SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AND WARNING DRIVERS OF HAZARDOUS ROAD USERS

Abstract

A system comprises a detection module and a control module that communicates with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect vulnerable road users (VRUs) on or beside a road. The control module is configured to receive data indicating a detected VRU, determine the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, and, in response to the determination of the VRU's location, temporarily flicker the intensity of the light emitted by a first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and / or a second active headlight on the passenger's side of the vehicle to alert the driver to the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle. Further exemplary systems and methods are also disclosed.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The information provided in this section is intended to provide a general context for the disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent described in this section, as well as those aspects of the description that do not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor implicitly acknowledged as prior art to the present disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting and warning drivers of vulnerable road users.

[0003] A vehicle may include a driver assistance system that relies on sensors for blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, etc. In some cases, the driver assistance system may detect an object within a short distance of the vehicle and then activate a dedicated spotlight in a fog lamp to highlight and track the object while the vehicle is moving. SUMMARY

[0004] A system for warning the driver of a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU) while the vehicle is traveling is disclosed. The system includes a detection module and a control module in communication with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect vulnerable VRUs on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is traveling.The control module is configured to receive data indicative of a detected VRU, determine a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, the location including a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flicker an intensity of light emitted by at least one of a first active headlamp on the driver side of the vehicle and a second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0005] According to other features, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a gated shortwave infrared sensor.

[0006] According to other features, the at least one sensor is configured to detect the VRU beyond a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight.

[0007] According to other features, the control module is configured to determine a confidence value of the detected VRU and to only temporarily flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver side or the second active headlamp on the passenger side if the determined confidence value is greater than a confidence threshold.

[0008] According to other features, the control module is configured to receive data indicating a probability of animal presence and to adjust the confidence threshold based on the probability of animal presence.

[0009] According to other features, the control module is configured to detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU and to only temporarily flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

[0010] According to other features, the control module is configured to detect whether oncoming traffic is present and to only temporarily flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side if no oncoming traffic is present.

[0011] According to other features, the control module is configured to receive data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle, and to only temporarily flicker the intensity of light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle if the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold.

[0012] According to other features, the control module is configured, in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, to activate a directional warning in the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0013] According to other features, the directional warning includes at least one of a visual warning, a haptic warning, and an audible warning.

[0014] According to other features, the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high beam headlights.

[0015] A method for warning a driver in a vehicle of a VRU is disclosed. The method includes detecting a VRU on or adjacent to a roadway on which the vehicle is traveling with at least one sensor, determining a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, the location including a driver's side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flickering an intensity of light emitted by at least one of a first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0016] According to other features, the method further includes determining a confidence value of the detected VRU.

[0017] According to other features, the temporary flickering of the intensity of the emitted light includes the temporary flickering of the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side only if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold.

[0018] In other features, the method further includes receiving data indicative of a likelihood of animal presence, the data including at least one of the location of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the time of day, and the time of year, and adjusting the confidence threshold based on the likelihood of animal presence.

[0019] According to other features, the temporary flickering of the intensity of the output light includes the temporary flickering of the intensity of the output light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver side or the second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle only if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU and no oncoming traffic is detected.

[0020] In other features, the method further includes receiving data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle.

[0021] According to other features, the temporary flickering of the intensity of the emitted light includes a temporary flickering of the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver side or the second active headlamp on the passenger side only if the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold.

[0022] In other features, the method further includes activating a directional warning in the vehicle in response to determining the location of the detected VRU to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0023] According to other features, the directional warning includes at least one of a visual warning, a haptic warning, and an audible warning.

[0024] According to other features, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a controlled shortwave infrared sensor.

[0025] According to other features, the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high beam headlights.

[0026] A system for warning a driver in a vehicle of a VRU while the vehicle is traveling on a road is disclosed. The vehicle includes at least one first active headlight on a driver's side of the vehicle and at least one second active headlight on a passenger side of the vehicle. The system includes a detection module and a control module in communication with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect VRUs on or adjacent to the road that are outside a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight.The control module is configured to receive data indicative of a detected VRU, receive data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle, determine a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flicker an intensity of light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver side of the vehicle or the second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to only alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle if the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold.

[0027] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary system for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle incorporating a system for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure; Fig. 3 is a flowchart of an exemplary control process for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure; Fig. 4 is a flowchart of another exemplary control process for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure; Fig. 5 is a flowchart of another exemplary control process for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure; and Fig. 6 is a flowchart of another exemplary control process for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0029] Reference numerals may be reused in the drawings to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] A moving vehicle frequently encounters objects on or near a road, such as a vulnerable road user (VRU). Often, a driver of the vehicle fails to notice the VRU (e.g., a person of any size and / or shape, a medium to large animal, etc.) and / or detects the VRU with minimal reaction time. This can occur under a variety of conditions. Accidents involving VRUs often occur in conditions of low light and low visibility while driving on predominantly straight rural roads at higher speeds (e.g., over 60 km / h, etc.). Such conditions result in thousands of fatal accidents each year. In many cases, the number and / or impact of the accidents could have been reduced if the driver had been aware of the impending VRU earlier.

