IP Library Granted Patent US 12691881
Granted Patent B2
US 12691881 · App. 18/752,912 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Object detection

Inventors: Christopher Rawsky (Van Buren Township, MI); Pradeep Rajalingam (Woodhaven, MI); Jay Patel (Union City, CA)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W30/18163B60W2420/403B60W2420/408B60W2552/10B60W2554/4041B60W2554/4042B60W2554/4044B60W2554/4045
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12691881
App. No.
18/752,912
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to, upon initiating a lane change maneuver from a first lane to a second lane by a first vehicle including a first predicted trajectory, determine a second predicted trajectory for a second vehicle in a third lane based on one or more side-looking sensors. Based on determining that a distance between the first predicted trajectory and the second predicted trajectory is greater than a threshold, the first vehicle can be actuated to perform the lane change maneuver.

Claims (23)

1 . A system, comprising:

a computer that includes a processor and a memory, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to:

upon initiating a lane change maneuver from a first lane to a second lane by a first vehicle including a first predicted trajectory, determine a second predicted trajectory for a second vehicle in a third lane based on one or more side-looking video images and side-looking Doppler radar images having overlapping fields of view; and

based on determining that a distance between the first predicted trajectory and the second predicted trajectory is greater than a threshold, actuate the first vehicle to perform the lane change maneuver.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein performing the lane change maneuver includes operating the first vehicle on the first predicted trajectory.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the distance between the first predicted trajectory and the second predicted trajectory is less than the threshold, cancel the lane change maneuver.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein cancelling the lane change maneuver includes determining a third predicted trajectory for the first vehicle.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein cancelling the lane change maneuver includes operating the first vehicle on the third predicted trajectory.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lane change maneuver is initiated based on one or more of detecting a leading vehicle traveling more slowly in the same traffic lane as the first vehicle and a user indicating a lane change maneuver request.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a second vehicle location, speed, and direction are determined based on processing side-looking video data and side-looking radar data with a neural network.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a second vehicle location, distance, and speed are determined based on processing side-looking video data and side-looking radar data with image processing software.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the trajectory for the second vehicle is based on detecting a flashing turn indicator on the second vehicle.

10 . A method, comprising:

upon initiating a lane change maneuver from a first lane to a second lane by a first vehicle including a first predicted trajectory, determining a second predicted trajectory for a second vehicle in a third lane based on one or more side-looking video images and side-looking Doppler radar images having overlapping fields of view; and

based on determining that a distance between the first predicted trajectory and the second predicted trajectory is greater than a threshold, actuating the first vehicle to perform the lane change maneuver.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein performing the lane change maneuver includes operating the first vehicle on the first predicted trajectory.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein, when the distance between the first predicted trajectory and the second predicted trajectory is less than the threshold, cancel the lane change maneuver.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein cancelling the lane change maneuver includes determining a third predicted trajectory for the first vehicle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein cancelling the lane change maneuver includes operating the first vehicle on the third predicted trajectory.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lane change maneuver is initiated based on one or more of detecting a leading vehicle traveling more slowly in the same lane as the first vehicle and a user indicating a lane change maneuver request.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a second vehicle location, speed, and direction are determined based on processing side-looking video data and side-looking radar data with a neural network.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a second vehicle location, distance, and speed are determined based on processing side-looking video data and side-looking radar data with image processing software.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the trajectory for the second vehicle is based on detecting a flashing turn indicator on the second vehicle.