Abstract: A method for travel course prediction in a motor vehicle having a position finding system for objects situated ahead of the vehicle is provided. In accordance with the method, a function describing the shape of the roadside is calculated on the basis of measured distance data and angle data for stationary roadside targets, wherein multiple stationary targets are identified and tracked. The path of the road is estimated for various subsets of the set of tracked stationary targets, under the assumption that these stationary targets are situated along the roadside, and roadside targets are differentiated from interfering objects on the basis of the plausibility of the resulting possible shapes of the roadside, the most probable shape of the roadside being determined on the basis of the roadside targets.

Abstract: A method as well as a device for the lane allocation of consecutive vehicles, the lane allocation being carried out in a model-based manner via a frequency distribution of the lateral displacements of detected radar objects. The method is additionally used for detecting the misalignment of the sensor.

Abstract: A method for selecting the operating state of a cruise control system for motor vehicles having a distance sensor and automatic blindness detection, in which at least one additional condition is checked for automatic shutdown of the cruise control when blindness of the distance sensor is detected, and a shutdown is performed only when this additional condition is also met.

Abstract: A method for travel course prediction in a motor vehicle having a position finding system for objects situated ahead of the vehicle is provided. In accordance with the method, a function describing the shape of the roadside is calculated on the basis of measured distance data and angle data for stationary roadside targets, wherein multiple stationary targets are identified and tracked. The path of the road is estimated for various subsets of the set of tracked stationary targets, under the assumption that these stationary targets are situated along the roadside, and roadside targets are differentiated from interfering objects on the basis of the plausibility of the resulting possible shapes of the roadside, the most probable shape of the roadside being determined on the basis of the roadside targets.

Abstract: A method for selecting the operating state of a cruise control system for motor vehicles having a distance sensor and automatic blindness detection, in which at least one additional condition is checked for automatic shutdown of the cruise control when blindness of the distance sensor is detected, and a shutdown is performed only when this additional condition is also met.

Abstract: A method of detecting a lane change of a subject vehicle (20), having a locating device (10) which uses angular resolution for locating vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front, and a device (44) for determining the yaw rate (?0) of the subject vehicle. The angular velocity (?i) of at least one vehicle traveling in front relative to the subject vehicle (20) is measured using the locating device (10), and a lane change signal (LC) indicating the lane change is formed by comparing the measured angular velocity (?i) to the yaw rate (?0) of the subject vehicle.

Abstract: A method is for determining the offset value of the output signal of a vehicle sensor. The values of the output signal of the vehicle sensor are determined. The value range of the output signal of the vehicle sensor is divided into at least two partial ranges (intervals, classes). The values of the output signal are allocated to the partial ranges. The number of number quantities representing the values of the output signal allocated to the partial ranges is determined. The number quantities are determined by at least one low-pass filter.

Abstract: A device and a method determine an offset value which represents the offset of the output signal of a vehicle sensor, the sensor detecting at least one motion of a vehicle, and the output signal is analyzed at at least two different points in time. An additional signal is determined independently of the output signal, this signal also representing the motion of the vehicle. An arrangement is provided for analyzing the characteristic of the output signal, which depends on the longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, and the characteristic of the additional signal, which also depends on the longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, in order to determine the offset value.

Abstract: A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle is proposed, where, in the vehicle to be controlled, the yaw rate or rotation rate is measured, in particular to determine the curvature of the vehicle's own travel trajectory, and where, using a proximity sensor or position sensor, at least one vehicle traveling ahead or at least some other object within a sensor's sensing range is detected, particularly with regard to an offset from the travel course of the vehicle to be controlled. By delaying the travel-course offset of a vehicle driving ahead, determined in preset measuring cycles, by a predefined time span, and by using the then instantaneous curvature of the travel trajectory, a historical travel-course offset is ascertained, one is able to simply and rapidly predict the travel course of the vehicle to be controlled.

Abstract: A distance sensor having a sensor for a motor vehicle in which an arrangement is provided by which gnment angles and trajectory curvatures can be compensated for during travel not only on a straight road but also along curves. In a sensor mounted displaced from the center line of the vehicle, an angle (alpha_sensor) is measured which cuts the projected center line of the motor vehicle at the target object, a vehicle driving ahead. By the additional use of a yaw rate sensor, curve curvatures of the road are also compensated for, so that angle and distance measurement can also be made along curves.

