Description:Complete Specification:

The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention is related to a driver assistance device in a vehicle and a method thereof.

Background of the invention

[0002] In addition to conventional mirrors as devices for indirect vision, camera systems or image acquisition systems are currently being used as devices for indirect vision in addition to or as a replacement for the mirrors, in which a (image) recording unit continuously records a recording image) Data, for example, by means of a calculation unit and optionally after further processing, to a reproducing device located in the cab are supplied, which for the driver permanently and at any time visible the recorded area that may contain legally required fields of view. In addition, the objects located in the recorded area are displayed.

[0003] An EP patent application 2869284 discloses a driver assistance system for vehicles, especially commercial vehicles, to warn of you in the vicinity of the vehicle located collision objects with the use of a receiving unit, calculation unit and a display unit. The calculation unit is adapted by the recording unit to evaluate data obtained with regard to collision objects and for causing the outputting of a warning to the driver of the vehicle upon detection of a collision object and / or an intervention in the control of the vehicle make. The calculation unit determines the detection of collision objects based on a function of a relative position of a collision object to the receiving unit selected collision object parameters, the presence and / or the nature of a collision object.
Brief description of the accompanying drawings
[0004] Figure 1 illustrates a driver assistance device in a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
[0005] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method of working of a driver assistance device in a vehicle, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0006] Figure 1 illustrates a driver assistance device in a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The device 10 comprises an image capturing unit 14, an image processing unit 16 and a data extraction module 18. The device 10 further comprises a controller 20 for controlling at least one operation of the vehicle 12. The device 10 detects at least one road work sign 22 from the image capturing unit 14 and assist the driver of the vehicle 12 ,by extracting data via the data extraction module 18 after being processed by the image processing unit 16.

[0007] Further the construction and working of the components of the device 10 is explained in detail. The controller 20 is chosen from a group of controllers comprising a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a digital circuit, an integrated chip and the like. According to one embodiment of the invention, the controller 20 is chosen from any one of the controllers comprising a vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) and an engine control unit (ECU). The data extraction module 18 uses any one of the data extraction techniques, by filtering the background and foreground in the images captured.

[0008] The captured image is related to an at least one road work sign 22 comprising a construction site sign, an incoming tunnel sign, a lane changing sign. The device 10 further comprises an indicator 22 to alert the driver of the vehicle 12 to change a parameter of the vehicle 12. The parameter of the vehicle 12 comprises a variation in speed, a breaking power, a lane changing alert. However, it is to be understood that, the parameters of the vehicle can be any other parameters that are known in the state of the art. After comparison of the parameter of the vehicle 12 , the value of the parameter is updated which is used to adapt to the vehicle response.

[0009] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method of working of a driver assistance device 10 in a vehicle 12, in accordance with the present invention. In step S1, at least one road work sign 22 is captured via an image capturing unit 14. In step S2, data from the captured image is extracted using a controller 20. In step S3, the driver of the vehicle 12 is assisted based on the extracted data from the captured image, before a predefined distance, when a map data is unavailable.

[0010] The method is explained in detail. The image capturing unit 14 is a camera positioned in on an exterior portion of the vehicle 12. The image capturing unit 14 captures the at least one road work sign , when the vehicle 12 is travelling from an origin to a destination. The captured image that is related to the at least one road work sign will be processed in the image processing unit 16 using anyone of the processing techniques. The image processing unit 16 removes the artefacts from the captured image. From the processed image, the data related to the at least one road work sign 22 is extracted. The data can be a type of the sign, a shape of the sign, an information related to any one of the at least one road work sign. This includes a lane changing information , an incoming tunnel, an on-going construction work, a road closure sign, a hump/pothole and the like. The device 10 detects the at least one road sign before a predefined distance, such that, the driver will be altered before reaching the point.

[0011] For instance, if the at least one road sign is related to the construction site that is present after a certain distance. The device 10 captures the image of the road work sign related to the on -going construction work before the predefined distance. The captured image is processed, and the data is extracted from the captured image. From the extracted data, the controller 20 alerts the driver by providing an indication related to the construction site that is present after the predefined distance. In addition to this, the device 10 further provides /alerts the driver to change the lane at the predefined distance for a smooth flow of the vehicle 12.

[0012] In another instance, if the at least one road sign is related to an incoming tunnel. The camera 14 captures the image from a predefined distance and the data extraction module 16 extracts the data (which is the road sign) from the image after being processed in the image processing unit 16 of the controller 20. The device 10 alters the driver of the vehicle 12 before the pre-defined distance regarding the upcoming tunnel and to reduce the speed of the vehicle 12 and to switch on the head lights or automatic switch ON of the head lights.

[0013] The above disclosed method is used when there is no map data available and much before the vehicle reaching the actual spot/place where a road construction or road deviation is happening. It also assists the driver when there is a decrease in the lane width or when there are any type of barricades, beacons, pylons are present. The road work sign can be any other type which has an overtake prohibition , a diversions warn , a temporary lane divergence and the like. It is to be noted that, the capturing of the image of the road work sign is not limited to the above-mentioned scenario’s, but can be of any other type of the road work sign that is known to a person skilled in the art. The above disclosed device 10 provides a low cost effective solution, as it doesn’t require any additional equipment.

[0014] The above disclosed method further eliminates the false detection of the road work signs , by assigning a vector value to each of the road work sign and comparing the received or processed vector value with a predefined value. After capturing and processing the image of the at least one road work side, the device extracts the data related to the road work sign and assigns a vector value for each of the road work sign. Based on the comparison , the device 10 eliminates the false detection of the road work signs.

[0015] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.
, Claims:We Claim:

1. A driver assistance device (10) in a vehicle (12), said device (10) comprising :
- an image capturing unit (14) ; an image processing unit (16); a data extraction module (18) ; a controller (20) for controlling at least one operation of said vehicle (12);
characterized in that :
said device (10) adapted to detect at least one road work sign (22) from said image capturing unit (14) and assist said driver of said vehicle (12) ,by extracting data via said data extraction module (18) after being processed by said image processing unit (14) .

2. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image capturing unit (14) adapted to capture at least one road work sign image and process said captured image for extracting data present in said captured image.

3. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said captured image comprises a construction site sign, an incoming tunnel sign, a lane changing sign.

4. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (10) assists said driver of said vehicle (12) related to at least one said road work sign (22) when a map data is unavailable.

5. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (10) adapted to detect said at least one road work sign (22) before a predefined distance and alters a vehicle parameter.

6. The device (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said vehicle parameter is variation in speed, a breaking power, a lane changing alert .

7. A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle (12), said method comprising :
- capturing at least one road work sign (22) via an image capturing unit (14);
- extracting data from said captured image using a controller (22);
- assists said driver of said vehicle (12) based on said extracted data from said captured image, before a predefined distance, when a map data is unavailable.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein altering a change in a lane of said vehicle (12) based on said extracted data of said captured image .