[0031] The systems and methods according to the present disclosure provide accurate detection of a VRU on or adjacent to a roadway and improved warning of the VRU to the driver of a vehicle traveling along the roadway by temporarily flickering or adjusting the light intensity of selected active headlights of the vehicle. According to various embodiments, the systems and methods herein detect the VRU using one or more sensors with a range acceptable for the vehicle's configuration. Example sensors may include a radar (e.g., a long-range radar), an infrared camera (e.g., a long-range longwave infrared camera), an infrared sensor (e.g., a controlled long-range near-infrared sensor), a visible light sensor, a controlled shortwave infrared sensor, etc.that can detect the VRU beyond the maximum range of the headlights and, in some cases, beyond a driver visibility range (e.g., invisible to the driver). Once detected, the systems and methods can then alert the driver to the VRU by temporarily flickering or adjusting the light intensity of one of the active headlights (e.g., a headlight that is actively providing light) on the side of the vehicle closest to where the VRU was detected. In this way, the driver can be alerted to the VRU and its location relative to the vehicle, e.g., using existing base trim hardware (e.g., headlights, control modules, etc.), before it is visible to the driver and / or within range of the headlights. The driver, as such, can take action in response to the advance warning (e.g.,safe maneuvering around the upcoming VRU, etc.), thereby reducing the likelihood of an accident.

[0032] In Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 100 for detecting and warning a driver in a vehicle of a VRU while the vehicle is moving. The system 100 of Fig. 1 may be used in any suitable vehicle, such as an electric vehicle (e.g., a pure electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, etc.), a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, etc. Additionally, the system 100 may be applicable to an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a non-autonomous vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle may include, for example, a passenger car, an SUV, a truck, etc.

[0033] As in Fig. 1, the system 100 generally includes a control module 102, a detection module 104 in communication with the control module 102, and one or more sensors in communication with the control module 102. According to the example of Fig. 1, the one or more sensors include a speed sensor 106, a steering wheel angle sensor 108, a driver monitoring sensor 110, and one or more visibility sensors 112. Although Fig. 1 illustrates that the system 100 includes specific sensors, it should be appreciated that one or more other sensors may be used if desired.

[0034] The modules and sensors of system 100 may share parameters via a network 114, such as a controller area network (or car area network) (CAN). According to such examples, the parameters may be shared via one or more data buses of network 114. As such, various parameters may be made available by a given module and / or sensor to other modules and / or sensors via network 114.

[0035] In Fig. 1, the system 100 may further include a headlight control module 116 that communicates with the control module 102 via the network 114. According to such examples, the headlight control module 116 may be a dedicated component external to the control module 102, such as in Fig. 1. According to other examples, the headlight control module 116 may be integrated with the control module 102 and / or eliminated if the control module 102 performs the functions of the headlight control module 116. Regardless of the configuration, the headlight control module 116 and / or the control module 102 may control a headlight 118 on the driver's side and a headlight 120 on the passenger side of the vehicle, as further explained herein. The headlights 118, 120 include static headlights, such as high beam headlights, low beam headlights, fog lights, light bars, etc. According to such examples, each static headlight may include one or more lamps.

[0036] The speed sensor 106 monitors the speed (e.g., miles per hour, kilometers per hour, etc.) of the vehicle. The speed sensor 106 may, for example, include a vehicle speed sensor (VSS) that measures transmission / transaxle output or wheel speed. The speed sensor 106 may then provide data (e.g., via a signal) indicative of the vehicle speed to the control module 102 and / or another control module in the vehicle. According to other examples, the control module 102 may receive data representing an accelerator pedal position of the vehicle. According to such examples, the control module 102 may determine or calculate the speed of the vehicle based on the accelerator pedal position.

[0037] The steering wheel angle sensor 108 monitors a rotational position, movement, etc., of a steering wheel and generates a signal based on the position, movement, etc. of the steering wheel. The generated signal can then be provided to the control module 102 and / or another control module (e.g., a steering control module) in the vehicle. As one example, the control module can control the vehicle's steering via an electronic power steering (EPS) motor based on the generated signal. However, the vehicle may include another type of steering system. The steering control module and / or the EPS motor can then provide the signal to the control module 102.

