Method for avoiding a rear-end collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle and control unit

• US 10,040,449 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wokoeck, Till, Hoffmann, Andreas, Kern, Andreas, Iran, Gabriel, Proenneke, Liv, Belau, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y
• Application Number:
  US15/446,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20170259813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 701301, 701 70, 701 96, 701 93, 701 41, 340435, 340903, 340467, 340465, 180275
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering

Abstract

A method for avoiding a rear-end collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, in which a distance value is initially read in, which represents a distance, which is detected by a distance sensor of the first vehicle, between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. In particular, the first vehicle is located ahead of the second vehicle in a travel direction of the second vehicle. Using the distance value, a control signal is thereupon generated for controlling the first vehicle to avoid the rear-end collision.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding a rear-end collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle that, with respect to a travel direction of the second vehicle, is behind the first vehicle, the first vehicle including a first sensor, a drive unit, and processing circuitry interfacing with the first sensor and the drive unit, the method comprising:

while the second vehicle is traveling towards the first vehicle, sensing, by the first sensor of the first vehicle, a first distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle at first moment in time and a second distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle at a second moment of time after the first moment in time;

obtaining, by the processing circuitry of the first vehicle and from the first sensor, respective signals identifying the first and second sensed distances;

based on a combination of the sensed distances identified by the obtained signals, determining, by the processing circuitry, a speed of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle;

determining, by the processing circuitry, whether the second distance is greater than a ratio of the speed squared to a predefined constant;

based on a negative result of the determination, generating and outputting, by the processing circuitry and to the drive unit, a control signal; and

responsive to the control signal, the drive unit of the first vehicle accelerating the first vehicle, so as to avoid the rear-end collision.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ratio represents a braking distance of the second vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing, by a second sensor of the first vehicle, a state of surroundings of the first vehicle; and

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on a surroundings signal from the second sensor that represents the sensed state, whether the surroundings includes at least one evasion area, wherein the generating of the control signal is conditional on a result of the determination regarding the evasion area being that the at least one evasion area is present.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the drive unit responds to the control signal by steering the first vehicle into the evasion area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating and outputting of the control signal is further based on a value of a velocity of the first vehicle obtained by the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined constant represents twice an estimated maximum braking power of the second vehicle.

7. A vehicle, comprising:

a distance sensor;

a drive unit; and

processing circuitry interfacing with the distance sensor and the drive unit;

wherein;

the distance sensor is configured to, while a second vehicle, that is behind the first vehicle with respect to a travel direction of the second vehicle, is traveling towards the first vehicle, sense a first distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle at a first moment in time and a second distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle at a second moment in time after the first moment in time;

the processing circuitry is configured to;

obtain from the distance sensor respective signals identifying the first and second sensed distances;

based on a combination of the sensed distances identified by the obtained signals, determine a speed of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle;

determine whether the second distance is greater than a ratio of the speed squared to a predefined constant; and

based on a negative result of the determination, generate and output to the drive unit a control signal; and

the drive unit is configured to respond to the control signal by accelerating the first vehicle to avoid a rear-end collision.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium on which are stored instructions executable by a processor that is of a first vehicle and that interfaces with a distance sensor of the first vehicle and a drive unit of the first vehicle, the instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method for avoiding a rear-end collision between the first vehicle and a second vehicle that, with respect to a travel direction of the second vehicle, is behind the first vehicle, the method comprising:

while the second vehicle is traveling towards the first vehicle, obtaining from the distance sensor a first sensor signal that represents a first distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle sensed by the distance sensor at a first moment in time and a second sensor signal that represents a second distance of the second vehicle from the first vehicle sensed by the distance sensor at a second moment in time;

based on a combination of the sensed distances identified by the obtained signals, determining a speed of the second vehicle relative to the first vehicle;

determining whether the second distance is greater than a ratio of the speed squared to a predefined constant; and

based on a negative result of the determination, generating and outputting to the drive unit a control signal that triggers the drive unit of the first vehicle to accelerate the first vehicle to avoid the rear-end collision.