US6230093B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and device for determining the probable path to be covered by a vehicle
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1998-02-21
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Granted: 2001-05-08
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Expires: 2018-02-21
Abstract
Abstract A method and a device for determining a future travel-course progression or travel-course range of a vehicle whose traveling speed is controllable as a function of a distance to preceding-traveling vehicles, the future course range being determined at least on the basis of a course progression of one preceding-traveling vehicle. Moreover, a lateral offset is determined for all detected preceding-traveling vehicles. The determined future course range is limited on the basis of detected stationary objects.
Inventors
- 👤 Harald Michi
- 👤 Hermann Winner
- 👤 Bernd Lichtenberg
- 👤 Werner Uhler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:26
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S13/00; G01S13/88; G01S13/93; G01S13/931; G01S2013/9319; G01S2013/932; G01S2013/9321; G01S2013/9323; G01S2013/9327; G01S2013/93271; G01S2013/9329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for determining a future travel-course range of a first vehicle equipped with a proximity sensor, comprising the steps of: using the proximity sensor, determining at least two relative positions of one preceding-traveling vehicle with respect to the first vehicle; ascertaining lateral offsets between the preceding-traveling vehicle and the first vehicle on the basis of the at least two relative positions; ascertaining a future course range of the first vehicle as a function of a course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; forming the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle from the at least two determined relative positions of the preceding-traveling vehicle; forming reference points as a function of lateral offsets and of the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; determining a function, corresponding to a future course progression of the first vehicle, which includes essentially all of the reference points; and expanding the future course progression of the first vehicle by a predetermined width, yielding the future course range of the first vehicle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A method for determining a future travel-course range of a first vehicle equipped with a proximity sensor, comprising the steps of: using the proximity sensor, determining at least two relative positions of one preceding-traveling vehicle with respect to the first vehicle; ascertaining lateral offsets between the preceding-traveling vehicle and the first vehicle on the basis of the at least two relative positions; ascertaining a future course range of the first vehicle as a function of a course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; forming the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle from the at least two determined relative positions of the preceding-traveling vehicle; forming reference points as a function of lateral offsets and of the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; determining a function, corresponding to a future course progression of the first vehicle, which includes essentially all of the reference points; and expanding the future course progression of the first vehicle by a predetermined width, yielding the future course range of the first vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: determining a relative position of the preceding-traveling vehicle with respect to the first vehicle; based on the relative position, determining a lateral offset between the preceding-traveling vehicle and the first vehicle; and determining the future course range of the first vehicle as a function of the lateral offset and the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the steps of: re-determining the lateral offset at predetermined instants; and assuming that the lateral offset is constant between the predetermined instants.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: determining the future course range on the basis of course progressions of a plurality of preceding-traveling vehicles; and isolating a travel-lane change of an individual preceding-traveling vehicle by one of a comparison, a correlation and an average of the course progressions of the plurality of preceding-traveling vehicles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: determining at least one further future course range of the first vehicle on the basis of at least one of a steering angle, a steering-wheel angle, a yaw rate, a difference of wheel speeds, a transverse acceleration, stationary objects, and oncoming vehicles detected by the proximity sensor; and ascertaining a verified future course range as a function of the future course range and the at least one further future course range.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: limiting the future course range on the basis of positions of at least one of: detected stationary objects and detected oncoming vehicles.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
177 words
A device comprising: a proximity sensor for determining at least two relative positions of one preceding-traveling vehicle with respect to a first vehicle; an evaluation device for ascertaining at least an angle, a distance and a speed of the one preceding-traveling vehicle; means for ascertaining lateral offsets between the preceding-traveling vehicle and the first vehicle on the basis of the at least two relative positions; means for ascertaining a future course range of the first vehicle as a function of a course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for forming the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle from the at least two determined relative positions of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for forming reference points as a function of lateral offsets and of the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for determining a function, corresponding to a future course progression of the first vehicle, which includes essentially all of the reference points; and means for expanding the future course progression of the first vehicle by a predetermined width, yielding the future course range of the first vehicle.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
177 words
A device comprising: a proximity sensor for determining at least two relative positions of one preceding-traveling vehicle with respect to a first vehicle; an evaluation device for ascertaining at least an angle, a distance and a speed of the one preceding-traveling vehicle; means for ascertaining lateral offsets between the preceding-traveling vehicle and the first vehicle on the basis of the at least two relative positions; means for ascertaining a future course range of the first vehicle as a function of a course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for forming the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle from the at least two determined relative positions of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for forming reference points as a function of lateral offsets and of the course progression of the preceding-traveling vehicle; means for determining a function, corresponding to a future course progression of the first vehicle, which includes essentially all of the reference points; and means for expanding the future course progression of the first vehicle by a predetermined width, yielding the future course range of the first vehicle.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-07 | 2004-11-06 | 2005-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-07 | 2008-11-06 | 2009-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-07 | 2012-11-06 | 2013-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |