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EP0640903A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A driver assistance system for a vehicle

Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
•
Filing: 1994-08-30
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2014-08-30
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Abstract

Abstract A video camera or equivalent sensor is mounted on a vehicle and used to detect the lane markings on the road (usually the white painted lines). An associated signal processor (11) estimates the vehicle's lateral position in relation to the lane markings. An electric motor (4) coupled to the steering mechanism (1) is used to provide a torque input to the steering which may either assist or oppose the steering torque from the driver. The processor (11) is designed to assist the driver to maintain the vehicle's lane position by holding the vehicle at a set-point using a biasing torque. This simulates the effect of the lane being cambered upwards towards the lane edges. However the driver is able to override or cancel the effect if the driver applied steering torque exceeds a prescribed torque threshold.

Inventors

  • 👤 Russell Wilson-Jones
  • 👤 Raglan Horatio Andrew Harold Tribe
  • 👤 Michael Appleyard

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 21:06
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D15/00; B62D15/02; B62D15/025; G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/021; G05D1/0231; G05D1/0246; B60; B60T; B60T2201/00; B60T2201/08; B60T2201/087; B60W; B60W2540/00; B60W2540/18; G05D1/0242; G05D1/0255

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 45 words
A method of tracking a contrived centre line between lane markings of a road characterised in that a steering bias is applied to the steering system of the vehicle in such a manner as to assist the driver in tracking the contrived centre line position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 56 words
A method according to claim 1 characterised in that the level of steering bias applied to the steering system is relatively small when the track of the vehicle is in proximity to the contrived centre line and the steering bias is adapted to be increased as the vehicle approaches the boundaries defined by the line markings.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 27 words
A method according to any preceding claim characterised in that a steering torque ripple is applied by the steering system as the vehicle approaches a lane boundary.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 25 words
A method according to any preceding claim characterised in that an audio signal is produced to alert the driver of a possible lane boundary infringement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 4 characterised in that the conventional audio system of the vehicle is utilised to produce the simulated infringement signal.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 29 words
A method according to any preceding claim characterised in that if the lane marking signals are lost, a warning is issued to the driver and the system is disabled.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 28 words
A method according to any preceding claim characterised in that the system incorporates means for cancelling the signal bias when a direction indicator of the vehicle is actuated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 81 words
Apparatus for maintaining the position of the vehicle with respect to the lane markings characterised in that lane markings are detected by the use of a video camera or equivalent sensor mounted on the vehicle which is "light sensitive" or of the "infra-red" sensing type, an associated signal processor estimates the lateral position of the vehicle in relation to the lane markings, an electric motor coupled to the steering mechanism is used to provide a torque input to the steering system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 characterised in that the driver is able to override or cancel the effect if the steering torque applied to the steering system by the driver exceeds a predetermined torque threshold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9 characterised in that the system supplements the existing power steering mechanism whilst also providing a failure back-up in the event of engine stall or pump drive failure.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE3820589A1 Cited
EP0514343A2 Cited
DE4221015A1 Cited

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