehicle (that is to say the first vehicle 11 and the other vehicles 12, 13 traveling in front of the first vehicle 11) the distance, called lateral, between each vehicle and the panel 100 detected, along the Y axis. This distance is for example obtained by processing the image(s) received from the first camera and having served as a basis for detecting the panel 100. When the distance between a vehicle and the panel 100 is less than a determined distance, for example less than 3.3 or 3.5 m (which corresponds to the width of a lane), then it is determined that this vehicle is traveling on the exit lane 101 since sign 100 is arranged along the rightmost lane of the section of road.

To determine whether a vehicle is traveling on the current lane 103 or on an adjacent lane 102, 104, the distance between the first vehicle 11 and each other vehicle 12, 13 is determined from the lateral distance between the first vehicle 11 and the sign 100 (called the first distance) on the one hand and the distance between each other vehicle and the panel 100 (called the second distance) on the other hand. By subtracting the first distance and the second distance and comparing the absolute value of this difference to a threshold distance (corresponding for example to the width of a lane), it is determined which vehicles 12 are traveling on the current lane 103 or on a adjacent lane 102, 104 (the absolute value of the difference is less than or equal to 3.3 or 3.5 m for example).

The acceleration value of each second vehicle 12 is for example obtained from data representative of the dynamics of each second vehicle 12 (the speed for example) and the dynamics of the first vehicle 11. These data are for example obtained by analyzing the variations in longitudinal distance as a function of time between each second vehicle 12 and the first vehicle 11, knowing the current speed and/or acceleration of the first vehicle 11.

The distance data between each second vehicle 12 and the first vehicle 11 are for example obtained by image processing from the image data obtained from the first and/or second cameras. According to one variant, this data is obtained from one or more object detection sensors such as radar or lidar.

In a fourth operation 24, a third piece of information representative of the lateral distance between the first vehicle 11 and the speed limit sign 100 is determined from the image data received from the first camera, as described with regard to the third operation 23. In a fifth operation, the assignment or non-assignment of the speed limit associated with the sign 100 is determined based on the first information, the second information and the third information.

For example, the first information, the second information and the third information are each compared to a specific threshold value to determine whether or not the speed limit applies to the first vehicle 11, that is to say whether the limit of speed is assigned (or associated) or not to the current traffic lane 103 of the first vehicle 11.

For example, the first information representative of the longitudinal distance between the first vehicle 11 and the end of the exit lane 101 (for example at the moment of detection of the panel 100) is compared to a distance threshold value, which is for example example equal to 100 or 150 m.

If the result of the comparison indicates that the first vehicle 11 is at a distance greater than the threshold value when the sign 100 is detected, then the speed limit is assigned to the current traffic lane 103 of the first vehicle and the process continues. continues with operation 201. Operation 201 corresponds to a check of the ADAS system(s) considered when the speed limit must be taken into consideration by the first vehicle 11. This corresponds for example to checking the display of an indication of the maximum authorized speed corresponding to the speed limit indicated by the sign 100 on a display screen of the first vehicle 11. According to another example, when the ADAS system corresponds to an ACC system, the ACC system is controlled so as to limit itself to this maximum authorized speed.

Otherwise, when the result of the comparison indicates that the first vehicle 11 is at a distance less than the threshold value when the panel 100 is detected, then the result of the comparison between the second information and the third information and their respective threshold values is necessary to make a decision.

The acceleration value of each second vehicle 12 is for example compared to a threshold value representative of a deceleration, for example equal to - 1.2 m.s' ² or - 1.5 m.s' ² . When the deceleration of the second vehicles 12 is lower than this threshold value (that is to say the acceleration value is greater than the threshold value), then the process continues with operation 202.

In parallel, the lateral distance between the first vehicle 11 and the panel 100 (for example at the instant of detection of the panel 100) is compared to a threshold distance corresponding for example to the width of a lane, that is to say say 3.3 m or 3.5 m for example.

When the lateral distance is greater than the threshold distance, then the process continues with operation 202.

