# US 2019/0168752 A1 · Steering assistance device and steering assistance method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168752 A1 - Document ID: US20190168752A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/322,912 - Filed: 2017-07-28 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-02 - Assignees: Isuzu Motors Limited - Applicants: Isuzu Motors Limited - Inventors: Teruhiko SUZUKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168752A1 ## CPC - B62D 15/025: {Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation (B62D1/28 takes precedence)} - B60W 40/114: Yaw movement - B62D 5/04: electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear - B62D 6/00: Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) - G05D 1/0246: {using a video camera in combination with image processing means} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract Provided is a steering assistance device, and a demarcation line detection unit 100 detects left and right lane demarcation lines for a lane in which a vehicle is travels. A horizontal velocity measurement unit 101 calculates the horizontal velocity, which is a velocity component of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the lane. An assistance unit 11 performs steering assistance for the vehicle so that the vehicle travels parallel to the left and right lane demarcation lines. In a case where the horizontal velocity equal to or greater than a prescribed velocity and the center of the vehicle is separated from the center between the left and right lane demarcation lines by equal to or greater than a prescribed distance, a steering control unit 102 starts the steering assistance of the vehicle by the assistance unit 11. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A steering assistance device comprising: a demarcation line detection unit configured to detect left and right lane demarcation lines in a lane in which a vehicle travels; a horizontal velocity measurement unit configured to calculate a horizontal velocity, which is a velocity component of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the lane; an assistance unit configured to perform steering assistance of the vehicle such that the vehicle travels parallel to the left and right lane demarcation lines; and a steering control unit configured to start the steering assistance of the vehicle performed by the assistance unit in a case where the horizontal velocity is equal to or greater than a prescribed velocity and a distance of a center of the vehicle from a center between the left and right lane demarcation lines becomes a prescribed distance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The steering assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising: an imaging unit configured to capture an image of a front side in the direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the demarcation line detection unit detects the left and right lane demarcation lines from the image captured by the imaging unit, and wherein the horizontal velocity measurement unit calculates the horizontal velocity based on a moving velocity of imaged positions of the lane demarcation line in the image. ### Claim 3 A steering assistance method performed by a processor, the steering assistance method comprising: detecting left and right lane demarcation lines in a lane in which a vehicle travels; calculating a horizontal velocity, which is a velocity component of the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the lane; and starting steering assistance of the vehicle such that the vehicle travels in parallel with the left and right lane demarcation lines in a case where a distance of a center of the vehicle from a center between the left and right lane demarcation lines becomes a prescribed distance and the horizontal velocity is equal to or greater than a prescribed velocity.