Motor vehicle warning and control system and method
First Claim
1. A method for controlling the travel of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a) scanning the roadway along which a motor vehicle is traveling with a video scanning means supported by said motor vehicle and generating a train of video signals as the vehicle travels said roadway, b) computer processing and analyzing each video signal as it is generated and generating a first train of first code signals which first code signals define information relating to the identification of objects ahead of said motor vehicle, such as at least one other vehicle traveling in the same direction as said motor vehicle, c) employing said first code signals to control the operation of a first intelligible indicating means to cause it to indicate to the driver of said motor vehicle the identification and distance to the object directly ahead of said vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method assists the driver of a motor vehicle in preventing accidents or minimizing the effects of same. In one form, a television camera is mounted on a vehicle and scans the roadway ahead of the vehicle as the vehicle travels. Continuously generated video picture signals output by the camera are electronically processed and analyzed by an image analyzing computer, which generates codes that serve to identify obstacles. A decision computer mounted in the controlled vehicle receives such code signals along with code signals generated by the speedometer or one or more sensors sensing steering mechanism operation and generates control signals. Such code signals may be displayed, and a synthetic speech or special sound generating and warning means used, to warn the driver of the vehicle of approaching and existing hazards. The system may also use the control signals, particularly through application of fuzzy logic, to control the operation of the brakes and steering mechanism of the vehicle to avoid or lessen the effects of a collision. In a particular form, the decision computer may select the evasive action taken from a number of choices, depending on whether and where the detection device senses other vehicles or obstacles.
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Citations
99 Claims
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1. A method for controlling the travel of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) scanning the roadway along which a motor vehicle is traveling with a video scanning means supported by said motor vehicle and generating a train of video signals as the vehicle travels said roadway, b) computer processing and analyzing each video signal as it is generated and generating a first train of first code signals which first code signals define information relating to the identification of objects ahead of said motor vehicle, such as at least one other vehicle traveling in the same direction as said motor vehicle, c) employing said first code signals to control the operation of a first intelligible indicating means to cause it to indicate to the driver of said motor vehicle the identification and distance to the object directly ahead of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for operating a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) driver controlling the operation of a motor vehicle to cause it to travel in traffic along a roadway having other vehicles traveling in the same direction as said motor vehicle and approaching said motor vehicle in an adjacent lane, b) scanning the images of both vehicles traveling in the same and opposite directions ahead of said motor vehicle with a video scanning means supported by said vehicle to continuously generate full-frame video picture signals on the output of said scanning means, c) computer processing said video picture signals and generating trains of first digital code signals, d) computer analyzing said first digital code signals by comparing said first code signals with codes recorded in a memory and identifying the objects scanned ahead of said vehicle including at least one object in the path of travel of said vehicle, e) detecting the distance between said motor vehicle and an object immediately ahead of said vehicle and generating a train of second code signals each of which indicates said distance at a different time, f) computer analyzing said first and second code signals and generating third code signals, and g) employing said third code signals to control a warning device to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said vehicle to take a corrective action, such as effect deceleration or apply the brakes of the vehicle to avoid a collision with the object ahead of his vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A system for operating a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) a motor vehicle having a vehicle body, motor means and driver operated means including an accelerator for said motor means, braking and steering means, b) first means supported by said vehicle for scanning ahead of said vehicle as it travels a roadway and generating first image signals modulated with information relating to objects and obstacles such as other vehicles, pedestrians, animals, road dividers, and other obstacles with which said vehicle may collide, c) means for generating scanning signals on the output of said scanning means which scanning signals are modulated with image information relating to the identification of obstacles in or approaching the path of travel of said vehicle, d) first computer means for receiving and analyzing said scanning signals as the vehicle travels and generating first code signals, e) means for generating second code signals indicative of the distances between said vehicle and obstacles ahead of said vehicle which are in the path of said vehicle, f) second computer means for analyzing said first and second code signals and generating third code signals, g) means for receiving and utilizing said third code signals to control the operation of said vehicle to avoid collisions between said vehicle and objects in its path of travel. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle.
a) scanning the area in front of a driven, moving motor vehicle with a forwardly directed scanning means, and generating first image signals, b) computer processing and analyzing said first image signals and generating first code signals, c) employing said first code signals to intelligibly indicate and define the condition of the road in front of said vehicle including the presence, direction and speed of travel of obstacles of such as other moving vehicles and stationery obstacles in front of said vehicle, d) scanning the area on front of said vehicle and detecting distance between said vehicle and said objects such as moving vehicles travelling in the direction of said vehicle and approaching the path of travel of said vehicle from a side road and generating second code signals indicative of said distances, e) computer processing and analyzing said first and second code signals and generating third code signals and f) employing selected said third code signals to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said vehicle information relating to the approach of another motor vehicle along a roadway angulated to the road along which said vehicle is travelling.
