Patent ID: 12233867

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification. This specification does not describe all the elements of the embodiments, and duplicative contents between general contents or embodiments in the technical field of the present disclosure will be omitted. The terms ‘part,’ ‘module,’ ‘member,’ and ‘block’ used in this specification may be embodied as software or hardware, and it is also possible for a plurality of ‘parts,’ ‘modules,’ ‘members,’ and ‘blocks’ to be embodied as one component, or one ‘part,’ ‘module,’ ‘member,’ and ‘block’ to include a plurality of components according to embodiments.

Throughout the specification, when a part is referred to as being “connected” to another part, it includes not only a direct connection but also an indirect connection, and the indirect connection includes connecting through a wireless network.

Also, when it is described that a part “includes” an element, it means that the element may further include other elements, not excluding the other elements unless specifically stated otherwise.

Throughout the specification, when a member is described as being “on” another member, this includes not only a case in which a member is in contact with another member but also a case in which another member is present between the two members.

The terms ‘first,’ ‘second,’ etc. are used to distinguish one element from another element, and the elements are not limited by the above-mentioned terms. The singular forms “ ” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In each step, an identification numeral is used for convenience of explanation, the identification numeral does not describe the order of the steps, and each step may be performed differently from the order specified unless the context clearly states a particular order.

FIG.1is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a driver assistance system according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIG.1, a vehicle1includes an engine10, a transmission20, a braking device30, and a steering device40.

The engine10includes a cylinder and a piston and may generate power for the vehicle1to travel.

The transmission20includes a plurality of gears, and may transmit power generated by the engine10to wheels.

The braking device30may decelerate the vehicle1or stop the vehicle1through friction with the wheels.

The steering device40may change a driving direction of the vehicle1.

The vehicle1may comprise a plurality of electrical components. For example, the vehicle1includes an engine management system (EMS)11, a transmission control unit (TCU)21, and an electronic brake control module31, an electronic power steering (EPS)41, a body control module (BCM)51, and a driver assistance system (DAS)100.

The engine management system11may control the engine10in response to an acceleration intention of a driver through an accelerator pedal or a request from the driver assistance system100. For example, the engine management system11may control a torque of the engine10.

The transmission control unit21may control the transmission20in response to a shift command of the driver through a shift lever and/or a driving speed of the vehicle1. For example, the transmission control unit21may adjust a shift ratio from the engine10to the wheels.

When the vehicle1is an electric vehicle, the engine10, the transmission20, the engine management system11, and the transmission control unit21may be excluded from the components of the vehicle1.

The electronic brake control module31may control the braking device30in response to a braking intention of the driver through a brake pedal and/or slip of the wheels. For example, the electronic brake control module31may temporarily release the braking of the wheels in response to the slip of the wheels sensed during braking of the vehicle1(anti-lock braking systems; ABS). The electronic brake control module31may selectively release the braking of the wheels in response to oversteering and/or understeering sensed during steering of the vehicle1(electronic stability control; ESC). In addition, the electronic brake control module31may temporarily brake the wheels in response to the slip of the wheels sensed during driving of the vehicle1(traction control system; TCS).

The electronic power steering device41may assist an operation of the steering device40so that the driver may easily operate a steering wheel in response to a steering intention of the driver through the steering wheel. For example, the electronic power steering device41may assist the operation of the steering device40to decrease a steering force during low-speed driving or parking and to increase the steering force during high-speed driving.

The body control module51may control the operation of the electronic components to provide convenience to the driver or ensure the safety of the driver or may check the state. For example, the body control module51may control a head lamp, a wiper, a cluster, a multifunction switch, an emergency light, a direction indicator lamp, and the like.

An AVN device60may be provided in the center fascia of the vehicle1. The AVN device60may include a display61and an audio device62. Speakers installed on a dashboard and a door of the vehicle1may be understood to be included in the AVN device60. The display61may output a screen, and the audio device62may output a sound. The display61may display a graphic user interface (GUI) that may interact with a ser.

The display of the AVN device60may be a light emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLE©) panel, or a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel.

The AVN device60may include various input buttons. The display61of the AVN device60may also include a touch panel. The AVN device60may execute various functions based on a user command input through the input buttons or the touch panel. For example, the AVN device60may perform a navigation function, a DMB function, an audio function, and/or a video function.

