Method and system for impact time and velocity prediction

• US 20080172156A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Luo, Wangdong, Joh, Gyu Myeong, Shehan, Mark A., King, Anthony G., Yung Kang Hung, Charlie
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,472 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93276 in the windshield area

Abstract

A collision detection system includes at least one sensor. The data from the sensor is input to a recursive filter which selectively uses the input to predict the motion of a target object relative to a host vehicle. The recursive filter continues to use the data from the sensor until the target object is within a threshold distance of the host vehicle. Within the threshold distance, the sensor does not reliably provide accurate data. Accordingly, the recursive filter omits the sensor input from motion estimates when the target object is within the threshold distance, which leads to significant improvement in target motion prediction.

Claims

1. A system for impact time and velocity prediction, comprising:

at least one sensor operative to detect information regarding a target object; and

a recursive filter in communication with the sensor to receive data therefrom;

wherein the recursive filter selectively uses the information from the at least one sensor to predict at least the time and the velocity at which a host vehicle will impact the target object.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the recursive filter selectively uses the data from the at least one sensor to refine the prediction of the impact time or impact velocity, or both impact time and impact velocity, until the target object is within a threshold distance of the host vehicle, whereupon the filter ceases to use the sensor data.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the threshold distance is selected to be a distance at which the at least one sensor is not expected to provide reliable data.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a ranging sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a short range sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a LIDAR sensor

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a LADAR sensor

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the recursive filter is a Kalman filter.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the prediction of the time and/or the velocity at which the host vehicle will impact the target object is used to prepare or activate vehicle safety systems.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the data is used to predict the time and/or velocity at which the host vehicle will impact the target object until the potential target object is within a threshold distance of the host vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the threshold distance is selected to be a distance within which the sensor is expected to provide unreliable data.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the data is obtained from a ranging sensor.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the data is obtained from a short range sensor.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the data is obtained from a LIDAR sensor.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the data is obtained from a LADAR sensor.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the recursive filter is a Kalman filter.

10. A method of predicting the time and/or velocity at which a host vehicle will impact an object, including:

obtaining data relating to a potential target object from a sensor;

providing the data as an input to a recursive filter;

selectively using the data to estimate the relative position of the target object;

selectively using the data to estimate at least the time and velocity at which a host vehicle will impact a target object.