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46. A method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle.
a) scanning the area in front of a driven, moving motor vehicle with a forwardly directed scanning means, and generating first image signals, b) computer processing and analyzing said first image signals and generating first code signals, c) employing said first code signals to intelligibly indicate and define the condition of the road in front of said vehicle including the presence, direction and speed of travel of obstacles of such as other moving vehicles and stationery obstacles in front of said vehicle, d) scanning the area on front of said vehicle and detecting distance between said vehicle and said objects such as pedestrians or bicyclists in the path of travel of said vehicle and approaching the path of travel of said vehicle from a side road and generating second code signals indicative of said distances, e) computer processing and analyzing said first and second code signals and generating third code signals and f) employing selected said third code signals to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said vehicle information relating to the approach of said objects from said side road.
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48. A method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) operating a first motor vehicle by driving said vehicle along a road, b) scanning with a first scanning means an area in front of said first motor vehicle as it travels said road and generating first information signals modulated with first information relating to objects such as other vehicles travel ahead of said motor vehicle in the same direction said motor vehicle is traveling, c) computer processing said first information signals and generating first code signals, d) employing said first code signals to generate second code signals indicative of the distance between said first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle traveling in the same direction as said first motor vehicle on said road and the closing speed between said first motor vehicle and said second motor vehicle, e) scanning with a second scanning means an area behind said first motor vehicle as it travels said road and generating second scanning signals modulated with information relating to a third vehicle traveling behind said first motor vehicle in the same direction as the direction of travel of said first motor vehicle, f) computer processing said second information signals and generating third code signals, g) employing said third code signals to generate fourth code signals indicative of the closing speed and distance between said first and third motor vehicles, h) computer analyzing said second and fourth code signals and generating fifth code signals, and i) employing said fifth code signals to control the operation of an intelligible indicating means in said first motor vehicle to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said first motor vehicle to slow the speed of said first motor vehicle to avoid a hazardous driving condition with respect second motor vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) operating a first motor vehicle by employing a human operator to drive said first motor vehicle along a multiple lane roadway, b) scanning with a first scanning means an area in front of said first motor vehicle as it travels said roadway and generating first information signals modulated with information relating to objects ahead of said first motor vehicle such as a second vehicle traveling said roadway ahead of said vehicle, c) computer processing said first information signals and generating a first chain of digital signals, d) computer analyzing said first chain of digital signals and generating first code signals indicative of the distance between said first and second motor vehicles and the closing speed therebetween, e) scanning areas to the left and right sides of said first motor vehicle with a second scanning means as it travels said roadway and generating respective second and third chains of digital signals, f) computer analyzing said second and third chains of digital signals and generating second and third code signals when vehicles to the left and right sides of said first motor vehicle are detected by the scanning of step (e), g) computer analyzing said first, second and third code signals as they are generated and generating fourth code signals indicative that a collision may occur between said first motor vehicle and one of said vehicles ahead of or to one of the sides of said first motor vehicle is imminent, and h) employing said fourth code signals to effect control of the operation of said first motor vehicle to prevent such collision. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) operating a motor vehicle by employing a human operator to drive said motor vehicle along a multiple lane roadway, b) scanning with scanning means selected areas around said motor vehicle and generating first information signals modulated with information relating to objects detected in the said vehicle vicinity, c) computer processing said first information signals and generating second information signals containing characteristic information defining objects in said scanning areas, d) computer analyzing said second information signals and generating third information signals defining the presence of hazards and objects in the vicinity of said motor vehicle, e) Further analyzing said second information signals and generating fourth information signals indicative of relative motion of said motor vehicle and detected hazards, f) computer processing third and fourth information signals to generate fifth information signals used to warn the driver of hazardous conditions - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A motor vehicle control system for a self propelled motor vehicle having a driver operable accelerator, brake and steering means for said vehicle, comprising in combination:
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a) motor means for operating said accelerator, brake and steering means, b) control means for said motor means, c) master computing means for controlling the operation of said control means to variably control the operation of said accelerator, brake and steering means, d) first means for operating said master computing means to cause it to control said accelerator and steering means to cause said vehicle to travel a select lane of a highway, e) second means for operating said master computing means to cause it to control said brake to slow said vehicle, if necessary, to prevent collisions between said vehicle and other vehicles travelling said highway, f) first override control means for allowing the driver of said motor vehicle to override said first means, g) second override control means for allowing the driver of said motor vehicle to override said second means. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A method for operating a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) operating a motor vehicle in a first mode which includes driver controlling the movement of said vehicle along a first section of roadway, b) monitoring the travel of said vehicle and other vehicles with a first computer means and generating first control signals, c) employing said first control signals to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said motor vehicle driving conditions with respect to other vehicles, d) generating second control signals when a hazardous condition develops during the movement of said vehicle and employing said second control signals to effect the temporary control of said vehicle to prevent or lessen the effects of an accident involving said vehicle and another vehicle or obstacle in the path of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
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86. A method for operating a motor vehicle comprising:
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a) operating a motor vehicle in a first mode which includes driver controlling the movement of said vehicle along a first section of roadway, b) monitoring the travel of said vehicle and other vehicles with a first computer means and generating first control signals, c) employing said first control signals to intelligibly indicate to the driver of said motor vehicle driving conditions with respect to other vehicles and stationary obstacles, d) generating second control signals when a hazardous condition develops during the movement of said vehicle and employing said second control signals to effect the temporary control of said vehicle to prevent or lessen the effects of an accident involving said vehicle and another vehicle or obstacle in the path of said vehicle.
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Specification