Operation 202 corresponds to an operation according to which the ADAS system(s) are controlled so as not to take into consideration the speed limit indicated by the sign 100. In such a scenario, it is considered that the speed limit associated with the sign is not assigned to the current traffic lane 103.

Indeed, when the lateral distance between the first vehicle 11 and the panel 100 is greater than a lane width, and in addition the first vehicle 11 is close to the end of the exit lane 101 (longitudinal distance less than the threshold value), then this means that the first vehicle 11 is not traveling in the exit lane and that the sign 100 concerns the exit lane, and therefore not the current traffic lane of the first vehicle 11.

In the same way, when the second vehicle(s) have a low deceleration (acceleration greater than a threshold deceleration value), this means that the second vehicles traveling on the same lane as the first vehicle 11 (or on an adjacent lane) do not do not take the speed limit into consideration. This is an additional indicator that the speed limit does not apply to the current lane of traffic.

Thus, in operation 202, the ADAS system(s) are controlled so as not to take into account the speed limit indicated by the sign 100. This includes for example an absence of display of the speed limit on the screen of the first vehicle 11 when the ADAS system corresponds to an SLI system. Conversely, when the longitudinal distance is less than the threshold longitudinal distance, when the deceleration of the second vehicles is strong (acceleration less than the threshold deceleration value) and when the lateral distance between the first vehicle 11 and the panel 100 is less than the threshold lateral distance, then the process continues with operation 201, that is to say the speed limit applies to the first vehicle 11 and the ADAS system(s) are controlled accordingly (for example with the display of the speed limit indicated by the sign 100).

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a device 3 configured to control one or more driving assistance systems of a vehicle, for example of the first vehicle 11, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 3 corresponds for example to a device on board the first vehicle 11, for example a computer or a combination of several computers.

The device 3 is for example configured for the implementation of the operations described with regard to Figures 1 and 2 and/or the steps of the method described with regard to Figure 4. Examples of such a device 3 include, without being there limited, on-board electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic computer such as an ECU ("Electronic Control Unit"), a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop. The elements of device 3, individually or in combination, can be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and/or into discrete components. Device 3 can be produced in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

The device 3 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 30 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and/or for executing the instructions of the software(s) embedded in the device 3. The processor 30 may include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 3 further comprises at least one memory 31 corresponding for example to a volatile and/or non-volatile memory and/or comprises a memory storage device which may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on the memory 31.

According to different particular and non-limiting examples of embodiment, the device 3 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example a TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Telematic Control Unit”), for example via a communications bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 comprises a block 32 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of block 32 include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radio frequency interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the band frequency at 2.4 GHz, or Sigfox type using UBN radio technology (from English Ultra Narrow Band, in French ultra narrow band), or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (from English “ Long-Term Evolution” or in French “Long-Term Evolution”), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-advanced);

- USB interface (from the English “Universal Serial Bus” or “Bus Universel en Série” in French);

- HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, or “Interface Multimedia Haute Definition” in French);

- LIN interface (from English “Local Interconnect Network”, or in French “Réseau interconnecté local”).

According to another particular and non-limiting example of embodiment, the device 3 comprises a communication interface 33 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other computers of the on-board system) via a communication channel 330. The communication interface 33 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel. communication 330. The communication interface 33 corresponds for example to a wired network of the CAN type (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Réseau de controllers”), CAN FD (from the English “Controller Area Network” Flexible Data-Rate” or in French “Network of flexible data rate controllers”), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458), LIN (from English “Local Interconnect Network” or in French “Réseau interconnectée local”) or Ethernet (standardized by the ISO/IEC 802-3 standard).

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 340, touch or not, one or more speakers 350 and/or other peripherals 360 (projection system) via output interfaces 34, 35 and 36 respectively. According to a variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into the device 3.

Figure 4 illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a method of controlling one or more driving assistance systems of a vehicle, for example of the first vehicle 11, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by one or more devices on board the first vehicle 11 or by one or more devices 3 in Figure 3.

