Charles Mullen

US Patent:

56846975, Nov 4, 1997

Filed:

Jun 26, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/494972

Inventors:

Charles H. Mullen - Burlington NC

International Classification:

G05D 100

US Classification:

364424033

Abstract:

A driver emulative vehicle control system for use with a vehicle. The vehicle control system includes a video camera which transduces the field of view into a plurality of scan lines each comprising a plurality of pixels. A digitizer serves to digitize the frames from the video camera. A computer inputs the digitized frames and processes the same to control the steering, acceleration, deceleration, and braking of the vehicle. More particularly, the processing means includes addressing means, steering control processing means, and speed control processing means. The addressing means serves to map the digitized frames into a mapping memory which is read by the steering control processing means and the speed control processing means. With reference to a lane stripe or stripes in the field of view, the steering control processing means determines the location of the vehicle and generates a steering control signal corresponding thereto. A steering control means receives the steering control signals and controls the steering shaft of the vehicle in accordance therewith.