Lane Detection and Alert System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023065901-A1
Application number	US-202117463680-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 1, 2021
Priority date	Sep 1, 2021
Publication date	Mar 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A lane detection system for a vehicle includes at least one sensor for sensing lane markers and objects in the vicinity of a host vehicle, a driver interface in the host vehicle, and a controller having control logic. The control logic receives signals from the at least one sensor, determines a present lane of travel based on the sensor signals received, determines that a time that the host vehicle has been in the present lane of travel meets or exceeds a predetermined time, and transmits an alert signal to the driver interface in response to the time meeting or exceeding the predetermined time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A lane detection system for a vehicle comprising:
means to detect a present lane of travel of a host vehicle; means of measuring a time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel; and means for alerting the driver of the host vehicle in response to the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel meeting or exceeding a predetermined period of time.

2 . The lane detection system as in claim 1 , further comprising means for changing the lane of travel from the present lane of travel to a desired lane of travel in response to the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel.

3 . The lane detection system as in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is pre-assigned in the means to detect the present lane of travel.

4 . The lane detection system as in claim 1 , wherein the means for alerting provides a progressive alert based on the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel.

5 . The lane detection system as in claim 4 , wherein the progressive alert includes a visual alert, followed by an audible alert, and followed by a haptic alert.

6 . A lane detection system for a vehicle comprising:
at least one sensor for sensing lane markers and objects in the vicinity of a host vehicle; a driver interface in the host vehicle; and a controller, the controller having control logic for receiving signals from the at least one sensor, determining a present lane of travel based on sensor signals received, compares a time that the host vehicle has been in the present lane of travel to a predetermined time, and transmitting an alert signal to the driver interface in response to the time meeting or exceeding the predetermined time.

7 . The lane detection system as in claim 6 , further comprising: the control logic determining a desired lane of travel and transmitting a change lane signal to a steering control system to move the host vehicle to the desired lane of travel in response to the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel, wherein the steering control system moves the host vehicle out of the present lane of travel into the desired lane of travel in response to the change lane signal.

8 . The lane detection system as in claim 6 , further comprising: the control logic transmitting a speed reduction signal to an engine controller in response to the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel.

9 . The lane detection system as in claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time is between about three minutes and fifteen minutes.

10 . The lane detection system as in claim 6 , wherein the predetermined time is configurable within the controller.

11 . The lane detection system as in claim 6 , wherein the driver interface is at least one of an audible device, a visual device, and a haptic device.

12 . The lane detection system as in claim 11 , further comprising the control logic transmitting a progressive alert signal in response to the time that the host vehicle remains in the present lane, wherein the progressive alert signal begins with requesting a visual signal from the visual device for a first time period, requesting an audible signal from the audible device for a second time period, and requesting a haptic signal from the haptic device for a third time period.

13 . The lane detection system as in claim 12 , wherein the progressive alert signal further comprises requesting an audible signal together with the visual signal during a second time period and requesting a haptic signal together with the visual signal and the audible signal during a third time period.

14 . The lane detection system as in claim 13 , wherein the control logic transmits a change lane signal when the third time period has been completed.

15 . The lane detection system as in claim 13 , wherein the control logic transmits a speed reduction signal when the third time period has been completed.

16 . A method of lane detection for a vehicle comprising:
detecting a present lane of travel of a host vehicle; measuring a time the host vehicle has remained in the present lane of travel; comparing the time with a predetermined time; and transmitting an alert signal to the driver of the host vehicle in response to the time meeting or exceeding the predetermined time.

17 . The method as in claim 16 , further comprising transmitting a speed reduction signal to an engine controller after the alert signal is transmitted.

18 . The method as in claim 16 , further comprising transmitting a change lane signal to a steering controller after the alert signal is transmitted.

19 . The method as in claim 16 , further comprising deactivating the alert signal in response to the vehicle changing lanes from the present lane of travel.

20 . The method as in claim 16 , wherein the predetermined time is between about three minutes and fifteen minutes.

21 . The method as in claim 16 , further comprising configuring the predetermined time within a controller.

22 . The method as in claim 16 , wherein transmitting an alert signal comprises transmitting a progressive alert signal based on the time the host vehicle remains in the present lane of travel.

23 . The method as in claim 22 , wherein the progressive alert signal includes activating a visual alert, followed by activating an audible alert and followed by activating a haptic alert.

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Miller Justin R
• Carbaugh Jeffrey M

Classifications

• G08G1/09623 Primary

  Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle (G08G1/0967 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W30/18163

  Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres · CPC title

• G01S2013/9318

  Controlling the steering · CPC title

• G01S2013/9315

  Monitoring blind spots · CPC title

• G08G1/167

  Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection · CPC title