A steering control method and system for a vehicle colliding with a small moving obstacle

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of micro moving obstacle collision vehicle's steering control method and system, the method includes: obtaining the relative distance of the distance of the obstacle existing in the front of vehicle from vehicle in each time of vehicle driving process foreground image;According to the foreground image of current time, the obstacle in foreground image is identified;According to the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance of the distance of the obstacle from vehicle, in combination with the preset judging standard, whether the obstacle is micro moving obstacle is judged;According to the result and the vehicle speed, the size of steering wheel assist is controlled;When judging obstacle is micro moving obstacle and vehicle speed is greater than set speed, steering wheel assist is controlled to reduce, otherwise steering wheel assist is controlled unchanged.The application controls steering wheel assist by identifying micro moving obstacle and combining with own vehicle speed condition, avoids the large amplitude steering under the panic operation of driver, and improves driving safety performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive safety and intelligent control technology, and in particular to a steering control method and system for a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides with it. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of automobiles, traffic accidents are gradually increasing. One common type of traffic accident involves small birds, insects, or other small animals like squirrels, or other small, moving obstacles (such as cans or water bottles) impacting the vehicle's windshield, hood, and bumper. While the windshield, hood, and bumper are typically made of high-strength, high-hardness materials, the direct impact of these small obstacles does not pose a safety risk to the vehicle or occupants. However, due to the human body's self-preservation mechanism, drivers often panic and disrupt vehicle stability after being startled. For example, at high speeds, failing to observe the surrounding environment and making unconscious, rapid, and drastic changes in direction can lead to more serious traffic accidents, posing a significant safety risk to the vehicle and its occupants. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this invention provides a steering control method and system for vehicles when small moving obstacles collide with them. This solves the problem that when a vehicle encounters a small moving obstacle, such as a small bird, hitting the windshield, hood, or bumper, the driver's panicked maneuvers interfere with vehicle stability, posing a significant safety risk to the vehicle and its occupants. By identifying the small moving obstacle and its relative speed to the vehicle, the system controls the steering wheel power assist to achieve emergency steering control, preventing unintentional and rapid large-amplitude steering by the driver and improving driving safety.

[0004] In one aspect, this disclosure provides a steering control method for a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides with it.

[0005] A steering control method for a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides with it, comprising:

[0006] Acquire foreground images and the relative distances of obstacles in front of the vehicle at each moment during vehicle driving; the foreground images include the ground area and the air area in front of the vehicle.

[0007] Based on the current foreground image, identify obstacles in the foreground image;

[0008] Based on the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, and in conjunction with preset judgment criteria, it is determined whether the obstacle is a small moving obstacle.

[0009] The steering wheel assist is adjusted based on the current judgment result and vehicle speed. When the obstacle is determined to be a small moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assist is reduced; otherwise, the steering wheel assist remains unchanged.

[0010] Secondly, this disclosure provides a steering control system for a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides with it.

[0011] A steering control system for a vehicle in the event of a collision with a small moving obstacle includes:

[0012] The sensing module is used to acquire the foreground image and the relative distance of obstacles in front of the vehicle at each moment during the vehicle driving process; the foreground image includes the ground area and the air area in front of the vehicle.

[0013] The obstacle recognition module is used to identify obstacles in the foreground image based on the foreground image at the current moment;

[0014] The obstacle detection module is used to determine whether an obstacle is a small moving obstacle based on the cross-sectional size of the detected obstacle, the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, and a preset judgment standard.

[0015] The control module is used to control the amount of steering wheel assistance based on the current judgment result and the vehicle speed. When the obstacle is judged to be a small moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assistance is reduced; otherwise, the steering wheel assistance remains unchanged.

[0016] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a vehicle for which the steering control method described in the first aspect applies when a small moving obstacle collides with the vehicle.

[0017] The above one or more technical solutions have the following beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention provides a steering control method and system for vehicles when a small moving obstacle collides with them. By identifying small moving obstacles in front of the vehicle in real time and combining this with the vehicle's speed, the system performs emergency safety control on the steering wheel assist. By reducing the steering wheel assist, the system minimizes the risk of vehicle accidents caused by the driver panicking and making large steering wheel movements when the vehicle encounters a small obstacle. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0020] Figure 1This is a flowchart of the steering control method for a vehicle when a tiny moving obstacle collides with it, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of the steering control method in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the steering control system for a vehicle when a tiny moving obstacle collides with it, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The components include: 1. Main controller; 2. Obstacle sensing module; 3. Steering wheel power assist module; 4. Steering wheel; 5. Obstacle; and 6. Vehicle speed sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0024] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and are intended only to describe specific embodiments and to provide further explanation of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0025] Example 1

[0026] Small moving obstacles refer to small birds such as birds and insects, small animals such as squirrels, and other small, moving obstacles commonly encountered during vehicle operation, such as cans and water bottles in the air. To address the problem of driver panic and instability caused by small moving obstacles colliding with the windshield, hood, or bumper, thus posing a significant safety risk to the vehicle and its occupants, this embodiment provides a steering control method for handling collisions with small moving obstacles. Figure 1 As shown, it includes:

[0027] Acquire foreground images and the relative distances of obstacles in front of the vehicle at each moment during vehicle driving; the foreground images include the ground area and the air area in front of the vehicle.

