Vehicle Control Apparatus Estimating Lane Markings During Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to accurately determine when a preceding vehicle has deviated from its lane, especially when lane markings are blocked by the preceding vehicle, leading to potential incorrect lane changes by the own vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control apparatus equipped with an in-vehicle camera for lane marking detection, sensors for vehicle behavior analysis, and a calculation module that estimates lane markings based on vehicle behavior, allowing for determination of lane deviation even when lane markings are undetectable, thereby preventing the own vehicle from deviating into an adjacent lane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the in-vehicle camera is used to detect lane markings, then lane marking detection accuracy is improved, but detection reliability deteriorates when lane markings are blocked by the preceding vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary estimation and calculation section that uses vehicle behavior data from in-vehicle sensors to infer lane marking positions when direct camera detection fails. This intermediary mechanism bridges the gap between blocked visual information and the need for accurate lane positioning, maintaining system reliability during occlusion events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely optical detection mechanism (camera-based lane marking recognition) with a hybrid approach that incorporates mechanical sensor data (steering wheel angle, vehicle speed, yaw rate) to estimate lane markings. This substitution allows the system to determine lane position through vehicle dynamics when visual markers are unavailable.
2Measurement precision
If the own vehicle follows the preceding vehicle closely, then following travel control precision is improved, but lane deviation risk increases when lane markings are undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors both the inter-vehicular distance and lane marking detectability. When lane markings become undetectable, the system receives feedback about this condition and adjusts its behavior by using estimated lane markings based on vehicle dynamics, thereby preventing erroneous lane changes while maintaining close following distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares for potential lane marking occlusion by pre-establishing the capability to estimate lane markings through vehicle behavior analysis. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the camera can no longer detect lane markings, the system can immediately switch to the estimation mode without delay, preventing lane deviation while maintaining precise following control.
3Loss of information
If the white dashed line is blocked by the preceding vehicle, then the lane marking becomes undetectable, but the need for accurate lane position determination remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the lane marking information by estimating lane marking positions based on vehicle behavior patterns. Instead of relying on the blocked physical lane markings, the system generates an estimated representation of lane boundaries using steering angle, vehicle speed, and yaw rate data, thereby recovering the lost information through computational modeling.
Data Source
AI summary
A detection ECU detects, from an image captured by an in-vehicle camera, left and right lane markings defining an own lane which is a traffic lane in which an own vehicle is traveling, and performs following travel control to cause the own vehicle to travel following a preceding vehicle which travels ahead in the own lane defined by the detected lane markings. Furthermore, when determining that the measured inter-vehicular distance is shorter than a predetermined distance and at least one of the detected lane markings has become undetectable during execution of the following travel control, the detection ECU determines based on the estimated and calculated lane markings that the preceding vehicle has deviated to a traffic lane different from the own lane.