Patent application EP17173661A (EP), filed 2017-05-31
Publication number: EP3409552A1
Title: DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM, VEHICLE AND METHOD OF PROVIDING DRIVER ASSISTANCE
Abstract: A driver assistance system (1) for a vehicle (9), wherein the driver assistance system (1) comprises: a display unit (4), at least one camera unit (8) and/or is connectable with at least one external camera unit (8), wherein the at least one camera unit (8) is adapted to record an image sequence of a road scene in front and/or at the back of the vehicle (9), and a processing and evaluation unit (2) which is adapted to receive and process the image sequence recorded by the at least one camera unit (4) and to evaluate at least one of the images of the image sequence to determine if the vehicle (9) is approaching a driver assistance required location (11), wherein the processing and evaluation unit (2) is adapted to display at least one view of the driver assistance required location (11) on the corresponding display unit (4), when it is determined that the vehicle (9) is approaching the driver assistance required location (11).
IPC codes: B60W  50/    14            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: A driver assistance system (1) for a vehicle (9), wherein the driver assistance system (1) comprises:
number: 2
text: The driver assistance system according to claim 1,
wherein the processing and evaluation unit (2) is adapted to evaluate the at least one image of the image sequence based on at least one location information, to determine if the vehicle (9) is approaching a driver assistance required location (11), wherein the at least one location information is a traffic sign information, a traffic light information, a road marking information, a street edge information, a building information, or a position information of the vehicle, in particular a GPS-position information of the vehicle (9).
number: 3
text: The driver assistance system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driver assistance system (1) is adapted to determine at least one additional driver information (13) to be displayed together with the at least one view of the driver assistance required location (11), wherein the additional driver information (13) includes at least one possible trajectory information, at least one possible turning direction information, at least one lane marking information, a speed limit information, a toll information, at least one warning sign information in particular railway crossing warning sign information.
number: 4
text: The driver assistance system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance system (1) is adapted to determine at least one additional traffic information (15) to be displayed together with the at least one view of the driver assistance required location (11), wherein the traffic information (15) includes at least one information regarding overtaking possibilities, information regarding a flow of traffic, or at least one information regarding crossing traffic.
number: 5
text: The driver assistance system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance system (1) is adapted to switch between at least two different views of the driver assistance required location (11) determined by the driver assistance system (1), and wherein the driver assistance system (1) is adapted to preferably automatically display the view or views of the driver assistance required location (11) on the display unit (4), when the processing and evaluation unit (2) has determined that the vehicle (9) is approaching the driver assistance required location (11).
number: 6
text: The driver assistance system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance system (1) comprises a receiving unit (6) adapted to receive information from an external device, in particular a navigation system of a vehicle, at least one sensor of a vehicle including a control unit of a vehicle, a processing and evaluation unit of a vehicle or a processing and evaluation unit of a server.
number: 7
text: The driver assistance system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance system (1) comprises a transmitting unit (5) adapted to retransmit information to an external device, in particular information including at least one image of the image sequence recorded by the at least one camera unit.
number: 8
text: The driver assistance system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the driver assistance required location (11) is a roundabout (12), a road junction (14), a multi-lane road, or a parking lot.
number: 9
text: A vehicle (9) comprising a driver assistance system (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 8.
number: 10
text: The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle (9) comprises at least one sensor, in particular a camera unit (4), a processing and evaluation unit (2) and/or a control unit (3) connectable to the driver assistance system (1), in particular via a wireless interface and/or cable based interface.
number: 11
text: A method of providing a driver of a vehicle (9) with driver assistance at a driver assistance required location (11), preferably by a driver assistance system (1) as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8,
wherein the method comprises the steps:
number: 12
text: The method according to claim 10, wherein the method comprises evaluating the at least one image of the image sequence by the processing and evaluation unit (2) based on at least one location information, to determine if the vehicle (9) is approaching a driver assistance required location (11).
number: 13
text: The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the method comprises the step of determining at least one driver information (13) which is related to the driver assistance required location (11) by retrieving the at least one driver information (13) from a storing unit (2) or by receiving the at least one driver information (13) from an external device, in particular a server or a navigation system of the vehicle (9).
number: 14
text: The method according to claim 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein the method comprises the step of determining at least one traffic information (15) which is related to the driver assistance required location (11) by evaluating the image sequence by the at least one processing and evaluation unit (2) based on at least one traffic information, and/or by receiving at least one traffic information (15) from an external device, in particular a server or a navigation system of the vehicle (9).
number: 15
text: The method according to claim 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the method comprises the step of displaying the at least one view of the driver assistance required location (11) together with the at least one driver information and/or the at least one traffic information.
Office action: search_report, dated 2018-12-05
Rejection reasons: novelty_epc_54
inventive_step_epc_56
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2011184617A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: DE102011116771A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: EP2767966A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: DE102008010968A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: DE102008010968
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: US2011184617
ref_type: patent
severity: novelty_destroying
ref_id: DE102011116771
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
ref_id: EP2767966
ref_type: patent
severity: obviousness
Final disposition: pending (2018-12-05)