[0028] Based on the current foreground image, identify obstacles in the foreground image;

[0029] Based on the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, and in conjunction with preset judgment criteria, it is determined whether the obstacle is a small moving obstacle.

[0030] The steering wheel assist is adjusted based on the current judgment result and vehicle speed. When the obstacle is determined to be a small moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assist is reduced; otherwise, the steering wheel assist remains unchanged.

[0031] The following content provides a more detailed description of the steering control method for a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides with it, as proposed in this embodiment.

[0032] To improve driving experience and stability, existing vehicles typically feature power steering systems or modules to reduce the driver's steering effort, making driving easier. However, this also increases the likelihood of unintentional steering errors, leading to more serious safety hazards. Therefore, this embodiment controls the amount of steering assist provided by the power steering module based on specific circumstances, thereby enabling the driver to maintain more stable control of the steering wheel. By reducing steering assist, it avoids situations where the driver panics and makes unintentional, sharp turns when encountering minor obstacles, thus preventing accidents and improving driving safety.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, an obstacle sensing module 2 is installed at the front of the vehicle. This obstacle sensing module 2 includes multiple or a single binocular camera, which acquires foreground images at every moment during vehicle operation. These foreground images include the ground area and the air area in front of the vehicle. The acquired foreground image at the current moment is transmitted to the obstacle recognition module in the main controller 1. This obstacle recognition module identifies obstacles 5 in the foreground image. If an obstacle 5 is present, it further identifies the type and cross-sectional size of the obstacle 5 and transmits the identified information to the obstacle judgment module in the main controller 1. Simultaneously, the obstacle sensing module 2 also includes a distance sensor, which acquires the relative distance between the vehicle and obstacles in front of it at the current moment and transmits this distance information to the obstacle judgment module.

[0034] In this embodiment, obstacles in the foreground image at the current moment are identified, and it is determined whether the obstacle is a small moving obstacle.

[0035] First, it is determined whether the obstacle is a moving obstacle. Specifically, the obstacle determination module acquires the foreground images of the current and previous moments, identifies obstacles in the foreground images, and determines whether the obstacle has moved by comparing the images. If the obstacle's position in the image scene changes, it is considered to have moved and is a moving obstacle; otherwise, it is considered to be a stationary obstacle.

[0036] In another implementation, the obstacle determination module acquires the foreground images of the current moment and the previous moment, identifies the obstacles in the foreground images, and determines whether the obstacle has moved based on the relative distance of the obstacle to the vehicle and the vehicle speed at the two moments.

[0037] Secondly, after determining that the obstacle is a moving obstacle, it is further determined whether the obstacle is a small obstacle. Specifically, the obstacle determination module has preset judgment criteria, which include a one-to-one preset obstacle cross-sectional size and a preset distance. The obstacle determination module determines whether the obstacle identified in the foreground image is a small obstacle based on the received obstacle cross-sectional size at the current moment and the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle. Based on the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, it matches the preset distance to determine the preset obstacle cross-sectional size corresponding to the matched preset distance. The identified obstacle cross-sectional size is compared with the preset obstacle cross-sectional size. If the obstacle cross-sectional size is larger than the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, the obstacle is considered a non-small obstacle, and thus a non-small moving obstacle; conversely, if the obstacle cross-sectional size is less than or equal to the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, the obstacle is considered a small obstacle, and thus a small moving obstacle.

[0038] As another implementation, after determining whether an obstacle is a small obstacle based on its cross-sectional size, the method further includes identifying the type of obstacle in the foreground image. The obstacle type is compared with a preset database of small moving obstacle types to determine if the obstacle in the foreground image is a small moving obstacle. If the identified obstacle type is in the preset database, the obstacle is considered a small moving obstacle; otherwise, it is not. This preset database of small moving obstacle types includes various birds, cans, water bottles, etc. By identifying obstacle categories, the accuracy of obstacle identification can be more systematically optimized. For example, if the obstacle is a flying butterfly or a small piece of paper fluttering in the wind, the driver will not panic when encountering such obstacles during actual driving. Flying butterflies and small pieces of paper meet the aforementioned criteria of being moving and small. By identifying the obstacle type, it is possible to avoid classifying such obstacles as small moving obstacles, improving the accuracy of obstacle identification and steering control.

