US Patent 9436879 Method for recognizing traffic signs

For recognizing traffic signs that include a main sign and an associated additional sign, a method involves using a camera to record image data of an environment outside a vehicle, evaluating the image data to detect the presence and the class of the main sign and to detect the presence and partially classify the content of the additional sign by pattern recognition, performing text recognition to read and interpret text of the additional sign, and comparing the recognized text with actual current situational information to determine whether the main sign is currently applicable.