Method of tracking a plurality of objects in the vicinity of a host vehicle
A method of characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle, said vehicle including one or more systems adapted to detect single objects in the vehicle vicinity; comprising: i) determining the spatial location of a plurality of single objects in the vicinity of said vehicle; ii) grouping a plurality of said single objects based on one or more attributes of each single object into at least one group; iii) subsequently processing said group of objects as a single group object.
1. A method comprising:
determining a spatial location of single-objects in the vicinity of a vehicle;
grouping a plurality of said single-objects in accordance with one or more attributes of each single-object into group-objects;
defining boundaries of the group-objects;
determining that, relative to the vehicle, a single-object of a first-group has moved closer to a second-boundary of a second-group than a first-boundary of the first-group, and assigning said single-object to said second-group in response to the determining that, relative to the vehicle, the single-object of the first-group has moved closer to the second-boundary of the second-group than the first-boundary of the first group.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said boundary is a partial boundary, said boundary being formulated by processing the spatial position of those single objects in the group which are proximal to said vehicle.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said objects are moving objects.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said objects are grouped according to their spatial position.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4 including the step of identifying a cluster of single objects.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said objects are grouped according to one or more of the following parameters: object type, spatial position, speed, and direction of movement.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said object type may be one of cyclists or pedestrians.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 including comparing, consequent to movement of said single object, a) the increase in the angle spanning said first group relative to said vehicle when said single object is considered belonging to said first group with b) the increase in angle spanning said second group relative to said vehicle, when said single objects is considered belonging to said second group, and dependent thereupon, determining whether said object should belong to said first or second group.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 including merging two groups to form a single group.
10. The method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of reformulating the boundaries of one or more of said first, second or merged groups.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said groups are merged if any single object of a first group moves within a predetermined distance of any single object of a second group, or if the span angle between two adjacent groups relative to the vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold.
12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein data used in step i) to determine the spatial location of said plurality of objects in the vicinity of said vehicle, is derived from one or more of the following on-board systems: camera, Radar and Lidar systems.
13. A means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle, said vehicle including one or more systems adapted to detect single objects in the vehicle vicinity comprising:
a means for determining a spatial location of single-objects in the vicinity of a vehicle;
a means for grouping a plurality of said single-objects in accordance with one or more attributes of each single-object into group-objects;
a means for defining boundaries of the group-objects;
a means for determining that, relative to the vehicle, a single-object of a first-group has moved closer to a second-boundary of a second-group than a first-boundary of the first-group, and a means for assigning said single-object to said second-group in response to the determining that, relative to the vehicle, the single-object of the first-group has moved closer to the second-boundary of the second-group than the first-boundary of the first group.
14. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said boundary is a partial boundary, said boundary being formulated by processing the spatial position of those single objects in the group which are proximal to said vehicle.
15. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said objects are moving objects.
16. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said objects are grouped according to their spatial position.
17. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 16 , further including a means for identifying a cluster of single objects.
18. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said objects are grouped according to one or more of the following parameters: object type, spatial position, speed, and direction of movement.
19. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said object type may be one of cyclists or pedestrians.
20. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , including comparing, consequent to movement of said single object, a) the increase in the angle spanning said first group relative to said vehicle when said single object is considered belonging to said first group with b) the increase in angle spanning said second group relative to said vehicle, when said single objects is considered belonging to said second group, and dependent thereupon, determining whether said object should belong to said first or second group.
21. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 13 , including merging two groups to form a single group.
22. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 20 , further including a means for reformulating the boundaries of one or more of said first, second or merged groups.
23. The means for characterizing the environment with respect to a host vehicle as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said groups are merged if any single object of a first group moves within a predetermined distance of any single object of a second group, or if the span angle between two adjacent groups relative to the vehicles is less than a predetermined threshold.