In a first step 41, a speed limit sign is detected from image data received from a first camera on board the first vehicle.

In a second step 42, first information representative of a longitudinal distance between the first vehicle and an end of the exit or insertion lane is determined, the end being determined from data representative of ground marking lines obtained a second camera on board the first vehicle. In a third step 43, second information representative of acceleration of at least one second vehicle traveling in front of the first vehicle is determined, the at least one second vehicle traveling on a lane different from the exit or insertion lane and corresponding to the current track or to a track adjacent to the current track.

In a fourth step 44, third information representative of a lateral distance between the first vehicle and the speed limit sign is determined from the image data received from the first camera.

In a fifth step 45, an assignment of a speed limit associated with the speed limit sign to the current lane is determined based on the first information, the second information and the third information.

In a sixth step 46, the ADAS system(s) are controlled according to the result of the assignment determination of the fifth step 45.

According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to Figure 1 and/or Figure 2 apply to the steps of the method of Figure 4.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method of controlling the display of information representative of a speed on at least one display screen embedded in a vehicle which would include secondary steps without departing from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a process.

The present invention also relates to a system comprising one or more devices 3 on board the first vehicle 11 connected in communication with a camera.

The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous vehicle with a land engine, comprising the device 3 of Figure 3 or the system above.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a driving assistance system, called the ADAS system, embedded in a first vehicle (11), said first vehicle (11) traveling on a current lane (103) of a portion of road comprising a plurality of lanes (101 to 104) having the same direction of traffic, one lane (101) of said plurality corresponding to an exit or insertion lane of said portion of road, said method comprising the following steps:

- detection (41) of a speed limit sign (100) from image data received from a first camera on board said first vehicle (11);

- determination (42) of first information representative of a longitudinal distance between said first vehicle (11) and an end of said exit or insertion lane (101), said end being determined from data representative of lines ground markings (112, 113) obtained from a second camera on board said first vehicle (11);

- determination (43) of second information representative of acceleration of at least one second vehicle (12) traveling in front of said first vehicle (11), said at least one second vehicle (12) traveling on a lane different from said lane (101) output or insertion and corresponding to said current channel (103) or to an adjacent channel (102, 104) to said current channel;

- determination (44) of third information representative of a lateral distance between said first vehicle (11) and said speed limit sign (100) from said image data received from said first camera;

- determination (45) of assigning a speed limit associated with said speed limit sign (100) to said current lane (103) as a function of said first information, said second information and said third information;

- control (46) of said ADAS system according to a result of said assignment determination (45).

2. Method according to claim 1, for which said speed limit is assigned to said current lane (103) when:

- said first information is representative of a greater longitudinal distance at a threshold longitudinal distance; Or

- said first information is representative of a longitudinal distance less than said threshold longitudinal distance and said second information is representative of an acceleration value greater than a threshold deceleration and said third information is representative of a lateral distance less than a distance lateral threshold.

3. Method according to claim 2, for which said threshold longitudinal distance is equal to 100 m or 150 m, said threshold deceleration is equal to - 1.2 m.s' ² or -1.5 m.s' ² and said threshold lateral distance is equal to 3.3 m or 3.5 m.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, for which, when said speed limit is assigned to said current lane (103), said control of said ADAS system comprises a display of said speed limit on a display screen embarked in said first vehicle (11).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the following steps:

- determination of a fourth piece of information representative of lateral distance between said speed limit sign and each third vehicle of a set of third vehicles traveling in front of said first vehicle (11) from said image data;

- selection of said at least one second vehicle from the set of third vehicles based on said fourth information and said third information.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, for which said second information is determined from data received from at least one radar and/or one lidar on board said first vehicle (11).

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, for which said ADAS system corresponds to an intelligent speed adaptation system, called ISA system, or to a speed limit indication system, called SLI system.

8. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by a processor.

9. Device (3) for controlling a driving assistance system embedded in a vehicle, said device (3) comprising a memory (31) associated with at least one processor (30) configured for implementing the steps of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. Vehicle (11) comprising the device (3) according to claim 9.