[0038] According to various embodiments, the monitored position, movement, etc., of the steering wheel may be used by control module 102 to determine a curvature of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. Such data may be used, for example, to determine whether the vehicle is traveling on a relatively straight or curved road (or along relatively straight portions or curved portions of the road). According to other examples, such determinations may be made by other sensors and / or modules. For example, control module 102 may determine whether the vehicle is traveling along a relatively straight or curved road based on a mapping system (e.g., a GPS, etc.) in communication with control module 102.

[0039] The driver monitoring sensor 110 monitors the driver of the vehicle. The driver monitoring sensor 110 may, for example, be a component of a driver monitoring system. According to such examples, the driver monitoring sensor 110 collects data from the driver and provides the data, for example, to the control module 102 and / or another suitable control module in the system 100. The data may be analyzed by the control module 102 (and / or another control module in the driver monitoring system) to determine that the driver is looking in a particular direction, such as the direction of the detected VRU (as explained further below). According to some examples, the driver monitoring sensor 110 includes one or more cameras positioned within the vehicle (e.g., in a steering column, in an entertainment center adjacent to the driver, etc.) and directed toward the driver.

[0040] The one or more visibility sensors 112 according to Fig. 1 monitor an area around the vehicle for visibility conditions. Visibility sensors 112 may, for example, include a front camera module and / or other suitable device for detecting objects and / or collecting data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle. According to such examples, visibility sensors 112 may detect low visibility conditions, such as fog, smoke, rain, snow, darkness, etc. According to some embodiments, visibility sensors 112 may additionally or alternatively include a precipitation sensor, a light detection sensor, and / or other sensors to detect low visibility conditions. For example, the precipitation sensor may detect rain, snow, etc., while the light detection sensor may detect darkness.Regardless of the devices used, the visibility sensors 112 may collect data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle and provide the data to the control module 102 and / or another suitable control module in the system 100.

[0041] According to the example Fig. 1, the detection module 104 detects a VRU on or adjacent to a roadway on which the vehicle is traveling and provides data indicative of the detected VRU to the control module 102 and / or another suitable control module in the system 100. The detection module 104 may, for example, include one or more detection devices mounted on the vehicle. During operation, a detection device of the detection module 104 may emit waves (e.g., light waves, ultrasonic waves, microwave signals, etc.) and then receive reflected waves to detect objects. According to some examples, the detection module 104 may detect a VRU about 100 meters, about 130 meters, etc., from the vehicle, depending, for example, on the type of one or more detection devices used. According to such examples, the detection module 104 may detect the VRU beyond a maximum range of the vehicle headlights. For example, the high beam headlights mayup to about 20 meters.

[0042] For example, according to various embodiments, the detection module 104 may include one or more sensors capable of detecting the VRU beyond a maximum range of the headlights. According to some examples, the sensors may include a radar (e.g., a long-range radar), an infrared camera (e.g., a long-range long-wave infrared camera), an infrared sensor (e.g., a steered long-range near-infrared sensor), a visible light sensor, a steered short-wave infrared sensor, etc. Such devices may generally detect the VRU by detecting the radiated heat associated with the objects. According to other examples, the detection module 104 may, if desired, include another suitable device for detecting the VRU.

[0043] Fig. For example, Figure 2 illustrates a vehicle 250 having the detection module 104, the headlight 118 on the driver side, the headlight 120 on the passenger side and the visibility sensor 112 Fig. 1. According to the example in Fig. 2, the headlights 118, 120 are high-beam headlights with light ranges represented by the overlapping areas 218, 220 (indicated by the lines with a dash-dash configuration). Additionally, the visibility sensor 112 may be, for example, a front camera module and / or another suitable device for detecting objects and / or collecting data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle 250. According to the example of Fig. 2, the visibility sensor 112 has a range represented by an area 212 (indicated by the lines with a dash-dot-dash configuration). The detection module 104 (e.g., a long-wave infrared device, etc.) according to Fig. 2 has a detection range represented by an area 204 (indicated by the lines having a dash-dot-dot-dash configuration).

[0044] As shown, the detection range of the detection module 104 extends beyond the illumination ranges of the headlights 118, 120 and into a VRU 260 positioned at the side of the road. In this manner, the detection module 104 detects the VRU 260 before the headlights 118, 120 illuminate the VRU 260 and / or the front camera module detects the VRU 260 as the vehicle 250 travels along the road.

[0045] Continue in Fig. 1, the control module 102 or the detection module 104 determines a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the data from the detection module 104. For example, the control module 102 may determine the data of an angle of the vehicle detected by the VRU (e.g., the VRU 260 to Fig. 2) receive reflected waves received by the detection module 104 with respect to the vehicle. According to such examples, the control module 102 may determine whether the detected VRU is located on a driver's side of the vehicle or a passenger's side of the vehicle based on the angle of the reflected waves with respect to the vehicle (e.g., a direction of travel of the vehicle). According to other examples, the detection module 104 may make a similar determination and then provide the location of the detected VRU to the control module 102.

