Granted Patent B2

US 12,637,099 · App. 18/833,126 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventor: Christoph Resch (Obernzell, DE)

Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft

B60W50/14B60W30/12B60W50/0097B60W60/0053G06V20/588B60W2420/403B60W2552/53B60W2556/40B60W2556/50

Abstract

Claims (63)

1 . A method for assisting a user of a vehicle during an automated lateral guidance of the vehicle on a road having multiple lanes, the method comprising:

receiving satellite-based position data and high-resolution map data;

determining map-based position data that describes a present position of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the satellite-based position data and the high-resolution map data;

receiving sensor data from at least one environment sensor of the vehicle, the sensor data describing boundaries of the lanes;

determining a lane with a highest probability of occupancy for the vehicle on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data;

recognizing a branch in the road on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data, the branch resulting in at least one of the lanes branching off from the other lanes; and

actuating an output device for outputting a takeover request to the user according to a situation of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy relative to the at least one branching lane;

wherein actuating the output device comprises outputting the takeover request when (i) a distance of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy to the at least one branching lane is less than a predetermined minimum distance, and (ii) at least one lane neighboring the lane with the highest probability of occupancy has a probability of occupancy above a predetermined threshold and is adjacent to the branch.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

wherein the predetermined minimum distance is not greater than a width of two lanes.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

determining map-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the map-based position data;

determining sensor-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the sensor data;

comparing the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data; and

actuating the output device for outputting the takeover request when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold and the branch is recognized.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , comprising:

determining a path planning for a future automated lateral guidance of the vehicle based on the map-based lane profile data and/or the sensor-based lane profile data in response to the distance of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy from the at least one branching lane being above the predetermined minimum distance, and when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

outputting the takeover request such that the vehicle is prevented from leaving the lane until a probable time of a takeover by the user.

6 . A computing device for a driver assistance system of a vehicle, comprising:

at least one processor and at least one non-transitory memory storing program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to:

during an automated lateral guidance of the vehicle:

receive satellite-based position data and high-resolution map data;

determine map-based position data that describes a present position of the vehicle in relation to lanes on a basis of the satellite-based position data and the high-resolution map data;

receive sensor data from at least one environment sensor of the vehicle, the sensor data describing boundaries of the lanes;

determine the lane with a highest probability of occupancy for the vehicle on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data;

recognize a branch in the road on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data, the branch resulting in at least one of the lanes branching off from the other lanes;

determine a distance between the lane with the highest probability of occupancy and the at least one branching lane and determine probabilities of occupancy for lanes neighboring the lane with the highest probability of occupancy; and,

actuate an output device to output a takeover request to the user when the distance is less than a predetermined minimum distance and when at least one lane neighboring the lane with the highest probability of occupancy has a probability of occupancy above a predetermined threshold and is adjacent to the branch.

7 . The computing device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the predetermined minimum distance corresponds to a width of one or two lanes.

8 . The computing device according to claim 6 , wherein the computing device is configured to:

determine map-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the map-based position data;

determine sensor-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the sensor data;

compare the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data; and,

actuate the output device for outputting the takeover request when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold and the branch is recognized.

9 . The computing device according to claim 8 , wherein the computing device is configured to:

determine a path planning for a future automated lateral guidance of the vehicle based on the map-based lane profile data and/or the sensor-based lane profile data in response to the distance of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy from the at least one branching lane being above the predetermined minimum distance, and when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold.

10 . The computing device according to claim 6 , wherein the computing device is configured to:

output the takeover request such that the vehicle is prevented from leaving the lane until a probable time of a takeover by the user.

11 . A driver assistance system for a vehicle, comprising:

the computing device according to claim 6 ; and

the output device for outputting the takeover request to the user of the vehicle,

wherein the driver assistance system is configured for automated lateral guidance of the vehicle.

12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising commands that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out a method comprising:

receiving satellite-based position data and high-resolution map data;

determining map-based position data that describes a present position of the vehicle in relation to lanes on a basis of the satellite-based position data and the high-resolution map data;

receiving sensor data from at least one environment sensor of the vehicle, the sensor data describing boundaries of the lanes;

determining a lane with a highest probability of occupancy for the vehicle on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data;

recognizing a branch in the road on a basis of the map-based position data and/or the sensor data, the branch resulting in at least one of the lanes branching off from the other lanes; and

actuating an output device for outputting a takeover request to the user according to a situation of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy relative to the at least one branching lane;

wherein actuating the output device comprises outputting the takeover request when (i) a distance of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy to the at least one branching lane is less than a predetermined minimum distance, and (ii) at least one lane neighboring the lane with the highest probability of occupancy has a probability of occupancy above a predetermined threshold and is adjacent to the branch.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 ,

wherein the predetermined minimum distance corresponds to not greater than a width of two lanes.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the commands, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out the method comprising:

determining map-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the map-based position data;

determining sensor-based lane profile data that describes a future desired movement of the vehicle in relation to the lanes on a basis of the sensor data;

comparing the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data; and

actuating the output device for outputting the takeover request when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold and the branch is recognized.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the commands, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out the method comprising:

determining a path planning for a future automated lateral guidance of the vehicle based on the map-based lane profile data and/or the sensor-based lane profile data in response to the distance of the lane with the highest probability of occupancy from the at least one branching lane being above the predetermined minimum distance, and when a difference between the map-based lane profile data and the sensor-based lane profile data is below a predetermined threshold.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the commands, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out the method comprising:

outputting the takeover request such that the vehicle is prevented from leaving the lane until a probable time of a takeover by the user.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (36)