Abstract: A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle is proposed, where, in the vehicle to be controlled, the yaw rate or rotation rate is measured, in particular to determine the curvature of the vehicle's own travel trajectory, and where, using a proximity sensor or position sensor, at least one vehicle traveling ahead or at least some other object within a sensor's sensing range is detected, particularly with regard to an offset from the travel course of the vehicle to be controlled. From the detection of one or of a plurality of objects, the curvature of the vehicle's own travel trajectory may be corrected with a view to a prediction of an expected curvature from the averaging of the positional changes ascertained at the plurality of the objects.

Abstract: A method for correction of the detection range of a distance sensor, which is installed with an eccentricity laterally offset with respect to the central axis of a motor vehicle. In order to correct the detection range, a correction angle is used, with which the eccentricity of the distance sensor is corrected at the time of its installation. Thus the distance sensor is not aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, but to its central axis. Thus, the detection range is advantageously covered approximately symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The correction angle is determined either empirically, via appropriate test measurements, or mathematically.

Abstract: A device is for determining a corrected offset value which represents the offset of the output signal of a first vehicle sensor, the sensor determining at least one motion of a vehicle. In this device, a first arrangement is provided by which at least two offset values representing the offset of the sensor are determined by at least two different methods. In addition, for at least one of the offset values of the sensor thus determined, an error band is determined in addition to the offset value. The corrected offset value is determined as a function of the offset values determined and at least one of the error bands.

Abstract: A device and a method are for monitoring misalignment of a distance sensor on a vehicle which represents a combination of two individual procedures. The two individual procedures are selected in such a way that one procedure has advantages in areas in which the other procedure functions disadvantageously, so that the weaknesses of one procedure may be compensated for by the strengths of the other procedure. Furthermore, with the aid of this combination, it may be decided with far greater certainty whether a misalignment is present which may be removed using suitable correcting measures, or whether an extreme misalignment is present, based on which the system must be switched off.

Abstract: In a method of controlling the speed of a vehicle, at least one vehicle traveling ahead in the same lane within a radar detection range is detected using a radar sensor and in which the transverse acceleration in the vehicle to be controlled is detected. Acceleration or a change in acceleration is limited in the vehicle to be controlled if, in addition to or instead of a transverse acceleration, it is evaluated that the vehicle to be controlled has reached the limit of the radar detection range and/or the vehicle traveling ahead has left the radar detection range when no change of lanes takes place.

Abstract: A method for evaluating objects in the path of a vehicle, in which a sensor is used to detect the distance (dzo, dzi) and/or the speed of the target objects (Zo, Zi). In the presence of more than one target object (Zo, Zi), only the target object (Zi) that is in an area limited by at least one parameter defined by the position relative to the vehicle (F), is included in the evaluation as a new target object (Zo), instead of the current one. The following parameters can be included as conditions for selecting a new target object: dzi≦MAX (dmin, dzo+d0, &agr;*dzo).

Abstract: A method is for operating a cruise control and/or adaptive cruise control system for a motor vehicle, and a cruise control and/or adaptive cruise control system includes a sensor unit alignable in relation to a radiation characteristic and includes a control unit. Furthermore, information, which prevents operation of the sensor unit as long for as the sensor unit is not aligned, is introduced into the control unit before a first startup of the system.

Abstract: A method of detecting a lane change of a subject vehicle (20), having a locating device (10) which uses angular resolution for locating vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front, and a device (44) for determining the yaw rate (&ohgr;0) of the subject vehicle. The angular velocity (&ohgr;i) of at least one vehicle traveling in front relative to the subject vehicle (20) is measured using the locating device (10), and a lane change signal (LC) indicating the lane change is formed by comparing the measured angular velocity (&ohgr;i) to the yaw rate (&ohgr;0) of the subject vehicle.

Abstract: A method is for determining the offset value of the output signal of a vehicle sensor. The values of the output signal of the vehicle sensor are determined. The value range of the output signal of the vehicle sensor is divided into at least two partial ranges (intervals, classes). The values of the output signal are allocated to the partial ranges. The number of number quantities representing the values of the output signal allocated to the partial ranges is determined. The number quantities are determined by at least one low-pass filter.

Abstract: A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle (1) is proposed, where, in the vehicle (1) to be controlled, the yaw rate or rotation rate is measured, in particular to determine the curvature (k) of the vehicle's own travel trajectory, and where, using a proximity sensor or position sensor (6), at least one vehicle (5,8) traveling ahead or at least some other object within a sensor's sensing range (7) is detected, particularly with regard to an offset from the travel course of the vehicle to be controlled. By delaying the travel-course offset (yc) of a vehicle (5) driving ahead, determined in preset measuring cycles, by a predefined time span (thist), and by using the then instantaneous curvature (k) of the travel trajectory, a historical travel-course offset (ychist) is ascertained, one is able to simply and rapidly predict the travel course of the vehicle (1) to be controlled.