Apparatus and method for controlling lane-keeping

1. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an image sensor operable to be disposed on the vehicle so as to have a field of view of an exterior of the vehicle and configured to capture image data;

a non-image sensor operable to be disposed on the vehicle so as to sense the exterior of the vehicle and configured to capture sensing data; and

one or more processors configured to process at least one of the image data captured by the image sensor and the sensing data captured by the non-image sensor,

wherein the control system is configured to:

recognize lane lines of a driving lane, in which a host vehicle travels, from the image data and sense a plurality of other vehicles traveling in the driving lane or lanes next to the driving lane from the sensing data;

calculate at least one of one or more first transverse separation distances between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle;

determine an optimum position of the host vehicle within the driving lane by comparing space widths for the calculated first transverse separation distances and the calculated second transverse separation distance; and

output a speed control signal to control a travel speed of the host vehicle so as to have the host vehicle located at the determined optimum position.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control system senses positions of the plurality of other vehicles located ahead of, on sides of, and behind the host vehicle.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control system calculates at least one of a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located ahead of the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located behind the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein, when the other vehicles are not present on the same transverse line, the control system calculates a lane width of the driving lane and the lanes next to the driving lane and uses the lane width as the first transverse separation distance or the second transverse separation distance.

5. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control system calculates the space widths for an empty space of the driving lane by performing an operation on the first transverse separation distances and the second transverse separation distance based on a pre-stored vehicle width of the host vehicle and determines the optimum position by comparing the space widths.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the control system determines a point having the greatest calculated space width as the optimum position.

7. The control system of claim 5 , wherein the control system further checks vehicle length information about the host vehicle and vehicle length information about the other vehicles,

wherein the control system uses at least one of the vehicle length information about the host vehicle and the vehicle length information about the other vehicles in determining the optimum position.

8. The control system of claim 5 , wherein, when points having the greatest space width are present ahead of and behind the host vehicle at the same time, the control system determines the point having the greatest space width and located ahead of the host vehicle as the optimum position.

9. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control system outputs the speed control signal to accelerate the host vehicle when the optimum position is ahead of the host vehicle, and outputs the speed control signal to decelerate the host vehicle when the optimum position is behind the host vehicle.

10. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the control system sets a threshold range of the speed of the host vehicle,

wherein, when the speed of the host vehicle is out of the threshold range during movement of the host vehicle to the optimum position, the control system outputs the speed control signal such that the host vehicle travels at a maximum speed or a minimum speed in the threshold range.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein, when the speed is out of the threshold range before the host vehicle moves to the optimum position, the control system re-determines the optimum position based on a current position of the host vehicle.

12. A vehicle positioning system, comprising

an image sensor operable to be disposed on the vehicle so as to have a field of view of an exterior of the vehicle and configured to capture image data;

a non-image sensor operable to be disposed on the vehicle so as to sense the exterior of the vehicle and configured to capture sensing data;

a Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) module configured to prevent a lane departure of the vehicle; and

a controller comprising at least one processor configured to process at least one of the image data captured by the image sensor and the sensing data captured by the non-image sensor,

wherein the vehicle positioning system is configured to:

recognize lane lines of a driving lane, in which a host vehicle travels, from the image data and sense a plurality of other vehicles traveling in the driving lane or lanes next to the driving lane from the sensing data;

calculate at least one of one or more first transverse separation distances between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle;

determine an optimum position of the host vehicle within the driving lane by comparing space widths for the calculated first transverse separation distances and the calculated second transverse separation distance; and

output a speed control signal to control a travel speed of the host vehicle so as to have the host vehicle located at the determined optimum position.

13. The vehicle positioning system of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle positioning system senses positions of the plurality of other vehicles located ahead of, on sides of, and behind the host vehicle.

14. The vehicle positioning system of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle positioning system calculates at least one of a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located ahead of the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located behind the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle.

15. The vehicle positioning system of claim 12 , wherein, when the other vehicles are not present on the same transverse line, the vehicle positioning system calculates a lane width of the driving lane and the lanes next to the driving lane and uses the lane width as the first transverse separation distance or the second transverse separation distance.

16. The vehicle positioning system of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle positioning system calculates the space widths for an empty space of the driving lane by performing an operation on the first transverse separation distances and the second transverse separation distance based on a stored vehicle width of the host vehicle and determines the optimum position by comparing the space widths.

17. The vehicle positioning system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle positioning system determines a point having the greatest calculated space width as the optimum position.

18. The vehicle positioning system of claim 16 , wherein, when points having the greatest space width are present ahead of and behind the host vehicle at the same time, the vehicle positioning system determines the point having the greatest space width and located ahead of the host vehicle as the optimum position.

19. A control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera operable to be disposed on the vehicle so as to have a field of view of an exterior of the vehicle and configured to capture image data; and

a processor configured to process the image data captured by the camera,

wherein the control system is configured to:

recognize lane lines of a driving lane, in which a host vehicle travels, from the image data and sense a plurality of other vehicles traveling in the driving lane or lanes next to the driving lane from the sensing data;

calculate at least one of one or more first transverse separation distances between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle;

determine an optimum position of the host vehicle within the driving lane by comparing space widths for the calculated first transverse separation distances and the calculated second transverse separation distance; and

output a speed control signal to control a travel speed of the host vehicle so as to have the host vehicle located at the determined optimum position.

20. The control system of claim 19 , wherein the control system senses positions of the plurality of other vehicles located ahead of, on sides of, and behind the host vehicle.

21. The control system of claim 19 , wherein the control system calculates at least one of a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located ahead of the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, a first transverse separation distance between the other vehicles located behind the host vehicle and present on the same transverse line, and a second transverse separation distance between the other vehicles present on the same transverse line as the host vehicle.

22. The control system of claim 19 , wherein, when the other vehicles are not present on the same transverse line, the control system calculates a lane width of the driving lane and the lanes next to the driving lane and uses the lane width as the first transverse separation distance or the second transverse separation distance.

23. The control system of claim 19 , wherein the control system calculates the space widths for an empty space of the driving lane by performing an operation on the first transverse separation distances and the second transverse separation distance based on a stored vehicle width of the host vehicle and determines the optimum position by comparing the space widths.

24. The control system of claim 23 , wherein the control system determines a point having the greatest calculated space width as the optimum position.

25. The control system of claim 23 , wherein, when points having the greatest space width are present ahead of and behind the host vehicle at the same time, the control system determines the point having the greatest space width and located ahead of the host vehicle as the optimum position.