Detection of bicyclists near ego vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11735051-B2
Application number	US-202016833004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2020
Priority date	Mar 27, 2020
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A method for alerting a driver when a cyclist is detected near an ego vehicle is described. The method includes detecting a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle. The method also includes identifying the object as the cyclist according to geometric characteristics and/or speed data of the detected object. The method further includes displaying a graphical indication of the cyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the cyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for alerting a driver when a bicyclist is detected near an ego vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving bicyclist information indicating a current location and a trajectory of a bicyclist detected by a connected vehicle and received using vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication;
detecting a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle;
identifying the object as the bicyclist according to geometric characteristics and speed data of the detected object based on the received bicyclist information indicating the current location and the trajectory of the bicyclist detected by the connected vehicle; and
displaying a bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the identified bicyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , in which detecting the presence of the object comprises capturing image data of the detected object in the blind spot of the ego vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , in which identifying the detected object as the bicyclist comprises:
obtaining information indicating a location and/or trajectory of one or more bicyclists;
comparing the obtained application information to a location information of the ego vehicle and/or trajectory information of the ego vehicle;
determining whether the ego vehicle is nearby and/or approaching the one or more bicyclists.

4. The method of claim 1 , in which displaying further comprises displaying the bicyclist symbol on the passenger side mirror of the ego vehicle when the bicyclist is detected in a passenger side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising preventing the ego vehicle from changing to a right lane and/or turning right while the bicyclist is in the passenger side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which displaying further comprises displaying the bicyclist symbol on a driver side mirror of the ego vehicle when the bicyclist is detected in a driver side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising preventing a driver side door of the ego vehicle from opening while the bicyclist is in the driver side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the bicyclist symbol of the bicyclist on a heads-up display (HUD) of the ego vehicle to alert the driver of the bicyclist in a proximity of the ego vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 , in which detecting the presence of the object comprises detecting a radio frequency (RF) beacon emitted by the object.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon for alerting a driver when a bicyclist is detected near an ego vehicle, the program code being executed by a processor and comprising:
program code to receive bicyclist information indicating a current location and a trajectory of a bicyclist detected by a connected vehicle and received using vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication;
program code to detect a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle;
program code to identify the object as the bicyclist according to geometric characteristics and speed data of the detected object based on the received bicyclist information indicating the current location and the trajectory of the bicyclist detected by the connected vehicle; and
program code to display a bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the identified bicyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the program code to detect the presence of the object comprises program code to capture image data of the detected object in the blind spot of the ego vehicle.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the program code to identify the detected object as the bicyclist comprises:
program code to obtain information indicating a location and/or trajectory of one or more bicyclists;
program code to compare the obtained application information to a location information of the ego vehicle and/or trajectory information of the ego vehicle;
program code to determine whether the ego vehicle is nearby and/or approaching one or more bicyclists.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the program code to display further comprises:
program code to display the bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on the passenger side mirror of the ego vehicle when the identified bicyclist is detected in a passenger side blind spot of the ego vehicle; and
program code to display the bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on a driver side mirror of the ego vehicle when the identified bicyclist is detected in a driver side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising:
program code to prevent the ego vehicle from changing to a right lane and/or turning right while the identified bicyclist is in the passenger side blind spot of the ego vehicle; and
program code to prevent a driver side door of the ego vehicle from opening while the identified bicyclist is in the driver side blind spot of the ego vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising program code to display the bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on a heads-up display (HUD) of the ego vehicle to alert the driver of the identified bicyclist in a proximity of the ego vehicle.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , in which the program code to detect the presence of the object comprises program code to detect a radio frequency (RF) beacon emitted by the object.

17. A system for alerting a driver when a bicyclist is detected near an ego vehicle, the system comprising:
an onboard unit to receive bicyclist information indicating a current location and a trajectory of a bicyclist detected by a connected vehicle and received using vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication;
a bicyclist detection module to detect a presence of an object proximate the ego vehicle and to identify the object as the bicyclist according to geometric characteristics and speed data of the detected object based on the received bicyclist information indicating the current location and the trajectory of the bicyclist detected by the connected vehicle; and
an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) to display a bicyclist symbol of the identified bicyclist on a passenger side/driver side mirror of the ego vehicle while the identified bicyclist is in a blind spot of the ego vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a heads-up display (HUD) to display the bicyclist symbol of the bicyclist to alert the driver of the bicyclist in a proximity of the ego vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Hughes Stephen
• Sobel Erik C
• Rowell Todd J

Classifications

• B60K35/65

  Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  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 title

• E05Y2400/818

  Visual · CPC title

• E05Y2400/532

  Emergency braking or blocking · CPC title

• E05F15/40

  Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions · CPC title