Collision mitigation and avoidance

• US 10,351,129 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Luo, Wangdong, Liu, Nanjun, Deng, Kun, Miller, Alex Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US15/498,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20180201258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A respective confidence level of a potential collision is determined for each of a plurality of targets based on each target'"'"'s heading angle and distance from a host vehicle. A threat number is determined for each target when its respective confidence level is above a threshold. A vehicle component is actuated based on the threat number.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

classify each of a plurality of targets according to a type of each target, the type indicating an angle range of a target'"'"'s heading angle and a distance from the host vehicle;

determine confidence levels of respective likelihoods of potential collisions for each of a plurality of targets based on each target'"'"'s type and a number of times the type of the target was previously classified;

determine an overall threat number based on at least one of a braking, steering, and acceleration threat number, for each target when its respective confidence level is above a threshold; and

actuate a vehicle component based on the overall threat number.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to classify each of the targets as one of a laterally moving target and a longitudinally oncoming target.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine whether the target heading angle is within a first heading angle range.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine, for one of the targets, whether the target heading angle is within a second heading angle range and the target was previously determined to have a confidence level above the threshold.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine whether the distance is below a distance threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to select a predetermined maximum number of targets based on the distance when the plurality of targets exceeds the predetermined maximum number of targets.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further include instructions to remove a farthest target from the selected targets upon identifying a closer target.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the instructions further include instructions to increase a confidence counter for one of the targets when the target was previously one of the selected targets.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions further include instructions to increase the confidence level for one of the targets based on the confidence counter of the target.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further include instructions to determine the confidence level based on a previously determined confidence level.

11. A method, comprising:

classifying each of a plurality of targets according to a type of each target, the type indicating an angle range of a target'"'"'s heading angle and a distance from the host vehicle;

determining confidence levels of respective likelihoods of potential collisions for each of a plurality of targets based on each target'"'"'s type and a number of times the type of the target was previously classified;

determining an overall threat number based on at least one of a braking, steering, and acceleration threat number, for each target when its respective confidence level is above a threshold; and

actuating a vehicle component based on the overall threat number.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising classifying each of the targets as one of a laterally moving target and a longitudinally oncoming target.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the target heading angle is within a first heading angle range.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining, for one of the targets, whether the target heading angle is within a second heading angle range and the target was previously determined to have a confidence level above the threshold.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the distance is below a distance threshold.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a predetermined maximum number of targets based on the distance when the plurality of targets exceeds the predetermined maximum number of targets.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing a farthest target from the selected targets upon identifying a closer target.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing a confidence counter for one of the targets when the target was previously one of the selected targets.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising increasing the confidence level for one of the targets based on the confidence counter of the target.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the confidence level based on a previously determined confidence level.