[0046] Then, in response to the determined location of the detected VRU, the control module 102 may temporarily flicker (e.g., adjust, etc.) an intensity of the light emitted by the driver-side headlight 118 or the passenger-side headlight 120. Once the location of the detected VRU is known, the control module 102 may, for example, adjust the light intensity of the headlight 118, 120 on the side of the vehicle closest to where the VRU was detected. For example, if the VRU is detected on the driver's side of the vehicle, the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the driver-side headlight 118. However, if the VRU is detected on the passenger side of the vehicle, the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the passenger-side headlight 120.According to such examples, adjusting the light intensity of the special headlight 118, 120 on the side of the vehicle closest to where the VRU was detected not only alerts the driver to the VRU, but also to the location of the VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0047] According to various embodiments, the headlights 118, 120 include static headlights, such as high-beam headlights. According to such examples, the control module 102 may temporarily flicker the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 by interrupting power to the headlights 118, 120, thereby causing the light intensity of the headlights to change. For example, the headlights 118, 120 may flicker on and off at a sufficient frequency (e.g., 1 / 30 of a second, etc.) to cause the headlights 118, 120 to appear to temporarily decrease their light intensity without highlighting the VRU. This may be repeated over a period of time to visually alert the driver to the VRU.According to such examples, compared to conventional systems that add light intensity with dedicated headlights to highlight and track the object as the vehicle moves, the overall light intensity from the vehicle is reduced by static headlights (used for other purposes) to alert the driver to the VRU. Adjusting the light intensity of the static headlights as such provides an energy-efficient way to alert the driver to the VRU even during low-visibility conditions (e.g., rain / wet conditions).

[0048] According to some examples, the control module 102 may temporarily flicker (e.g., adjust, etc.) the light intensity of both headlights 118, 120. For example, the VRU may be located in a central region of a lane along which the vehicle is traveling. According to such examples, once the VRU has been detected and the location of the VRU has been determined, the control module 102 may decrease the light intensity of both headlights 118, 120, as explained above. The area in front of the moving vehicle may, for example, be separated into three or more areas. The areas may, for example, include a driver-side area covering an area in front of the moving vehicle on the driver side, a passenger-side area covering an area in front of the moving vehicle on the passenger side, and an intermediate area between the driver-side area and the passenger-side area.If it is determined that the VRU is located in the driver-side region or the passenger-side region, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the driver-side headlight 118 or the passenger-side headlight 120, as explained above. However, if it is determined that the VRU is located in the intermediate region, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of both headlights 118, 120. According to such examples, the intermediate region may be defined by an offset (e.g., half a meter, one meter, etc.) on either side of a vehicle centerline.

[0049] According to various embodiments, the control module 102 may suppress or prevent the adjustment of the light intensity if one or more conditions are met. In other words, the control module 102 may only adjust the light intensity of one or both headlights 118, 120 if one or more conditions are met. Otherwise, the light intensity of one or both headlights 118, 120 is maintained (e.g., not adjusted). Such conditions may include, for example, environmental conditions based on visibility, road characteristics, road location, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, etc. By way of example, and as further explained herein, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 and / or the detection module 104 may be active only during low light / low visibility conditions (e.g.,to detect a VRU) when the vehicle is driven straight ahead on a rural road at high speeds and when the driver has not yet looked in the direction of the VRU. Under such optional conditions, the system 100 can minimize unnecessary warnings and, in turn, unnecessary distractions for the driver.

[0050] For example, the control module 102 may maintain (e.g., not adjust) the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on the data from the driver monitoring sensor 110. For example, the control module 102 may detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU based on the data from the driver monitoring sensor 110. This detection may occur based on the driver's head position relative to the detected VRU. If the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU (e.g., during a defined period of time), the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120. In other words, the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 may only be adjusted if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

[0051] Additionally, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on the data from the one or more visibility sensors 112. One of the visibility sensors 112 (e.g., a front camera module, etc.) may, for example, detect the presence of oncoming traffic. In response to detecting oncoming traffic, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120. The light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 may only be adjusted if no oncoming traffic is present.

[0052] According to other examples, one or more of the visibility sensors 112 may detect low visibility conditions, as explained above. According to such examples, the control module 102 may receive data indicative of a visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle. The visibility condition may be affected based on a level of darkness, rain, snow, smoke, fog, etc., as detected by the one or more visibility sensors 112, as explained above. According to some examples, the control module 102 may then assign a value representing the visibility condition. For example, a lower value may indicate poor visibility, while a higher value may indicate acceptable visibility. Then, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 only if the visibility condition (e.g., the assigned value) is below a visibility threshold.

