Collision prediction apparatus

• US 20050033516A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Tomoya
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,884 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: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

A collision prediction ECU of a collision prediction apparatus estimates a state of presence of a detected front obstacle. At this time, the collision prediction ECU estimates the state of presence on the basis of road shape data supplied from a navigation ECU of a navigation apparatus. Further, the collision prediction ECU checks and corrects the calculated road gradient value. At this time, the collision prediction ECU corrects the gradient value on the basis of road gradient data supplied from the navigation ECU. Further, the collision prediction ECU changes a collision avoidance time on the basis of travel environment data supplied from the navigation ECU. Moreover, the collision prediction ECU obtains an ETC gate pass-through signal from the navigation ECU and determines whether the vehicle is passing through the gate. The collision prediction apparatus performs collation prediction on the basis of the corrected values.

Claims

1. A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising front obstacle detection means for detecting a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle and adapted to predictively determine whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle as a result of traveling of the vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus further comprising:

road information acquisition means for acquiring road information regarding a road from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

presence state estimation means for estimating, on the basis of the road information, a state of presence of the front obstacle detected by the front obstacle detection means; and

predictive collision determination means for predictively determining whether the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle whose state of presence has been estimated.

4. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the road information acquired by the road information acquisition means is road shape information representing a shape of the road;

the presence state estimation means estimates a heading direction of the front obstacle on the basis of the road shape information when the presence state estimation means estimates that the state of presence of the front obstacle detected by the front obstacle detection means is a movable state; and

the predictive collision determination means predictively determines whether the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle, by use of the estimated heading direction of the front obstacle.

5. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the road shape information includes information regarding a curved road.

6. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the road shape information includes information regarding a gradient of a road.

7. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the predictive collision determination means predictively determines the manner of a collision between the vehicle and the front obstacle, in addition to predictively determining whether the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle.

14. A collision prediction apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising occupant-protection-apparatus control means for starting operation of an occupant protection apparatus when the predictive collision determination means predictively determines that the vehicle collides with the front obstacle, the occupant protection apparatus including at least an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to avoid collision or an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to mitigate impact at the time of collision.

15. A collision prediction apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle comprises at least present location detection means for detecting a present location of the vehicle, and storage means for storing the road information in a retrievable manner.

16. A collision prediction apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front obstacle detection means is formed of a millimeter-wave radar which is provided at a front end portion of the vehicle and which detects the front obstacle on the basis of a period of time between transmission of a millimeter wave and receipt of the wave.

2. A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising front obstacle detection means for detecting a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle and adapted to predictively determine whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle as a result of traveling of the vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus further comprising:

road information acquisition means for acquiring road information regarding a road from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

presence state estimation means for estimating, on the basis of the road information, a state of presence of the front obstacle detected by the front obstacle detection means;

parameter value detection means for detecting a parameter value representing a state of traveling of the vehicle;

parameter value correction means for correcting, on the basis of the road information, the parameter value detected by the parameter value detection means; and

predictive collision determination means for predictively determining whether the vehicle whose state of traveling is represented by the corrected parameter value will collide with the front obstacle whose state of presence has been estimated.

8. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein

the road information acquired by the road information acquisition means is road shape information representing a shape of the road;

the parameter value correction means corrects, on the basis of the road shape information, a parameter value regarding a heading direction of the vehicle; and

the predictive collision determination means predictively determines whether the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle, the state of traveling of the vehicle being represented by the corrected parameter value regarding the heading direction.

9. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the road shape information includes information regarding a curved road.

10. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the road shape information includes information regarding a gradient of a road.

11. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the predictive collision determination means predictively determines the manner of a collision between the vehicle and the front obstacle, in addition to predictively determining whether the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle.

12. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the parameter value regarding the heading direction of the vehicle is at least one of a parameter value representing a turning direction of the vehicle and a parameter value representing an inclination direction of the vehicle.

13. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising travel-related-information acquisition means for acquiring, from the outside, travel-related information regarding travel conditions of the vehicle, wherein

the parameter value correction means corrects the parameter value on the basis of not only the road information but also the travel-related information acquired by the travel-related-information acquisition means.

