Device and method for radio-based danger warning

• US 20060114123A1
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Entenmann, Volker, Petersen, Uwe, Hess, Markus, Eckstein, Lutz, Unselt, Thomas, Voigt, Cornelia, Reichelt, Werner, Zimmer, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,378,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for radio-based issuing of warnings of hazards to the driver of a vehicle having a data receiver, the data receiver receives data from at least one data transmitter of at least one other vehicle, and evaluates the received data. The received data comprising information about the position, speed and direction of travel of the transmitting vehicle. The approach speed between the receiving vehicle and transmitting vehicle are determined in order to evaluate the received data in the receiving vehicle. According to the invention, in order to evaluate the received data in the receiving vehicle, the distance between the transmitting vehicle and the receiving vehicle is determined, and it is determined whether information is output to the driver, based on the distance between the transmitting vehicle and receiving vehicle, and based on the approach speed between the transmitting vehicle and receiving vehicle.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A radio-based device for issuing hazard warning information to a driver of a receiving vehicle having a data receiver which receives hazard data from a data transmitter of at least one other vehicle, and evaluates the received data;

wherein;

the received data include information regarding position, speed and direction of travel of the at least one other vehicle;

the approach speed between the receiving vehicle and the at least one other vehicle is determined in order to evaluate the received data in the receiving vehicle;

in evaluating the received data in the receiving vehicle, distance between the at least one other vehicle and the receiving vehicle is determined; and

whether information is output to the driver is determined based on the distance between the transmitting vehicle and receiving vehicle, and on an approach speed between the transmitting vehicle and receiving vehicle.

12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein

a degree of urgency is determined for the outputting of information, based on the distance between the at least one other vehicle and receiving vehicle, and based on the approach speed between the transmitting vehicle and receiving vehicle.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the output to the driver includes information about the determined degree of urgency.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein information about the determined degree of urgency comprises hazard distance information.

15. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.

16. The device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.

17. The device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.

18. A method for issuing hazard warnings to the driver of a vehicle, comprising:

a receiving vehicle receiving and evaluating hazard data from at least one other vehicle, the received hazard data comprising information regarding position, speed and direction of travel of the at least one other vehicle; and

determining the approach speed between the receiving vehicle and the at least one other vehicle in order to evaluate the received data in the receiving vehicle;

in order to evaluate the received data in the receiving vehicle, determining the distance between the at least one other vehicle and the receiving vehicle; and

determining whether information is output to the driver, based on the distance between the at least one other vehicle and the receiving vehicle and on an approach speed between the at least one other vehicle and receiving vehicle.

19. The method for issuing warnings of hazards to the driver of a vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

a degree of urgency for the outputting of information is determined, based on the distance between the at least one other vehicle and the receiving vehicle and on an approach speed between the at leat one other vehicle and receiving vehicle.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the output to the driver contains information about the determined degree of urgency.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the information about the determined degree of urgency comprises hazard distance information.

22. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherin the information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.

23. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein information about the determined degree of urgency is conveyed to the driver by voice output.