[0039] Furthermore, the main controller 1 is electrically connected to the vehicle controller, and the control module in the main controller can also receive vehicle speed information collected by the vehicle itself.

[0040] As another implementation, the vehicle is equipped with a vehicle speed sensor 6, and the control module in the main controller 1 is electrically connected to the vehicle speed sensor 6 to directly acquire the real-time vehicle speed information sensed by the vehicle speed sensor.

[0041] The control module in the main controller assesses the current obstacle situation based on the obstacle detection result and outputs a control command to adjust the steering wheel assist level. This command is then sent to the steering wheel assist module 3, which is electrically connected to the steering wheel 4 to provide steering wheel assistance. In this embodiment, the steering wheel assist module can be a standalone assist device or an integrated function of the vehicle's existing steering wheel assist system. Preferably, the control and signal transmission between the main controller and each unit module can be via wiring harness or wireless communication; the power supply to the main controller and each unit module can be either wiring harness power or wireless power.

[0042] In this embodiment, the steering wheel assist is controlled based on the judgment result at the current moment and the vehicle speed, including: when the obstacle is judged to be a small moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assist is controlled to decrease rapidly; otherwise, the steering wheel assist remains unchanged.

[0043] Specifically:

[0044] When the obstacle detection module in the main controller determines that the obstacle ahead is a slightly moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the control module in the main controller sends a control command to the steering wheel power assist module to reduce steering wheel power assist. The steering wheel power assist module executes this control command, reducing steering wheel power assist and making the steering wheel heavier to maintain the vehicle's high-speed stability and avoid safety risks caused by sharp turns at high speeds. Conversely, if the obstacle detection module in the main controller determines that the obstacle ahead is a slightly moving obstacle but the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the set speed, or if the obstacle detection module in the main controller determines that the obstacle ahead is not a slightly moving obstacle, the driver can still control the steering wheel normally.

[0045] As another implementation method, the reduction in steering wheel assist is determined based on the relative speed of the obstacle and the cross-sectional size of the obstacle. The relative speed of the obstacle refers to the relative speed between the obstacle and the vehicle, calculated based on the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle.

[0046] The steering emergency control method for vehicles when a small moving obstacle collides with a vehicle, as proposed in this embodiment, can identify small moving obstacles in front of the vehicle in real time and can safely control the steering wheel power assist module to ensure the stability of the steering wheel and prevent vehicle instability risks. The method is easy to implement.

[0047] Example 2

[0048] This embodiment provides a steering control system for vehicles when a small moving obstacle collides with them, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes:

[0049] The sensing module is used to acquire the foreground image and the relative distance of obstacles in front of the vehicle at each moment during the vehicle driving process; the foreground image includes the ground area and the air area in front of the vehicle.

[0050] The obstacle recognition module is used to identify obstacles in the foreground image based on the foreground image at the current moment;

[0051] The obstacle detection module is used to determine whether an obstacle is a small moving obstacle based on the cross-sectional size of the detected obstacle, the relative distance between the obstacle and the vehicle, and a preset judgment standard.

[0052] The control module is used to control the amount of steering wheel assistance based on the current judgment result and the vehicle speed. When the obstacle is judged to be a small moving obstacle and the vehicle speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assistance is reduced; otherwise, the steering wheel assistance remains unchanged.

[0053] Example 3

[0054] This embodiment provides a vehicle that uses the steering control method described in Embodiment 1 above when a small moving obstacle collides with the vehicle.

[0055] The steps and methods involved in Examples 2 and 3 above correspond to those in Example 1. For specific implementation details, please refer to the relevant description section of Example 1.

[0056] Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules or steps of the present invention described above can be implemented using general-purpose computer devices. Optionally, they can be implemented using computer-executable program code, thereby allowing them to be stored in a storage device for execution by a computer device, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. The present invention is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Although the specific implementation of the present invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that, based on the technical solution of the present invention, various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steering control method when a small moving obstacle collides with a vehicle, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a foreground image at each moment during driving of a vehicle and a relative distance of an obstacle existing in front of the vehicle from the vehicle; the foreground image comprises a ground area and an air area in front of the vehicle; identifying the obstacle in the foreground image according to the foreground image at the current moment; judging whether the obstacle is a micro moving obstacle according to the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle and a preset judging standard, which comprises the following steps: identifying the obstacle in the foreground image according to the foreground image at the current moment and the foreground image at the previous moment, judging whether the identified obstacle moves by image alignment and image comparison, if the position of the obstacle in the image scene changes, considering that the obstacle is a moving obstacle, otherwise, considering that the obstacle is a static obstacle; if the obstacle is judged to be a moving obstacle, judging whether the obstacle is a micro obstacle according to the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle and the preset judging standard; controlling the size of the steering wheel assist force according to the judging result at the current moment and the driving speed of the vehicle; if the obstacle is a micro moving obstacle and the driving speed of the vehicle is greater than a set speed, controlling the steering wheel assist force to decrease, otherwise, controlling the steering wheel assist force to remain unchanged; the decrease of the steering wheel assist force is determined according to the relative speed of the obstacle and the cross-sectional size of the obstacle.