The driver assistance system100may assist the driver to operate (drive, brake, and steer) the vehicle1. For example, the driver assistance system100may detect an environment (e.g., other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, lanes, road signs, etc.) around the vehicle1, and control the driving and/or braking and/or steering of the vehicle1in response to the detected environment.

The driver assistance system100may provide various assistance functions. For example, the driver assistance system100may provide a lane departure warning (LDW) system, lane keeping assist (LKA), lane following assist (LFA), high beam assist (HBA), automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic sign recognition (TSR), smart cruise control (SCC), and/or blind spot detection (BSD) functions. Each of these functions may be implemented as a separate system.

The above electronic components may communicate with each other through a vehicle communication network NT. For example, the electronic components may transmit and receive data through Ethernet, Most Oriented Systems Transport (MOST), Flexray, CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), etc. For example, the driver assistance system100may transmit a drive control signal, a braking signal, and/or a steering signal to the engine management system11, the electronic brake control module31, and/or the electronic power steering device41through the vehicle communication network NT, respectively.

FIG.2is a control block diagram of the driver assistance system according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIG.2, the driver assistance system100may include a camera110, a front radar120, a corner radar130, a behavior sensor140, and a controller200.

The controller200may perform overall control of the driver assistance system100.

The camera110, the front radar120, the corner radar130, and the behavior sensor140may be electrically connected to the controller200.

The controller200may control the steering device40and the AVN device60. In addition, other electronic devices of the vehicle1may be electrically connected to the controller200.

Each of the camera110, the front radar120, the corner radar130, and the behavior sensor140may include an electronic control unit (ECU). The controller200may be implemented as an integrated controller including the electronic control unit of the camera110, the electronic control unit of the front radar120, the electronic control unit of the corner radar130, and the electronic control unit of the behavior sensor140.

The camera110may photograph the front of the vehicle1and identify other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, lanes, road signs, and the like.

The camera110may include a plurality of lenses and an image sensor. The image sensor may include a plurality of photodiodes converting light into an electrical signal, and the plurality of photodiodes may be arranged in a two-dimensional matrix.

The camera110may be electrically connected to the controller200. For example, the camera110may be connected to the controller200through the vehicle communication network NT, or may be connected to the controller200through a hard wire, or may be connected to the controller200through a printed circuit board (FOB).

The camera110may transmit data of an image in front of the vehicle1to the controller200.

The front radar120and the corner radar130may obtain a relative position, a relative speed, and the like of an object (e.g., another vehicle, a pedestrian, a cyclist, etc.) around the vehicle1.

The front radar120and the corner radar130may be connected to the controller200through the vehicle communication network (NT) or a hard wire or a printed circuit board.

The front radar120and the corner radar130may transmit radar data to the controller200. The radars may be implemented as a lidar.

The behavior sensor140may obtain behavior data of the vehicle1. For example, the behavior sensor140may include a speed sensor to detect a speed of the wheel, an acceleration sensor to detect a lateral acceleration and a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, yaw rate sensor to detect a change in an angular speed of the vehicle, a gyro sensor to detect an inclination of the vehicle, a steering angle sensor to detect a rotation and steering angle of the steering wheel, and/or a torque sensor to detect a steering torque of the steering wheel. The behavior data may include the speed, longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, steering angle, steering torque, driving direction, yaw rate and/or inclination of the vehicle1.

The controller200may include a processor210and a memory220.

The controller200may include the one or more processors210. The one or more processors210included in the controller200may be integrated into one chip or may be physically separated. The processor210and the memory220may also be implemented as a single chip.

The processor210may process image data of the camera110, front radar data of the front radar120, and corner radar data of the corner radar130. The processor210may also generate a steering signal for controlling the steering device40and an AVN signal for controlling the AVN device60.

For example, the processor210may include an image signal processor to process the image data of the camera110, may include a digital signal processor to process the radar data of the radars120and130, and may include a micro control unit (MCU) to generate a steering signal and an AVN signal.

The memory220may store a program and/or data for the processor210to process the image data. The memory220may store a program and/or data for the processor210to process the radar data. The memory220may also store a program and/or data for the processor210to generate a control signal for the configuration of the vehicle1.

The memory220may temporarily store the image data received from the camera110and/or the radar data received from the radars120and130. The memory220may also temporarily store a result of the processor210processing the image data and/or radar data. The memory110may include not only a volatile memory such as a S-RAM and a D-RAM, but also a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), and an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM).

FIG.3illustrates a camera and a radar of the driver assistance system according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIG.3, the camera110may have a field of view110afacing the front of the vehicle1. For example, the camera110may be installed on a front windshield of the vehicle1. The camera110may photograph the front of the vehicle1and obtain image data of the front of the vehicle1. The image data of front of the vehicle1may include location information of other vehicles or pedestrians or cyclists or lanes located in front of the vehicle1.

The front radar120may have a field of sensing120afacing the front of the vehicle1. The front radar120may be installed, for example, on a grille or a bumper of the vehicle1.

The front radar120may include a transmission antenna (or a transmission antenna array) to radiate a transmitting radio wave toward the front of the vehicle1, and a receiving antenna (or a receiving antenna array) to receive a reflected radio wave reflected by an object. The front radar120may obtain front radar data from the transmitted radio wave transmitted by the transmission antenna and the reflected radio wave received by the receiving antenna. The front radar data may include distance information and speed information on other vehicles or pedestrians or cyclists located in front of the vehicle1. The front radar120may calculate a relative distance to the object based on a phase difference (or time difference) between the transmitted radio wave and the reflected radio wave, and may calculate a relative speed of the object based on a frequency difference between the transmitted radio wave and the reflected radio wave.

The corner radar130may include a first corner radar130-1installed on a front right side of the vehicle1, a second corner radar130-2installed on a front left side of the vehicle1, a third corner radar130-3installed on a rear right side of the vehicle1, and a fourth corner radar130-4installed on a rear left side of the vehicle1.

The first corner radar130-1may have a field of sensing130-1afacing the front right side of the vehicle1, The second corner radar132may have a field of sensing130-2afacing the front left side of the vehicle1, the third corner radar130-3may have a field of sensing130-3afacing the rear right side of the vehicle1, and the fourth corner radar130-4may have a field of sensing130-4afacing the rear left side of the vehicle1.

Each of the corner radars130may include a transmission antenna and a receive antenna. The first, second, third, and fourth corner radars130-1,130-2,130-3, and130-4may obtain first corner radar data, second corner radar data, third corner radar data, and fourth corner radar data, respectively. The first corner radar data may include distance information and speed information of an object located on the front right side of the vehicle1. The second corner radar data may include distance information and speed information of an object located on the front left side of the vehicle1. The third and fourth corner radar data may include distance information and speed information of objects located on the rear right side of the vehicle1and the rear left side of the vehicle1, respectively.

Referring toFIG.2, the controller200may detect and/or identify objects (e.g., other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, lanes, etc.) located in front of the vehicle1based on the front image data of the camera110and the front radar data of the front radar120, and may obtain location information (distance and direction) and speed information (relative speed) of objects located in front of the vehicle1. Also, the processor210may obtain location information (distance and direction) and speed information (relative speed) of objects located on sides (front right, front left, rear right, rear left) of the vehicle1based on the corner radar data of the plurality of corner radars130.

The controller200may obtain a state of the emergency light and the direction indicator lamp of the vehicle1. The controller200may receive the state of the emergency light and the direction indicator lamp from another system mounted on the vehicle1or obtain the state by itself.

The controller200may obtain a driving mode of the vehicle1. The driving mode may include a Normal mode, an Eco mode, a Comfort mode, and a Sport mode. The Sport mode is a mode for enabling driving in a state in which power performance is prioritized over fuel efficiency compared to the Normal mode. The Eco mode is a mode for enabling driving in a state in which fuel efficiency is prioritized over power performance compared to the Normal mode. The Comfort mode may be a mode between the Eco mode and the Normal mode or a mode between the Normal mode and the Sport mode. The driving mode is switched to any one of the Eco mode, the Normal mode, the Comfort mode, and the Sport mode. The driving mode may be switched by the driver or by the vehicle itself.

The state of the driving mode of the controller200may be provided from another system mounted on the vehicle1or may be obtained by itself.

The controller200may determine whether the driving situation corresponds to a situation that the driver override determination needs to be dualized while the lane following assist system is operating such that the lane following assist control is in progress, and may adjust at least one of the attenuation amount of the required steering torque and the threshold value of the driver override determination depending on the determined situation.