3. A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising front obstacle detection means for detecting a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle and adapted to predictively determine whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle as a result of traveling of the vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus further comprising:

road information acquisition means for acquiring road information regarding a road from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

parameter value detection means for detecting a parameter value representing a state of traveling of the vehicle;

parameter value correction means for correcting, on the basis of the road information, the parameter value detected by the parameter value detection means; and

predictive collision determination means for predictively determining whether the vehicle whose state of traveling is represented by the corrected parameter value will collide with the front obstacle detected by the front obstacle detection means.

17. A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising front obstacle detection means for detecting a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle and adapted to predictively determine whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle as a result of traveling of the vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus further comprising:

travel environment information acquisition means for acquiring travel environment information regarding a travel environment of the vehicle from a navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle;

parameter value detection means for detecting a parameter value representing a state of traveling of the vehicle;

predictive collision determination means for comparing the parameter value detected by the parameter value detection means and a predetermined collision determination reference value used for predictive determination of a collision of the vehicle with the front obstacle, and predictively determining that the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle when the parameter value reaches the predetermined collision determination reference value; and

changing means for changing the predetermined collision determination reference value on the basis of the travel environment information acquired by the travel environment information acquisition means.

18. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the travel environment information is travel environment information which represents a travel environment in which the front obstacle detection means detects a continuous stationary object present near the vehicle;

and

the changing means increases the predetermined collision determination reference value in accordance with the travel environment information.

19. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the travel environment information is travel environment information which represents a travel environment in which the vehicle waits to make a right turn at an intersection;

and

the changing means increases the predetermined collision determination reference value in accordance with the travel environment information.

20. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the travel environment information is travel environment information which represents a travel environment in which the vehicle travels on a highway;

and

the changing means decreases the predetermined collision determination reference value in accordance with the travel environment information.

21. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined collision determination reference value is determined on the basis of a time necessary for avoiding collision between the vehicle and the front obstacle.

22. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising occupant-protection-apparatus control means for starting operation of an occupant protection apparatus when the predictive collision determination means predictively determines that the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle, the occupant protection apparatus including at least an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to avoid collision or an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to mitigate impact at the time of collision.

23. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the navigation apparatus mounted on the vehicle comprises at least present location detection means for detecting a present location of the vehicle, and storage means for storing the travel environment information in a retrievable manner.

24. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the front obstacle detection means is formed of a millimeter-wave radar which is provided at a front end portion of the vehicle and which detects the front obstacle on the basis of a period of time between transmission of a millimeter wave and receipt of the wave.

25. A collision prediction apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the collision prediction apparatus comprising front obstacle detection means for detecting a front obstacle present on a route of travel of the vehicle, and predictive collision determination means for predictively determining whether the vehicle will collide with the detected front obstacle, on the basis of a predetermined collision determination reference value, the apparatus further comprising:

pass-through information acquiring means for acquiring pass-through information representing that the vehicle is passing through an automatic fee settlement site;

pass-through information acquisition determination means for determining whether the pass-through information has been acquired by the pass-through information acquiring means;

front obstacle determination means for determining whether the front obstacle detected by the front obstacle detection means is a stationary object existing generally in front of the vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the front obstacle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance; and

predictive determination prohibition means for prohibiting the predictive collision determination means from performing the predictive determination when the pass-through information is determined to have been acquired by the pass-through information acquiring means and when the front obstacle determination means determines that the front obstacle is a stationary object existing generally in front of the vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the front obstacle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

26. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the pass-through information is supplied from a navigation apparatus amounted on the vehicle.

27. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the navigation apparatus comprises present location detection means for detecting a present location of the vehicle, and storage means for storing at least the location of the automatic fee settlement site in a retrievable manner, and supplies the pass-through information on the basis of the present location detected by the present location detection means and the location of the automatic fee settlement site stored in the storage means.

28. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 25, furthering comprises occupant-protection-apparatus control means for starting operation of an occupant protection apparatus when the predictive collision determination means predictively determines that the vehicle will collide with the front obstacle, the occupant protection apparatus including at least an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to avoid the collision or an apparatus mounted on the vehicle and adapted to mitigate impact at the time of the collision.

29. A collision prediction apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the front obstacle detection means is formed of a millimeter-wave radar which is provided at a front end portion of the vehicle and which detects the front obstacle on the basis of a period of time between transmission of a millimeter wave and receipt of the wave.