Lane keeping suppressing system and method

Abstract

A method is disclosed for suppressing or deactivating a lane keeping assist (LKA) system in a host vehicle. The method may include retrieving environmental data from a data gathering system, determining a current lane width based on the environmental data retrieved from the data gathering system, and comparing the current lane width with a pre-set lane width. The method may also include determining that the current lane width is smaller than the pre-set lane width, detecting the presence of an obstacle on the traveling path which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or which obstacle will pass the host vehicle within a pre-determined time period, and deactivating or suppressing the lane keeping assist (LKA) system.

Claims

1. A method for suppressing or deactivating a lane keeping assist (LKA) system in a host vehicle, the method comprising: (a) retrieving environmental data from a data gathering system; (b) determining an actual current lane width (w_cur) at a current position of the host vehicle of a traveling path on which the host vehicle is traveling, based on the environmental data retrieved from the data gathering system; (c) comparing the actual current lane width (w_cur) with a first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (d) determining whether the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (e) detecting whether an obstacle is present on the traveling path, which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or which obstacle will pass the host vehicle within a pre-determined time period (t_p); and (f) deactivating or suppressing the lane keeping assist (LKA) system when the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1) and an obstacle is detected on the traveling path which will be passed by the host vehicle or which will pass the host vehicle within the pre-determined time period (t_p).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) includes: i) using a satellite positioning system to determine a current position (p_cur) of the host vehicle on the traveling path; ii) determining the current lane width (w_cur) of the traveling path from electronic horizon (EH) data based on the current position (p_cur) of the host vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) is performed by suppression or partial deactivation of the lane keeping assist (LKA) system to a first degree of suppression or partial deactivation which first degree of suppression or partial deactivation is determined based on the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1).

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising: (g) comparing the current lane width (w_cur) with a second pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.2); and (h) suppressing or deactivating the lane keeping assist (LKA) system to a second degree of suppression or partial deactivation which is determined based on the second pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.2).

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising iterating steps (g) and (h) one or more times.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a relative speed between the obstacle and the host vehicle is determined and the pre-determined time period is calculated as a function of the relative speed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pre-set lane width, is a critical lane width (w_crit), the critical lane width (w_crit) being smaller than a comfortable lane width (w_comf).

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pre-set lane width is a comfortable lane width (w_comf), the comfortable lane width (w_comf) being greater than a critical lane width (w_crit).

9. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the presence of an obstacle is performed based on data retrieved from the data gathering system.

10. A control unit for controlling a lane keeping system in a host vehicle, the control unit configured to: (a) receive data from a data gathering system; (b) determine an actual current lane width (w_cur) at a current position of the host vehicle of a traveling path on which the host vehicle is traveling based on data retrieved from the data gathering system; (c) compare the actual current lane width (w_cur) with a first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (d) determine whether the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (e) detect whether an obstacle is present on the traveling path; (f) determine whether the obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or will pass the host vehicle within a pre-determined time period (t_p); and (g) deactivate or suppress the lane keeping assist (LKA) system when the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1) and an obstacle is present on the traveling path which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or will pass the host vehicle within the pre-determined time period (t_p).

11. The control unit of claim 10 wherein determination of the current lane width (w_cur) comprises: determination of a current position of the host vehicle on the traveling path; determination of the current lane width (w_cur) using electronic horizon (EH) data derived from the current position of the host vehicle.

12. The control unit of claim 10 wherein the control unit is configured to suppress or partially deactivate the lane keeping assist (LKA) system to a first degree of suppression or partial deactivation which is determined based on the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1).

13. The control unit of claim 12 wherein the control unit is further configured to: (h) compare the current lane width (w_cur) with a second pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.2); and (i) suppress or deactivate the lane keeping assist (LKA) system to a second degree of suppression or partial deactivation which is determined based on the second pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.2).

14. The control unit of claim 13 wherein the control unit is further configured to iterate one or more times the operations of (h) compare and (i) suppress or deactivate.

15. The control unit of claim 10 wherein the control unit is configured to determine a relative speed between the obstacle and the host vehicle, and to calculate the pre-determined time period (t_p) as a function of the relative speed.

16. The control unit of claim 10 wherein the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1), is a critical lane width (w_crit), the critical lane width (w_crit) being smaller than a comfortable lane width (w_comf) or, wherein the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1) is a comfortable lane width (w_comf), the comfortable lane width (w_comf) being greater than the critical lane width (w_crit).

17. The control unit of claim 10 wherein the control unit is configured to detect the presence of an obstacle based on data retrieved from a data gathering system.

