Systems and methods for lane end recognition

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle may include a forward-facing camera to capture a plurality of images of a road ahead of the vehicle and a processing device. The processing device may be configured to: provide feedback to a vehicle operator of the vehicle to change lanes to a new lane, in which the vehicle is not already traveling, based on the ending of a current lane, the ending of the current lane indicated by a first traffic cone identified in the plurality of images; and update a distance from the vehicle to a second traffic cone, based on a position of the vehicle, the second traffic cone used to constrain vehicle operation to the new lane.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A driver-assist object detection system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
 at least one image capture device configured to capture a plurality of images representative of an area surrounding the vehicle;   a data interface; and   at least one processing device configured to:
 receive, via the data interface, a first image from among the plurality of images and at least a second image from among the plurality of images; 
 analyze the first image and at least the second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to a road plane; 
 locate a target object in the first image and in the second image; 
 determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the first image and the second image; 
 use the determined difference in the size of the at least one dimension to determine at least a height of the target object relative to the road plane; and 
 cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height of the object exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine a road clearance height of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 2 , wherein if the determined height of the target object is less than the road clearance height of the vehicle, the at least one processing device is further configured to:
 determine that the vehicle can change directional course to drive over the object with the object oriented between the wheels of the vehicle; and   cause the steering system of the vehicle to change the directional course of the vehicle such that the vehicle drives over the object with the object oriented between the wheels of the vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the image capture device has a field of view of between about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of target object height is also based on a detected velocity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold is at least 2 cm from a surface of the road. 
     
     
         7 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the road plane as an average surface level associated with a road surface appearing in the plurality of images. 
     
     
         8 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 7 , wherein the road surface includes gravel. 
     
     
         9 . The driver-assist object detection system of  claim 1 , wherein the determined height of the target object is less than 10 cm relative to the road plane. 
     
     
         10 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a body;   at least one image capture device configured to capture a plurality of images representative of an area surrounding the vehicle;   a data interface; and   at least one processing device configured to:
 receive, via the data interface, a first image from among the plurality of images and at least a second image from among the plurality of images; 
 analyze the first image and at least the second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to a road plane; 
 locate a target object in the first image and in the second image; 
 determine a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the first image and the second image; 
 use the determined difference in the size of the at least one dimension to determine at least to height of the target object relative to the road plane; and 
 cause a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height of the object exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine a road clearance height of the vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein if the determined height of the target object is less than the road clearance of the vehicle, the at least one processing device is further configured to:
 determine that the vehicle can change directional course to drive over the object with the object oriented between the wheels of the vehicle; and   cause the steering system of the vehicle to change the directional course of the vehicle such that the vehicle drives over the object with the object oriented between the wheels of the vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the image capture device has a field of view of between about 35 degrees to about 55 degrees. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the determination of target object height is also based on a detected velocity of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the predetermined threshold is at least 2 cm from the road surface. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the road plane as an average surface level associated with a road surface appearing in the plurality of images. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the road surface includes gravel. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the determined height of the detected object is less than 10 cm relative to the road plane. 
     
     
         19 . A method for detecting an object in a roadway, the method comprising:
 capturing, via at least one image capture device, a plurality of images representative of an area surrounding the vehicle;   receiving a first image from among the plurality of images and at least a second image from among the plurality of images;   analyzing the first image and at least the second image to determine a reference plane corresponding to a road plane;   locating a target object in the first image and in the second image;   determining a difference in a size of at least one dimension of the target object between the first image and the second image;   using the determined difference in the size of the at least one dimension to determine at least to height of the target object relative to the road plane; and   causing a change in at least a directional course of the vehicle if the determined height of the object exceeds a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined threshold is at least 2 cm from a surface of the road.