IP Library Granted Patent US 8,279,280
Granted Patent B2
US 8,279,280 · App. 12/625,946 · Granted Oct 2, 2012

Lane departure warning method and system using virtual lane-dividing line

Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,279,280
App. No.
12/625,946
Granted
Oct 2, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a lane departure warning system and method, which use a virtual lane-dividing line generated using lane width information that is calculated using previously detected lane-dividing lines even when it is difficult to detect a lane-dividing line according to the weather, illuminance, road surface conditions, etc. present during travel of a vehicle, thus allowing a lane departure warning to be provided to a driver on the basis of the virtual lane-dividing line.

Claims (29)

1. A lane departure warning system of a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit for generating an image;

an image processing unit for generating a detected lane-dividing line from the image, and generating a virtual lane-dividing line when the detected lane-dividing line has not been generated or has been erroneously generated; and

a warning unit for giving a warning to a passenger of the vehicle according to a decision that the vehicle is deviating from a driving lane, the decision is made on the basis of the detected lane-dividing line and the virtual lane-dividing line wherein a lane detection module for generating the detected lane-dividing line from the image; a lane detection determination module for determining whether the detected lane-dividing line has been generated to the satisfaction of preset lane conditions; and a lane width calculation module for calculating the width of the lane using information about the detected lane-dividing line satisfying the preset lane conditions wherein the lane width calculation module determines a pitch angle between a road surface and the camera using a vanishing point at which the left lane-dividing line and the right lane-dividing line intersect each other, calculates a per-pixel distance using the pitch angle, and sets the lane width to a value obtained by multiplying the per-pixel distance by a number of pixels corresponding to the lane width.

2. The lane departure warning system according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit comprises:

a virtual lane-dividing line generation module for generating the virtual lane-dividing line on an opposite side spaced apart from one of a left lane-dividing line and a right lane-dividing line by a width of the lane; and

a lane departure determination module for determining whether the vehicle is deviating from the driving lane, based on one of the detected lane-dividing line and the virtual lane-dividing line.

3. The lane departure warning system according to claim 1 , wherein the lane detection determination module determines whether a lane-dividing line has been detected in consideration of whether the set lane width continues for a reference time or longer, whether both the left lane-dividing line and the right lane-dividing line have been detected, and whether a slope of each detected lane-dividing line is equal to or greater than a reference value.

4. A lane departure warning method, comprising:

generating a detected lane-dividing line;

determining whether the detected lane-dividing line has been detected to the satisfaction of preset lane conditions;

if it is determined that the lane-dividing line has not been detected or has been erroneously detected, generating a virtual lane-dividing line on an opposite side spaced apart from one of a left lane-dividing line and a right lane-dividing line by a width of a lane;

determining whether a vehicle is deviating from a driving lane; and

if it is determined that the vehicle is deviating from the driving lane, generating a warning signal wherein the determining whether the lane-dividing line has been detected comprises setting the lane width if it is determined that the lane-dividing line has been detected;

wherein the lane width is set in such a way as to determine a pitch angle between a road surface and a camera using a vanishing point at which the left lane-dividing line and the right lane-dividing line intersect each other, calculate a per-pixel distance using the pitch angle, and set the lane width to a value obtained by multiplying the per-pixel distance by a number of pixels corresponding to the lane width;

generating by an imaging processing unit in line 2 ; determining by an imaging processing unit in lines 3 and 9 .

5. The lane departure warning method of claim 4 , wherein determining whether a vehicle is deviating from a driving lane is based on one of the detected lane-dividing line and the virtual lane-dividing line.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising transmitting the warning signal to a warning unit.

7. The lane departure warning method according to claim 4 , wherein the determining whether the lane-dividing line has been detected is performed in consideration of whether the set lane width continues for a reference time or longer, whether both the left lane-dividing line and the right lane-dividing line have been detected, and whether a slope of each detected lane-dividing line is equal to or greater than a reference value.

8. A lane departure warning system of a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit for generating an image;

an image processing unit; and

a warning unit for giving a warning to a passenger of the vehicle according to a decision that the vehicle is deviating from a driving lane wherein a lane detection module for generating the detected lane-dividing line from the image; a lane detection determination module for determining whether the detected lane-dividing line has been generated to the satisfaction of preset lane conditions; and a lane width calculation module for calculating the width of the lane using information about the detected lane-dividing line satisfying the preset lane conditions;

wherein the lane width calculation module determines a pitch angle between a road surface and the camera using a vanishing point at which the left lane-dividing line and the right lane-dividing line intersect each other, calculates a per-pixel distance using the pitch angle, and sets the lane width to a value obtained by multiplying the per-pixel distance by a number of pixels corresponding to the lane width.

9. The lane departure warning system of a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the image processing unit is used for generating a detected lane-dividing line from the image, and generating a virtual lane-dividing line when the detected lane-dividing line has not been generated or has been erroneously generated.

10. The lane departure warning system of a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the warning unit gives a warning to a passenger of the vehicle according to a decision that the vehicle is deviating from a driving lane, the decision is made on the basis of the detected lane-dividing line and a virtual lane-dividing line.

11. The lane departure warning system according to claim 8 , wherein the image processing unit comprises:

a virtual lane-dividing line generation module for generating the virtual lane-dividing line on an opposite side spaced apart from one of a left lane-dividing line and a right lane-dividing line by a width of the lane; and

a lane departure determination module for determining whether the vehicle is deviating from the driving lane, based on one of the detected lane-dividing line and the virtual lane-dividing line.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2009
From: KIM, CHEOL HO
To: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY; KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023570/0918 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0022943 · Mar 18, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100238283A1 · Sep 23, 2010