IP Library Granted Patent US 7,363,140
Granted Patent B2
US 7,363,140 · App. 11/155,832 · Granted Apr 22, 2008

Lane changing assistant for motor vehicles

Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,363,140
App. No.
11/155,832
Granted
Apr 22, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lane changing assistant for motor vehicles, having a speed control system and a surroundings sensor system for recording the traffic environment including the traffic in an adjacent lane, having a decision device for deciding whether a lane changing request of the driver is to be accepted, and having a command device for issuing an acceleration command to the speed control system in the case of a lane changing request, wherein a recognition device is developed to recognize a window for swinging into the adjacent lane without danger, in the light of the data of the surroundings sensor system; and the command device is developed to compute an acceleration strategy adjusted to the window, including a point in time for the beginning of the acceleration.

Claims (14)

1. A lane changing assistant for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a speed control system;

a surroundings sensor system for recording a traffic environment including traffic in an adjacent lane;

a decision device for deciding whether a lane changing request of a driver is to be accepted;

a command device for issuing an acceleration command to the speed control system in the case of the lane changing request; and

a recognition device for recognizing a window for moving into the adjacent lane without danger, based on data of the surroundings sensor system, wherein the command device computes an acceleration strategy adjusted to the window, including a point in time for beginning of an acceleration;

wherein, in response to an issuance of an acceleration command, the command device transmits a lane changing signal to the driver in the form of a perceptible initial acceleration.

2. The lane changing assistant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lane changing signal is a signal whereby the lane changing request signaled by the driver is accepted.

3. The lane changing assistant as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

the lane changing signal is a lane changing request, and

the command device breaks off the acceleration strategy if the lane changing request has not been confirmed by an action of the driver within a prespecified time span.

4. The lane changing assistant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the recognition device evaluates the suitability of windows for moving into the adjacent lane, as a function of a boundary value for the acceleration of the motor vehicle.

5. The lane changing assistant as recited in claim 4 , wherein the recognition device varies the boundary value as a function of a situation.

6. The lane changing assistant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the recognition device includes signal inputs for a plurality of sensors of the surroundings sensor system, one of the plurality of sensors monitoring a rear space in the adjacent lane behind the motor vehicle, and another one of the plurality of sensors monitoring the adjacent lane at a level of the motor vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2005
From: EWERHART, FRANK; GUENTHER, CLEMENS; WITTIG, THOMAS
To: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 016969/0517 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2004 029 369 · Jun 17, 2004 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060009910A1 · Jan 12, 2006