[0053] According to various embodiments, the control module 102 may only adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 if the vehicle is traveling at a sufficiently high speed. For example, the control module 102 may receive data indicative of a speed of the vehicle from the speed sensor 106, as explained above. According to such examples, the control module 102 may only adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 if the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold. According to such examples, the speed threshold may be a fixed value (e.g., 60 km / h, 65 km / h, 70 km / h, 80 km / h, 90 km / h, etc.). According to other examples, the speed threshold may, for example, For example, road speeds may vary depending on the characteristics of the road, the location of the road (e.g., rural, in a city, etc.), the time of day, the season (e.g., autumn, summer, etc.), etc.

[0054] Additionally, the control module 102 may temporarily flicker (e.g., adjust, etc.) the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on a confidence value of the detected VRU. For example, the control module 102 and / or the detection module 104 may determine a confidence value associated with the detected VRU. The confidence value may be an assigned value indicating a level of confidence that the detected VRU is indeed a VRU rather than a non-participant (e.g., an object such as a bush, a tree, a rock, a traffic sign, a mailbox, a post, etc.). According to various embodiments, the detection module 104 may include a neural network with deep learning and / or machine learning capabilities for assigning confidence values.

[0055] The detection module 104 may, for example, include an infrared device (e.g., a longwave infrared device, etc.), as explained above. According to such examples, the infrared device detects an object (e.g., a VRU, an inanimate object, etc.) based on the heat from that object. When an object (e.g., a person, an animal, etc.) is moving, a higher amount of heat is generated and detected by the infrared device than when an object (e.g., a bush, a mailbox, etc.) is stationary. The assigned confidence value, in turn, may be set or adjusted depending on the amount of heat detected.

[0056] Additionally, according to some examples, the confidence value may depend on the distance between the moving vehicle and the detected object. As the detection module 104 gets closer to the object (e.g., due to the moving vehicle), the detection module may, for example, become more accurate and reliable. As such, the confidence value may change (e.g., decrease or increase) as the distance between the detection module 104 and the object decreases. However, according to such examples, the driver's available reaction time also decreases as this distance (e.g., a braking distance) decreases.

[0057] Then, the control module 102 may only temporarily flicker the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold. In other words, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity if the determined confidence value is below the confidence threshold. According to such examples, the confidence threshold may be a percentage, such as 80% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, 70% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, 60% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, etc.

[0058] Furthermore, according to various embodiments, the confidence threshold and / or any other thresholds herein (e.g., the visibility threshold, the speed threshold, etc.) may be adjusted as desired. For example, the control module 102 may receive data indicative of a likelihood of animal presence. Such data may include, for example, the location of the road (e.g., rural, in an urban area, etc.), the time of day, the time of year (e.g., fall, etc.), and / or other data indicative of animal presence or movement. For example, a deer may be more likely to move in rural areas during the evening hours (e.g., between 6 and 9 p.m.) and during the rutting season, which typically occurs in the fall in the United States. As such, under such conditions, a deer is more likely to cross roads and / or be near roads.Further, according to some examples, the control module 102 may receive data from a database indicating a frequency of VRUs in the area based on previous VRU detections.

[0059] Each of the thresholds can be adjusted based on the received data. For example, if the vehicle is traveling on a rural road in the fall between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., the confidence threshold can be lowered, providing greater sensitivity for the system 100. However, if the vehicle is traveling on a city road in the fall between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., the confidence threshold can be increased, providing less sensitivity for the system 100.

[0060] According to various embodiments, the control module 102 may activate additional warnings in the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle. For example, the control module 102 may activate an audible warning tone via a driver-side speaker when a VRU is detected on the driver's side of the vehicle, or a passenger-side speaker when a VRU is detected on the passenger side of the vehicle. Additionally and / or alternatively, the control module 102 may activate a haptic warning that the driver can perceive. For example, it may vibrate a specific side of the steering wheel or a specific side of a seat when a VRU is detected, thereby alerting the driver to the detected VRU. Furthermore, a further visual warning may be activated by causing a display to display a direction indicator (e.g., a turn signal, an arrow, etc.).), reducing or flickering ambient light on the driver or passenger side within the vehicle, etc. According to some examples, the displayed visual warning may be provided on the windshield (e.g., a head-up display, etc.), on a display of an entertainment center adjacent to the driver, etc.

[0061] The Fig. 3-6 illustrate exemplary control processes 300, 400, 500, 600 performed by the control module 102 and the detection module 104 according to Fig. 1 for detecting and warning drivers in vehicles of VRUs. Although the exemplary control processes 300, 400, 500, 600 with respect to the system 100 according to Fig. 1, which includes the control module 102 and the detection module 104, each of the control processes 300, 400, 500, 600 may be implemented by any suitable system. According to the example of the Fig. 3-6, the control processes 300, 400, 500, 600 may begin when the system 100, the control module 102, etc., are switched on, and / or at another suitable time.

