METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACTIVATING A CRASH COUNTERMEASURE IN RESPONSE TO THE BRAKING CAPABILITY OF A VEHICLE

• US 20030139882A1
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Throop, Medville Jay, Miller, Ronald Hugh, Basch, Rena Hecht
• Granted Patent: US 6,609,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/20 Tyre data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A system for sensing a potential collision of a first vehicle (11) with a second vehicle (72) that transmits a second position signal. The first vehicle has a pre-crash sensing system (10) includes a memory (14) that stores vehicle data and generates a vehicle data signal. A first global positioning system (18) generates a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle. A first sensor (20) generating sensor signals from the first vehicle. A receiver (22) receives a second position signal and a braking capability signal from the second vehicle. A countermeasure system (40) is also coupled within the first vehicle. A controller (12) is coupled to the memory (14), the global positioning receiver (18) the first sensor (20) and the counter measure system (40). The controller (12) determines a distance to the second vehicle in as a function of the second position signal, determines a first vehicle trajectory from the first sensor data signal and the position signal. The controller (12) determines a threat level as a function of the distance, the first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability signal and activates the counter-measure system in response to the threat level.

Claims

1. 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 position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle;

generating sensor signals from the first vehicle;

receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle;

receiving a first braking capability signal corresponding to a braking capability of said 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, said first position signal and said second position signal;

determining a threat level as a function of the first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability; and

activating a counter-measure system in response to the threat level.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said braking capability signal is a function of tire characteristics of said second vehicle.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said tire characteristics comprises one or more of the group of tire size, tire type, tread wear, tire pressure, tie temperature.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a road condition signal from the second vehicle;

wherein determining a threat level comprises determining the threat level as a function of the road condition signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a second braking capability signal from the first vehicle and wherein determining a threat level comprises determining a threat level as a function of said second braking capability signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a vehicle data signal comprising a vehicle type signal, a vehicle weight signal or a vehicle size signal and wherein the step of determining a threat level comprises determining a threat level as a function of the vehicle data signal.

7. 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.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating sensor signals from the first vehicle comprises generating a speed sensor signal, a yaw rate sensor signal, a steering wheel angle signal or a lateral acceleration signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle comprises receiving the second position signal in response to a global positioning system.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle comprises receiving the second position signal directly from the second vehicle.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle comprises receiving the second position signal from a repeater station.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising when said first vehicle approaches said second position, activating a counter-measure system.

14. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising activating a second display when the threat level is below a second threshold.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said braking capability signal is a function of tire characteristics of said second vehicle.

16. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said tire characteristics comprises one or more of the group of tire size, tire type, tread wear, tire pressure, tie temperature.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a road condition signal from the second vehicle;

wherein determining a threat level comprises determining the threat level as a function of the road condition signal.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a second braking capability signal from the first vehicle and wherein determining a threat level comprises determining a threat level as a function of said second braking capability signal.

19. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a vehicle data signal comprising a vehicle type signal, a vehicle weight signal or a vehicle size signal and wherein the step of determining a threat level comprises determining a threat level as a function of the vehicle data signal.

21. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said braking capability signal is a function of tire characteristics.

22. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said tire characteristics comprises one or more of the group of tire size, tire type, tread wear, tire pressure, tie temperature.

23. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein activating the counter-measure comprises deploying and airbag or changing a bumper height by activating a brake system.

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

generating a vehicle data signal;

generating first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle;

generating sensor signals from the first vehicle;

receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle corresponding to a second position;

receiving a braking capability signal from the second vehicle;

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

determining a threat level as a function of the first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability; and

when the threat level is less than a first threshold distance from said second position, activating a first display.

20. A system for sensing a potential collision of a first vehicle with a second vehicle that transmits a second position signal and a braking capability signal, said first vehicle having a pre-crash sensing system comprising:

a memory storing vehicle data generating a vehicle data signal;

a first global positioning system generating a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle;

a first sensor generating sensor data signal from the first vehicle;

a receiver receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle and a braking capability signal;

a countermeasure system; and

a controller coupled to said memory, said global positioning receiver, said first sensor and said counter measure system, said controller determining a distance to the second vehicle in as a function of the second position signal, determining a first vehicle trajectory from said sensor data signal, and said position signal, determining a threat level as a function of the distance and said first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability signal, and activating a counter-measure system in response to the threat level.