18. A vehicle comprising a lane keeping assist (LKA) system and a control unit according to claim 10.

19. The control unit of claim 10 further comprising a processor and memory.

20. A method for suppressing or deactivating a lane keeping assist (LKA) system in a host vehicle, the method comprising: (a) retrieving environmental data from a data gathering system; (b) determining an actual current lane width (w_cur) at a current position of the host vehicle of a traveling path on which the host vehicle is traveling, based on the environmental data retrieved from the data gathering system; (c) comparing the actual current lane width (w_cur) with a first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (d) determining whether the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1); (e) after (b), (c), and (d), detecting whether an obstacle is present on the traveling path, which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or which obstacle will pass the host vehicle within a pre-determined time period (t_p); and (f) deactivating or suppressing the lane keeping assist (LKA) system when the actual current lane width (w_cur) is smaller than the first pre-set lane width (w_set.sub.1) and an obstacle is present on the traveling path which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or will pass the host vehicle within the pre-determined time period (t_p).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawing wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagram detailing an algorithm for suppressing/deactivating a lane keeping assist system;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a car with a system for suppressing or deactivating a lane keeping assist system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) As required, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and embodiments may take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

(5) As shown in the diagram in FIG. 1, the method for suppressing or deactivating a lane keeping assist, LKA, system, in a host vehicle as disclosed herein may comprise using a satellite positioning system to determine a current position p_cur of a host vehicle on a traveling path, such as a public road. The lane width of the traveling path at the position of the host vehicle may be conveniently determined using environmental data, ED, in the form of electronic horizon, EH, data which is derived from a data base containing data related to the position of the host vehicle as determined by the satellite positioning system. As set out herein the satellite positioning system may be a Global Positioning System (GPS) or any other available satellite positioning system. It is to be understood that the described way of determining the current lane width may be supplemented with or substituted by lane width determination based on other types of environmental data such as data which has been gathered by a data gathering system comprising equipment carried by the host vehicle such as one or more cameras, one or more radars, etc., as well as equipment located outside the host vehicle as is the case in a Vehicle-to-Vehicle, V2V, system.

(6) The lane width at the current position of the vehicle is determined to be the current lane width, w_cur, of the traveling path. The current lane width, w_cur, is compared to a pre-set lane width, w_set, which has been input into or calculated by a system as disclosed herein for carrying out a method for suppressing or deactivating an LKA system. As disclosed herein, the pre-set lane width, w_set, may be a critical lane width of the LKA system or may be a comfortable lane width of the LKA system or may be a lane width which is pre-determined in the LKA suppression system and which is different from a lane width limit applied by the LKA system. The system as disclosed herein may be arranged to allow the pre-set lane width to be set at different values, e.g. depending on driver preferences and/or data derived from a driver behavior surveying system. Furthermore, the pre-set lane width may be dependent on factors such as weather conditions, road conditions, the speed limit for the road, the width of the detected obstacle, etc.

(7) If it is determined that the current lane width, w_cur, is smaller than the pre-set lane width, w_set, it is checked whether an obstacle is detected on the traveling path which obstacle will be passed by the host vehicle or which obstacle will pass the host vehicle within a pre-determined time period, t_p.

(8) The pre-determined time period, t_p, is calculated by the LKA suppression system according to algorithms based on factors such as the speed of the vehicle, road conditions, weather conditions, etc. and is set so as to allow the driver as much time as possible to steer the vehicle safely and smoothly when avoiding the obstacle.

(9) In case no obstacle is detected, one option is that no further action is performed and that the method steps are iterated from the start. Alternatively, the system may be set to suppress or deactivate the LKA-system solely based on the detection of a current lane width, w_cur, which is smaller than the pre-set lane width, w_set. This option may in particular be applied in case the current lane width, w_cur, is smaller than a critical lane width, w_crit, of the LKA system.

(10) In case the system detects an obstacle on the traveling path, the LKA system is always suppressed or deactivated, as set out herein.

(11) Suppression or deactivation of the LKA system may in itself be carried out in different steps with a gradually greater degree of suppression or deactivation as the pre-set lane width (w_set) to which the current lane width (w_cur) is compared is gradually decreased.

(12) Accordingly, suppression or partial deactivation of the lane keeping assist (LKA) system may be performed in a first suppression/deactivation step to a first degree of suppression or partial deactivation which may be determined based on a first pre-set lane width, w_set.sub.1.

(13) The current lane width w_cur may subsequently be compared with a second pre-set lane width, w_set.sub.2, which is smaller than the first pre-set lane width and the LKA system may be suppressed or deactivated to a second degree of suppression or deactivation which is determined based on the pre-set second lane width, w_set.sub.2. These two steps may be iterated one or more times while comparing the current lane width, w_cur, with gradually diminishing first pre-set lane widths w_set.sub.n and gradually increased suppression/deactivation of the LKA system with diminishing current lane width, w_cur.

(14) The host vehicle is represented in FIG. 2 as a car 1 which is equipped with an LKA system 2 and a control unit 3 for suppressing or deactivating the LKA system. The car 1 is also provided with cameras 4 and radars 5, which form part of a data gathering system. The control unit 3, which may comprise a processor and an associated memory having stored computer executable instructions for performing various functions as described herein, receives environmental data, ED, e.g. in the form of EH data from a positioning system but which may consist of or include other types of environmental data, as set out herein. The data gathering system, the control unit 3 and the LKA system 2 communicate via a central processing unit, CPU, 6, which may have an associated memory with stored computer executable instructions for performing various functions as described herein. The LKA system 2, the control unit 3, the cameras and radars 4, 5 and the CPU are schematically shown. It is to be understood that the components are arranged and connected to perform their individual and collective functions as set out herein. It should also be understood that the number of cameras and radars could be different from what is shown and that they could be differently positioned on the vehicle.

(15) The system and the method disclosed herein may be particularly useful in a situation where the host vehicle is traveling on a narrow road or in a narrow lane and an oncoming vehicle is detected. In such cases signals from an LKA system may be conflicting with a driver's intention to steer away from the oncoming vehicle and may interfere with the driver's steering attempts.

(16) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments.