Motor vehicle collision warning system

• US 10,053,007 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Backhouse, Andrew, Magnusson, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/935,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,875 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A motor vehicle collision warning system is described, as well as an automotive vehicle including such a motor vehicle collision warning system. The motor vehicle collision warning system is adapted for analyzing an unwound amount of a driver safety belt and adding an additional distracted reaction time to a pre-set driver reaction time based on the analysis of the unwound amount of the driver safety in order to provide a collision warning earlier than a collision warning based on the pre-set driver reaction time when a driver is determined as being distracted.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle collision warning system comprising:

means for providing a collision warning ahead of a potentially dangerous traffic situation based on a pre-set driver reaction time;

means for determining driver distraction through analyzing an unwound amount of a driver safety belt;

a processor and memory having stored computer executable instructions for adding an additional distracted reaction time to the pre-set driver reaction time based on the analysis of the unwound amount of the driver safety belt such that a warning is provided earlier in case a driver is determined as being distracted; and

means for re-activating the means for providing the warning of the motor vehicle collision warning system if manually de-activated and the driver is determined as being distracted.

2. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining driver distraction are arranged to perform a calibration for the determination through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with driver hands detected on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

3. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining driver distraction are arranged to perform a calibration for the determination through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with a driver detected as seated in a normal position using a driver monitoring camera.

4. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining driver distraction are arranged to perform a calibration for the determination through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with a driver detected as seated in a normal position using driver seat integrated weight sensors.

5. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1 further comprising:

means for determining additional driver distraction through analyzing driver operation of a one or more on board infotainment systems;

wherein the processor is for adding a further additional distracted reaction time to the pre-set driver reaction time based on the analysis of the driver operation of a one or more on board infotainment systems such that a warning is provided still earlier in case a driver is determined as being distracted and determined as operating one or more on board infotainment systems.

6. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1 further comprising a braking system for performing automatic braking of the vehicle when a warning is provided, such that a driver determined as being distracted is provided still further time to handle an upcoming potentially dangerous traffic situation.

7. An automotive vehicle comprising a motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1.

15. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining driver distraction are arranged to perform an initial calibration for the determination based on a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage.

17. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 15, wherein the means for determining driver distraction are arranged to perform a calibration for the determination through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage.

8. A motor vehicle collision warning system comprising a processing unit including a processor and memory having stored computer executable instructions for analyzing an unwound amount of a driver safety belt and adding an additional distracted reaction time to a pre-set driver reaction time based on the analysis in order to provide a collision warning earlier than a collision warning based on the pre-set driver reaction time when a driver is determined as being distracted, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for re-activating the acoustic and/or optical device for providing the warning of the motor vehicle collision warning system if manually de-activated and the driver is determined as being distracted.

9. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8 further comprising an acoustic and/or optical device for providing the collision warning ahead of a potentially dangerous traffic situation.

10. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is arranged to perform a calibration for use in determining driver distraction through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with driver hands detected on a steering wheel of the vehicle.

11. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is arranged to perform a calibration for use in determining driver distraction through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with a driver detected as seated in a normal position using a driver monitoring camera.

12. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is arranged to perform a calibration for use in determining driver distraction through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with a driver detected as seated in a normal position using driver seat integrated weight sensors.

13. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for determining driver distraction through analyzing driver operation of a one or more on board infotainment systems, and for adding a further additional distracted reaction time to the pre-set driver reaction time based on the analysis of the driver operation of a one or more on board infotainment systems such that a warning is provided still earlier in case a driver is determined as being distracted and determined as operating one or more on board infotainment systems.

14. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is further arranged for use in performing automatic braking of the vehicle when a warning is provided, such that a driver determined as being distracted is provided still further time to handle an upcoming potentially dangerous traffic situation.

16. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 8, wherein the processing unit is arranged to perform an initial calibration for use in determining driver distraction based on a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage.

18. A motor vehicle collision warning system according to claim 16, wherein the processing unit is arranged to perform a calibration for use in determining driver distraction through setting a driver safety belt unwinding threshold based on driver safety belt unwinding during a pre-determined time period of driver safety belt usage with driver hands detected on a steering wheel of the vehicle.