Device and method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9299254-B2
Application number	US-201214125260-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2012
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle with the aid of a visual and/or audible warning signal ( 5 ), detection of an object taking place with the aid of a sensor which detects an angular field which opens opposite the driving direction of the motor vehicle and which is assigned to one side of the motor vehicle, and determination of at least one parameter related to the driving direction taking place with the aid of a control unit, an ascertainment being made as to whether a traffic situation exists which requires an immediate warning signal ( 5 ) with the aid of a decision-making algorithm which processes the at least one parameter related to the driving direction as an input, an immediate warning signal ( 5 ) being triggered if a situation requiring an immediate warning signal ( 5 ) exists, and ascertaining a delay period which is adjusted to the traffic situation, and triggering the warning signal ( 5 ) having the ascertained delay period if no traffic situation exists which requires an immediate warning signal ( 5 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle with at least one of a visual warning signal and an audible warning signal, comprising:
detecting an object using a sensor which detects an angular field which opens opposite a driving direction of the motor vehicle and which is assigned to one side of the motor vehicle;
determining at least one parameter related to the driving direction with a control unit;
ascertaining whether a traffic situation requiring an immediate warning signal exists, with a decision-making algorithm which processes the at least one parameter related to the driving direction as an input; and
performing one of:
triggering the immediate warning signal if the traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal, and
ascertaining a delay period that is adjusted to the traffic situation and triggering the warning signal having the ascertained delay period if no traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

2. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter related to the driving direction is an activity signal of a turn signal of the motor vehicle.

3. The method of warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter related to the driving direction is a deflection angle of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

4. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the decision-making algorithm includes a control loop by which continuously variable delay periods are effected.

5. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the decision-making algorithm includes a table by which discretely variable delay periods are effected.

6. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously activated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a suppressed delay of the warning signal.

7. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in clam 1 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously deactivated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a long delay of the warning signal.

8. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously activated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a reduced delay of the warning signal.

9. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein ascertaining the delay of the warning signal with at least one parameter related to the driving direction is able to simultaneously process multiple parameters related to the driving direction with one of the decision-making algorithm and a table.

10. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the following is performed:
triggering the immediate warning signal if the traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

11. The method for warning the driver of the motor vehicle as recited in claim 1 , wherein the following is performed:
ascertaining the delay period that is adjusted to the traffic situation and triggering the warning signal having the ascertained delay period if no traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

12. A blind spot warning system for warning a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising:
a sensor system that includes at least one first sensor on an exterior of the motor vehicle and is assigned to one side of the motor vehicle to monitor an angular area outside the motor vehicle and to detect an entry of objects into the angular area;
a control unit connected to the at least one first sensor in order to relay values of parameters related to a driving direction of the motor vehicle; and
a warning unit for issuing at least one of a visual warning and an audible warning, wherein the control unit is able to give a warning signal having a delay, a duration of the delay being a function of an evaluation result of at least one parameter related to the driving direction of the motor vehicle;
wherein the control unit is configured to ascertain whether a traffic situation requiring an immediate warning signal exists, with a decision-making algorithm which processes the at least one parameter related to the driving direction as an input, and
wherein the control unit is configured to perform one of:
triggering the immediate warning signal if the traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal, and
ascertaining a delay period that is adjusted to the traffic situation and triggering the warning signal having the ascertained delay period if no traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one parameter related to the driving direction is an activity signal of a turn signal of the motor vehicle.

14. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the at least one parameter related to the driving direction is a deflection angle of a steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

15. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the decision-making algorithm includes a control loop by which continuously variable delay periods are effected.

16. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the decision-making algorithm includes a table by which discretely variable delay periods are effected.

17. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously activated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a suppressed delay of the warning signal.

18. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously deactivated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a long delay of the warning signal.

19. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein detection of an object which is passed by the motor vehicle in a blind spot on one side of the motor vehicle while a turn signal is simultaneously activated on the same side of the motor vehicle effects a reduced delay of the warning signal.

20. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein ascertaining the delay of the warning signal with at least one parameter related to the driving direction is able to simultaneously process multiple parameters related to the driving direction with one of the decision-making algorithm and a table.

21. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the following is performed:
triggering the immediate warning signal if the traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

22. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the following is performed:
ascertaining the delay period that is adjusted to the traffic situation and triggering the warning signal having the ascertained delay period if no traffic situation exists which requires the immediate warning signal.

Assignees

• Schneider Marcus
• De Sciscio Andrea
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Schneider Marcus
• De Sciscio Andrea

Classifications

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• G08G1/167 Primary

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

• G08G1/0967 Primary

  Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits (transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968) · CPC title