Lane-tracking assistance system for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9514372-B2
Application number	US-201314133172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Feb 6, 2013
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lane-tracking assistance system for a motor vehicle including a surroundings detection device for determining at least one roadway marking and at least one vehicle headlight which, depending on the detected roadway marking and a position of the motor vehicle that is able to be detected from the roadway marking, is designed to generate light of a differing spectral composition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lane-tracking assistance system for a motor vehicle, comprising a surroundings detection device for determining at least one roadway marking and at least one vehicle headlight which, depending on the detected roadway marking and a position of the motor vehicle that is able to be determined from the roadway marking, is designed to generate light of a differing spectral composition, where the at least one vehicle headlight illuminates the roadway marking with light of a first predetermined spectral composition when a lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is less than a first threshold value and illuminates the roadway marking with light of a second predetermined spectral composition when the lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is greater than a second threshold value.

2. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle headlight illuminates the detected roadway marking selectively in differing spectral colors.

3. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein the spectral composition of the light emitted by the vehicle headlight is able to be altered in a stepped fashion or continuously in dependence on a distance between the particular vehicle headlight and at least one of the detected roadway markings.

4. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 3 , wherein the spectral composition of the light emitted by the vehicle headlight can be altered as a result of a preset minimum distance between the vehicle or vehicle headlight and at least one detected roadway marking in the direction of a signal color failing to be adhered to.

5. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle headlight illuminates the detected roadway marking with temporally variable luminous intensity.

6. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle headlight illuminates the detected roadway marking with spatially variable luminous intensity.

7. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein roadway edges assigned to opposite sides of the motor vehicle are able to be illuminated differently and independent of each other by means of at least one vehicle headlight.

8. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein the headlight is designed essentially to keep the overall intensity or luminosity of the emitted light constant as the spectral composition of the emitted light varies over time.

9. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , which, depending on the detected roadway marking, determines an ideal line of travel and to visually marks this by means of the at least one vehicle headlight on a roadway lying ahead of the vehicle.

10. The lane-tracking assistance system according to claim 1 , which additionally is able to be coupled with a navigation aid and is designed to visually display the direction of travel or changes in a direction of the motor vehicle by means of the at least one vehicle headlight on the roadway lying ahead of the vehicle.

11. A method for operating a lane-tracking assistance system on a motor vehicle, said method comprising:
determining at least one roadway marking by means of a surroundings detection device;
establishing a relative position of the motor vehicle in relation to the roadway marking using the detected roadway marking; and
generating light with variable spectral composition depending on the relative position of the vehicle by means of at least one vehicle headlight, where the at least one vehicle headlight illuminates the roadway marking with light of a first predetermined spectral composition when a lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is less than a first threshold value and illuminates the roadway marking with light of a second predetermined spectral composition when the lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is greater than a second threshold value.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the light generated by the vehicle headlight is directed deliberately and continuously onto the detected roadway marking.

13. A software system stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for operating a lane-tracking assistance system on a motor vehicle, said software system comprising:
software for determination of at least one roadway marking by means of a surroundings detection device;
software for determining a relative position of the vehicle in relation to the roadway marking using the detected roadway marking; and
software for generating light with a variable spectral composition depending on the relative position of the motor vehicle by means of at least one vehicle headlight, where the at least one vehicle headlight illuminates the roadway marking with light of a first predetermined spectral composition when a lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is less than a first threshold value and illuminates the roadway marking with light of a second predetermined spectral composition when the lateral distance from the motor vehicle to the roadway marking is greater than a second threshold value.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the spectral composition of the light emitted by the vehicle headlight is able to be altered in a stepped fashion or continuously in dependence on a distance between the particular vehicle headlight and at least one of the detected roadway markings.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the spectral composition of the light emitted by the vehicle headlight can be altered as a result of a preset minimum distance between the vehicle or vehicle headlight and at least one detected roadway marking in the direction of a signal color failing to be adhered to.

16. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the vehicle headlight illuminates the detected roadway marking with temporally variable luminous intensity.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the vehicle headlight illuminates the detected roadway marking with spatially variable luminous intensity.

18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein roadway edges assigned to opposite sides of the motor vehicle are able to be illuminated differently and independent of each other by means of at least one vehicle headlight.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Feid Thomas
• Schneider Ingolf
• Roeckl Philipp
• Langkabel Frank

Classifications

• B60Q1/24

  for lighting other areas than only the way ahead · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• B60Q2300/12

  Steering parameters · CPC title

• B60W30/12 Primary

  Lane keeping · CPC title

• B60Q2300/45

  Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers · CPC title