[0062] As in Fig. 3, control begins at 302, where a determination is made regarding whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road. For example, the control module 102 may receive data indicative of a detected VRU from the detection module 104, as described above with respect to Fig. 1-2. According to such examples, the detection module 104 may include at least one sensor, such as a long-wave infrared device, for detecting the VRU. If no VRU is detected by the detection module 104 and / or the control module 102 does not receive data indicating a detected VRU, control may return to 302, as in Fig. 3. However, if at 302 a VRU is detected by the detection module 104 and / or the control module 102 receives data indicating a detected VRU, control proceeds to 304.

[0063] At 304, the control module 102 identifies a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the data from the detection module 104. The location of the detected VRU may be determined, for example, based on an angle of the reflected waves from the VRU received by the detection module 104 relative to the vehicle. According to various embodiments, the determined location may be a driver's side of the vehicle or a passenger's side of the vehicle. The controller then proceeds to 306.

[0064] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the location of the detected VRU is on the driver's side of the vehicle. If so, control continues to 308, where the control module 102 determines the light intensity from a driver's side headlight (e.g., the driver's side headlight 118 Fig. 1) temporarily flickers (e.g., adjusts, etc.). If no at 306, control continues to 310 where the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity from a passenger-side headlamp (e.g., the passenger-side headlamp 120 Fig. 1) temporarily flicker (e.g., adjusts, etc.). According to some examples, the adjustment of the light intensity may be controlled by interrupting the power to one of the headlights, causing the light intensity of the headlight to temporarily decrease. According to various embodiments, the light intensity of both headlights (e.g., the driver-side and passenger-side headlights 118, 120) may be adjusted if the detected VRU is located, for example, in a central region of a lane along which the vehicle is traveling, as explained above.

[0065] In such examples, the driver-side headlight and the passenger-side headlight may be high-beam headlights, low-beam headlights, fog lights, light bars, etc. For example, the control module 102 may determine whether the high-beam headlights are on and, if so, control the driver-side and / or passenger-side high-beam headlights to flicker or otherwise reduce the light intensity. According to other examples, the control module 102 may control the driver-side and / or passenger-side low-beam headlights (or other suitable lights) to flicker or otherwise reduce the light intensity if the high-beam headlights are not on.

[0066] After the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the driver-side headlight and / or the passenger-side headlight, control proceeds to 312. At 312, the control module 102 may optionally activate a directional warning within the vehicle, as explained above. For example, the control module 102 may activate a further visual warning by causing a display to provide a directional indicator, dimming or flickering ambient light on the driver or passenger side within the vehicle, etc., a haptic warning via a steering wheel, seat, etc., and / or an audible warning via a speaker (e.g., a driver-side speaker or a passenger-side speaker) within the vehicle.According to various embodiments, the optional activation of the direction warning may occur after adjusting the light intensity of the driver side headlight and / or the passenger side headlight (as shown in . Fig. 3) or simultaneously if desired. The control can then end as shown in Fig. 3, or return to 302 if desired.

[0067] As in Fig. 4, control begins at 302 where a determination is made as to whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road, as described above with respect to the Fig. 1-3. If no VRU is detected, control may return to 302. However, if a VRU is detected, control proceeds to 304, where the control module 102 determines or otherwise identifies the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, as explained above with respect to Fig. 1-3 has been explained. The control then proceeds to 406.

[0068] At 406, the control module 102 determines a confidence value associated with the detected VRU. By way of example, and as explained above, the control module 102 may assign a value (e.g., a percentage, etc.) indicating a level of confidence that the detected VRU is indeed a VRU rather than a non-participant (e.g., an object such as a bush, a tree, a rock, a traffic sign, a mailbox, a post, etc.). The assigned confidence value may be based, for example, on an amount of heat detected by the detection module 104, a distance between the moving vehicle and the detected object, etc. Control then proceeds to 408.

[0069] At 408, the control module 102 determines a confidence threshold. For example, the control module 102 may determine and / or set the confidence threshold based on a probability of a VRU (e.g., a person, an animal, etc.) being present, as explained above. According to such examples, the control module 102 may receive data indicative of the probability of animal presence, such as the location (e.g., rural, urban, etc.) of the road the vehicle is traveling on, the time of day, the time of year (e.g., fall, etc.), etc. Additionally, according to some examples, the control module 102 may receive data from a database indicating a frequency of VRUs in the area based on previous VRU detections. According to various embodiments, the determination of the confidence threshold may occur before, after, or concurrently with the determination of the confidence value. Control then proceeds to 410.