2. The turning control method when a micro moving obstacle collides with the vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by, the preset judging standard comprises a one-to-one correspondence between a preset obstacle cross-sectional size and a preset distance.

3. The turning control method when a micro moving obstacle collides with the vehicle according to claim 2, characterized by, judging whether the obstacle is a micro obstacle comprises the following steps: determining the preset obstacle cross-sectional size corresponding to the matched preset distance according to the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle and the preset distance; comparing the identified obstacle cross-sectional size with the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, if the obstacle cross-sectional size is greater than the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, considering that the obstacle is a non-micro obstacle, i.e. the obstacle is a non-micro moving obstacle; if the obstacle cross-sectional size is less than or equal to the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, considering that the obstacle is a micro obstacle, i.e. the obstacle is a micro moving obstacle.

4. The turning control method of a micro moving obstacle collision vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising The method comprises the following steps: identifying the type of the obstacle in the foreground image according to the foreground image at the current moment, comparing the type of the obstacle with a preset micro moving obstacle type library and judging whether the obstacle in the foreground image belongs to a micro moving obstacle; if the identified type of the obstacle is in the preset micro moving obstacle type library, considering that the obstacle belongs to a micro moving obstacle, otherwise, considering that the obstacle does not belong to a micro moving obstacle.

5. A steering control system for a vehicle when colliding with a small moving obstacle, realized by the steering control method for a vehicle when colliding with a small moving obstacle according to claim 1, characterized by The method comprises the following steps: a sensing module is used to acquire a foreground image at each moment during driving of a vehicle and a relative distance of an obstacle existing in front of the vehicle from the vehicle; the foreground image comprises a ground area and an air area in front of the vehicle; an obstacle identifying module is used to identify the obstacle in the foreground image according to the foreground image at the current moment; an obstacle judging module is used to judge whether the obstacle is a micro moving obstacle according to the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle and a preset judging standard. The control module is configured to control the size of the steering wheel assist force according to the judgment result of the current time and the vehicle driving speed; when the judgment result is that the obstacle is a small moving obstacle and the vehicle driving speed is greater than the set speed, the steering wheel assist force is reduced, otherwise the steering wheel assist force is unchanged; the reduction of the steering wheel assist force is determined according to the relative speed of the obstacle and the cross-sectional size of the obstacle.

6. The turning control system of a vehicle in which a small moving obstacle collides with the vehicle according to claim 5, characterized by, The judgment of whether the obstacle is a moving obstacle comprises: According to the foreground image of the current time and the foreground image of the last time, the obstacle in the foreground image is identified, and whether the identified obstacle moves is judged through image alignment and image comparison; If the position of the obstacle in the image scene changes, the obstacle is considered to be a moving obstacle, otherwise the obstacle is considered to be a stationary obstacle.

7. The turning control system of a vehicle when a small moving obstacle collides therewith according to claim 6, characterized by, If the obstacle is determined to be a moving obstacle, whether the obstacle is a small obstacle is determined according to the cross-sectional size of the identified obstacle, the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle, and the preset judgment standard; the judgment standard comprises a one-to-one correspondence between the preset obstacle cross-sectional size and the preset distance.

8. The turning control system of a micro mobile when a small moving obstacle collides with the vehicle according to claim 7, characterized by, The judgment of whether the obstacle is a small obstacle comprises: According to the relative distance of the obstacle from the vehicle, the preset distance is matched to determine the preset obstacle cross-sectional size corresponding to the matched preset distance. According to the comparison between the identified obstacle cross-sectional size and the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, if the obstacle cross-sectional size is greater than the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, the obstacle is considered to be a non-small obstacle, i.e. the obstacle is a non-small moving obstacle; if the obstacle cross-sectional size is less than or equal to the preset obstacle cross-sectional size, the obstacle is considered to be a small obstacle, i.e. the obstacle is a small moving obstacle.

9. A vehicle characterized by The application of the steering control method for a small moving obstacle colliding with a vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1-4.

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