Vehicular vision system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9563809-B2
Application number	US-201615131593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2016
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes at least one forward viewing camera and a control having an image processor operable to process image data captured by the forward viewing camera. The vehicle includes start-stop technology operable to turn off the engine of the vehicle when the vehicle stops and operable to restart the engine of the vehicle to enable the vehicle drive forward. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of captured image data, the driver assistance system determines that the vehicle, when stopped, is behind a stopped leading vehicle. Responsive at least in part to processing by the image processor of captured image data, the driver assistance system determines forward movement of the leading vehicle from its stopped position. Responsive at least in part to the determination of forward movement of the leading vehicle, the control automatically restarts the engine of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
at least one forward viewing camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system so as to view at least generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle;
a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera;
wherein the equipped vehicle comprises start-stop technology operable to turn off the engine of the equipped vehicle when, during forward driving of the equipped vehicle, the equipped vehicle stops and operable to restart the engine of the equipped vehicle to enable the equipped vehicle drive forward;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera, said driver assistance system determines that the equipped vehicle, when stopped via said start-stop technology, is behind a stopped leading vehicle;
wherein, responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera, said driver assistance system determines forward movement of said leading vehicle from its stopped position; and
wherein, responsive at least in part to said determination of forward movement of said leading vehicle, said control automatically restarts the engine of the equipped vehicle.

2. The driver assistance system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one forward viewing camera is configured to be disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle and views at least generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle through the windshield.

3. The driver assistance system of claim 2 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera for at least one of (i) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle.

4. The driver assistance system of claim 2 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera for a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle and for a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle.

5. The driver assistance system of claim 2 , wherein said driver assistance system determines that the equipped vehicle is at an intersection controlled by a traffic light.

6. The driver assistance system of claim 5 , wherein said driver assistance system determines that the equipped vehicle is at the intersection controlled by the traffic light responsive at least in part to processing by said image processor of image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera.

7. The driver assistance system of claim 6 , wherein said driver assistance system determines at least in part based on processing by said image processor of image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera that the traffic light changes from red to green.

8. The driver assistance system of claim 5 , wherein said driver assistance system determines that the equipped vehicle is at the intersection controlled by the traffic light responsive at least in part to GPS data.

9. The driver assistance system of claim 1 , wherein said driver assistance system determines that the equipped vehicle is stopped behind said leading vehicle at an intersection controlled by a traffic light.

10. The driver assistance system of claim 9 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera to determine that the equipped vehicle is stopped behind said leading vehicle at a red traffic light at the intersection.

11. The driver assistance system of claim 10 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera to determine that the traffic light changes from red to green.

12. The driver assistance system of claim 1 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera to determine the distance between said leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle.

13. The driver assistance system of claim 12 , wherein when the determined distance between said leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle exceeds a threshold value, said control automatically restarts the engine of the equipped vehicle.

14. The driver assistance system of claim 13 , wherein when the determined distance between said leading vehicle and the equipped vehicle exceeds two meters, said control automatically restarts the engine of the equipped vehicle.

15. The driver assistance system of claim 1 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera for an automatic emergency braking system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said automatic emergency braking system, responsive at least in part to detection of a vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle and in the field of view of said at least one forward facing camera via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said at least one forward viewing camera, is operable to apply a vehicle brake of the equipped vehicle to mitigate collision with the detected vehicle.

16. The driver assistance system of claim 15 , wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least one rearward viewing camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle that views at least generally rearwardly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said image processor of said control is operable to process image data captured by said at least one rearward viewing camera, and wherein at least in part via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera detecting a following vehicle that is following the equipped vehicle and determining that the detected following vehicle may collide with the equipped vehicle, said control adjusts application of the vehicle brake to mitigate a rear collision by the detected following vehicle with the equipped vehicle.

17. The driver assistance system of claim 16 , wherein, said control adjusts application of the vehicle brake responsive to distance of the detected following vehicle to the equipped vehicle and responsive to rate of approach of the detected following vehicle to the equipped vehicle.

18. The driver assistance system of claim 16 , wherein said driver assistance system adjusts control of the vehicle brake responsive to determination that the detected following vehicle is within a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle.

19. The driver assistance system of claim 18 , wherein distance between the equipped vehicle and the detected following vehicle is determined, at least in part, via processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera.

20. The driver assistance system of claim 16 , wherein said driver assistance system adjusts control of the vehicle brake of the equipped vehicle responsive to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera, that the detected following vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle beyond a threshold rate of approach.

21. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, said driver assistance system comprising:
at least one forward viewing camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said driver assistance system so as to view at least generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said at least one forward viewing camera is dispos

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Salomonsson Ove J
• Van Dan Elzen Christopher L

Classifications

• G08G1/096725

  where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

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

• B60Q1/08

  automatically · CPC title

• B60T7/22

  initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} · CPC title

• H04N7/181

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title