[0070] At 410, the control module 102 determines whether the confidence value equals the confidence threshold. For example, the control module 102 may make this determination by comparing the confidence value (and / or another representative value) to the confidence threshold (and / or another representative value). If the confidence value is less than the confidence threshold, control may return to 302 or another suitable step, such as 406 or 408. However, if the confidence value is greater than or equal to the confidence threshold, control continues to 306.

[0071] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the location of the detected VRU is on the driver side of the vehicle, as described above with respect to the Fig. 1-3. If so, control continues to 308 where the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of a driver-side headlamp (e.g., driver-side headlamp 118 Fig. 1) temporarily flickers. If no at 306, control continues to 310 where the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of a passenger-side headlamp (e.g., passenger-side headlamp 120 Fig. 1) temporarily flicker. The control can then end, as in Fig. 4, or return to 302 if desired.

[0072] As in Fig. 5, control begins at 302 where a determination is made as to whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road, as described above with respect to the Fig. 1-4. If not, control may return to 302. If yes, control proceeds to 304, where the control module 102 determines or otherwise identifies the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, as described above with respect to Fig. 1-4 has been explained. The control then continues to 506.

[0073] At 506, the control module 102 determines whether the driver of the vehicle is looking in the direction of the location of the detected VRU. For example, the control module 102 may detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU based on data collected from the driver monitoring sensor 110 (e.g., one or more cameras) in the vehicle. If the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU, control returns to 302. However, if the control module 102 does not determine that the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU, control continues to 508.

[0074] At 508, the control module 102 determines whether any oncoming traffic is detected. According to such examples, the control module 102 may receive data from a front camera module (e.g., one of the visibility sensors 112 of Fig. 1) indicating the presence of an oncoming vehicle approaching the vehicle. If an oncoming vehicle is detected, control returns to 302. Otherwise, control continues to 306.

[0075] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the location of the detected VRU is on the driver side of the vehicle, as described above with respect to the Fig. 1-4. If yes, control continues to 308, where the control module 102 temporarily flickers the light intensity of the driver-side headlamp. If no, control continues to 310, where the control module 102 temporarily flickers the light intensity of the passenger-side headlamp, as explained above. Control may then end, as in Fig. 5, or return to 302 if desired.

[0076] As in Fig. 6, control begins at 602, where the control module 102 determines whether a visibility condition is met. For example, the control module 102 may receive data from one or more sensors (e.g., the one or more visibility sensors 112 of Fig. 1) indicating one or more visibility conditions adjacent to the vehicle. The sensors may include, for example, a front camera module and / or another suitable sensor that detects low visibility conditions, such as the presence of smoke, fog, rain, snow, darkness, etc. If any one or more of the low visibility conditions are detected, the control module 102 may determine at 602 that the visibility condition is met.

[0077] According to other examples, the control module 102 may assign a value representing the visibility condition adjacent to the vehicle based on the received data. If the assigned value is below a visibility threshold (e.g., indicates a low visibility condition), the control module 102 may determine at 602 that the visibility condition is met. If the visibility condition is met at 602, control still continues to 604. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (as in Fig. 6 is shown) or end on request.

[0078] At 604, the control module 102 determines whether a vehicle condition is met. For example, the control module 102 may receive speed data from a speed sensor (e.g., the speed sensor 106 after Fig. 1) as explained above. If the vehicle is traveling at a speed greater than a speed threshold (e.g., 60 km / h, 65 km / h, 70 km / h, 80 km / h, 90 km / h, etc.), the control module 102 may determine at 604 that the vehicle condition is met. Additionally, according to some examples, the control module 102 may receive steering wheel rotation data from a steering wheel angle sensor (e.g., the steering wheel angle sensor 108 of Fig. 1) as explained above. According to such examples, the control module 102 may determine that the vehicle is controlled to travel on a relatively straight road (or portion of the road). If so, the control module 102 may determine at 604 that the vehicle condition is met. If the vehicle condition is met at 604, control still continues to 606. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (as in Fig. 6 is shown) or end on request.

[0079] At 606, the control module 102 determines whether a road condition is met. According to such examples, the control module 102 may receive data indicating the type of road (e.g., winding or straight) the vehicle is traveling along, the location (e.g., rural or in a city) of the road the vehicle is traveling along, etc. Such data may be obtained, for example, from a mapping system (e.g., a GPS, etc.) in communication with the control module 102. If the road is straight and / or located in a rural area, the control module 102 may determine at 606 that the road condition is met. If so, control proceeds to 302. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (as in Fig. 6 is shown) or end on request.

