Method and device for initiating and executing a deceleration of a vehicle

• US 20040030499A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wilheim, Ulf, Heinebrodt, Martin, Winner, Hermann, Knoop, Michael, Braeuchle, Goetz, Oechsle, Fred, Thiele, Joachim, Uhler, Werner, Hermsen, Wolfgang, Weilkes, Michael, Staemple, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 6,856,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• 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 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/12 Pre-actuation of braking systems without significant braking effect; Optimizing brake performance by reduction of play between brake pads and brake disc
• 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 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and a device for triggering and implementing a deceleration of a vehicle to avoid a collision are suggested, in which, using a device for adaptive cruise control, objects in the sensor detection range are detected and measured variables are determined for each detected object, the detected objects are assigned to various object classes on the basis of the determined, associated measured variables, and the movement trajectories of the objects are predicted on the basis of the assignment of the detected objects to the particular class. Furthermore, a collision risk and an injury risk are determined from these predicted movement trajectories of the objects and the associated, detected object classes and, in the event of the existence of preselected combinations of collision risks and injury risks, the deceleration devices of the vehicle are activated as a function of the degree of the collision risk.

Claims

1. A method of triggering and implementing a deceleration of a vehicle to avoid a collision and/or to reduce the severity of impact with an object, wherein

objects in the sensor detection range are detected (sensed) (1) and measured variables are determined for each detected object (2) using a device for adaptive cruise control of the vehicle;

the objects detected are assigned (3) to various object classes on the basis of the determined, associated measured variables;

a family (group) of movement trajectories for at least one object is predicted (4) on the basis of the assignment of the detected objects to the particular class;

a collision risk is determined (5) on the basis of the predicted family of movement trajectories and the detected object classes;

an injury risk is determined (5) on the basis of the predicted family of movement trajectories and the object classes detected; and

the deceleration devices (19, 20) of the vehicle are activated (6, 7) in the event of a preselectable collision risk and/or a preselectable injury risk.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein further vehicle functions are activatable as a function of the collision risk determined.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the further activatable vehicle functions include at least one of the following functions:

informing the driver about the current collision risk acoustically, optically, or kinesthetically,

preparing and/or activating restraint systems for vehicle occupants,

reducing the engine speed to idle speed,

putting the transmission in neutral so that power is no longer transmitted,

storing the measured data in a non-volatile storage medium.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device for adaptive cruise control of the vehicle is a radar sensor, a lidar sensor, a video sensor, or a combination thereof.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the measured variables determined include at least one of the following variables:

relative speed of the object, distance of the object, horizontal dimension of the object, vertical dimension of the object, geometry of the object, surface composition of the reflecting surface.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an object class is provided for each of the following objects:

person, motorcycle, small passenger car, large passenger car, truck, bus, crash barrier, traffic sign, and building.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the classification of the objects detected in the object classes is performed as a function of which sensor or which sensor combination is able to detect the object and/or which sensor and/or which sensor combination is not able to detect the object.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a vehicle dynamics model is stored for each object class, from which a family of movement trajectories is predicted for each object detected with the aid of the measured variables determined for this object.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the collision risk represents the probability of a non-preventable impact.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the preselectable collision risk, in the event of which the deceleration devices of the vehicle are activated, is a threshold value.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the injury risk describes the impact kinetic energy to be expected of an unavoidable impact.

12. The method has recited in claim 1, wherein the preselectable injury risk, in the event of which the deceleration devices of the vehicle are activated, is a threshold value.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 or 12, wherein the threshold values (SW1, SW2) for activation of the deceleration devices are changeable as a function of the traffic situation.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 or 8, wherein, during the precalculation of the movement trajectories of the particular vehicle and the objects detected, only the trajectories are taken into consideration in which, as a consequence of a combination of steering and braking interventions, the forces arising on the wheels of the vehicle are not greater than the maximum force transmittable from the wheel onto the roadway.

15. A device (10) for triggering and implementing a deceleration of a vehicle to avoid a collision and/or to reduce the severity of impact with an object, wherein

measured variables of a device (12, 13) for adaptive cruise control, which represent the objects in the sensor detection range, are supplied to this device;

object classification means are provided, which classify the detected objects into various object classes;

prediction means are provided, which determine a family of possible movement trajectories as a function of the assigned object class for each detected object;

collision risk determining means are provided for determining a probability of an impact with one of the detected objects; and

injury risk determining means are provided for determining a probability of the injury of the occupants as a consequence of an impact with one of the detected objects; and

means are provided which allow activation of the deceleration devices of the vehicle (19, 20).