Personalized driver assistance system for vehicle

[0001] The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/973,922, filed Apr. 2, 2014, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention generally relates to driver assistance systems, and more particularly to personalized autonomous driving systems which learn driver habits.

[0003] Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0004] The present invention provides a driver assistance system that includes a personalization algorithm or system or process that learns the preferences or driving behavior of a particular driver and adapts or adjusts or modifies parameters of the driver assistance system so that the driver assistance system controls the vehicle in a manner similar to the manner that the particular driver controls the vehicles in similar driving conditions. The system is responsive to a determination or identification of a particular driver and to a determination of the road and/or driving conditions. Thus, when the driver assistance system (such as an adaptive cruise control system or the like) is activated, the system may control the acceleration/deceleration/steering of the vehicle in a manner that is preferred by the particular driver.

[0005] These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

[0009] A vehicle driver assist system and/or vision system and/or object detection system and/or alert system may utilize one or more sensors at the vehicle, such as one or more cameras that operate to capture images exterior of the vehicle, whereby an image processor may process the captured image data such as for displaying images and/or for detecting objects or the like at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a forward and/or rearward direction.

[0010] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle 10 includes a driver assistance system 12 that may include at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as a forward facing camera 14 (optionally, the system may include a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera and may optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forwardly facing camera at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and a sidewardly/rearwardly facing camera at respective sides of the vehicle, which capture images exterior of the vehicle (FIG. 1). The camera has a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera. The driver assistance system includes a control or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor that is operable to process image data captured by the cameras (or to process other data captured by other sensors of the vehicle) and may provide displayed images at a display device for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. The data transfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may comprise any suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

[0011] Autonomous or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Systems are known to control the longitudinal distance between a host vehicle and a target vehicle. Such systems comprise sensors and control algorithms to control acceleration or deceleration of the host vehicle. Suitable sensors to detect a preceding vehicle are for example a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

[0012] Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Systems are known to control the lateral position of a host vehicle as it approaches a lane marking. Such systems comprise sensors and control algorithms to applying torque to the steering system. Suitable sensors to detect lane markings are a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

[0013] Lane Centering (LC) Systems are known to control the lateral position of a host vehicle within a lane. Such systems comprise sensors and control algorithms to applying torque to the steering system. Suitable sensors to detect lane markings are a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

[0014] Existing systems may provide limited ability to adjust to a driver's preference. For example, an autonomous cruise control system may offer a “near”, “mid” and “far” setting to adjust a following target distance. However, such adjustments are limited, and do not reflect the wide range of individual driving preferences by human drivers.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an exemplary personalized autonomous cruise control system is shown. A personalization algorithm 16 is provided within a suitable embedded control module. Preferably, the personalization algorithm 16 is embedded in the same module as the autonomous cruise control algorithms. The personalization algorithm 16 receives various inputs. Firstly, the personalization algorithm 16 is in communication with the autonomous or adaptive cruise control (ACC) system 18. From the autonomous cruise control system 18, the personalization algorithm 16 receives information about whether the autonomous cruise control system is enabled or disabled (in other words, whether acceleration of the vehicle is controlled by the driver or by the ACC system 18). If ACC is active, the information from the ACC system 18 further comprises the currently requested acceleration. The term “acceleration” is here used to refer to both positive and negative acceleration (in other words, it includes deceleration).

[0016] The personalization algorithm 16 is further in communication with environment sensors, such as a machine vision camera 14 (such as the forward facing camera 14 in FIG. 1). The machine vision camera 14 is adapted to sense and communicate information about the surrounding of the host vehicle. Such information includes, for example, the distance and relative velocity to a preceding vehicle (ahead of the subject or equipped vehicle). Optionally, such information may include information about whether it is daytime, twilight, or nighttime or whether it is dry or raining or snowing or the like. The information may further include information about traffic signs that have been passed, and may indicate a speed limit that may apply. The information may also include information about road surface characteristics, such as whether the road surface is smooth or bumpy, possibly estimating a friction coefficient of the road. The information may further comprise information about lane geometry. Lane geometry may be communicated in the form of a polynomial representation of the lanes ahead of the host vehicle, and can be used to determine, for example, the width of the lane the host vehicle is travelling in, or the curvature of the road ahead of the vehicle.

[0017] The personalization algorithm 16 is further in communication with vehicle sensors that communicate the present state of the vehicle, which is ultimately determined by a driver 22. Such sensors may include, for example, accelerator pedal position and brake pedal position. They may include a steering angle sensor or steering wheel angle sensor. They may further include information identifying the driver, such as, for example, by determining which seat position has been selected in a memory seat module or the like. Information may also include wiper status or outside temperature.

[0018] The personalization algorithm 16 processes data received via various inputs to create a personalized parameter set 20 for the adaptive cruise control system. The personalized parameter set 20 comprises parameters that determine the ACC system's response to particular driving scenarios. The personalized parameter set 20 may comprise, for example, a following gap parameter that determines at what time gap the host vehicle follows a preceding vehicle. Traditionally, ACC systems allow adjustment of the following gap in predetermined steps, such as, for example, a “near” setting, a “mid” setting and a “far” setting. Here, the following gap parameter is more flexible, allowing, for example, a following gap preference to be adjustable between a lower threshold of about 0.7 seconds or thereabouts and an upper threshold of about three seconds or thereabouts.