[0080] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the location of the detected VRU is on the driver side, as discussed above with respect to the Fig. 1-5. If yes, control proceeds to 308, where the light intensity of the driver's side headlight is temporarily flickered (e.g., adjusted, etc.), as explained above. If no, control proceeds to 310, where the light intensity of the passenger side headlight is temporarily flickered, as explained above. Control may then end, as in Fig. 6, or return to 302 if desired.

[0081] The foregoing description is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure may be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure contains specific examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited because other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be recognized that one or more steps within a method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of the present disclosure.Furthermore, although each of the embodiments has been described above with certain features, one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure may be implemented in any of the other embodiments and / or combined with the features of any of the other embodiments, even if that combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or more embodiments with each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

[0082] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "beside," "on top of," "over," "below," and "disposed." When a relationship between a first and a second element is described in the above disclosure, that relationship may be a direct relationship, with no other intervening elements present between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship, with one or more intervening elements (either spatial or functional) present between the first and second elements if not explicitly described as "direct."As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A OR B OR C) using a non-exclusive logical OR, and should not be construed to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0083] In the figures, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by the arrowhead, generally demonstrates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest for the illustration. For example, if element A and element B exchange different information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant for the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. Further, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B may send requests for or acknowledgments of receipt of the information to element A.

[0084] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or contain: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field-programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores the code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0085] The module may include one or more interface circuits. According to some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may enable load balancing. According to another example, a server module (also known as a remote or cloud module) may perform some functionality on behalf of a client module.

[0086] The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term shared processor circuitry includes a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor circuitry includes a processor circuit that, in combination with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuits include multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above.The term shared memory circuit refers to a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory circuit refers to a memory circuit that, in combination with additional memories, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0087] The term memory circuit is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does not include transient electrical or electromagnetic signals that propagate through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readable medium can therefore be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium include non-volatile memory circuits (such as a flash memory circuit, an erasable programmable read-only memory circuit, or a mask read-only memory circuit), volatile memory circuits (such as a static random access memory circuit or a dynamic random access memory circuit), magnetic storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and optical storage media (such asa CD, a DVD or a Blu-ray Disc).

[0088] The devices and methods described in this application may be implemented partially or entirely by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in computer programs. The function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs through the routine work of a trained technician or programmer.

[0089] The computer programs contain processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium. The computer programs may also contain or rely on stored data. The computer programs may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with special-purpose devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0090] The computer programs may contain: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as: B. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, the source code may be written using the syntax of languages ​​including C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language, 5th Revision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and Python®.

Claims

[1] A system for warning a driver in a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU) while the vehicle is moving, the system comprising: a detection module including at least one sensor configured to detect vulnerable VRUs on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is traveling; a control module communicating with the detection module, the control module being configured: Receive data indicating a detected VRU; determine a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flicker an intensity of light emitted by at least one of a first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlamp on the passenger's side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle. [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured: to determine a confidence value of the detected VRU; and to flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side only temporarily if the determined confidence value is greater than a confidence threshold. [3] The system of claim 2, wherein the control module is configured: to receive data indicating a probability of the presence of animals; and set the confidence threshold based on the probability of animal presence. [4] The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured: to detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU; and to only temporarily flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger side if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU. [5] The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured: to detect whether there is oncoming traffic; and to allow the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger side to flicker only temporarily if there is no oncoming traffic. [6] The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured: receive data indicating a visibility condition next to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle; and to flicker the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver's side or the second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle only temporarily if the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold. [7] A method for warning a driver in a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU), the method comprising: Detecting with at least one sensor of a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is traveling; Determining a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flickering an intensity of light emitted by at least one of a first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle. [8] The method of claim 7, wherein: the method further comprises determining a confidence value of the detected VRU; and the temporary flickering of the intensity of the emitted light includes the temporary flickering of the intensity of the light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver's side or the second active headlamp on the passenger's side only if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold. [9] The method of claim 8, further comprising: Receiving data indicative of a probability of the presence of animals, the data including at least one of the location of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the time of day, and the time of year; and Setting the confidence threshold based on the probability of animal presence. [10] A system for warning a driver in a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU) while the vehicle is traveling on a road, the vehicle including at least one first active headlamp on a driver's side of the vehicle and at least one second active headlamp on a passenger side of the vehicle, the system comprising: a detection module including at least one sensor configured to detect VRUs on or adjacent to the road that are outside a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight; a control module communicating with the detection module, the control module being configured: Receive data indicating a detected VRU; to receive data indicating a visibility condition next to the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle; determine a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flicker an intensity of light emitted by the first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle or the second active headlamp on the passenger's side of the vehicle to alert the driver to the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle only if the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the speed of the vehicle is above a speed threshold.

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