The controller200may determine the driving situation by using a variety of information of the vehicle1including the front image data, radar data, emergency light/direction indicator lamp state, driving mode state, and the like, and while the lane following assist system is operating such that the lane following assist control is in progress, and may adjust the attenuation amount of the required steering torque and the threshold value of the driver override determination depending on the determined situation. The required steering torque value may be a steering torque value required to be generated by the steering device40to keep vehicle1in the center of the lane. The threshold value of the driver override determination may be a reference value for determining steering intervention of the driver in order to hand over the steering control to the driver. For example, when a steering torque by the driver is greater than the threshold value of the driver override determination, the controller200may determine that it is the steering intervention of the driver, stop the operation by the lane following assist system, and may be switched to a driver override state in which the steering control is handed over to the driver. Conversely, when the steering torque by the driver is less than the threshold value of the driver override determination, the controller200may determine that the steering intervention of the driver has disappeared, and may start the operation by the lane following assist system again.

FIGS.4and5illustrate that an attenuation amount of a required steering torque and a threshold value of driver override determination are adjusted in a driving situation in which the vehicle keeps the center of a lane by creating a virtual lane in the driver assistance system according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIGS.4and5, when one lane302of a lane301and the lane302on a driving lane300is unrecognized while the lane following assist system is operating, the controller200creates a virtual lane303based on the opposite lane301to control the required steering torque to follow the center of the virtual lane303.

In this case, an actual driving direction desired by the driver and a road in which the lane following assist system is following the center of a lane may be different depending on a driving situation. For example, this situation is a situation in which the first lane300of a three-lane road is widened and is changed to two lanes310and320, the first lane310of the two lanes310and320is changed to a left turn lane, and the vehicle travels in the second lane320which is a straight lane.

That is, for the center of the lane in a situation where the first lane of the three lanes is widened and the right lane disappears, a conventional system generally creates a virtual lane based on the left lane to perform center following. In this state, assuming that the first lane300is divided into the two lanes310and320, and the first lane310is changed to a left turn lane and the second lane320is changed to a straight lane, when the driver intervenes steering to change the lane from the first lane310to the second lane320for driving straight ahead, a counterclockwise steering demand torque applied to the steering wheel330for the current center following like shown by an arrow prevents this intervention. Due to this, a sense of incongruity may be given to steering of the driver, so that the driver may feel uncomfortable.

As such, by appropriately adjusting the attenuation amount of the required steering torque of the lane following assist system and the threshold value of the driver override determination in a driving situation in which steering intervention of the driver is required, a sense of incongruity for steering of the driver may be reduced and completeness of the system may be improved.

FIG.6is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the driver assistance system according to an embodiment, andFIG.7is a table illustrating adjustment of the attenuation amount of the required steering torque and the threshold value of the driver override determination for each driving situation in the driver assistance system according to an embodiment.

Referring toFIGS.6and7, a control method of the driver assistance system according to an embodiment may include determining whether the lane following assist system is in operation (400), determining a driving situation when the lane following assist system is in operation (410), determining an attenuation amount of a required steering torque depending on the determined driving situation (420), determining a threshold value of driver override determination depending on the determined driving situation (430), and applying the determined attenuation amount of the required steering torque and the determined threshold value of the driver override determination to the system.

The controller200determines whether the lane following assist system is in operation. The controller200identifies opposite lanes of the driving lane through lane following assist control when the lane following assist system is operated, and controls a required steering torque to keep the vehicle in the center of the lane based on distances from the center of the vehicle to the opposite lanes, thereby driving the vehicle in the center of the lane. The controller200may perform the lane following assist control in an autonomous driving state where the lane following assist system is in operation and there is no driver intervention.

The controller200may determine the driving situation when the lane following assist system is in operation.

The controller200may determine whether the driving situation is a situation in which steering intervention of the driver is required.

The controller200may determine the driving situation as a normal driving situation when the driving situation is not the situation in which steering intervention of the driver is required. For example, when the driving situation is the normal/Echo/Comfort mode in the situation in which steering intervention of the driver is not required, or when the driving situation is not the situation in which steering intervention of the driver is required and not the normal/Echo/Comfort mode, the controller200may determine the driving situation as the normal driving situation when the driving situation is a non-highway driving situation.

When the driving situation is a virtual lane creation situation, preceding vehicle-following situation, Sport mode situation, and direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation, the controller200may determine the driving situation as the situation in which steering intervention of the driver is required. The controller200may determine that the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation when one lane of driving lanes is unrecognized, a branching lane, or has a lane width wider than a reference lane width.

The controller200may determine the attenuation amount of the required steering torque depending on the current driving situation among the driving situations.