[0019] The personalized parameter set 20 may also comprise parameters that determine how rapidly the host vehicle accelerates if a preceding vehicle changes lanes and is no longer relevant, or how aggressively the host vehicle decelerated after a cut-in of another vehicle into the host vehicle's lane. The personalized parameter set may also comprise parameters that determine how an ACC target speed is adjusted depending on the radius of an upcoming curve.

[0020] Traditionally, adjusting ACC parameters is done by calibration engineers, who tune a “one size fits all” parameter set for a given vehicle. The present invention may utilize such a default setting, but allows for personalized changes to the personalized parameter set as the personalization algorithm 16 learns the behavior of the driver 22. This learning may occur while the driver is driving manually (in other words, not using ACC). During manual driving, the personalization algorithm 16 will observe or monitor the driver's behavior in predetermined driving situations. For example, the personalization algorithm may calculate an average time gap at which the driver 22 is following a preceding vehicle while driving on a wide road during daytime in the rain. This average may be stored in the parameter set 20 and used when using the ACC system is used in similar driving conditions.

[0021] Learning may also occur while the ACC system is active, such as when the driver is overriding the ACC system's acceleration. For example, the driver may manually accelerate more aggressively, after a preceding vehicle has left the host vehicle lane. In that case, that personalization algorithm 16 may, over time, adjust the corresponding parameter in the parameter set 20, to allow the ACC system to use more aggressive acceleration in similar situations.

[0022] Optionally, the system may provide personalization or customization of parameters of a lane keep assist system or lane departure warning system or lane centering system or the like. The personalization algorithm may allow the driver to establish preferences as to how the vehicle travels in and along a lane and/or how the system provides or generates an alert when the vehicle moves towards an edge or lane marker of the traveled lane or the like. For example, the system may, responsive to identification of a particular driver and that driver's preferences, adjust the threshold level at which an alert is generated as the vehicle moves towards a lane marker or out of a lane in which the vehicle is traveling or adjust the threshold level at which a steering adjustment is made as the vehicle moves towards a lane marker or out of a lane in which the vehicle is traveling.

[0023] Therefore, the present invention provides a customizable or personalized driver assistance system, such as a customizable or personalized adaptive cruise control system. The system monitors a particular driver's driving behavior in various driving conditions and stores to memory different driving maneuvers that the driver typically undertakes in particular driving conditions (such as rapid acceleration when a preceding vehicle leaves the subject vehicle's lane when the road is substantially dry). The system stores various driver behaviors under various driving conditions, road conditions, weather conditions and/or the like, so that when the driver uses the ACC system of the vehicle, the ACC system tends to accelerate/decelerate/drive the vehicle like that particular driver (and not necessarily like the default ACC system settings). Thus, responsive to the system identifying the particular driver (such as via a user input or selection or image processing of image data captured by a cabin monitoring cabin to recognize the driver's face or the like), the system may adjust the ACC parameters (and/or parameters of other driver assistance system or systems of the vehicle) to control the various driver assistance systems or accessories to the driver's preference. For example, the system may adjust the control of the vehicle brakes, steering and/or accelerator (such as when the ACC system is activated) and/or may adjust an intermittent windshield wiper setting or the like to generally match the driver's preferences as learned by the system.

[0024] The system may be at least responsive to weather conditions and/or road conditions so that the adjusted parameters are appropriate for the particular driver and for the particular driving conditions being experienced by the driver and vehicle. The system may include limits that limit how far the system may adjust the parameters to maintain safety during use of the ACC system. For example, if the driver tends to follow very closely behind preceding vehicles, the system will not adjust the ACC system to follow the preceding vehicle at an unsafe distance.

[0025] The system may use one or more cameras to monitor the road and/or weather conditions and/or the like. The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0026] The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an EyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

[0027] The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imaging sensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (at least a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or the like), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensor elements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensor elements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, such as via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, green and blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via an RCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the image processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable means for processing the images and/or image data.

[0028] For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO 2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO 2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/154919; WO 2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO 2013/019795; WO 2013/067083; WO 2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO 2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO 2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO 2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO 2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0062743, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0029] The imaging device and control and image processor and any associated illumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitable components, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667; 7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454 and/or 6,824,281, and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686 and/or WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361 and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,542,451; 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580 and/or 7,965,336, and/or International Publication Nos. WO/2009/036176 and/or WO/2009/046268, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0030] The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may be implemented and operated in connection with various vehicular vision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles of such other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly or rearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitching aid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lane change assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blind spot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems of the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system for determining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or the like.

[0031] Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for the imaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features, such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technology and aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or 7,480,149, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/or US-2010-0097469, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0032] Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displaying images captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating the vehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video display device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror display systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may be operable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display the compass heading or directional heading character or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the display system described in International Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

[0033] Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and a rearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of a top-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround view at the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249 and/or WO 2013/109869, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0034] Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of and behind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/or US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The display is viewable through the reflective element when the display is activated to display information. The display element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor (TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to display various information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on the substrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0035] Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs may be associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example, a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or a garage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessory or system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessory module or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or console of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888; 6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and/or 6,124,886, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0036] Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.