METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACTIVATING A CRASH COUNTERMEASURE USING A TRANSPONDER HAVING VARIOUS MODES OF OPERATION

• US 20030139871A1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: MacNeille, Perry Robinson, Miller, Ronald Hugh, Salmeen, Irving Toivo, DiMeo, David Michael
• Granted Patent: US 6,609,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A method and system for sensing a potential collision of a first vehicle (11) with a second vehicle (72) is disclosed. The first vehicle generates a data signal in response to an urgent event, a transponder signal from a second vehicle (72) or from an adaptive cruise control signal from the first vehicle. The first vehicle data signal includes a first position signal corresponding to a position of the vehicle and sensor signals from the first vehicle. The second vehicle (72) receives the data signal and determines a distance and vehicle trajectory from the vehicle data, the sensor signals and the position signals. A countermeasure is activated in response to the trajectory and the distance.

Claims

1. A communication system for communicating between a first vehicle and a second vehicle comprising:

a first vehicle having a first global positioning system, a first transponder, said global positioning system having a timing signal, wherein said first transponder operate synchronous with the a timing signal; and

a second vehicle having a second global positioning system having the timing signal, a second transponder, and

said first transponder and said second transponder operating synchronous with the timing signal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein a clock generates the timing signal.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said first vehicle comprises a radar signal and said second transponder comprises a radar sensor for initiating a communication between said second transponder and said first transponder.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a data signal comprises generating a transponder location relative to the vehicle.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a data signal comprises generating a first vehicle position signal.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said data signal comprises vehicle type signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating detecting an urgent condition at the first vehicle;

generating a first vehicle data signal in response to the urgent condition.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a vehicle data signal comprises generating a vehicle type signal, a vehicle weight signal or a vehicle size signal.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle comprises generating the first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle from a global positioning system.

4. A method of communicating between a first vehicle and a second vehicle comprising:

generating a cruise control signal from a first vehicle;

detecting a cruise control signal at the second vehicle from the first vehicle;

generating a first vehicle data signal from the first vehicle in response to the cruise control signal using a communication signature;

generating a second vehicle data signal from the second vehicle in response to the cruise control signal using the communication signature; and

activating a first countermeasure in the first vehicle in response to the second data signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising activating a second countermeasure in the first vehicle in response to the first data signal.

10. A method for communicating between a first vehicle and a second vehicle comprising:

generating a first vehicle data signal from the first vehicle in response to the cruise control signal using a communication signature;

generating a second vehicle data signal from the second vehicle in response to the cruise control signal using the communication signature;

determining a threat level in response to the first data signal and the second data signal; and

continuing generating the first vehicle data signal and generating the second vehicle data signal when the threat level is above a threshold.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein determining a threat level comprises determining a first vehicle trajectory from said first vehicle data signal and said second vehicle data signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising activating a countermeasure system in response to the threat level.

15. A method for operating a pre-crash sensing system for a first vehicle proximate a second vehicle a counter-measure system comprising:

generating a first vehicle data signal from a first transponder in response to an urgent event, a second transponder or an adaptive cruise control signal;

said first vehicle data signal including a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle and sensor signals from the first vehicle;

receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle;

determining a distance to the second vehicle in as a function of the second position signal;

determining a first vehicle trajectory from said vehicle data, said sensor signals and said position signal.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 when the distance is greater than a first threshold activating a first display;

and

activating a counter-measure system in response to the trajectory and distance.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising when the distance is below a first threshold and above a second threshold, activating a second display.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein generating a vehicle data signal comprises generating a vehicle type signal, a vehicle weight signal or a vehicle size signal.

19. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein generating a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle comprises generating the first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle from a global positioning system.