When the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation, preceding vehicle-following situation, direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation, or Sport mode situation, the controller200may determine the attenuation amount of the required steering torque as an attenuation amount that is more aggressively attenuated than in the normal driving situation.

When the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation, preceding vehicle-following situation, direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation, or Sport mode situation, the controller200may determine the attenuation amount of the required steering torque to be an attenuation amount increased more than an attenuation amount of a required steering torque in the normal driving situation (reference attenuation amount of the required steering torque).

When the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation or preceding vehicle-following situation, the controller200may determine that it is a situation in which a driving path is uncertain, and thus may determine that an aggressive attenuation of the required steering torque value is required than in the normal driving situation.

Because the driving situation is a situation in which intervention of the driver is high when the driving situation is the direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation or Sport mode situation, the controller200may determine that an aggressive attenuation of the required steering torque value is required than in the normal driving situation.

As such, as the attenuation amount of the required steering torque is determined by reflecting the aggressive attenuation of the required steering torque value for the above driving situations, in a case in which this is later applied to the system, a required existing steering torque value applied to the steering wheel in order to follow the center of the lane may be rapidly reduced, thereby reducing a degree of interference with the driver and shortening the time. Due to this, the driver may feel less discomfort in the steering feel.

When the driving situation is the normal/Eco mode and the non-highway driving situation, the controller200may determine the required steering torque value as a value decreased like a normal attenuation in the normal driving situation, rather than the aggressive attenuation as in the existing method. Accordingly, when the driving situation is the normal/Eco mode and the non-highway driving situation, the controller200may maintain a reference attenuation amount of the required steering torque, which is a preset attenuation amount of the required steering torque, without changing the attenuation amount of the required steering torque.

For example, the aggressive attenuation has a larger attenuation amount than the normal attenuation, and may be attenuated by 100% (2 times) compared to the normal attenuation.

The controller200may determine the threshold value of the driver override determination depending on the current driving situation among the driving situations. The threshold value of driver override determination is a threshold value for determining driver steering override, and may be a required steering torque value for transferring the right of steering control to the driver and handing over the steering control to the driver.

When the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation, preceding vehicle-following situation, direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation, or Sport mode situation, the controller200may determine the threshold value of the driver override determination to be a decreased value (decrease of threshold value) more than the threshold value (reference threshold value) of the driver override determination in the normal driving situation. For example, the reference threshold value may be 2.0 Nm, and the decrease of the threshold value may be 0.5 Nm.

When the driving situation is the virtual lane creation situation or preceding vehicle-following situation, the controller200may determine that it is a situation in which a driving path is uncertain, and thus may determine that the threshold value of the driver override determination is required to be decreased.

The controller200may determine that the driving situation is the situation in which the intervention of the driver is high when the driving situation is the direction indicator lamp and/or emergency light application situation or Sport mode situation, and thus may determine that the threshold value of the driver override determination is required to be decreased.

As such, as the threshold value of the driver override determination is determined such that the threshold value of the driver override determination is decreased more than in the normal driving situation in the above situations, in a case in which this is later applied to the system, the steering control may be handed over to the driver at an early stage, so that the driver may feel less discomfort in the steering feel.

As the controller200applies at least one of the attenuation amount of the required steering torque determined to correspond to the driving situation and the threshold value of the driver override determination to the lane following assist system, a sense of incongruity in the steering feel of the driver may be less felt.

As is apparent from the above, an embodiment of the disclosure, a sense of incongruity for steering of a driver can be reduced and completeness of a system can be improved by adjusting an attenuation amount of a required steering torque of the system and a threshold value of driver override determination depending on a driving situation while the lane following assist system is operating.

Herein, the aforementioned controller and/or components thereof may include one or more processors/microprocessors combined with a computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable code/algorithm/software.

The processors/microprocessors may execute the computer-readable code/algorithm/software stored in the computer-readable recording medium to perform the above-described functions, operations, steps, and the like.

The above-described controller and/or components thereof may further include a memory implemented as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium or a computer-readable temporary recording medium. The memory may be controlled by the aforementioned controller and/or components thereof, and may be configured to store data transferred to or received from the aforementioned controller and/or components thereof, or may be configured to store data to be processed or processed by the aforementioned controller and/or components thereof.

The disclosed embodiments may be implemented as computer-readable code/algorithm/software on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may be a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a data storage device capable of storing data readable by a processor/microprocessor. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memory (ROM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices. etc.